# Grdimage: "nan\_transparent=True" doesn't work when "shading=True" **URL:** \ **Category:** PyGMT Q&A\ **Created:** [March 5, 2024, 5:58pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700 "2024-03-05T17:58:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trevor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/trevor/32/1780_2.png) [@Trevor](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Trevor)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 5:58pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/1 "2024-03-05T17:58:19Z")
The following ERROR is returned: > grdimage [ERROR]: Option -Q: Cannot specify a transparent color for grids when intensities are also used Is this desirable? Welcome comments / suggestions, thank you! Here’s what I’m running with: **PyGMT information:** version: v0.11.0 **System information:** python: 3.12.2 | packaged by conda-forge | (main, Feb 16 2024, 20:42:31) [MSC v.1937 64 bit (AMD64)] machine: Windows-11-10.0.22631-SP0 **Dependency information:** numpy: 1.26.4 pandas: 2.2.1 xarray: 2024.2.0 netCDF4: 1.6.5 packaging: 23.2 contextily: 1.5.1 geopandas: 0.14.3 ipython: None rioxarray: 0.15.1 ghostscript: 10.02.1 **GMT library information:** binary version: 6.5.0 cores: 12 grid layout: rows image layout: padding: 2 version: 6.5.0 ---
**Author:** ![Esteban82](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/esteban82/32/54_2.png) [@Esteban82](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Esteban82)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 6:47pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/2 "2024-03-05T18:47:58Z")
Hello Trevor. I think that you are asking for a feauture that doesn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![Trevor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/trevor/32/1780_2.png) [@Trevor](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Trevor)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/3 "2024-03-05T20:25:17Z")
![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/uploads/gmt/original/2X/e/edadf9aa2fa6db76a8bbcbbb903e41882bc15be9.png) Thanks for replying @Esteban82 – both “ **nan\_transparent** ” and “ **shading** ” are still there (see image), but they don’t seem to be working together. ---
**Author:** ![Joaquim](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/joaquim/32/16_2.png) [@Joaquim](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Joaquim)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/4 "2024-03-05T20:45:50Z")
This is a PyGMT question and hence should posted under that category. ---
**Author:** ![Esteban82](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/esteban82/32/54_2.png) [@Esteban82](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Esteban82)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 8:48pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/5 "2024-03-05T20:48:23Z")
Sorry, I wasn’t clear. Yes, both features exist but I think that they can’t be use at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Trevor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/trevor/32/1780_2.png) [@Trevor](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Trevor)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 9:19pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/6 "2024-03-05T21:19:24Z")
Thanks @Esteban82 – that’s definitely a new “feature”. I’ll find a work-around. Regards! ---
**Author:** ![weiji14](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/weiji14/32/33_2.png) [@weiji14](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/weiji14)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2024, 9:52pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/7 "2024-03-07T21:52:25Z")
Hmm, would it work if you pass a semi-transparent grid to the `drapegrid` parameter of [`grdview`](https://www.pygmt.org/v0.11.0/api/generated/pygmt.Figure.grdview.html)? ---
**Author:** ![muhammetnergizci](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/muhammetnergizci/32/2086_2.png) [@muhammetnergizci](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/muhammetnergizci)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/8 "2025-09-27T20:03:54Z")
Hi Everyone! Is there any solution of using nan\_transparency and shading in together? ---
**Author:** ![seisman](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/seisman/32/4_2.png) [@seisman](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/seisman)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2025, 7:36am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/9 "2025-09-28T07:36:12Z")
This is an upstream GMT issue and has been fixed in GMT 6.6. You can upgrade to GMT 6.6 if you want. ---
**Author:** ![muhammetnergizci](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/muhammetnergizci/32/2086_2.png) [@muhammetnergizci](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/muhammetnergizci)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2025, 10:17am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/grdimage-nan-transparent-true-doesnt-work-when-shading-true/4700/10 "2025-09-28T10:17:33Z")
Thanks for solution! Have a great weekend!