Layer Opacity

[RAFA]

Has anyone used the layer Opacity yet? in VW12 or 12.5 or 12.5.1? I can't seem to find it on my layer window options. I am on a PC machine, any suggestions???

[Ray Libby]

A simple search of the online manual (help menu) of VectorWorks 12.5.1.

"Setting the Design Layer Opacity (Macintosh Only)"

[RAFA]

Thanks Ray, I have been told by someone else too that it is just for MAC. but I just couldn't belive it. This is unbelievable.

[Ray Libby]

What's unbelievable? Mac supports transparancy, Windows doesn't, it's the operating system not VW.

[Petri]

Why so? The opacity/translucency is an operating system service, provided by the "Quartz" graphics engine/library of Mac OS X. How could that be available in other operating systems?

EDIT

Obviously I'm answering to RAFA.

---

Should NNA have decided not to use the best available OS services in order to give a level playing field to the operatingsystematically challenged?

Edited February 1, 2007 by Petri

[RAFA]

Ouch, that was harsh mate, but thanks anyway for your help, I don'e see myself working on a mac in future but Win. will catch up soon I hope.

[Petri]

Rafa, it goes both ways. There are features in Windows that at least should be available in VW for Windows (eg. OLE.)

[Guest]

While Windows doesn't support layer opacity, you can get there somewhat using an Overlay mode for the Layer.

If you edit a layer in the Organization dialog, there are options for the layer - one includes Layer Overlay.

This allows all objects on the layer to have a "transparent" affect and sometimes the expected color isn't always what you end up with. Again, this is something in Windows.

[RAFA]

Thank you for your reply Katie, but I am afraid I can't find the Layer Overlay option anywhere? I tried to add it to my workspace but it is not in my menue. Can you shed more light on this please.

[Jonathan Pickup]

go to the Organization dialog box

double click on a layer

on the Edit Design Layer dialog box

[RAFA]

Thank you Katie, I found it and it works, thanks so much for your help.

[Don@Black Dog]

Any way to do this when annotating a viewport? ie, laying a transparent tone over an area for highlighting or differentiating while seeing the image below?

Thanks

[Guest]

Don-

The transparent object has to be placed on a design layer in the right location, then that design layer needs to be part of the viewport. You could then turn the layer off in the VPs that don't require the highlight.

Right now, the technology is only applicable to design layers.

[Don@Black Dog]

Thanks, Katie. That is actually what I did, just made a new layer and set the parameter to Layer Overlay and turned it on in the viewport.

It works fine. My thought came from working in the Annotations and realizing I should differentiate some areas, so I hoped to do it right then and there. Ah, well, someday, but as long as I know what to expect, it just fits into the workflow.

[Guest]

It's a great idea - I will often create a plan, then enlarge part of the plan such as the kitchen.

I use a series of rectangles of different shades and gradients to get a "highlighted" effect pointing to the larger plan viewport.

I love the way Photoshop let's you crop and highlight a portion and create the zoom tunnel rather quickly.

[Don@Black Dog]

Nice idea. Now if I had time to learn Photoshop more than Auto contrast,...