Bug 169676 - XY scatterplot icons (markers, dots, etc.) not affected by transparency setting, except in preview
Summary: XY scatterplot icons (markers, dots, etc.) not affected by transparency setti...
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Calc (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
25.8.3.2 release
Hardware: All Windows (All)
: medium normal
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-11-25 06:53 UTC by poodledeedoop
Modified: 2025-12-15 03:13 UTC (History)
0 users

See Also:
Crash report or crash signature:


Attachments
ODS with dummy XY scatterplot data and chart (208.83 KB, application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet)
2025-12-14 21:20 UTC, poodledeedoop
Details
screenshot of the dummy scatterplot with enlarged markers (148.69 KB, image/png)
2025-12-14 21:24 UTC, poodledeedoop
Details
Screenshot of the initial "Format Data Series" popup menu (15.26 KB, image/png)
2025-12-14 21:25 UTC, poodledeedoop
Details
Screenshot of the "Format Data Series" menu when a line style is selected (17.63 KB, image/png)
2025-12-14 21:26 UTC, poodledeedoop
Details
Screenshot of the "Format Data Series" menu when a line transparency is entered (17.33 KB, image/png)
2025-12-14 21:28 UTC, poodledeedoop
Details
Screenshot of the re-opened "Format Data Series" menu after the line transparency was applied (17.53 KB, image/png)
2025-12-14 21:31 UTC, poodledeedoop
Details
Screenshot of the Properties sidebar showing misleading field placements (18.94 KB, image/png)
2025-12-14 21:35 UTC, poodledeedoop
Details

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Description poodledeedoop 2025-11-25 06:53:51 UTC
Description:
I was trying to make an XY scatterplot with partially transparent icons (i.e., the dots of the plot, called "markers" in Excel) to generate a heat map.

The Format Data Series popup (Edit Mode > right click a series), under the Line tab, shows a setting for Transparency under Line Properties, which is grayed out when the line style is set to "-none-" (as it should be for a heat map). There is no equivalent transparency setting under Icon.

If a line is enabled by changing the style away from "-none-", and the Transparency setting (now no longer grayed out) is set to something nonzero, like 50%, the preview in the popup will show an opaque icon with semi-transparent line. However, selecting OK and reopening the popup for the series reveals a semi-transparent marker in the preview that is not matched in the Chart.

Seeking an alternate method for icon transparency, I looked at the sidebar properties menu. Interestingly, even though the Transparency slider in the sidebar menu is under the Area tab, it only applies to the Line (presumably, it's the same setting as in the Format Data Series popup).

I wasn't sure whether to report this as a bug or feature request since the preview and sidebar setting seem to indicate that icon transparency is the intended feature, while the Transparency option in the Format Data Series popup being grayed out when a line is disabled makes me think icon transparency is not a feature.

Steps to Reproduce:
(I did all this after resetting the user profile)
1.Enter dummy XY data in columns A and B
2.Create XY scatterplot chart while highlighting dummy data
3.Chart Type: XY (Scatter) Points Only, select Finish
4.Chart Edit Mode (clicking on chart), right-click data series, select Format Data Series
5.See Transparency option is grayed out
6.Select line style other than "none-"
7.Set transparency (no longer gray) to 50%
8.See preview shows 50% transparent line with opaque marker
9.Select OK
10.Format Data Series again
11.See preview now shows 50% transparent line with 50% transparent marker
12.Select OK
13.While highlighting series, open sidebar Properties pane
14.See Transparency slider under Area set to 50%
15.Adjust slider while looking at chart, observe change in transparency of line

Actual Results:
(See Steps to Reproduce)

Expected Results:
(If icon transparency is an intended feature)
In Step 5., the Transparency option should either not be grayed out, or should exist for icons.
(If icon transparency is not a feature, then there is not bug at this point.)

In Step 11., the transparency setting applied to the marker in the preview window does not match the setting ultimately applied to the chart

In Step 14., the transparency setting in the sidebar is located under Area when it seems to only impact the line, which means it probably belongs in the Line section beneath it

(If the transparency slider in the sidebar is supposed to adjust the icon transparency)
In Step 15., the transparency slider should adjust the transparency of the icon and not the line.


Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: Yes

Additional Info:
I apologize for the ambiguous bug report/feature request format since I couldn't make sense of the conflicting design. I'm happy to reformat it if you can point me one way or the other.
Comment 1 steve.contrib@gmail.com 2025-12-14 11:01:05 UTC
hello poodledeedoop@gmail.com

could you provide a test file ? images ? scrennshots.. ?
thanks a lot
Comment 2 poodledeedoop 2025-12-14 21:20:57 UTC
Created attachment 204637 [details]
ODS with dummy XY scatterplot data and chart

The data series x values are in column A, which consists of numbers 1-300. The data series y values are in column B, which consists of =rand(). The plot has intentionally enlarged markers so that many overlap. I like to remedy marker overlap with transparent markers so that a heat map can be made. I came across the unusual Calc behavior when pursuing this heat map.
Comment 3 poodledeedoop 2025-12-14 21:24:46 UTC
Created attachment 204638 [details]
screenshot of the dummy scatterplot with enlarged markers
Comment 4 poodledeedoop 2025-12-14 21:25:45 UTC
Created attachment 204639 [details]
Screenshot of the initial "Format Data Series" popup menu

Note the opaque marker and grayed out transparency field
Comment 5 poodledeedoop 2025-12-14 21:26:47 UTC
Created attachment 204640 [details]
Screenshot of the "Format Data Series" menu when a line style is selected

Note how the transparency field is no longer grayed out
Comment 6 poodledeedoop 2025-12-14 21:28:23 UTC
Created attachment 204641 [details]
Screenshot of the "Format Data Series" menu when a line transparency is entered

Note how only the line becomes transparent in the preview, not the marker. This preview matches how the scatterplot will look once the settings are confirmed in the popup menu
Comment 7 poodledeedoop 2025-12-14 21:31:52 UTC
Created attachment 204642 [details]
Screenshot of the re-opened "Format Data Series" menu after the line transparency was applied

Note how the marker now appears to have the same transparency setting as the line in the preview. This is not reflected in the actual scatterplot, either before or after applying the settings in this menu.

My preference would be to have an option to make the markers transparent (like the preview allows) as this seems to be a basic feature that Excel boasts which allows for heat maps. I'll concede that the quicker patch would be to simply have the preview match the actual scatterplot, which means keeping the marker opaque in the preview.
Comment 8 poodledeedoop 2025-12-14 21:35:37 UTC
Created attachment 204643 [details]
Screenshot of the Properties sidebar showing misleading field placements

Note how the Transparency [Solid] field with 50% slider is categorized under "Area" and not "Line," even though it only modifies line transparency. Moreover, the Transparency [0%] field that is categorized under "Line" seems to do nothing.

As I mentioned before, I would prefer to have the "Area" slider affect the marker transparency to allow me to make heat maps. However, simply moving the Transparency slider that is currently under "Area" to instead be under "Line" would be the easiest solution for the confusing slider placement.