Question re SHP file transparency

[enquiriesVS3EM]

Hi, I am relatively new to AutoCAD Map3D. I am drawing up a site plan using map3D and I want to show contours of the site on the plan. I have an SHP file of the site contours and I have successfully connected that data to the workspace. This issue I am having is that I would like to make the contours partially transparent so that they don't stand out too much on the plan. I have been able to do this successfully when creating similar plans in QGIS but I can't seem to find a way to do it in map3D. Is there a way to do this in map3D? If not, is there a workaround or a way to convert the data to a different format where this can be achieved? 

[parkr4st]

withi the style line window set the width to a fraction or small decimal value such as 1/16  or 0.025

[ChicagoLooper · Accepted solution]

Hi @enquiriesVS3EM 

Sorry, but there's no transparency setting for lines.

<<You can, however, control the transparency for hatch/fill that you use for polygons. For example, polygonal black building footprints with hatch. You can make the hatch/fill that's inside the footprints transparent.>> 

Here are two options to make your contours WHISPER instead of SHOUT.

Option 1:

Use an EXPRESSION. See image-1. Your contours are using the default value for line thickness which is 0. Change the thickness value to 0.11 so it will be thinner=>OK. See image 2. 

Image-1

Image-2

<<You may need to edit this expression later by increasing or decreasing the value, if you find the thickness is not suitable.>> 

Option 2:

Change the color of the line to gray. See image-3. You can use trial-and-error method by choosing from the column of gray circled in red. Using something lighter than black will make the contours less dominating.

Image-3

<<Be careful using options 1 and 2 simultaneously. Verify  your results by printing hardcopies of the final deliverables. What you see is what your audience will see. Using both might be overkill and make your contours un-noticeable. You want your contours to WHISPER, you don't want them mute.>>

[O_Eckmann · Accepted solution]

Hi @enquiriesVS3EM ,

As @ChicagoLooper says, via dialog you can't access transparency for line color, but if you export your FDO layer to a .LAYER file (via right-clic + "Save as layer" - I use french version so I don't know exact US terms)

A .LAYER file is an xml file you can edit via notepad++ (for example), and you find some lines for color.

                    <ParameterOverrides>
                      <Override>
                        <SymbolName>SOLID</SymbolName>
                        <ParameterIdentifier>LINECOLOR</ParameterIdentifier>
                        <ParameterValue>0xffffff00</ParameterValue>
                      </Override>

In the line <ParameterValue>0xffffff00</ParameterValue>, the begining of value 0xff says fill color, but i you replace by 0x55 you obtain a transparency of 66% of line.   0x11 is very transparent and 0xee is very plain.

Once you've modified and saved .Layer file, you simply drag&drop it into model space of AutoCAD to connect SHP and apply stylisation (with transparency).

Olivier

[enquiriesVS3EM]

@ChicagoLooper & @O_Eckmann thank you both!