How to save a layer as an alpha channel?

Is there a way to save a layer as an alpha channel? So later i can use it as a slection?

I dont know it will help you out or not, still sharing the instructions from where I get the idea of saving the layer here. Hope you will find it helpful.
Make the Channels panel the active panel.
Alt + click (Option + click) the Create New Channel icon at the bottom of the Channels panel.
In the New Channel dialog box, type a relevant name.
If most of the image is to be masked (not selected), click the Masked Areas radio button. If most of the image is to be selected, click the Selected Areas radio button.
If desired, click the Color box to change the overlay color.
Leave Opacity 50%, unless you desire otherwise.
Click OK.
The document window will be filled with either solid black if Masked Areas was chosen or solid white if Selected Areas was chosen.
Make the composite color channel active by clicking in the visibility area and displaying its eye icon .
If Masked Areas was chosen...
The document window will show the image covered by the overlay color.
Type the letter d to make the foreground and background colors the default black and white .
If white is not the foreground color, type the letter x until white is the foreground color .
Type the letter b to make the Brush tool the active tool.
Using a brush size and softness of your choice, paint in the document window. Wherever you paint with white paint, the mask will be erased. Any part of the image not covered by the overlay color is being selected. Painting with gray paint will partially select an area.
If Selected Areas was chosen...
The document window will show the image normally.
Type the letter d to make the foreground and background colors the default black and white ..
If black is not the foreground color, type the letter x until black is the foreground color.
Type the letter b to make the Brush tool the active tool.
Using a brush size and softness of your choice, paint in the document window. Wherever you paint with black paint, the image will be covered by the overlay color. Any part of the image covered with the overlay color is being masked, or de-selected. Painting with gray paint will partially de-select an area.
Repeat steps 2 through 11 as many times as needed to create individual custom selections.
When finished, turn off the visibility of the alpha channel by clicking the alpha channel's eye icon .
Make the Layers panel the active panel by clicking the Layers tab.
When the file is next saved, the alpha channel(s) will also be saved.

Similar Messages

(CC) Save all Layer Masks as Alpha Channels

Hello,
I've looked everywhere and can't seem to find a script to do this. I am looking for a script to simply check every layer for a layer mask and if there is one, save it as an alpha channel. The layers may or may not be in groups. No need to delete the masks, just save them as alpha channels. I have a lot of images with a lot of masks and it's a pain trying to save them manually! I thought this would be pretty easy but from what I've been reading this might be a little over my head. I would really appreciate any assistance!
Thank you in advance,
Danny

Any such script would fail with a error once it tried to exceed Photoshop 53 Alpha Channel limit. If a document had 53 alpha channels to begin with the script would fail saving the first alpha channel it would try to save. I know this for a have a script that tries to create my kind of collage template PSD files that has no Image layers but has alpha channels to map the locations where images will be populated. I had to program the script to catch that there were more the 53 prototype image layers.
IMO with the exception of the background layer all layers have Alpha Channel its actual pixel map. This invisible Alpha channel maps the layers actual pixels locations and is used in conjunction with any enable layer masks when pixels are rendered for the layer. What I was trying to do was to create a collage template that had Alpha channel to map the locations of where Image would be placed. . I would open a document the size and resolution I wanted the collage to have. Then add an empty layer the use a selection tool to make a 4"x6" selection and fill with pixels.. Duplcate that layer for as many image I wanted. And I would position the layer where I want the image to be located. I would then run the script. It would save Alpha channels for each image location and at the end flatten the layer image prototype stack to stamp the image locations onto the required background layer. Once I reached 54 image layers the script failed and I realized that my Collage Scripts and templates were limited to a maximum of 53 images.

How to export a video with an alpha channel that can be switched off

Hi!
I'm stuck with something that I think might have a simple solution:
I need my video to have an alpha channel while still keeping all the RGB information in place too. This is for Syntheyes, which can take the alpha channel for a video and use it as a garbage matte while tracking.
The problem is that if I draw a mask around my video and then export as a PNG (with alpha), the RGB information seems to be gone even when I choose to ignore the alpha channel. I know how to edit the alpha channel in Photoshop while still keeping the RGB elements untouched, but how should I do that in AE?
Any help will be appreciated!

