This registry entry lets you change how the range of dimension colors are displayed for bilateral tolerances. By default, PC-DMIS bases the dimension color range on the total tolerance range—using both plus and minus tolerances.
If you set this registry entry to 1 (True), however, PC-DMIS only uses the tolerance on the side of the nominal that the deviation is on. If it is a positive deviation, the color is based on the percentage of the deviation between zero and the plus tolerance. If it is a negative deviation, the color is based on the percentage of the deviation between zero and the minus tolerance, so if the deviation is equal to the minus tolerance, it produces the color for the 100% zone.
For example, suppose you have a deviation of 0.1, and the plus tolerance is 0.2 and the minus tolerance is 0.2. If this option is 0 (False), the percentage along the total tolerance range is 100% * (+0.1 - (-0.2))/(0.2 - (-0.2)) = 75%. But if the option is set to 1 (True) the percentage along the positive range is 100% * (0.1 – 0.)/(0.2 - 0.) = 50%.
The main advantage of using this option is that for equal tolerances, a negative deviation produces the same percentage as a positive deviation of the same magnitude.
For example, if the deviation is -0.1, and still using the plus tolerance of 0.2 and the minus tolerance of 0.2, then the color will be based on 100% * (0.1 – 0.0) / (0.2 – 0.0) = 50%, so the color for a -0.1 deviation will be the same as the 0.1 deviation for these tolerances.
Colors for unilateral tolerances are NOT affected by this option. They are always calculated on the range from zero to the plus tolerance.
Entry Name: BilateralAlternateColorDisplay
Entry Type: Whole number that specifies True (1) or False (0). The default value is 0. If set to 0 (False), PC-DMIS calculates the percentage for the color range from both the plus and minus tolerances. If set to 1 (True), PC-DMIS assigns the color by using the tolerance on the side of the nominal that the deviation is on. The tolerances used for calculating the percentage are based on the direction of the deviation. If the deviation is positive, then the percentage is based on the positive tolerance. If the deviation is negative, then the percentage is based on the negative tolerance.