Graying Out Existing Ceiling Pattern

[lhanyok]

I have a reflected ceiling plan of a project with phases. The graphics are correct for everything except for the ceiling tile pattern - it is showing up black. I have my phase filters and overrides set up to show existing as the Phase-Exist material with the Surface Pattern color set to gray. I can't seem to figure out how to change it aside from the right-click override graphics in view - which I don't really want to do. Any ideas?

[SCShell]

Hey there,
I have never been able to get a surface pattern to show as you describe either.
Maybe a wish list item?
Steve

[aaronrumple]

...this should apply to all existing objects with a surface or section pattern. It is a big miss on Autodesk's part.

[twiceroadsfool]

For this reason and the one of the Wall Layers not showing up on Existing materials, i largely avoid the Material Override for Phasing, and just stick with the lineweight/linestyle/line color override, and kepe the Material Override set to "No material..."

[DaveP]

Agreed. This should be in the base product. Big pain to not have some things show as Existing.
The reason this doesn't work is that the Ceiling Grid is not a real modeled element. A Ceiling Grid is merely a Fill Pattern. Won't render properly, either. There's no guarantee that the runners are in the same place in the render that they are in the RCP.

What we've done as a workaround is to create to Ceiling Grids - one for New construction that uses a Black Fill Pattern, and another for Existing that uses grey. It's up to you to keep track of them, though.

I'd like to see a lay-in Ceiling done just like a Curtain Wall. That way you could replace tiles with lights very simply. Tiles would be just like Panes & you could have many types. Of course, since the runners would be real modeled elements, that would respect their Phase.

[twiceroadsfool]

I'd like to see a lay-in Ceiling done just like a Curtain Wall. That way you could replace tiles with lights very simply. Tiles would be just like Panes & you could have many types. Of course, since the runners would be real modeled elements, that would respect their Phase.

Curtain System By Mass face, for just such an occasion? :)

My only gripe would be it not respecting its Catagory, graphically... But you could make a curtain panel that WAS a light... Nest a loose lighting fixture family in to it maybe? Ive never tried it, but always mean to, haha...