Transparency of masked reference

I have a file with several filled associative regions with the transparency of the fill set to 60%.  I reference this file into a container file where I mask out portions of some of the associative regions.  I mask the reference file using fences created from elements.  Once I apply the mask to the reference the transparency of the specific masked region changes and is no longer the same transparency as the "non-masked" regions.  Is there a setting somewhere to fix this so that the transparency does not change when the reference is masked?

I have my preferences set to "optimized fence clipping".

MS 08.11.09.608

TIA

  • if you " mask" something via fences and ref manager then those masked objects or portions should not be visible  but it seems for you its changing your transparency ....

    This is what I would do.. in your active model  create a level Called Masks and give it a very high priority  set the bylevel to colour zero now with this active draw your masks as closed elements  once done  select all on level Masks and  Right mouse Button menu select properties select fill off and tick to on and change the fill colour to BG ie colour 255 and no transparency  also in the ref amager make sure under settings  that the active file is last and has the highest priority also check you ref files that they dont have any  priorities set or 3d RLs this can upset priority ordering...

    this should achieve what you want  if you can still see the white outlines of Mask level then edit the level manager bylevel better yet use override to set the outline  for level  Masks to BG or make it a non printing level  and leave the out lines so you can see it works...I have not tested the complete work flow but have used parts of it before to achieve masking ...

    Lorys

    Started msnt work 1990 - Retired  Nov 2022 ( oh boy am I old )

    But was long time user V8iss10 (8.11.09.919) dabbler CE  update 16 (10.16.00.80) 

    MicroStation user since 1990 Melbourne Australia.
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  • Thanks for your response.

    The masked portions of the specific reference file are not visible and, yes, the transparency is changed.

    I have other files with filled associative regions that are referenced into the same container file.  I have been able to mask these reference files without issue.  I would rather not introduce a new work flow for a specific reference file to achieve something that has been achieved through the masking tool, and continues to work properly, for other reference files.

    Another big issue is that the masked reference file (that is losing its consistent transparency) does not plot correctly either.  The container file is referenced into multiple sheet files.  The container file and sheet files shows the filled regions (even if the transparency is not correct between masked and unmasked regions) but not all of the regions are plotted.  Some regions are plotted, some are not.  I cannot ssem to make sense of which ones get plotted and which don't.  The plots do not show what the sheet files are showing.

    I've tried detaching the reference file in question, referencing it in again, re-masking the areas, and re-plotting.  I get the same results.  Very frustrating.

  • It was suggested as a work around until you find the source of the problem...

    Mstn is a big program with so many variables, config files , pentables, custom printer .pltcfgs etc its almost impossible to diagnose why it dont work for you when it always has before.. I suggest you try to make a new file and reproduce the senario using the same ref files and see it it still misbehaves ... does this happen to others ..

    I have one use that has one problem we cannot fix or replicate with 12 other users and we all have identical machines etc  

    if in the level display  manager box I double click on a level name it becomes the active level for this other user it just turns on or off... inexplicable...

    BTW I like the mask object level with BG shapes as I discovered  can run out of vertices for masks in mapping some lines can have 1000's or vertices..and it makes opening and refreshing extremely slow...

    Lorys

    Started msnt work 1990 - Retired  Nov 2022 ( oh boy am I old )

    But was long time user V8iss10 (8.11.09.919) dabbler CE  update 16 (10.16.00.80) 

    MicroStation user since 1990 Melbourne Australia.
    click link to PM me