Changing Transparency

[cp3]

I have an assembly with about 30 parts and sub-assemblies, and when I try to make one of the parts transparent, it works, but if I click on anything else it automatically makes it a solid again. How do I make it continously transparent?

 

[Theophilus]

Odd. I right-click the part and select "Change Transparency" for this and it always sticks.

There are some System Options that control assembly transparency. Maybe check into this and make sure those settings aren't over-riding what you do within your assembly. (?)



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

A people governed by fear cannot value freedom.

 

[cp3]

Ive played around with every option and it still does the same thing. Anything else it might be?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

cp3 ... It's probably not graphics card and driver related, but which are you using anyway?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you editing a part within the assy when this happens?

 

[cp3]

No, Im not. I click on a certain part, go to Change Transparency, and click onto the screen, and it immediately goes back to a solid shape. However, the shape appears almost as a shaded part, not a shaded with edges part like all the other ones.

And I can assure you its not the graphics card or the driver.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Does a Ctrl-Q return the part to solid with edges?

 

[SincoTC]

cp3, what SW version and SP are you running, also OS and 32 or 64 bit?

 

[cp3]

Ctrl-Q doesnt do anything.

Im using SolidWorks Premium 2009.

Sorry, but Im not sure what SP or OS mean.

I dont think it has anything to do with my computer or any of the software I have. Because I can click on it, make it transparent, and it works fine, I can even rotate and zoom in and out. But as soon as I click on anything.. Literally anything, and it changes back.

 

[Eltron]

Yeah, that sounds like a graphics card issue to me. 2009 is a bit testy with cards and drivers.

Dan

http://www.eltronresearch.com

Dan's Blog

 

[cp3]

How do I find out which graphics card Im using?

 

[SincoTC]

cp3, No need to apologise!

SP= SW Service Pack number, OS = computer's Operating System (Widows/Vista/Mac, these have SP's too and can make a difference).

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

And I can assure you its not the graphics card or the driver.

How do I find out which graphics card Im using?

WTF?

 

[cp3]

Im using Windows XP version 2002, Service Pack 3

 

[SincoTC]

Have a look under your Programs listing, find the SolidWorks Program group, then the SW program itself, from this you should find "SolidWorks Tools" and in this run the "SolidWorks Rx" Program and hit the Diagnostics Tab, this will list your Graphics card at the top and there's a link to see tested cards.

Hope this helps.

 

[cp3]

My graphics card is:

GeForce 6600/PCI/SSE2

And the reason I said earlier that it wasnt my graphics card is because I figured that since I can see parts in transparent mode and rotate them around, that it wouldnt be a graphics issue. But maybe Im wrong.

I thought it would be a simple option that I clicked on accident. Because Ive had solidworks for several months, and Ive never had this problem before.

 

[Theophilus]

If you don't know which graphics card and driver you're using, this is the likely cause. Graphics cards/drivers are extremely important in running SolidWorks properly--very touchy stuff.

Check here for approved cards/drivers:

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/videocardtesting.html

Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

A people governed by fear cannot value freedom.

 

[cp3]

Actually, I know its not the graphics card because I opened up another assembly, changed a part to be transparent, and it works just fine.

 

[Theophilus]

GeForce cards aren't approved for SolidWorks. It's your graphics card.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

A people governed by fear cannot value freedom.

 

[Theophilus]

To clarify, the GeForce 6600 isn't approved for v2009 of SolidWorks. Even for the less-intensive (and more reliable) v2007, it passes only with the following limits:

Limited number of accelerated windows. Amount of video memory determines the number. If 64M - 128M of memory, 3-12 accelerated full screen windows.

It disappears entirely from the list as of v2008.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

A people governed by fear cannot value freedom.