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Change Transparency?

Change Transparency?

Change Transparency?

(OP)
Hi All,
What's the quickest way to Change Transparency of my part?
(I'm not working in assembly mode)

Thanks.

RE: Change Transparency?

RMB select the first line of the FM
Select Appearance > Colour
Set Transparency in the Optical Properties section

Maybe record a macro of the steps involved and assign a hotkey to it.

cheers

RE: Change Transparency?

(OP)
Thanks. I'll go with the hotkey. Much less steps. Although I had hope there was an icon available.

RE: Change Transparency?

I just tried the record steps macro route ... and as usual it doesn't work.

A macro using API should be capable of doing this though. Maybe some kind API Guru here will point you in the right direction.

Just curious though ... why do you want to change the transparency at the part level?

You could also change the material to Glass or another transparent material.

cheers

RE: Change Transparency?

There is an icon in 2008, in the assembly mode. Otherwise, for a part, again in 2008, when you click on the part (RMB or LMB) select the 'Appearance callout' (round, shiny thingy) icon, then you can select whether you want to change the face, feature, body, or part.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Certified DriveWorks AE
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

RE: Change Transparency?

I used to change the part transparency quite often.  However, I now normally use this only in the context of an assembly or with my PhotoWorks materials.  Right-click the part and toggle Change Transparency within assemblies.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream?  It's all right--we told you what to dream.
    --Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

RE: Change Transparency?

(OP)
CorBlimeyLimey (Mechanical) said "Just curious though ... why do you want to change the transparency at the part level?"

I want to see better see my feature sketchs even though I have them set to "show".



RE: Change Transparency?

(OP)
WHOA!!!! Sorry about the grammer. Should've done the preview.

Anyways....it's seems easier to do in assembly so why not in a part file?

SW 2008 SP1.1

RE: Change Transparency?

Toggling transparency in an assembly is a temporary thing intended to aid viewing of other parts, etc.  Setting transparency at the part level suggests the part itself is transparent.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream?  It's all right--we told you what to dream.
    --Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

RE: Change Transparency?

... because most people (just guessing/assuming) don't need the transparency at the part level.

cheers

RE: Change Transparency?

I use part transparency all the time for dealing with internal passages for manifolds, etc.

After the base block is made, create a derived configuration where the block is 80% transparent. Now all features added are much easier to view when looking for internal clearances, etc.

Remember...
       "If you don't use your head,            idea
                   your going to have to use your feet."

RE: Change Transparency?

BARM,

   In a part file, you can click on the part icon in your browser and select Document Properties.  Select colours,  shading, then Advanced.  You set transparency using one of the slider bars.

   I select transparency this way a lot because I work with optics.  Also, I like to create non-functional blobs so that I can work out geometry.  I do not start designing actual parts until I know how the thing is arranged, and how I am going to install and get at stuff.

   A lot of this depends on why you are setting transparency.

                       JHG

RE: Change Transparency?

Sure would be nice to have the transparency toggle for part files (and not just the assembly context).

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream?  It's all right--we told you what to dream.
    --Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

RE: Change Transparency?

Time for an ER! Perhaps add an icon to the View toolbar alongside, Wireframe, HLV, HLR, Shaded and Shaded with Edges.

cheers

RE: Change Transparency?

Might just do that.  Good place for it, too, since that's where I always reach for it when in part mode.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream?  It's all right--we told you what to dream.
    --Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

RE: Change Transparency?

Or you could go the whole hog and place an ER for a feature (or multi-body) transparency.

cheers

RE: Change Transparency?

(OP)
"Time for an ER! Perhaps add an icon to the View toolbar alongside, Wireframe, HLV, HLR, Shaded and Shaded with Edges."

YES! That's what I'm looking for.

---SW 2008 SP1.1---

RE: Change Transparency?

You can control transparency of a part already... I understand you want an Icon... but that would make for more confusion!

Its just as easy to RMB an select "appearance\color" and change the transparency there.

Of if you have just a bunch of bodies you can hide the bodies by selecting RMB "Hide Bodies"

The old way of changing the transparency of features was to higlight all the features\ RMB them and select "feature properties\Color\Advanced and move the slider. You can still access this today, but its far easier to follow the above.

