Achieving PDF export transparency

[brookefox]

Any way to match transparency of models when rendered in PDFs? I foolishly have put quite a bit of energy into using various levels of opacity to maximize the info readable in architectural production 'drawings' only to find the PDF output to not reflect these subtleties. I see PDFs can have transparency, theoretically.

Tips appreciated.

[Anssi]

In SU transparency is, like shadows and textures, a raster effect that is lost in full-vector output. So printing using a PDF printer is the only option to get transparency from SU into PDF.

Anssi

[brookefox]

Thanks, Anssi, but I am printing with PDFCreator. Do you know of a free PDF printer which supports transparency, or a pay one? (It would be nice to assume all pay ones do but that is likely not wise.)

Perhaps I need to enable textures in SU prior to PDF printing even though I am getting the correct display there without them.

[dedmin]

File > Export 2d graphic > PNG
Then print to pdf from the image viewer

transparency.pdf
It seems it is not a pdf issue, but how SketchUP exports to pdf - In Rhino I get transparency when printing to pdf with the same pdf printer

rhino_transparency.pdf

[Anssi]

When printing from SU, using the "Use high-accuracy HLR" setting forces the print to use vectors instead of raster, so the same limitations apply as with PDF or DWG export: no textures, shadows or transparency.

Anssi

[brookefox]

Thanks, dedmin.

I'll try to remember that. Pretty much always, though, I am looking for the high-res scalable output (vector) that the HLR PDF provides.

Your first image was produced outside of SU, from an SU exported png?

I do like it when I can put an issue to rest (in my mind), even if it points to an unacknowledged (?) deficiency in my main horse. I'll post an image of how useful I find it to maximize info... Actually I guess this is well known and accepted.

[brookefox]

I guess that's the crux, Anssi. Sorry to make you repeat yourself.

Thanks for doing so.