Color Going From 0% to 100% Opacity

TeamSDA · 9 Apr 2012, 21:24

Hi Everyone,

We are looking for a way to make a color inside of sketchup to go from 0% to 100% opacity over a distance on a face. I am aware that it can be done using textures, it would just be more efficient if there is a way to do it in Sketchup.

I've read several post discussing gradients inside of Sketchup not being possible. The posts I've read were from a couple years ago. Does anyone know of a plugin, DCs or a new setting in Sketch I am not aware of.

Thank you for your help,

Christian

TIG · 9 Apr 2012, 21:42

You could make a texture gradient as a transparent png file and use that in a material, colorized as desired...

B&WgradientMaterial.skp

Simon B · 9 Apr 2012, 22:08

oh wow, that's really clever TIG!

TeamSDA · 10 Apr 2012, 00:05

Hi TIG,

Thank you for your response. I've added an examples to your original file. As you can see for our application using a graphic texture doesn't work. What I would like to be able to accomplish is using DC to switch color of Sketchup created "transparent gradient", which then gives me the ability using DC to extend and widen cone without having to create new graphics.

Any ideas?

Thank you for your help,

Christian

Example File

TIG · 10 Apr 2012, 08:25

TeamSDA · 10 Apr 2012, 21:11

Hi TIG,

I see want you did and it works for the situation. For our end goal of being able to extend and widen the cone using the same material or color this technique would still break. Or is there something I am missing?

Christian

Gaieus · 10 Apr 2012, 21:37

If you enclose the cone into a group or component, you can scale it in any direction, the texture will scale with it.

cone.skp

TeamSDA · 10 Apr 2012, 22:48

Hi Gaieus,

Thanks for the example. Now that I have your file I see you are projecting the texture on to the cone. Is there a way to switch the projected texture using DC?

Christian

Gaieus · 10 Apr 2012, 22:57

I haven't got the slightest clue about DC's sorry.

TIG · 11 Apr 2012, 08:00

There's no access to many aspects of 'materials' through the API or DCs.
So 'projected' is not one of them...
You do not need to project the texture on the cone.
Indeed, you need to apply it as desired onto one face and then repeat the mapping around the remaining facets.
As Gai says once made the material should 'scale' with the object...

How would you 'normally' apply a material to any part of a DC ?
Wouldn't you have it pre-applied to a cone which is then shown or not ?
You can't apply/map a material in a DC [at least not without some arcane/convoluted new 'functions' being added to the DC, via Ruby and not native DC coding - which then means DC users need the .rb loaded too]...