JPG Transparent

[BIMAbhi]

It is possible to transparent the jpg in revit?

[loboarch · Accepted solution]

No.  You can't really affect images imported into Revit other than scale and draw order.  You would need to do this klind of thing outside of Revit and bring in as a completed image.

[ccollins]

Try using a png, which has an alpha channel property.

However,

As Jeff said, you can not alter transparency of images in Revit.

cheers

[themelis_d_m]

Hi,

how can i make a transparent PNG? i tried it in Photoshop and after importing the image, there was no transparency..

thanks,

Mike

[themelis_d_m]

Hi, again,

i noticed that revit understands transparency as ON or OFF (0 or 255) and not something in between...

I don't just want a cutout of a tree, but the tree itself to be semi transparent. Is there a workaround??

Thanks again guys!

[loboarch]

This kind of manipulation needs to be done in amn image editing tool outside of Revit.  When a PNG or a TIF file is exported from a Revit rendering the sky/background is exported as an alpha channel.  This is the extent of what is possible from Revit.

[rhw]

I love using Revit, and wish to see it improved. So here's my user request:

It would be benificial for the Autodesk team to add in the functionality for all inserted or linked external files to became transparent, or some variation of image opacity alteration. This is useful because when tracing as-builts, it can become difficult to distinguish between the underlying image, and the Revit line/model work. I am surprised that this function does not already exist, other than the halftone selection - which ironically is more often than not greyed out at a halftone, so that it may not be used.

Thanks.

[jrfrost]

I was looking for the same thing and I came up with this work around. If you create a filled region with a solid white color over the top of your image (your image must be set to background), and then override the filled region to have a surface transparency of about 50, this will do the trick. When making a PDF or printing, you need to make sure that, in the "Print Setup Window", "Raster Processing" is checked instead of "Vector Processing."

[BarryBebart]

If you are using a jpg as an underlay to trace a floor plan (probably from a pdf converted to jpg) you cannot modify the jpg transparency......but there is a work around: Make the jpg a background item in revit and modify the properties of your floor slab to be transparent. Then you can trace exterior, columns, partitions, doors etc. over the jpg image.

[Viveka_CD]

Hi @BIMAbhi

I wanted to clarify: Revit does not support transparency like AutoCAD

You can make however make the jpeg a background item or apply a material in Revit and modify the properties of your model element to be transparent.

Please mark this response as "Accept as Solution" if it answers your question to benefit others looking for a similar solution. Kudos gladly accepted.

[smartplans]

One method I have used when doing tracings of "as-built" images is to re-colour the image from black and white to something like a pale pink or orange. This then stands out but does not interfere with your new walls and such which, in my case are usually black or grey.

[mariagabriela_eh]

I didn't find the option to change the properties and make it transparent.

[ToanDN]

Because there are none. Change them to Background is the most you can do.

[gsucci · Accepted solution]

The quickest way is:

1. open JPG in photoshop
2. double click the default layer and say ok.
3. select what you need to be transparent: use whatever selection tools available in PS.
4. hit Canc: the selection will be erased and the checkerboard Photoshop background will be revealed where you deleted the pixels.
5. "Save as" PNG.

When you drag or import that PNG into Revit it will have transparency.

Regards

Gio

[ToanDN]

That can make PNGs transparent in AutoCAD, not Revit. Or is it a new feature in the new version?

[gsucci]

---

@ToanDN wrote:
That can make PNGs transparent in AutoCAD, not Revit. Or is it a new feature in the new version?

---

Did you try what I wrote?

It works in Revit 2017, but I am pretty sure this feature has been there longer.

Regards

Gio

[mariagabriela_eh]

hi. When I add the PNG image as background, the components or the floors overlay the image. and when I add the image as foreground, the image overlays the components and the floor. I wish I had a balance so I could show both of them in my landscape floor plan.

[ToanDN]

@gsucci

Yes it works as you described.

[gsucci]

Maria Gabriella!

Revit supports only one level of transparency, that is either a pixel of your PNG is opaque or it is transparent.

There are no shades of transparency.

So, in Photoshop you need to build a pattern (or brush), made of black and white pixels, in a checkerboard.

For 50% transparency, each square of the checkerboard is one pixel by one pixel. Apply this grid to your image: all white pixel will stay visible, and all black pixels will become transparent.

(You can do this in a number of ways, I don't have time to try it right now, sorry!).

You are basically making your image 50% transparent by creating a very fine moire of one level transparency pixels (black or white), like a screen.

If you do not want your entire tree to become 50% transparent, you could apply the grid of transparent pixel only on the edges of the tree, the drip line... then you may want to use some kind of brush.

Finally, you may be able to achieve more or less transparency by changing the density, that is the amount of black and white pixels in your pattern, but then you need to be careful because you may introduce some artifacts, since you may not get an exact checkerboard pattern anymore.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Gio

[gsucci]

Themelis, see my previous response...

Regards

Gio