Okay I will answer my own question:
This worked as soon as I did a proper export as a PNG image sequence. I did my tests with only single frames by using the "save frame as file" -function, which did not work properly (the rbg information was gone).
So the simple solution to this question was:
Draw a mask on the video layer and export with alpha. The RGB will be there, even though the mask hides it in AE.

NSBitmapImageRep - how can I remove or reverse an alpha channel from tiff?

Below is some code I cobbled together to save a square preview of an image. I am looking to figure out how to remove or inverse an alpha channel mask from a tiff image, and could really use some help....
// I have been using 256.0 and 0.4 for the last 2 arguments, though feel free test with whatever.
- (NSString *)savePreview: (NSString *)filePath: (NSString *)saveFilePath: (NSString *)previewSize: (NSString *)compressionRatio {
NS_DURING
NSAutoreleasePool *memoryPool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
NSImage *myImage = [[NSImage alloc] initWithContentsOfFile: filePath];
if (myImage == nil) {
[myImage release];
NSLog(@"! Error loading image");
return @"! Error loading image";
NSImageRep *myRep = [[myImage representations] objectAtIndex: 0];
float hres = [myRep pixelsWide]/[myImage size].width;
float vres = [myRep pixelsHigh]/[myImage size].height;
float newWidth = [previewSize floatValue];
float newHeight = newWidth;
NSImage *thumbImage = [[NSImage alloc] initWithSize: NSMakeSize(newWidth, newHeight)];
NSAffineTransform *at = [NSAffineTransform transform];
[myImage setScalesWhenResized: YES];
float heightFactor = newHeight/[myImage size].height;
float widthFactor = newWidth/[myImage size].width;
float scale;
if(heightFactor > widthFactor) {
scale = widthFactor;
} else {
scale = heightFactor;
[at scaleBy: scale];
[thumbImage lockFocus];
[[NSGraphicsContext currentContext] setImageInterpolation: NSImageInterpolationHigh]; // NSImageInterpolationNone, NSImageInterpolationLow, NSImageInterpolationHigh
[myImage setSize: [at transformSize: [myImage size]]];
[myImage compositeToPoint: NSMakePoint((newWidth-[myImage size].width)/2 , (newHeight-[myImage size].height)/2) operation: NSCompositeCopy];
NSBitmapImageRep *bitmapImageRep = [[NSBitmapImageRep alloc] initWithFocusedViewRect: NSMakeRect(0, 0, [thumbImage size].width, [thumbImage size].height)];
[thumbImage unlockFocus];
[myImage release];
[thumbImage release];
NSData *bitmapData = nil;
NSNumber *factor = [NSNumber numberWithFloat: [compressionRatio floatValue]]; // The compression factor. Used only for JPEG files. The value is a float between 0.0 and 1.0, with 0.0 being the lowest and 1.0 being the highest. It’s set when reading in and used when writing out.
NSDictionary *props = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject: factor forKey: NSImageCompressionFactor];
bitmapData = [bitmapImageRep representationUsingType: NSJPEGFileType properties: props];
[bitmapData writeToFile: saveFilePath atomically: YES];
[bitmapImageRep release];
[memoryPool release];
return @"YES";
NS_HANDLER
NSLog(@"Exception occured : %@", localException);
return @"NO";
NS_ENDHANDLER
}

<bump>

Using the output of one layer as an alpha channel for another

I was messing around last night trying to create my own sharpen edges filter. I duplicated a nested layer, applied find edges to the top one, then used the track matte filter on the one below, set the layer above as the target for the effect, and chose luma. Could not get it to work. I then attempted to make the layer above have alpha by using an luma key and changed the track matte to use alpha, but that didn't work either.
Is there a way to do this?

Be easier to understand if you showed what you are trying to achieve.
I got lost half way thru 2nd sentence.