I think adding another icon to allow for transparency of a part could make for far more confusion that is needed.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP pc2
www.scottjbaugh.com

Quote:

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: Change Transparency?

Scott,

If a transparency icon would cause more confusion, wouldn't the ability to customize the UI allow it to be removed by those who didn't want it???????  I don't particularly need the capability to easily make a part transparent, but it wouldn't hurt me to have it available.

RE: Change Transparency?

Its already there in 2 different places already and if you use bodies its much easier.

You could remove it I guess... but the new and old users alike, could so easily use it then when they go to bring it back forget what they did to get it like that. Colors and transparency in the models are a HUGE issues from all walks of designing and years using SW. Until you use the software and get extensive understanding of how the colors work along with where they are located it can be very confusing. I know there is a macro out there the clear all your colors etc... - but you can't add that into the equation, because how many people know about that macro... only those that read the NG's.

I can see that icon causing a lot of confusion. A lot like Virtual parts in Assemblies in 08. That is confusing to some my experience users. Was for me when I first started using it. I just don't see a benefit for it for 2 reasons:

1) you can already change it in 2 places
2) the amount of confusion it can cause for new and old users that already have had trouble or will have trouble with colors and optics.

It can get very confusing quickly and and this just adds to the problems. Why do you think they added the fly out for the feature manager? To help users understand what is used where and still that thing can get confusing when you have so many things turned on.

Just my opinion... no one has to agree... just looking at it from where I sit and the issues I see on a daily basis.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP pc2
www.scottjbaugh.com

Quote:

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: Change Transparency?

(OP)
Thanks for all the posts everyone.

1)Virtual parts in Assemblies in 08 is AWESOME!!!! Very usefull for me.

2)icons = easier interface (less mouse clicks)

Just my opinion... no one has to agree.

---SW 2008 SP1.1---

RE: Change Transparency?

I have no need for a part/feature Transparency icon (I use the HLV icon if required), but I can understand the want for one if a user often requires that function. If it operated the same as the icon in the assy toolbar, it would save several of clicks and mouse movements ... especially when removing the transparency.

Icon method;
Select the feature or body
Move to and click the Transparency icon (or use hotkey)
Done

Existing method;
Select the feature or body
Click the Edit Color icon (or use hotkey)
Move to, and grab and adjust the Transparency slider
Move to and Click the Tick or hit Enter
Done

Users are familiar with this function in the assy toolbar, so I don't think it would cause too much confusion if the same function was also in the View or Feature toolbar.

I will not be submitting an ER for this though. I would rather SW resources be used for more useful (for me) changes.

cheers

RE: Change Transparency?

I'd like such a feature that changes the transparency (with a button or hotkey or whatever) of the view--part, body, feature, whatever--but not of the true material.  This can be more handy than using HLV for the same purpose, since complicated models can make a mess of the display with all the lines.  Anyway, it would be a much-faster toggle in the context of a part.  Go to an assembly in which the part is used, and you have your original material displayed, not affected by the transparency toggle.

Again, this is just a means for simpler work.  The current transparency setting applies the transparency in a "permanent" state to your material.  Plus, making the change is a kludge of mouse clicking--which isn't conducive for quickly checking geometry through the part while constructing (for example) a sketch.  Meintsi mentioned a perfect example of what sort of context this would be useful.

Also, if this is applied as a temporary toggle of the display of the part, possibility of confusion by the user is low--the toolbar will clearly indicate which "mode" the viewer sees, and clicking a different mode will immediately change it back where it was.  If this was a true transparency button, I could see confusion, since we don't need to increase the avenues possible in doing so.  But we don't currently have a temporary transparency "display" mode at the part level as we do on the assembly level.  (I once threw a part into an assembly by itself just to get this capacity through the use of the assembly's part transparency toggle--worked faster for me, plus I could immediately either see through the part or not.)

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream?  It's all right--we told you what to dream.
    --Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

RE: Change Transparency?

I submitted an ER through the Customer Portal on this.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
What did you dream?  It's all right--we told you what to dream.
    --Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

RE: Change Transparency?

(OP)
Right on!
Thanks,
Brent

---SW 2008 SP1.1---

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