Conference allvax::pro_engineer

423.0. "Transparency of objects" by ALLVAX::UTZ () Tue May 13 1997 17:19

    
    Is there any way to improve the shaded transparency
    in Pro/E?  On all systems I've tried, a shaded part
    that has a semi-transparent color assigned to it just
    looks really dithered.
    
    Do we have any graphics cards that provide nice
    looking transparency?  Does Pro/E take advantage of
    any hardware graphics functionality when it caculates
    transparency?
    
    Here's a trail file I made that creates a part with
    a semi-transparent color (80% transparent).  When I
    run it, it seems as if Pro/E just puts a simplistic
    see-thru mask on top of the part (like looking through
    a screen door, but the screen is the background color).
    Can this be improved?
    
    Thanks,
    James
    
    !trail file version No. 993
    !Pro/ENGINEER  TM  Release 18.0  (c) 1988-96 by Parametric Technology Corporation  All Rights Reserved.
    !Select a menu item.
    #PART
    #CREATE
    !Enter Part name [PRT0001]: 
    badtrans
    @ ok
    ~ FocusOut `newtree` `AssyTree`
    #FEATURE
    #CREATE
    #PROTRUSION
    #DONE
    #RECTANGLE
    !Pick two points to indicate diagonal of box. Use middle button to abort.
    ** 0.197858 0.714473 0 1 1
    0.197858 0.602837 L
    ** 0.798602 0.301552 0 1 1
    0.798602 0.254434 L
    !Pick two points to indicate diagonal of box. Use middle button to abort.
    #AUTODIM
    !Section regenerated successfully.
    !Select DIMENSION to be moved. 
    #REGENERATE
    !Section regenerated successfully.
    #DONE
    !Enter depth [3.47]:
    
    !All elements have been defined. Select element(s) or action(s) from dialog box.
    ~ Activate `Odui_Dlg_01` `okay`
    !All elements have been defined. Select element(s) or action(s) from dialog box.
    !FIRST FEATURE has been created successfully.
    #CREATE
    #ROUND
    !Select type of round to create.
    #DONE
    !Please specify Round Set attributes.
    #DONE
    !Select an edge from chain, pick 'Done' when finished.
    ** 0.573502 0.563239 0 1 1
    0.573502 0.475233 L
    @ sel view 0
     52.526799 -17.396104 -13.804698 0.000000 35.449533 -44.672020
     22.207974 41.145655 32.651182 147.902303 622.922575 -380.017372
    1.000000 0.000000
    ** 0.688203 0.559840 0 1 1
    0.688203 0.472365 L
    @ sel view 0
     52.526799 -17.396104 -13.804698 0.000000 35.449533 -44.672020
     22.207974 41.145655 32.651182 147.902303 622.922575 -380.017372
    1.000000 0.000000
    !Select an edge from chain, pick 'Done' when finished.
    ** 0.745553 0.522456 0 1 1
    0.745553 0.440823 L
    @ sel view 0
     52.526799 -17.396104 -13.804698 0.000000 35.449533 -44.672020
     22.207974 41.145655 32.651182 147.902303 622.922575 -380.017372
    1.000000 0.000000
    !Select an edge from chain, pick 'Done' when finished.
    ** 0.745553 0.621014 0 1 1
    0.745553 0.523980 L
    @ sel view 0
     52.526799 -17.396104 -13.804698 0.000000 35.449533 -44.672020
     22.207974 41.145655 32.651182 147.902303 622.922575 -380.017372
    1.000000 0.000000
    !Select an edge from chain, pick 'Done' when finished.
    #DONE
    !Specify radius value option from the menu.
    !Enter RADIUS or <ESC> to select option from menu. [0.0340] : 
    1
    !References are from solid geometry.  Resulting feature geometry will be solid.
    !Round set geometry has been created successfully.
    !Temporary unattached geometry is displayed. Select Preview for actual geometry.
    !All elements have been defined. Select element(s) or action(s) from dialog box.
    ~ Activate `Odui_Dlg_01` `okay`
    !All elements have been defined. Select element(s) or action(s) from dialog box.
    !ROUND has been created successfully.
    #VIEW
    #COSMETIC
    #APPEARANCES
    #DEFINE
    !13-May-97 16:42:57  Start
    C:\pro18\text\render\ui_model\s_a_m_p_l_e_o_b_j.PRT.1
    !13-May-97 16:42:59  End  
    C:\pro18\text\render\ui_model\s_a_m_p_l_e_o_b_j.PRT.1
    ~ Activate `MatEditor` `BBaseSample`
    ~ Update `ColEditor` `SRed` \
    0 
    ~ Update `ColEditor` `SBlue` \
    0 
    ~ Activate `ColEditor` `StdOk`
    ~ Select `MatEditor` `TMatDefine` \
    1  `Advanced`
    ~ Update `MatEditor` `STransparency` \
    80 
    ~ Select `MatEditor` `TMatDefine` \
    1  `Detail`
    ~ Activate `MatEditor` `BAdd`
    ~ Activate `MatEditor` `BCancel`
    #SET
    !Select a color from color display.
    ** 0.709836 0.616914 2 1 1
    0.002300 0.000999 L
    @color_pick 1
    #PART
    !Entire part selected.
    #DONE
    #APPEARANCES
    #TRANSPARENT
    #ENABLE
    #DONE-RETURN
    #DONE
    #SHADE
    #DISPLAY
    

    No, not really.  In order to do "real" translucency, Pro/Engineer
    would have to make fundamental changes in its lower-level graphics
    libraries.
    
    

    
    Does it look that way on the competitive platforms?  I would
    assume it is equally poor on SGI, HP, etc...
    
    Thanks again,
    James
    

It should, but not having regular access to competitive machines, I don't
know for sure. Take a walk down to Brush's CCC lab and try it out!

-Jeff D.