How to save daq data-in(from 2 channels) in 2-D arrey?

Hiiiiii my friends.
i have a analog system .the output voltage of system changes during changing it's angle or direction. i want to save 2 features of it(output voltage and output angle) in 2-D arrey that shows me output angle and it's related output voltage toward each other.so after finishing my test i should have data in 2 columns.column1:angles column2: related voltage to each angle.
after that i want to draw it's graph in labview(Voltage-Angle).
please help me in this way (i'm a biginner in this way so i'd be glad if you explain me in detail.....)
,thanxxxx a lot
Solved!
Go to Solution.

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Attachments:
save1_BD.png ‏13 KB

How to save a Targa with Alpha Channels in PSE9

I have PSE9 and need to create an image without the background (mk background Alpha Channel) and save as Targa. I can edit the pic, save at 32 at 200k but PSE9 does not allow to save/create Alpha Channel. How do I make the (background an) alpha channel and save as Targa?

Save your selection using Select>Save Selection, which creates a new channel (i named it Alpha 1 below)
Pse 9 will save the channel when using the 32 bits/pixel in the targa options dialog.

How to import an alpha channel from .PSD file?

I have a photoshop file (.psd) with an alpha channel. When I import this file into AE, I do not see the alpha being available or perhaps I don't know how to find it. I've followed this instruction but nothing happens afterwards. Okay, so my question is, when I drop the .psd file into my comp, how or where do I enble the alpha channel?

I am not sure this a bug.
It could be. But note that I can produce an identical case in which this behavior is not a bug.
The thing is, in the world of video applications, Alpha Channel means "fourth channel used to store transparency values".
In Photoshop, it normally means the same thing, but it can also mean "arbitrary channel created and stored for whichever reason the user may want it on the future". Typically, to save a selection so that it can be retrieved later. In fact, you can have many of these arbitrary channels.
So, imagine this scenario:
1. User makes a selection of the outline of the house.
2. Instead of cutting the pixels outside the house, or creating a layer mask, the user goes to the Channels panel and hits the "Save selection as channel" button (or equivalent menu command).
Photoshop creates a fourth channel (or even a fifth or a sixth if there were additional channels already), which is called "Alpha" but the user never did anything to make the information in that channel produce transparency.
If after making the selection, the user would have cutted pixels or created a layer mask, then that operation would be relfected on what we normally consider as Alpha channel.
In this case, what you can do is go to channels pannel, control click the thumbnail so that the channel is loaded as selection, then create a layer mask (Layer > Layer Mask > Current selection) from that selection. That's it.

Cannot save alpha channel as PNG. need help.

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

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/

Keys in CS-5 - Save Alpha Channel AVI

Hello. I go shoot keys with green screen. On Location is good for some of that, but I have to remember to adjust the sound level next time. To show kids who did the scripts, I used the CS3 Ultra to quick ket a sample and dump on a background like we plan to use.
When I get into Premiere CS-5 I want to pick the take I like, trim the ends, key to transparent and save as an AVI with alpha channel. Liked the Ultra keyer when it was separate, but not sure about CS5 one, as controls were better organized in the CS3 version **.
1) Do I need to set up a line on timeline as alpha channel, in order to save same? If so which one? These are just keyed person with clear BK.
2) Please help me with the settings so someone who makes the final steps, I think in another program, can open up the AVI files and have a good key to finish off. So far I haven't found one that will let me tick alpha channel to save.
**Yes i should find the Premiere fix list and ask for an ULTRA pop up of the CS3 design, if they are going to keep in Premiere.
3 PS) Does Adobe have a set of books for the CS5 programs? When i got CS3 they offered me a deal to take the books. Saved me many times to be able to flip pages to find answers. Even a PDF of same might speed things along.

