Get the 7.0.1 update, which put the Targa output back to the way it was, and use that plug-in in Photoshop CS2. We are still trying to figure out a better long term solution here – there are issues that complicate it.
-Scott
wrote:
Finally I have received Photoshop CS2 expecting that it would solve the Targa aplha chanel problem in my PC. Sadly but since I installed Photoshop 7, I can not save TGA files with Aplha transparency chanel. I tried the updates offered on Adobe site, but nothing changed.
Would someone PLEASE explain me, how could I solve this problem of Photoshop CS2 saving TGA with no transparency?
Just in case if this might be important, I use win XP sp2, my video card is Ati Radeon 9550 with Agp 8x 128 Ram.
Thank you very very much in advance.
Also decide whether you want alpha channels, or transparency — those are two separate things.
The 7.0.1 update is the SAME as CS and CS2 – it uses alpha channels only.
7.0 was the version that used transparency (but got lots of complaints because some people don’t understand the difference between transparency and alpha channels!).
How do I get *transparency* to work for Targa files in Photoshop CS?
Cheers,
-Shad
Use the Targa plugin from Photoshop 7.0 (which we should have on the website anytime now).
Well I just downloaded the update that was suggested and installed it on Photoshop 7.0.1, but sadly there is no change – I still get white background saving TGA files instead of transparent. It it kind of phenomenon that everybody elese got to fix this bug with the update but me.
I guess I will have to try format c: :(.
Thanks for the advices.
I think I posted about the issue months ago, so, sorry about stepping with it again:
I usually work with alpha and transparencies, not at the same time, as it depends on specific artwork, I’ll put a sample:
"sprites" (usually animated characters) are drawn in a transparent layer, and saved using the 7.00 plugin
Special effects, like particles, smoke, etc, is better drawn using the alpha channel, so we use the 7.01 plugin to save them
That forces us to switch the plugin all the time.
A possible solution for the mess:
when saving a TGA, we already get a dialog box that asks if we want to save as 16, 24 or 32 bits; would it be hard to add just another option, asking the transparency source (layer transparency or alpha channel) ?
That aditional option would be adaptative, so if it finds an image with no alpha channel, it would automatically switch to layer transparency, and vice-versa (it is very uncommon to work with TGA’s, and have an image with layer transparency AND alpha channel) – that safe mechanism would help avoid most human errors.
Hope it helps
Actually, it can’t be adaptive – it would always have to prompt you for how to handle the extra channel (in case you forgot about a channel, or want to create a blank transparency, etc.).
well, I personally think that it is not bad if I’m propted about how to handle the alpha channel, as I’m already prompted for the bit color depth. Also, you only need to see the JPEG dialog box, it asks for a lot of things…
I figure the last option would be to release 3 different plugins, (alpha, layer transparency, and an advanced one for expert users), and let users switch to the one they want. In practice, it is what people is already doing
Thanks anyway
I’m starting to think that 3 plugins might be the only solution….
(or always prompt and make them want to move to another file format 😉
