# Making mesh grid lines transparent in surface plot with pgfplots

I need to make a partly transparent, one color, surface plot. Additionally I want to control the transparency of mesh lines. Running this code:

\documentclass{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz,pgfplots}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[]
\addplot3[surf, color=blue, opacity=0.5, domain=-2:2, faceted color=blue] {exp(-x^2-y^2)};
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


Produces the desired result only for the faces. Does pgfplots provide an option to control the transparency of mesh lines too?

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The opacity parameter controls transparency of mesh lines and surfaces. To make mesh lines much more transparent you can add fill opacity and decrease opacity:

\documentclass{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz,pgfplots}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\begin{axis}[]
\addplot3[surf, color=blue, opacity=0.01,fill opacity=0.5, domain=-2:2, faceted color=blue] {exp(-x^2-y^2)};
\end{axis}
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


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the same with pst-solides3d. Run it with xelatex:

\documentclass[pstricks]{standalone}
\usepackage{pst-solides3d}
\begin{document}

\psset{viewpoint=50 20 20 rtp2xyz,Decran=50,lightsrc=viewpoint}
\begin{pspicture}(-3.5,-2)(3.5,3)
\psSurface[opacity=0.7,strokeopacity=0.4,fillcolor=blue!80,linecolor=blue!40,
linewidth=0.2pt,algebraic,ngrid=0.1 0.1,axesboxed,
Zmin=0,Zmax=2,showAxes=false](-2,-2)(2,2){2*e^(-x^2-y^2)}
\end{pspicture}

\end{document}


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