Part transparency.

alessandro_cavoli

In a project I have a part that is made by polycarbonate, that is a transparent material as glass.
I can assign polycarbonate material to the part, but I can't show the part in a user definite grade of transparency as reality needs.
Please add this possibility, thanks.
Find the way to make transparency, but go to imagine that an A letter regulate transparency is not so easy to understand, may be you can highlight it better!!

MBartlett21

@alessandro_cavoli

Right click on the part you want to change the transparency of in the Part Studio, then click "edit appearance of __".

alessandro_cavoli

Find the way to make transparency, but go to imagine that an A letter regulate transparency is not so easy to understand, may be you can highlight it better!! 

chris_sturgis

A stands for alpha, in computer graphics terms alpha is used for transparency.

alessandro_cavoli

Happy to know, but how many know it?
Tomorrow I will say that a butterfly has moved her wings to announce an hurricane (the butterfly effect)?
I think that all the interfaces (software, machines, etc.) must have the better possible clarity and ergonomy to put the user in the better and easy usage condition, not the opposite. And this is a case that, in my opinion, Onshape should correct. If it was so easy to understand that A means transparency I had find it immediately and not make this post, don't you think so?   

bruce_williams

@alessandro_cavoli

Thank you for raising this point.  It is an example of UI design intent.  I understand the difficulty during learning the interface.  If one cannot figure out how to do something it is frustrating.  On the flip side, for professional use, the UI should be quick and uncluttered. 

So what is more important, ease of learning or daily use? Both need to happen yet ease of daily use should be the goal.  So how is Onshape meeting  both?  For learning - help is on each window and they have developed an extensive video training ('the Learning Center')  For everyday pro use - the UI is purposely 'flat' and minimal.  I would call it elegant.  

Back to the example of Transparency.  I like the label being 'A'.   It only takes a one time demo or use to learn and then it is minimal for everyday use.

However, you make a good point; for a first time user it is not evident. That is where the help & videos come in.  In order to learn, one needs to take advantage of the resources and spend time learning.  That said, I noticed the Help on Transparency is a bit lacking; it states "Use the Opacity: field to control transparency (on a scale from 0 - 1; use the slider to specify a value):"   So a new user may wonder 'what is the Opacity field?' and 'what is A?'.   To me, the dialog window is not very complicated - once help says use the Opacity field slider, it is easy to find. 

If I am curious about what 'A' stands for I can Google or ask the forum as you did.  For that matter RGB or the Hex code for colors takes some research if you don't know what they mean.  Yet setting colors is easy and those codes are minimal but complete for an expert.

I think all of us at times feel the pain of learning; yet I appreciate Onshape's design and am really enjoying getting work done with it.

alessandro_cavoli

From write A to write Opacity or Transparency (or just Transp.) I don't think that there will be any difference for the expert user, as you suppose!!
Reasoning in your way (expert and unexpert) also in the folloqing menù Onshape should minimize it by using just the icon and at max adding the first uppercase letter: R C S P T ? It will also reduce space for the menù ...
I think that coherence should be the best, then if in this menu (and in a lot of others munus) I have used this way (see again the image) I think it will be better to have at least a Transparency icon and more better an explanative text.
That's of course my opinion, and don't forget that the transparency function and parts' color change it's not presente into the foundamentals tutorials, I've made them all!!!
But we don't have to make a romance on this and I will not answer any more because it's just a little significant piece in this great 3D CAD and Onshape programmers have surely a lot of more important features to realease to customers.
Thanks and have a good day!!