Look here for the steps to export an AVI with alpha: exporting video with an alpha channel (transparency)
I don't think you'll ever see Ultra as a standalone program again, as it's now integrated into Premiere Pro as an effect. I never used Ultra CS3, as I thought it was too rinky-dink, but the CS5 version is quite nice and easy-to-use (and get a great key) in most instances. It's not bulletproof, but Keylight in AE takes care of the more troublesome keys.
You can download a PDF of the help document for a particular application by going to the online version of the help docs, and clicking the PDF link in the upper-right corner. You can get Premiere Pro CS5's PDF right here: Adobe Premiere Pro CS5
You should also have the Community Help application installed along with the CS5 suite. If it doesn't open when you hit F1 within your app of choice, it should be available in the suite's application folder. It works well, and the help is updated frequently.

Procedure for Integrating Alpha Channel when saving as .dds file

Hello,
I'll try to keep this brief but that may be tough...
One project I use Photoshop CS4 for is painting aircraft used with Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX). Here is some background for folks who aren't familiar with this.
Each aircraft is downloaded as a "Paint Kit". The kits look much like the "trees" that plastic aircraft model kit pieces come attached to (see picture below).
I paint and add layers onto the kit until the aircraft resembles the design I chose. The paint kit includes a background, base parts usually in white, and an assortment of layers adding physical wear, shading, lines and rivets you see on actual aircraft.
Additionally, the kit includes an RGB Alpha Channel and Specular Maps. In this application, the Alpha channel provides the reflectivity or gloss on the aircraft paint. The Specular maps provide a sheen much like the subtle reflections you see from a metal flake paint job when the sun hits it directly.
Once all painting and manipulation is complete, the kit is "cut" into specific sizes. Once the kit is cut, each section is saved as a DDS file using NVidia tools. The resulting DDS files are placed into folders within the main FSX program folder. The FSX program "assembles" the sections and processes the different layers and channels resulting in aircraft that are incredibly detailed and realistic.
My problem is I don't know how to properly integrate and preserve the Alpha channel during the "Flatten Image" and when saving the file as a dds file. As you can see in the "Layers" section in the picture, the Alpha channel is already made. I just don't know what to do with it to preserve it and ensure the reflectivity it provides is visible in the final product.
Any help is appreciated - what I need to know isn't what the alpha does, but how to properly integrate it into the final product. I've searched for this info for the last several days, but I've had no luck in finding specific information on how to do that. I believe it's one of those procedures that is so simple, everyone knows how to do it. I guess I'm the only idiot on the planet that doesn't know how... .
The paint kit can be downloaded at http://library.flight1.net/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=1467 if you need it to answer my question or if you're just curious about it.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
Mark

I know nothing about Nvidia DDS file format or 3D. From you screen capture you have no Alpha Channel. You do have a normal layer named Alpha Channel with its visibility turn off. Why are you flatting ? When I use Save As and use the file type pull-down and select DDS format to save I get the Nvidia DDS save Dialog that I do not know how to use or understand the buttons options or pull-down menu items. The file instruction and its background make no does not seem to match up with the parts.
I think you have to read the documentation for the Nvidia DDS plug-in. and the normal map plug-in https://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

Better Alpha channel handling

I've asked for this a lot: alpha channel saving with PS is terrible, and could use an update. And today, I was embarrassed by a bug that caused our game engine to perform poorly as a result of the way Photoshop handles the alpha channel.
The bug: make a 1024x1024 canvas, give it an opaque alpha channel (100% white, every pixel), then Image Size it down to something smaller, like 128x128. Now look at your alpha channel: grey pixels all along the border. ARRGGGHHH!!!1!1! It interpolated, I'm sure, using black alpha outside the canvas that doesn't actually exist, changing, in a powerful, fundamental way, the nature of the alpha channel. Video cards care about this stuff: 99.9% opaque is not 100% opaque. This is terrible.
The request: That PS intelligently offer better defaults when saving an image with an alpha. Right now, it offers, "What was the last bit depth you saved an image to?" Regardless of the fact that the previous image may have no relationship to the following image being saved, the default offering is always "what I did last time". This enables very easy pruning of alpha channels that should be there, or adding opaque alpha channels that shouldn't be there, bloating the file size.
I'd like PS to determine if an alpha channel is present, and base its default choice on that. If one is present, default to 32-bits. If an alpha channel si not present, default to 24-bits. That easy.
If multiple alpha channels are present, I'd like a dropdown menu to pick which one I want. Right now, if you save a PSD with multiple alpha channels to a 32-bit TGA, it throws all alpha channels away, and saves the image with a solidly opaque alpha channel, the choice no one asked for.
For texture work, or works where the graphics card is the destination, not the printed page, this cavalier handling of alpha channels is definitely not sustainable.
I'd love to never have to ask for this again.

