One more flag problem - photoshop

[Fnugus]

Right, here's the problem:

I can edit the alpha channel easy enough, but when I go to Files->Save As and choose DDS, press OK, it gives me an error: Too many channels to export (5)!

Now I've tried to convert the entire image to grayscale before saving. It saves alright, but when I open the dds file, the alpha channel is without any of the fancy drawings I made.

 

[cool3a2]

That sometimes happens. Try to hide the alpha channel and unhide any other channel. Then save again. If this doesn't help either, make a copy of the alpha channel to a new picture, close your file unsaved, reopen the file, maybe remove the existing alpha channel and paste the alpha channel you made a copy of before. Try to save it again.

You could also try to work with GIMP instead of with PS.

 

[Fnugus]

That sometimes happens. Try to hide the alpha channel and unhide any other channel. Then save again. If this doesn't help either, make a copy of the alpha channel to a new picture, close your file unsaved, reopen the file, maybe remove the existing alpha channel and paste the alpha channel you made a copy of before. Try to save it again.

You could also try to work with GIMP instead of with PS.

The problem is consistent, even when I try the above. However, I actually managed to find a solution; When the image is done, I go to Layers->Flatten Image... Then it saves alright and it looks as it should ingame.

 

[Lord Tirian]

The problem is consistent, even when I try the above. However, I actually managed to find a solution; When the image is done, I go to Layers->Flatten Image... Then it saves alright and it looks as it should ingame.

By the way, that's pretty much the reason (read on if you're interested in the explanation):

If you have more than one layer, the individual transparencies of each layer are *another* alpha-like channel. On exporting, these extra alpha-like channels make it ambiguous what is going to be transparent/opaque in the final product.

Once you flatten it, it becomes a background layer (no transparency at all), so there is no ambiguity about transparence (i.e. alpha channels) anymore. The DDS plugin isn't automatically flattening it in order to allow you to control the transparencies (instead of just guessing what you want).

Cheers, LT.

 

[Fnugus]

By the way, that's pretty much the reason (read on if you're interested in the explanation):

If you have more than one layer, the individual transparencies of each layer are *another* alpha-like channel. On exporting, these extra alpha-like channels make it ambiguous what is going to be transparent/opaque in the final product.

Once you flatten it, it becomes a background layer (no transparency at all), so there is no ambiguity about transparence (i.e. alpha channels) anymore. The DDS plugin isn't automatically flattening it in order to allow you to control the transparencies (instead of just guessing what you want).

Cheers, LT.

Thanks - it's always favorable to actually understand how things work instead of just using them..

 

[Lord Tirian]

Thanks - it's always favorable to actually understand how things work instead of just using them..

Note that you can use that as alternative way to create alpha channels, too: Create an empty image in photoshop (with dimensions of your choice), where you choose "transparent" as background contents. Draw whatever you want, e.g. with the pencil (as long as you don't do anything - like pasting - to make a new layer). Save it as DDS. On re-opening, you'll see that it automatically generated an alpha channel, where white = opaque elements, black = transparent (and gray for everything in between).

Soon you will perceive the gray-&-white checker pattern as transparent in real life too!

Cheers, LT.