Apply Color and Transparency in Categories and Elements

Apply color, transparency and visibility to model elements in the NextGen viewer at three levels:

• The project level, from the Project option in Viewer settings.
• The category level, from the Categories tab.
• The element level, on individual elements in the model directly.

Set Project-Level Color, Transparency, or Visibility

Project-level settings persist across browser refreshes without being saved as a saved view. Setting them requires Project Admin permissions.

To set color, transparency, and visibility at the project level:

1. Open the NextGen viewer.
2. Click the Viewer settings button.
3. Select Project.
4. Select the category you want to change.
5. Apply a color, a transparency value, or both, or hide the category.

The setting applies immediately. No save action is required.

Project-level settings can be overridden by settings applied directly to a category or element via the model tree or the 3D view. Refreshing the browser, exiting the viewer, or reopening the model discards those changes and restores the project-level setting.

Set Category-Level Color, Transparency, or Visibility

To apply color, transparency, or visibility to an entire category from the panel on the left:

1. Open the NextGen viewer.
2. Open the Categories tab.
3. Select Categories of active models to view categories for models currently open in the viewer, or clear it to view every available category.
4. Select the category you want to change from the list.
5. Apply a color, a transparency value, or both, or hide the category.

Every element that shares the selected category updates, including elements from models you open later in the session.

Category-level settings apply for the current session only. Refreshing the browser, exiting the viewer, or reopening the model returns the category to its project-level setting, or to its default appearance if no project-level setting exists.

Set Element-Level Color, Transparency, or Visibility

To apply a color, transparency, or visibility setting to a single element without affecting the rest of its category:

1. Open the NextGen viewer.
2. Select the element in the model tree or in the 3D view.
3. Right-click the element or use the inline icons.
4. Apply a color, a transparency value, or both, or hide the element.

The element-level setting takes priority over the category-level setting for that element, even if the category’s color or transparency changes afterward. It also takes priority over any project-level setting for that category.

Element-level settings do not persist upon refreshing the browser, exiting the viewer, or reopening the model.

Reset a Color, Transparency, or Visibility for an Element

To remove an override for an element and return it to its category-level setting:

1. Open the NextGen viewer.
2. Select the element in the model tree.
3. Right-click the element or use the inline icons.
4. Select the reset color, reset transparency, or show options.

The element takes on whatever settings currently set at the category level.

If no category-level setting exists, the element takes on the project-level setting for its category. If neither exists, the element returns to its default appearance.

Save a Category or Element Setting

Color, transparency, and visibility applied to a category or element last for the current session only. They reset if you exit the activity center, refresh the browser, or reopen the model, returning to the project-level setting for that category where one exists. To keep them, create a saved view while the settings are in place.

To keep a category-level or element-level setting:

1. Set the color and transparency you want at the category level, the element level, or both. You can also hide a category or element instead.
2. Orient the 3D model to the view you want.
3. Open the Saved views tab.
4. Select Create view.
5. Enter a name for the view.

Returning to this saved view restores the color, transparency, and visibility settings exactly as you left them.

Related Items

• Categories and Elements Feature Overview
• Create and Manage Saved Views