[Pawel Ociepka]

How to get alpha channel for background masking with LW?
Maybe somebody knows!

[fuzzytnth3]

I'm pretty sure this hasn't been fixed yet

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=25742&highlight=alpha+channel#25742

[jugada]

are you sure your image has an alpha channel? if not, create it in photoshop

I haven't had problems with trees or people and when the alpha channel is shown with the image, I open it in Photoshop and create it

[Pawel Ociepka]

OK, Photoshop or other bitmap editor is good, but for different works. When I wrote about alpha channel for background with render from LW engine, I mean about automate alpha channel for background cutout, like standard GS engine (of course in bitmap editor).
For this time I create 2 images: one with LW engine, one with standard GS Render engine. From second I extract and use only alpha channel for masking first image.

Regards
Paweł

[kliment]

Sorry, Pawel, no way!

I going to post a question myself when two days ago I had to switch to 3dsMAX to make a very simple rendering which needed an alpha channel transparency. Which makes AC rendering obsolete!

This feature does not work in AC 8.0 or 8.1 either. I hoped they had fixed it in LW but .... (will be censored )

I hope Dwight could throw some light upon it. Please, Dwight, you are our only hope...

[jugada]

Here is a rendering done with lightworks where all the flowers and bushes have the alpha channel transparent, LW still needs work, but you have a 2d, 3d and rendering bundle

[Pawel Ociepka]

Klimet you have right! - background alpha channel transparency doesn't work in AC9. I was write about old picture created at AC 7 and now rerendered with Ac9 and LW engine. After your post I tested AC9 and ......some censored words.

Klimet! - You can get alpha channel for background transparency straight from AC9 (only for old GS render engine). You must rendering your project with Background Transparency function ON an writing image as *.tif, millions of colours+. Next steps see my previous post.

Jugada, we are working witch trees, flowers and others bitmap with alpha channel transparency for background, but we are need for alpha channel for rendering background transparency (eg. sky) straight from AC.

Regards
Paweł

[Dwight]

I am stealing Pawel's background masking idea for the book. Excellent lateral thinking! Sometimes the old ways are best.

As for the mapping masking roughness - I do not experience this issue. The one time I descended into the poor taste depths (not that I haven't seen it done nicely) picture mapped plants, it worked fine.

I can suggest that perhaps your masks need work? I know - it worked fine before...... sorry.

[kliment]

Nice idea, Pawel, but when I try to render my model with the Internal Engine ("Picture" for backgroung colour and "Appha transparency" on) I get only the Backgroung picture without the model in my final render. Does the Internal Engine work with you?

[Pawel Ociepka]

Some examples for my idea! It works good.
First rendering options window, internal engine of course