Is there a way to make ArcGIS Pro Group Layer Transparency work like ArcMap?

[DavidWheelock2]

By default, group layer transparency in ArcGIS Pro does not behave like that of ArcMap and produces an unsatisfying result in which all of the layers are separately transparent and are visible through each other in a big, muddy, chaotic mess. 

I haven't been able to find a setting in Pro to overcome this. 

Is there such a setting? 

Is there a switch to set group layer behavior to be like it is in ArcMap?

EXAMPLE

In ArcMap, when you make a group layer transparent, all of the layers in the group are drawn just as they would be, normally.  Then the transparency setting is applied to the resulting image.  So, even though the group layer is transparent, within the group layer, if one layer is opaque and is above another layer, then its features will completely obscure the features of the lower layers in the group.

ArcMap: Here you can see a group layer with 75% transparency with parcels on top of imagery.  The parcels completely obscure the imagery.

In ArcGIS Pro, when you make a group layer transparent, the transparency setting of the group layer is applied to each of the layers in the group, so that you can see through all of the layers, individually.  You can see the lower layers in the group through the upper layers in the group.  This creates a muddy and unsatisfactory appearance where you can see through everything and see everything underneath.

ArcGIS Pro: Here you can see a group layer with 75% transparency with parcels on top of imagery.  Here, the parcels have incorrectly been made transparent, and do not obscure the imagery.

(NOTE: I understand that in my example above you might want to see imagery through a parcel layer.  My purpose here is only demonstrate the opacity issue in a simple manner.)

[EdiePunt]

Hi David. I am having a hard time either reproducing or understanding your example. In your example, do you have the imagery and the parcels combined together into a group layer? And the group layer is transparency 75% and the parcels 0% transparency? If so, I can't reproduce in ArcMap. With this scenario, the parcels are still partially transparent. But maybe I am not understanding what you've set up. 

[DavidWheelock2]

Yes, that's correct.  In both ArcMap and Pro I have, the following, with the results displayed above.

• Group layer 75% Transparency
  • Parcels 0% Transparency
  • Imagery 0% Transparency

I understand that Kory has already helped you work through this.

[EdiePunt]

Thanks David. I can see what you're seeing in both ArcMap and ArcGIS Pro now. Yes I'm working with Kory on this now. 

[KoryKramer]

Hey David Wheelock‌ We've looked at this and to directly answer the question, no, there is not a setting/switch to make group layer transparency work in ArcGIS Pro like it does in ArcMap.  After looking into this on our side, it sounds like this might be included in future work on layer blend modes: ArcGIS Pro Roadmap - July 2019 It's still not in the near term but I think that we'll see https://community.esri.com/ideas/4033 moved to the product plan at some point.

Since you noted that what you provided in this post was just a simple example to demonstrate the issue (which was sufficient, thank you), what would be most helpful would be to elaborate more specifically with how you use the ArcMap group layer transparency currently.  This would help development teams understand your use case and take that into consideration when designing layer blending functionality in ArcGIS Pro.

Thanks!

[DavidWheelock2]

A simple one that you can easily replicate there is this. 

For aerial imagery, I normally have a group layer comprised of our high resolution imagery for the city and, underneath, statewide or global imagery.  This is so that when I pan to the edge of the extent of our imagery, the global imagery beneath enables me to continue panning and still have imagery.  I don't want to see the global imagery through our local imagery.  I only want it to appear after I have reached the edge of our imagery.

I like having the imagery in a group layer, so that I can turn the imagery on and off with a single click, and also to make the "imagery" group layer transparent and have something underneath that.

[KoryKramer]

Thank you, David Wheelock‌ 

What kind of data do you have underneath the imagery group that needs to show through?  Are you able to provide a screenshot of the map along with the Table of Contents (with layers and group layers expanded) so that we can get the full picture?

Thank you!

[DavidWheelock2]

Here are two examples.  In both, the group layer has 50% transparency and is above a TOPO layer.  We're looking at the edge of the upper layer of imagery running across the middle of the image.

As you can see, the imagery in Pro is much less distinct in the upper part of the image where the two layers of imagery are fused.

An additional very significant issue that I see here is this:

• With ArcGIS Pro, after all of the sub-layers have been made transparent, they are added together and their opacity seems to be the sum of their values, so the resulting opacity for the group layer is greater than it should be and the transparency is less than it should be, not truly 50%.
• With ArcMap, the whole group layer is drawn and then that image is made transparent, so the whole image for the group layer is truly 50%.

This is really going to be a significant issue for those who finely tune their maps.  They may not be the majority, but they are your users who are serious about their maps.

ArcMap

ArcGIS Pro

[KoryKramer]

David, unfortunately I'm not seeing any images.  Can you try to add/attach those again?

My understanding is that the biggest request from ArcMap users in terms of feature transparency was for it to be additive, like requested here: https://community.esri.com/ideas/6047 ArcGIS Pro responded to that very popular request.

You have certainly found an example where the ArcMap behavior is not being honored in Pro.  See if you can get your example images added to the post so the graphics team can understand what is needed to meet the requirement.

Thank you!

[DavidWheelock2]

I understand and agree with the nature of that request that you cite above.  If I had seen it I would have up-voted it.  I completely agree that if I have made two layers transparent then I'm happy to have them be additive.  This is the expected behavior in ArcMap, too.

HOWEVER, that's different from what your developers have done here.  What they have done is take layers to which I have assigned 0% opacity and reassigned them the opacity of the group layer to which they belong.  That's what's wrong, here.