transparent material on standard view

[java tom]

My understanding was that glass and other transparent material (not talking about windows) looks solid in standard view 3D. To see through it I have to raytrace. But today I used a shower door that comes with V14. Imagine my surprise when it showed up as transparent in standard view. I can even tried to eyedrop this material onto something else with no luck. Why does the CA supplied door show up like that. More importantly, how can I get other things to look the same way.

[dgavin]

Tom,

Solid in Vector view, not standard render view. Raytracing is necessary for mirror reflections, shiny surfaces and specific lighting effects etc.

[java tom]

If I create a p solid of glass it looks solid in standard render view but the door from the CA library will look transparent.

[dgavin]

Here are two PS's with standard and gray glass via the library under transparent glass.

[java tom]

This is what I get when I use that material.

[Dave Pitman]

This is what I get when I use that material.

Post a plan and find out definitively if it is something particular to your installation, or not.

[dgavin]

Tom,

I see some transparency on the door. Is that the same material as the other panels? You did not "spray" them with something did you?

[java tom]

It is not plan specific. It is a systemic problem. I have always thought it could not do it at all until I saw that shower door.

[dgavin]

Tom,

I wonder if it is a video card problem?

[java tom]

That could be it. It looks fine on a raytrace.

[perryh]

Is it a general material with the transparency set to 100%? Edit the material and check it to be sure. Just guessing without a plan.

[java tom]

It is set at 100% transparency. I even tried using the eyedropper and using the material that is on the shower door. Same material and it looks different depending on what it's on. Shower door - good, p solid - bad.

[perryh]

It also needs to be a general material to work

[java tom]

I'm not sure what a general material would be. It is grey glass from the library of materials.

[pamdesigns]

Tom,
It's definitely vector view (the one with the outlines) and not standard view. As Perry said, you need to make sure the glass is set to general material with glass conditions (properties tab in the Define Materials DBX) and not transparent material (even though that is a ray trace setting). On the 3D settings menu under Vector View Options is a check box for Opaque Glass. If you check it, all glass objects in the view will be opaque. If unchecked, objects with general material settings will be transparent but the transparent material settings will remain solid. It doesn't matter if the glass is tinted or not.