Transparent Massing & Ambient Shadows (Glitch?)

[damo3]

I have discovered something in Revit. I am looking to see if anyone else on the forum has come across this and more importantly, if anyone else is able to replicate it. I have tested this on 2 different computers now, both with identical results. 

Attached are 2 PDF's, one where there massing overlaps the walls, the other, it does not. I can replicate this behaviour by simply turning on ambient shadows for the view (via the graphic display options). Very bizare and as it happens, very inconvenient for presentation drawings our office is trying to setup. 

I would be very grateful if others could try placing a mass behind an object and printing the view to PDF. one with ambient shadows on, the other without and see if you can replicate what I am seeing. Even more bizare, on screen, it shows the reverse of what will print.

Thanks in advance for any help. 

[damo3]

So I am surprised not to get any response on this? usually people are pretty keen to verify odd behaviour! 

Well if anyone has an oppurtunity, it would be appreciated. You may not have the answer, but if i can at least verify this problem can be replicated elsewhere, i will pursue it with Autodesk. 

Thanks. 

[lpascua]

Damo3,

I'm pretty sure I'm having the same issue you are having. 

I typically don't have an issue with ambient shadows until I have to export high quality images or print to PDF.  Pretty much any transparent objects will shine through opaque objects with settings set high on sheets (Print to PDF) or images (2100 DPI or above).  I have not found a work around other than making the transparent objects opaque. It really kills me, especially when I have windows or glass in the view/sheet. 

My other work around is to export to 3DS MAX and create high quality images from there. It's a better platform anyways but it is a little time consuming. However that doesn't help me when I want to create sheets out of Revit.  I'm pretty much stumped there. 

I've had this probelm since the 2013 release.  I'm currently using 2014 but this issue doesn't seem to be fixed in 2015 either.  If anyone has any insight, please share.

Thank you,

-Landon

[mneibling]

We're seeing the same issues here. Transparent planes "shine" through solid objects.

When viewing on screen, this seems to be corrected by toggling the "smooth lines with anti-aliasing" button in the graphic display options dialogue (GD.)

Sometimes it 'fixes' the problem with anti-aliasing on, other times it is 'fixed' with anti-aliasing off.

When printing (whether to pdf, or printer) we can't seem to resolve the issue.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark

[ToanDN]

I cannot replicate the issue and I know for the fact that I have a prety crappy Videocard.  I consider myself lucky then.

[lpascua]

ToanDN,

What version of Revit are you using?

-Landon

[ToanDN]

2016.  And same result with 2015.

[lpascua]

Very cool. I was using 2014/2015 when I initially posted the issue. Hopefully, this is something that has been resolved in 2016. Time to upgrade!

Thanks for the update,

-Landon

[lpascua]

ToanDn,

Have you tried exporting/printing a large image at or higher than the settings I originally posted?

-Landon

[ToanDN]

PNG exposrted @ 5000 x 3xxx.

PDF printed @ High Quality setting in Adobe Acrobat printer settings.

No issues.

[damo3]

I have to admit, I completely forgot I posted this error. We ended up using a work-around for our presentation, but I can also confirm, in 2015 & 2016, I am unable to replicate the problem. I cannot be sure if this is because something has been fixed in Revit 2016 (likely) or the fact I am now on a new machine with a better graphics card. That being said, Toan says his graphics card is crap haha and he has it working. Nice! 

[RDAOU]

Tried replicationg this over 20 times on 2013, 2014 and 2015 as well as 2016 and on separate machines still didnt manage to get the same error... it's definitly not Revit and has to be the machine or the PDF Printer driver version...