Transparency

[whashisface]

I'm sure this has probably already been asked for but it's very frustrating that you can't make extrusions transparent in Open GL mode of VW. This ability comes as standard on all other 3D CAD programs I've used to date so why not VW?!

It doesn't even need to be very good transparency. Just enough to be able to make a quick massing model with solid and glass elements would be enough.

[AndiACD]

Yep! Definitely a +1

[grant_PD]

set your fill in the attributes palette to none?

[Monadnoc]

set your fill in the attributes palette to none?

That works for me ...

[whashisface]

That kind of works for me so thanks for pointing it out but it doesn't really give the same effect as having a transparent object.

[bcd]

Try setting the relevant class visibilities to Grey

but I agree - being able to control the OGL transparency of non-textured objects would be a nice improvement.

[Kizza]

In this what you're after?

It's a texture but it's the closest I could get to it.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Kizza

[whashisface]

Hi Kizza. Yes, that's the sort of effect I'm after. Any tips?

[Kizza]

Sure, it's a simple colour texture with a plain transparency.

I second BCD's post above re: non texture control via attributes though.

Edited January 9, 2014 by Kizza

[PVA - Admin]

Yes, since it is a 3D object it would obey the transparency of its texture, as opposed to 2D objects that have transparency controlled through the attributes palette.

Graying classes/layers will also do it in a rendered 3D view, but if you want it for a specific object, it should be controlled via a texture.

(There was talk of having transparency be accessible for 3D object's textures via the attributes palette, but since there are so many kinds of transparency and controls for it within Renderworks textures, and the possibility of accidentally having a transparency setting added on top of yet another transparency, it created more problems than it solved.)

[Kevin McAllister]

Jim,

Thanks for the clarification. I would like to wish that an object's opacity setting takes affect in 3d in any render mode where textures are turned off (ie. hidden line or custom Renderworks with textures unchecked).

These are used for different things. Textures are representative of what objects are (i.e. concrete, glass, wood) whereas opacity is part of a graphic or drawing language (ie. I need to show the shape of one object that is behind another).

This separation is pretty clear in other areas of Vectorworks with opacity being one of the exceptions.

Kevin

[Croo377]

I don't know if this will work in your situation but I have found that if I set the fill to solid and set the opacity of the 2d object when I extrude it it will carry it's transparency into 3d. I found it's a lot easier to use class management of attributes to change the opacity of an object once it has been extruded.

The way I have found to alter the opacity of an existing extrusion is to edit the 2d object that it is based off by double clicking. Again I recommend using class management of attricutes because it will make this a whole lot easier.

Hope this helps

Brian