HW
Harvey white
Sun, Feb 1, 2026 9:51 PM
Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
when using a complex model, (pc board), and making modifications, while
manifold rotates very quickly, the model takes time to come up at first
view. I do see that manifold has to process the image for simplification.
Standard CGAL skips this step and updates more quickly if rotation is
not needed.
The situation was that I was tracking down library dependencies after a
slight redesign. I changed library includes and did a lot of commenting
on source lines to track down what was dependent on what. And no, it's
not all that obvious at times.
Harvey
Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
1)
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
2)
when using a complex model, (pc board), and making modifications, while
manifold rotates very quickly, the model takes time to come up at first
view. I do see that manifold has to process the image for simplification.
Standard CGAL skips this step and updates more quickly if rotation is
not needed.
The situation was that I was tracking down library dependencies after a
slight redesign. I changed library includes and did a lot of commenting
on source lines to track down what was dependent on what. And no, it's
not all that obvious at times.
Harvey
CC
Cory Cross
Sun, Feb 1, 2026 10:41 PM
Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
On February 1, 2026 1:51:40 PM PST, Harvey white via Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
>Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
>
>1)
>
>given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
>
>given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the cube is red and not transparent.
>
>Is this expected?
https://github.com/openscad/openscad/issues/6310
Due to be fixed before the next release.
HW
Harvey white
Sun, Feb 1, 2026 10:50 PM
On 2/1/2026 5:41 PM, Cory Cross via Discuss wrote:
Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
Thanks. Might I suggest, perhaps, another operator, an override. It
could be used to override transparency and restore the individual
color. Might be useful.
Harvey
On 2/1/2026 5:41 PM, Cory Cross via Discuss wrote:
>
> On February 1, 2026 1:51:40 PM PST, Harvey white via Discuss <discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
>> Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
>>
>> 1)
>>
>> given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
>>
>> given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the cube is red and not transparent.
>>
>> Is this expected?
> https://github.com/openscad/openscad/issues/6310
>
> Due to be fixed before the next release.
Thanks. Might I suggest, perhaps, another operator, an override. It
could be used to override transparency and restore the individual
color. Might be useful.
Harvey
> _______________________________________________
> OpenSCAD mailing list
> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
SP
Sanjeev Prabhakar
Sun, Feb 1, 2026 11:33 PM
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % >>operator and the cube
is red and not transparent.
Try:
% color("red",0.1) cube
On Mon, 2 Feb, 2026, 3:21 am Harvey white via Discuss, <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
when using a complex model, (pc board), and making modifications, while
manifold rotates very quickly, the model takes time to come up at first
view. I do see that manifold has to process the image for simplification.
Standard CGAL skips this step and updates more quickly if rotation is
not needed.
The situation was that I was tracking down library dependencies after a
slight redesign. I changed library includes and did a lot of commenting
on source lines to track down what was dependent on what. And no, it's
not all that obvious at times.
Harvey
OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
>> given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % >>operator and the cube
is red and not transparent.
Try:
% color("red",0.1) cube
On Mon, 2 Feb, 2026, 3:21 am Harvey white via Discuss, <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:
> Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
>
> 1)
>
> given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
>
> given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
> cube is red and not transparent.
>
> Is this expected?
>
> 2)
>
> when using a complex model, (pc board), and making modifications, while
> manifold rotates very quickly, the model takes time to come up at first
> view. I do see that manifold has to process the image for simplification.
>
> Standard CGAL skips this step and updates more quickly if rotation is
> not needed.
>
> The situation was that I was tracking down library dependencies after a
> slight redesign. I changed library includes and did a lot of commenting
> on source lines to track down what was dependent on what. And no, it's
> not all that obvious at times.
>
> Harvey
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> OpenSCAD mailing list
> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
MM
Michael Marx (spintel)
Mon, Feb 2, 2026 12:29 AM
For a start, that is not Manifold related. Manifold is Render/F6.
%anything() is NOT rendered, so for F6 does not exist.
I would say it (for preview) is expected, and consistent with past behaviour.
But as Cory said, color() is being fine tuned, things may change at the edges.
- I'm not following, and it is unclear whether you use Preview/F5 or just Manifold-Render/F6. Use F5 if F6 is too slow.
What step is CGAL skipping? Are you talking about rotate(angle) or rotating display via mouse?
