PNG FILES

[andrewb2012 Profile]

I note that when creating effects in the EFFECTS CREATOR that the only formats for 'adding an image' are basically JPEG or TIFF. I've tried loading a TIFF image with transparency but lose that important facet when adding the image.

Now I note, that many of your more complex borders in the effects gallery, for example 'PINK DOGS FRAME by Vivienne Li' appear to include images that superimpose transparent elements that do not affect the original image nor require the use of blending modes. I would dearly like to contribute similar border type effects, but cannot see how to achieve it within the existing parameters - Am I missing something? I'm a little bit frustrated but lover of Smart Photo Editor.

My suggestion is seek permission to use PNG files with all their attributes - it will greatly widen the scope of the EFFECTS CREATOR.

Look forward to your reply

Andrew (aka andrewb2012)

[admin]

Hi Andrew,

You can find how any existing effect works by applying it, then right clicking on the effect tab on the top and choosing "Manual Edit". In the case where an effect has a transparancy, it is currently done by loading two pictures, one which is the mask in black and white and the other is the picture itself. There are a few ways of using a mask picture to mask out an area but perhaps the easiest to understand is to make it into a selection using the Image To Selection node (if you have loaded an RGB image, you will need an RGB splitter node to get the single channel to use as a selection). Loading images with transparancy (and also making selections on loaded images) are both things we have planned for the future to make this process smoother.

Tony

[andrewb2012 Profile]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for your answer - I thought it might be done using masks - I did try that, but I'm not sufficiently clued up on all the parameters yet. For example I did not know how to open up existing effects to see how they were made - so that is great information on how to do that. I'm glad that you are considering the possibility of allowing the upload of images with transparency -look forward to that possibility!

By the way - the frustration mentioned was with my own inadequacy not the program.

Anyway, look forward to developing my skills set & uploading useful effects to the community in the near future!

Keep up the great WORK - because you have a MAGNIFICENT product here that I have been delighted to promote - I believe that some of my contacts have at least downloaded the trial.

Cheers,

Have a great week!

Andrew