Change Transparency?

[BARM]

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

Thanks.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

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.

 

[BARM]

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

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

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.

 

[JMirisola]

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

 

[Theophilus]

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

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

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

 

[BARM]

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".

 

[BARM]

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

 

[Theophilus]

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

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

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

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

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

 

[meintsi]

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...
[navy]"If you don't use your head,[/navy]
[navy]your going to have to use your feet."[/navy]

 

[drawoh]

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

 

[Theophilus]

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



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

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

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

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

 

[Theophilus]

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



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

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

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

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

 

[BARM]

"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---

 

[SBaugh]

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

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[dgowans]

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.

 

[SBaugh]

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

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376