Generally speaking the resize of an image on a layer in which the canvas is exactly the size of the data will result in transparency peeking in around the edge (i.e., I'm agreeing with you here, just using Photoshop terms). I've always thought this was kind of poorly thought-out too. As you say, the algorithm must default to using 0 vs., say, replicating (or "clamping") to the alpha of the pixels right on the edge.
I suppose theoretically, the thinking is that if you were to EXPAND the canvas, the area around the image would be transparent anyway, and a subsequent resampling would then have the same result as the above.
Knowing this, one way to work around the problem would be to create a slightly larger image, then Canvas Size it down to your intended resolution. That way there's layer data beyond the edges with which the resizing algorithm can work. I realize that's probably not a practical solution in general, but a trick to keep up your sleeve if you really do need that 128 x 128 image with alpha solid to the edge.
-Noel

Copying an alpha channel from one comp to another?

I've created a green screen key using Primatte in one comp, and I want to use that same key in another comp, but where the background has since been replaced and rendered out with an effect I want to keep on the foreground subject. I bet it's something simple...
Actually I bet that explanantion's confusing.
Subject X is against green in a video in comp A.
X was extracted using a key and rendered with an effect and a new background to creat video B.
I want to extract subject X from B (and keep the new effect) using the alpha channel created in comp A.
So how do I copy and paste the alpha channel from comp A to a new comp with video B in it?
Cheers!

Pre-compose, use as a matte layer.
Mylenium

Enabling alpha channel for PNG file

I want to include a logo with a transparent background in an iMovie video, but when I import a PNG file with a transparent background, the background turns black. I think this is because the PNG needs to have alpha channel enabled.
When I attempt to save the file as a new version, the "alpha channel" option is greyed out. How can I save the file with the alpha channel enabled?

Hi,
You might want to visit this thread for more info on iMovie's handling of transparency:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=13123097
It sounds like iMovie converts the PNG to a JPG internally for some cases (fit, crop, Ken Burns effect).
regards,
steve

Tiff files with Alpha Channels do not display or print correctly...

I have Tiff files that have been edited in Photoshop that do not display correctly. As far as I can tell this is caused by the existence of Alpha channels in the channels panel in PS. When the files are imported to Aperture, they only display information from either the alpha channel or a layer using that alpha channel as a mask.
If this is true, what are people doing about it. This cant be acceptable???
Are there any work arounds and is apple addressing this problem?
Can anyone else confirm this?
I am using Aperture 1.1.2, OS 10.4.7 and PS CS. on a Dual 2GHz Power PC G5 with 4.5 GB RAM
Please note, these are NOT .psd files. I have read and am aware of some psd compatibility issues, and have checked the maximize compatibility in PS.
-Sol

Thank you for your response, I am trying to figure out what to do differently when we re-create the PDF so we don't have font issues when we combine. I don't want to keep recreating the problem, I am looking for a solution. Why does this happen? What settings do I tell other to apply on their Acrobat? Is the a font issue in Adobe? I found this on a Google search on the internet and can't seem to get it to work on XI PRO.
Embedding fonts into Acrobat 9 through Distiller:
Launch Acrobat.
Choose Advanced > Print Production > Acrobat Distiller.
Select Standard in Default settings.
Go to Settings and select Edit Adobe PDF Settings.
Select Fonts and in the font source window select the fonts you want to Add.
Click Save As and then OK.

How to save a layer as an alpha channel?

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