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linzilu2011
Participating Frequently
June 13, 2011
Question

Cannot save alpha channel as PNG. need help.

  • June 13, 2011
  • 3 replies
  • 26984 views

Hi, I am running PS CS5. I am working on my business logo and love the way it has turned out with a texture I added as a new channel (alpha channel). I am using a transparent background on my image, the only compatible way to save is PNG format.(and this is the only way to go with my website restrictions) So when I go to save as a PNG it isnt saving the new channel I have made. Is there any way around this? Any suggestions would be very helpful. I worked all day on this logo only to find that I cant save it the way I like it. frustrating..................

Linz

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    3 replies

    S
    shwills
    Participant
    December 1, 2011

    Yeah, you have to "apply" the selection to the image (as displayed in the window) for it to work.

    PNG24 isn't it.


    So you have created your alpha mask (as a separate channel) in the CHANNELS menu

    Flip back to the RGB view of your original image, (so the alpha channel mask you've made isn't showing) and click SELECT > LOAD SELECTION ...

    Load the "Alpha 1" mask you have made

    PRESS DELETE to apply it to the image

    Now the image appears ghosty where you intended it, and if you Save it as a PNG, the transparency will be "baked in"


    See http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/l/blrbps_2fwks.htm

    Noel Carboni
    Noel Carboni
    Legend
    June 13, 2011

    Mylennium has assumed that it's the transparency you can't get to save properly...  Is this true?  This alpha channel texture you've added is gauging the transparency?

    If not, a screenshot of your layers panel might be helpful here.

    -Noel

    Mylenium
    Mylenium
    Legend
    June 13, 2011

    PNGs have no Alpha, they have genuine transparency, that is their 24bit variety has. Therefore you simply work using PS' native transparency and just enable the transparency options on save. If you're talking about 8bit PNG, then there can ever only be one transparent color and that is handled just the same as in GIFs - you define it in the Save for Web dialog by letting PS know you want to use the native transparency again, a matte color or manually setting any of the palette colors to be tagged as "transpoarent". In any case, none of that requires creating an extra channel. It's simply not relevant for this particular image format.

    Mylenium

    L
    linzilu2011Author
    Participating Frequently
    June 13, 2011

    Ok, I have posted 3 screenshots. One of the channels pallet. One of the layers pallet, and the other of the window that pops up when I select "save for web and devices". I have tried so many things in this window and cannot get my alpha channel to appear. I am new to Photoshop, so I guess I dont understand all the talk about genuine transparency, etc.......

    Thanks!!

    L
    linzilu2011Author
    Participating Frequently
    June 13, 2011

    You've got transparency in the image - there is no need for an extra channel.

    You're saving PNG-8, and SFW can currently only write out a single transparent value. But it does write transparency, just like your preview shows.

    If you want smoother results, you could save as PNG-24/32 and include transparency -- so you can get a full range of partial transparent values.

    After you save the image, are you not seeing the transparent result in another application?  (most likely it will be composited over the background)

    Are you getting an error in another application?

    Why do you think that it is not saving correctly?


    Ok, maybe this will help matters. In the beginning I did a google search on how to get the "distressed" look on my logo, this is the link I found, I did all that he said and did acquire the look I want, now I am having trouble saving as a PNG. When I choose to save as a PNG the alpha channel does not save (when I open the saved PNG file the alpha channel is unchecked). I dont know a whole lot about PS, I am new and dont understand alot of the lingo that alot of you are using, but maybe if you see the steps I took on this link then possibly someone may be able to help me. Thanks

    http://www.promotinggroup.com/design-tips/distressed-effect-photoshop/

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