-----Original Message-----
From: Harvey white via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org]
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2026 8:52 AM
To: nop head via Discuss
Cc: Harvey white
Subject: [OpenSCAD] manifold, transparency, and color
Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
when using a complex model, (pc board), and making modifications, while
manifold rotates very quickly, the model takes time to come up at first
view. I do see that manifold has to process the image for simplification.
Standard CGAL skips this step and updates more quickly if rotation is
not needed.
The situation was that I was tracking down library dependencies after a
slight redesign. I changed library includes and did a lot of commenting
on source lines to track down what was dependent on what. And no, it's
not all that obvious at times.
Harvey
OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
1)
For a start, that is not Manifold related. Manifold is Render/F6.
%anything() is NOT rendered, so for F6 does not exist.
I would say it (for preview) is expected, and consistent with past behaviour.
But as Cory said, color() is being fine tuned, things may change at the edges.
2) I'm not following, and it is unclear whether you use Preview/F5 or just Manifold-Render/F6. Use F5 if F6 is too slow.
What step is CGAL skipping? Are you talking about rotate(angle) or rotating display via mouse?
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Harvey white via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org]
> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2026 8:52 AM
> To: nop head via Discuss
> Cc: Harvey white
> Subject: [OpenSCAD] manifold, transparency, and color
>
> Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
>
> 1)
>
> given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
>
> given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
> cube is red and not transparent.
>
> Is this expected?
>
> 2)
>
> when using a complex model, (pc board), and making modifications, while
> manifold rotates very quickly, the model takes time to come up at first
> view. I do see that manifold has to process the image for simplification.
>
> Standard CGAL skips this step and updates more quickly if rotation is
> not needed.
>
> The situation was that I was tracking down library dependencies after a
> slight redesign. I changed library includes and did a lot of commenting
> on source lines to track down what was dependent on what. And no, it's
> not all that obvious at times.
>
> Harvey
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> OpenSCAD mailing list
> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
HW
Harvey white
Mon, Feb 2, 2026 3:31 AM
On 2/1/2026 7:29 PM, Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss wrote:
For a start, that is not Manifold related. Manifold is Render/F6.
%anything() is NOT rendered, so for F6 does not exist.
I would say it (for preview) is expected, and consistent with past behaviour.
But as Cory said, color() is being fine tuned, things may change at the edges.
I'm using normal F5, and I'm looking at the startup display. The color
issue has been solved, just needs documentation if it isn't already there.
- I'm not following, and it is unclear whether you use Preview/F5 or just Manifold-Render/F6. Use F5 if F6 is too slow.
What step is CGAL skipping? Are you talking about rotate(angle) or rotating display via mouse?
defaults in preferences are set to manifold. The model I am working with is a PC board with lots of parts. OpenSCAD takes a while to generate the preview under these conditions. Rotating (touchpad playing mouse) rotates very nicely. With rendering set to CGAL, it rotates slowly as expected.
Harvey
-----Original Message-----
From: Harvey white via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org]
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2026 8:52 AM
To: nop head via Discuss
Cc: Harvey white
Subject: [OpenSCAD] manifold, transparency, and color
Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
when using a complex model, (pc board), and making modifications, while
manifold rotates very quickly, the model takes time to come up at first
view. I do see that manifold has to process the image for simplification.
Standard CGAL skips this step and updates more quickly if rotation is
not needed.
The situation was that I was tracking down library dependencies after a
slight redesign. I changed library includes and did a lot of commenting
on source lines to track down what was dependent on what. And no, it's
not all that obvious at times.
Harvey
OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
On 2/1/2026 7:29 PM, Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss wrote:
> 1)
> For a start, that is not Manifold related. Manifold is Render/F6.
> %anything() is NOT rendered, so for F6 does not exist.
> I would say it (for preview) is expected, and consistent with past behaviour.
> But as Cory said, color() is being fine tuned, things may change at the edges.
I'm using normal F5, and I'm looking at the startup display. The color
issue has been solved, just needs documentation if it isn't already there.
>
> 2) I'm not following, and it is unclear whether you use Preview/F5 or just Manifold-Render/F6. Use F5 if F6 is too slow.
