Unable to set opacity of extrude?

[billtheia]

I'd like to change the opacity of an extrude but it opacity is not available in the attributes palette. Am I missing something? Is it NOT possible to adjust the opacity of an extrude?

[CipesDesign]

Bill, you are correct. It is not possible. However it is possible with FLOORS and other AEC Objects. Perhaps there is a work-around there for you?

Further, although there is no way to change an extrude's opacity, you can apply a texture to it, and that texture could be adjusted to create a partially see-through extrude. Here is a quick example using one the renderworks glass textures:

[billtheia]

Thanks, Peter. I had a feeling that was going to be the answer. I already started using a clear texture. The opacity just would have made things simpler.

Are my rendering times likely to be longer with a transparent texture than they would be with a 50% opaque object?

[CipesDesign]

Interesting question. I am not an engineer or programmer but my guess would be that there would be little (if any) difference in rendering times.

Also, I want to amend my previous response to state that OPACITY is a 2D ONLY attribute. So yes you can apply opacity settings to Floors, etc., but it will only be apparent in 2d (top/plan) view.

From VW's Help files:

"Opacity Attributes:

In addition to the overall layer opacity settings described in Setting the Design Layer Opacity, an opacity setting is available for individual objects in Top/Plan view. Opacity can be applied to any type of planar 2D object, including 2D walls, text, worksheet backgrounds, and plug-in objects that include a 2D object. "

[billtheia]

Well, there you go. Transparent texture it is.

Thanks, Peter.

[michaelk]

One way to cheat is to put the object on its own layer and set the layer visibility to gray.

I know it works for Open GL. Can't remember if it works for other rendering modes.

Michael