how can a targa file be saved with a transparent background in cs6

[Studio B Creative]

I am trying to save a targa file with a transparent background. I've never worked with this file format before, so it is all new to me. Any help is appreciated.

[DrStrik9]

I don't think there's a way. Sorry.

You could, of course, make a channel in Photoshop for the transparent layer, and save it as a second targa file. But you'd need to use the second file to mask the first in some other app (such as Photoshop) to get the transparency back again. Might as well just save a Photoshop file. 

DS

[sudarshan.t]

You can have an alpha channel for targa files in Photoshop. They wont show up in Preview though like GIF or PNG. They're an additioanl alpha channel that shows up in your texture.

Your file must be in .tga first. Open it in PS. Channels panel -  Add new channel. It'll get added as 'Alpha 1'. If you fill it Black, you're hiding content, adding alpha. if it's white, you're negating alpha, showing content - pretty similar to layer masks.

When you save your .tga file again, ensure to check 'Alpha Channels' in your .tga filetype save selection.

[its75955843]

Could you please give me the STEP BY STEP on how to take a png with a transparent layer and make it a tga with the tranparent selectsions preserved?  I have been reading the threads for an hour, and without any previous experience with masking, alpha channelling, and I don't have aftereffects...I'm a little lost and against a deadline.

I know how to take a jpg, create a transparent layer and select out what needs to be transparent.  From there, what can I do to save these as tga files with the transparency preserved?

Thank you,

Val

[its75955843]

when i add the alpha channel, it turns my image red.

Can you please explain what to do from here?

None of these threads are giving me the step by step I'm looking for.

Can you please help?

I need to take jpgs - crop out the backgrounds and keep the transparent layers.  Normally, I add a transparent layer, crop out what needs to go, and save it as a PNG.

Can you please advise?

On a deadline and not finding detailed instructions.

Thank you.

[DrStrik9]

If you know what a "MASK" is, you can use your selection to "knock it out" -- make it transparent.

Then just save as png, Targa, etc. -- whatever format also saves the alpha (mask) channel as transparent, and you'll be good to go.

[Silkrooster]

If you select 32 bit per pixel, then the alpha channel is included. You can then use that as your layer mask if you are planning on reimporting to photoshop to test the file. Other apps can use the alpha without doing anything.

[Nickophant]

Thanks for your tip TBH Edit - worked for me perfectly! In your After Effects Output module Settings/Format options select a Resolution of 32bits/pixel - Job done!

[TBH_EDIT · Accepted solution]

There is a much easier and quicker way round this issue if you have After Effects in you Adobe suite.

Save out of Photo shop as a psd as normal, open psd in After effects and save out as a Targa image sequence with alpha, hit the render button and you will get what you are looking for. However, you do need After Effects.

[Silkrooster]

Wow this is an old thread. Old enough I have to rethink my post. Adobe did some changing with the tga format, so it doesn't behave like it did before. Frankly there is not much of a use for this format anymore. It was use dramatically in the video field. but with psd, tiff and png there is not much of a need anymore. But if someone is using older software, it maybe required, but the transparency may not behave like it did and therefore could cause issues.

[johnf31068552]

If you start with an existing targa with alpha, you can make what you need - change size, layers, alpha - then save it out again as a 32-bit targa.

Why can you not just save a Targa directly? Beats me. 

[PaulaMillerIONOCO]

Thanks TBH EDIT - worked perfectly!

[CoreyCoop]

This thread is crazy,  I've been making TGA files with transparency since around '96, nothing seems to have changed.  If you have a selection layer in "Channels" when you save out your image as a TGA, just check "Alpha Channels" in the "Save As" box, then make sure you select 32 bits!  Going back and forth to After Effects is makework.  It will use the first selection channel if there is more than one.

The trick is making the a selection channel from an existing image that uses all 256 bits, as opposed to simple on/off.  There is some trick using Quick Mask mode that a friend of mine used to use that I can't remember.