> What step is CGAL skipping? Are you talking about rotate(angle) or rotating display via mouse?
defaults in preferences are set to manifold. The model I am working with is a PC board with lots of parts. OpenSCAD takes a while to generate the preview under these conditions. Rotating (touchpad playing mouse) rotates very nicely. With rendering set to CGAL, it rotates slowly as expected.
Harvey
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Harvey white via Discuss [mailto:discuss@lists.openscad.org]
>> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2026 8:52 AM
>> To: nop head via Discuss
>> Cc: Harvey white
>> Subject: [OpenSCAD] manifold, transparency, and color
>>
>> Have been using manifold, and found some observations.
>>
>> 1)
>>
>> given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
>>
>> given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
>> cube is red and not transparent.
>>
>> Is this expected?
>>
>> 2)
>>
>> when using a complex model, (pc board), and making modifications, while
>> manifold rotates very quickly, the model takes time to come up at first
>> view. I do see that manifold has to process the image for simplification.
>>
>> Standard CGAL skips this step and updates more quickly if rotation is
>> not needed.
>>
>> The situation was that I was tracking down library dependencies after a
>> slight redesign. I changed library includes and did a lot of commenting
>> on source lines to track down what was dependent on what. And no, it's
>> not all that obvious at times.
>>
>> Harvey
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> OpenSCAD mailing list
>> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
> _______________________________________________
> OpenSCAD mailing list
> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
CC
Cory Cross
Mon, Feb 2, 2026 3:45 AM
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
Thanks. Might I suggest, perhaps, another operator, an override. It
could be used to override transparency and restore the individual
color. Might be useful.
I jumped the gun, forgetting what % is. I'll follow up in github
issue, but I would expect anything with % to be grey (with the default
color scheme) no matter how many color() modifiers exist.
Cory
>>> given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
>>>
>>> given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and the
>>> cube is red and not transparent.
>>>
>>> Is this expected?
>> https://github.com/openscad/openscad/issues/6310
>>
>> Due to be fixed before the next release.
>
>
> Thanks. Might I suggest, perhaps, another operator, an override. It
> could be used to override transparency and restore the individual
> color. Might be useful.
I jumped the gun, forgetting what `%` is. I'll follow up in github
issue, but I would expect anything with % to be grey (with the default
color scheme) no matter how many color() modifiers exist.
Cory
MM
Michael Marx (spintel)
Mon, Feb 2, 2026 4:06 AM
defaults in preferences are set to manifold. The model I am working with is a PC board
with lots of parts. OpenSCAD takes a while to generate the preview under these
conditions.
Presumably with Auto-reload-preview (ARP).
Preview does NOT* use Manifold, unless you use render().
Or are you doing F6 after ARP?
[perhaps with Manifold, ARP now needs an option to render ie ARR?]
*Some things in Preview actually render, like minkowski, resize.
the model takes time to come up at first view.
OpenSCAD has cache, so subsequent operation can be quicker.
However if you change things deep in a model it can invalidate chunks of cache.
I'm not sure if you wanted anything specific re your observation 2).
> defaults in preferences are set to manifold. The model I am working with is a PC board
> with lots of parts. OpenSCAD takes a while to generate the preview under these
> conditions.
Presumably with Auto-reload-preview (ARP).
Preview does NOT* use Manifold, unless you use render().
Or are you doing F6 after ARP?
[perhaps with Manifold, ARP now needs an option to render ie ARR?]
*Some things in Preview actually render, like minkowski, resize.
> the model takes time to come up at first view.
OpenSCAD has cache, so subsequent operation can be quicker.
However if you change things deep in a model it can invalidate chunks of cache.
I'm not sure if you wanted anything specific re your observation 2).
HW
Harvey white
Mon, Feb 2, 2026 5:14 AM
Ok, what works right now, and I like it, is the suggestion to do
%color("red", number) where number is from 0 (complete transparency) to
1 (completely opaque). That actually does what I wanted, a method to
individually turn off or on transparency in an included transparent
object. It also is very useful when (trying) to figure out how to
generate a translucent window in an opaque case (illuminated touchpad).
It's documented, now that I know about it, for F5 only.
so I'd say that this feature works just fine.
Harvey
On 2/1/2026 10:45 PM, Cory Cross via Discuss wrote:
given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and
the cube is red and not transparent.
Is this expected?
Thanks. Might I suggest, perhaps, another operator, an override. It
could be used to override transparency and restore the individual
color. Might be useful.
