Transparent Extrusions!!!!

[CharlesJ]

I am trying to make a simple cap for a solid deck wall. I have used the double line poly tool and set the resulting polygon to be solid and then extruded it. The problem is that it remains transparent in Plan View, even though other objects with a fill do not. I have tried editing the polygon after extruding it already to no avail. Any suggestions?

[Travis]

CJ,

Unless rendered, all extrusions are "transparent" in wireframe view. You have several options: 1) simply render your 2D view, all 2D objects will retain their attributes, 3D objects will become solids and acquire attributes depending on the render mode selected; 2) combine a 2D and a 3D version of your wall cap into a Symbol so VW has something to present whichever view you're in (the 2D component will only show in TopView/Plan); 3) model the wall cap using the Wall or Floor tools, either will create a hybrid object complete with both the 3D and2D components. Each of these last options will yield different results on the side and top faces; you might experiment with both to see which best suits your needs.

Good luck,

[Guest]

OR - the original 2D shape doesn't have a surface. It sounds like it's not a closed polygon, or one with a fill - just a network of lines.

When you extrude lines, there's no surface and will render just as it looks in wireframe.

[CharlesJ]

Thank you both for your responses. I will look at your suggestions and see what happens.

The extrusion was made with polygon tool set to create polygons only, not lines, so I know that is not the issue. And when it was a 2D object, it was opaque because I could not see the wall below in plan prior to creating the extrusion.

I don't normally render my plans, but objects with fill, (i.e., walls, circles, polygons) normally show as opaque in Plan View and so I was surprised when the extrusion did not behave in that same way. From your response Katie, I would also assume you think it is unusual that the extrusion is transparent, correct?

[Ray Libby]

Extrusions do not show solid or fills, they are always transparent. I think Katie was addressing something else. If you want it to show as solid in plan view, draw the same shape in plan view on top of your extrude, select both the extrusion and your new shape and make it a symbol. This will be a hybrid symbol because it has both 2D and 3D objects.

[CharlesJ]

Travis,

Suggestion 1 doesn't work because then it changes to Top View (instead of Top/Plan View) and doors dissappear, etc,

I think suggestion 2 might be the least laborious. I'll give it a try. Thank you!

[CharlesJ]

Ray,

You must have been posting at the same time I was. I agree with you and Travis and will give it a try. Thanks.