Ave!

The question is simple: I want a pixelgraphic paint program to edit transparent PNG images. Which one do you prefer? Which is the best? I used to use PPaint before, but it's 8-bit only, an I think it's time to let it retire... :(

I have tried ImageFX 4.5 (it can't load 32 bit PNGs), PerfectPaint (very unstable) and ArtEffect (I can't figure out how it's alpha support goes, and it has saved very strange PNGs sometimes...).

GK_LKA : You can use ImageFX or TVPaint using Alphatools that will convert your PNG+Alpha into TIFF+Alpha. After saving your TIFF+Alpha under TVPaint or ImageFX, use Alphatools to convert it into PNG+Alpha

It's a little tricky but very useful.

I use ArtEfect4 for this. If you load a 32 bit PNG (with alpha),
it was generate a alphamask. You can show it with the menu
"mask" and submenu "show mask".There you can also edit the mask
and delete or converte the mask. Also you can make 8 bit-PNG's with alpha.

Quote:

Hu? ImageFX 4.5 comes with updated PNG loader/saver, and it will ask you if you want to load/save alpha. You can then proceed to edit the image like you normally do (the alpha is in a separate layer)...


- CISC

@pegasos-sigi2:

I have ArtEffect 4.0 ant there definetly isn't any Mask menu or Show mask option :) Where can I find them?

@CISC:

Yes, it asks, but after loading picture, when I press "A" (to switch to alpha edit mode) it says that there isn't any alpha layer defined yet. Saving is no problem, it works fine, as you said.

@BatteMan:

I will try this, thanks for the hint!

This is on my menu of Arteffect 4.0:
From left to right:Project,Edit,Brush,Mask,Filter,Window,Prefs.
In Mask exists this submenus:load,save, shows papersort,show mask,generate form grey,generate from transparent, u.s.w.
If i load a png with alphachannel, it generate a mask from
the alphachannel.If i save this picture in png it was generate
a png with alphachannel from this mask. It is very easy.

@pegasos-sigi2:

Hm, interesting, in my version they are called "Stencil", but it looks like the two thing is the same. :)

Quote:

That's weird, it works fine here (and "A" should be ghosted when there is no alphachannel), but you don't want to do that anyway, edit the image without "A" enabled, and open the Alpha panel to work with alphachannel (Swap button to switch between A/RGB and Lighttable to give an idea of the impact (when in RGB))...


- CISC

Quote:If there IS an alpha channel it should load or ask. check the version of the PNG loader.

it should be 3.0 date: dec 13, 2003
size: 96000

on the IFX 4.5 Studio CD, which was made in dec of 2003, the newest PNG loader and saver was placed in one of the extra directories and you have tocopy those files in your IFX HD directory by hand.

I'd have to go look in my CD for the exact location and if you want me to I'll do that and come back with the info.

but I beta tested these loaders and savers and I know they work. In fact, I've made png icons using IFX 4.5 with them!

Quote:

That's the 68k version though, he probably wants the PPC ones (were they included in 4.5 or still an additional package?), which has a loader stub that's dated Dec 14th, and the actual loader in the PowerUP dir, named PNG_L.elf and 198191 bytes...

Quote:

And I updated/compiled them, so I know they work too... ;)


- CISC

well, I looked at my WinUAE to check the versions because I'm using my Windows/Linux/WinUAE laptop at the moment - and not my peg.
so, yeah, I guess I WAS looking at the 68k files (they STILL work)

the date is still dec 2003 and the version should be 3.0

and now that we have two official "experts" insisting that the files work we will wait to see why others seem to be having a slight problem.

My guess is, user IQ too low, error.

Hm, it seems I have some older loader only, that's the problem.

One more question: How can you set e.g. 20% transparency in TVPaint? I couldn't figure it out :)