I jumped the gun, forgetting what % is. I'll follow up in github
issue, but I would expect anything with % to be grey (with the default
color scheme) no matter how many color() modifiers exist.
Cory
OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
Ok, what works right now, and I like it, is the suggestion to do
%color("red", number) where number is from 0 (complete transparency) to
1 (completely opaque). That actually does what I wanted, a method to
individually turn off or on transparency in an included transparent
object. It also is very useful when (trying) to figure out how to
generate a translucent window in an opaque case (illuminated touchpad).
It's documented, now that I know about it, for F5 only.
so I'd say that this feature works just fine.
Harvey
On 2/1/2026 10:45 PM, Cory Cross via Discuss wrote:
>>>> given a line %cube, cube is transparent as expected.
>>>>
>>>> given color("red") %cube, the color overrides the % operator and
>>>> the cube is red and not transparent.
>>>>
>>>> Is this expected?
>>> https://github.com/openscad/openscad/issues/6310
>>>
>>> Due to be fixed before the next release.
>>
>>
>> Thanks. Might I suggest, perhaps, another operator, an override. It
>> could be used to override transparency and restore the individual
>> color. Might be useful.
>
> I jumped the gun, forgetting what `%` is. I'll follow up in github
> issue, but I would expect anything with % to be grey (with the default
> color scheme) no matter how many color() modifiers exist.
>
> Cory
> _______________________________________________
> OpenSCAD mailing list
> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
HW
Harvey white
Mon, Feb 2, 2026 6:04 AM
ah, interleaved.
On 2/1/2026 11:06 PM, Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss wrote:
defaults in preferences are set to manifold. The model I am working with is a PC board
with lots of parts. OpenSCAD takes a while to generate the preview under these
conditions.
Presumably with Auto-reload-preview (ARP).
Preview does NOT* use Manifold, unless you use render().
Or are you doing F6 after ARP?
No, at this point F6 wouldn't do anything for me, I'm still at the
"bolting pieces together" stage.
[perhaps with Manifold, ARP now needs an option to render ie ARR?]
*Some things in Preview actually render, like minkowski, resize.
Didn't use Minkowski, although it would be nice if Minkowski didn't make
the model larger, just variously rounded that. I've got that fixed in
the algorithms, though. I use hull rather than minkowski if I don't
need to round the tops and bottoms, just the sides. This is for 3D
printed equipment cases, and sections that need to stack.
the model takes time to come up at first view.
OpenSCAD has cache, so subsequent operation can be quicker.
However if you change things deep in a model it can invalidate chunks of cache.
Not sure that I was doing that, although I am changing then evaluating
(just by saving).
I'm not sure if you wanted anything specific re your observation 2).
No, it was more of a comment than anything. Might have triggered a "oh,
don't do that, do this instead" note.
Thanks. Looks good so far.
Harvey
ah, interleaved.
On 2/1/2026 11:06 PM, Michael Marx (spintel) via Discuss wrote:
>> defaults in preferences are set to manifold. The model I am working with is a PC board
>> with lots of parts. OpenSCAD takes a while to generate the preview under these
>> conditions.
> Presumably with Auto-reload-preview (ARP).
> Preview does NOT* use Manifold, unless you use render().
Hadn't been doing that.
> Or are you doing F6 after ARP?
No, at this point F6 wouldn't do anything for me, I'm still at the
"bolting pieces together" stage.
>
> [perhaps with Manifold, ARP now needs an option to render ie ARR?]
> *Some things in Preview actually render, like minkowski, resize.
Didn't use Minkowski, although it would be nice if Minkowski didn't make
the model larger, just variously rounded that. I've got that fixed in
the algorithms, though. I use hull rather than minkowski if I don't
need to round the tops and bottoms, just the sides. This is for 3D
printed equipment cases, and sections that need to stack.
>
>> the model takes time to come up at first view.
> OpenSCAD has cache, so subsequent operation can be quicker.
> However if you change things deep in a model it can invalidate chunks of cache.
Not sure that I was doing that, although I am changing then evaluating
(just by saving).
> I'm not sure if you wanted anything specific re your observation 2).
No, it was more of a comment than anything. Might have triggered a "oh,
don't do that, do this instead" note.
Thanks. Looks good so far.
Harvey
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> OpenSCAD mailing list
> To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org
