1. Solid
2. Stock Windows
3. Image 8x8x1 bit per pixel
4. Image picture patterns 8-bits per pixel (most are 256x256)
5. Image 4-bits per pixel (mostly are around 500x500)

When you select a pattern from the drop down menu, the type of pattern is displayed at the top of the drop down list.

Surfer exports opacity for all pattern types to raster PDF files. Surfer 13 (and higher) exports opacity for all pattern types to vector PDF files also. If you are not using the current version of Surfer, you may consider upgrading for this feature.

Surfer 12 (and earlier) export opacity for solid and stock window pattern types to vector PDF files. Any of the image patterns are exported as solid without opacity.

If you print to AdobePDF, PDFCreator, CutePDF, or other PDF drivers, it depends on the type of pattern you are printing to the PDF and what the driver supports. This is not something Golden Software can control, but is controlled by the makers of those printer drivers. If the pattern you are exporting is not exporting with transparency, you can try a different pattern type, you can try using complete transparency instead of partial (i.e. set Opacity to 0% instead of 50%), you can try a different PDF printer driver, or you can try exporting a vector PDF file instead of printing to a PDF driver.

Updated November 27, 2019