# Adding absolute age/property colours

**URL:** https://discourse.gplates.org/t/adding-absolute-age-property-colours/3264
**Category:** Suggestions
**Created:** [12 June 2026 22:45 UTC](https://discourse.gplates.org/t/adding-absolute-age-property-colours/3264 "2026-06-12T22:45:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![MrUks](https://discourse.gplates.org/user_avatar/discourse.gplates.org/mruks/32/672_2.png) [@MrUks](https://discourse.gplates.org/u/MrUks)
#### Post date: [12 June 2026 22:45 UTC](https://discourse.gplates.org/t/adding-absolute-age-property-colours/3264/1 "2026-06-12T22:45:05Z")

</div>

Hi,

I’ve been helping someone work on their GPlates project and had a question to use absolute values for colour by age. Currently I’m only aware of making colours change over time. If you would to assign colours depending on the year a feature starts existing, it’s not possible without coding or I’m not aware of how to do it.

For example if something is made between 200 and 150 million years it should get 1 colour and then another colour for something between 150 and 100 million years ago.

If it’s possible to do without needing python, I’ll gladly listen to it 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![john.cannon](https://discourse.gplates.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/3e96dc/32.png) [@john.cannon](https://discourse.gplates.org/u/john.cannon)
#### Post date: [23 June 2026 06:16 UTC](https://discourse.gplates.org/t/adding-absolute-age-property-colours/3264/2 "2026-06-23T06:16:48Z")

</div>

Unfortunately not possible without Python. The `FeatureAge`draw style subtracts the current reconstruction time from the feature’s time of appearance. So it changes with time (as you noted).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![john.cannon](https://discourse.gplates.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/3e96dc/32.png) [@john.cannon](https://discourse.gplates.org/u/john.cannon)
#### Post date: [23 June 2026 06:18 UTC](https://discourse.gplates.org/t/adding-absolute-age-property-colours/3264/3 "2026-06-23T06:18:41Z")

</div>

But yes, once the symbology overhaul is complete we’ll add a lot more flexibility in this area (like what you suggest).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![StephenRider](https://discourse.gplates.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@StephenRider](https://discourse.gplates.org/u/StephenRider)
#### Post date: [21 July 2026 07:05 UTC](https://discourse.gplates.org/t/adding-absolute-age-property-colours/3264/4 "2026-07-21T07:05:44Z")

</div>

does this cut your mustard? [Add configurable Absolute Age draw style by CaliTarheel · Pull Request #2 · CaliTarheel/GPlates · GitHub](https://github.com/CaliTarheel/GPlates/pull/2)
