Exporting alpha in TGA

[Joe Chao]

U might have some layers which have not an alphe channel.Check the alphe channel of you comp in AE, and you might found it. Pay attention to these layers. For example, a solid layer with some light effects(such as “lans flare”) on it ,and the transmode is “add” or “screen” or sth like that. these layers look like pictures with alphe channel, but in fact they don’t.

[Ayas Hassan]

thanx for th reply…

ther is alpha channel in my composition… i even tried it with only a text layer.. but theres no alpha coming in th render.. any ideas?

Ayas
Nirvana Digital Post FZ LLC
Dubai Media City

[Joe Chao]

Sorry, I should have found it yesterday.
here might be the problem:

“i used millions of color+
RGB+Alpha
Straight (unmatted)”

Straight (unmatted)???????
I think it should be “Premultiplied(Matted)”:)

[Steve Roberts]

Not necessarily. Apps that can see alpha channels can usually see either straight or premultiplied.

Did you click “options” in the output module then select “32-bit”, not 24-bit”?

If that doesn’t work, which app are you viewing the TGAs in?

[Ayas Hassan]

thanx steve..

i tried rendering in 32 bit … but yet the same result
but this time am getting an alpha layer in th channels palette in photoshop.. but that alpha doesnt work..
i even tried using fcheck viewer that comes with MAYA..

Ayas
Nirvana Digital Post FZ LLC
Dubai Media City

[Allen Clements]

I am having the exact same problem. I’m trying to get a targa sequence with alpha into nuke. No amount of tweaking has helped. Was yours also with particular and a floor by any chance?

[Allen Clements]

I wish it were so simple. I don’t think I’ve ever used “export” in AE. only the render queue…

Using RGB+alpha. have tried 24 and 32bits (though 24 bit supports an alpha channel. shouldn’t make a difference.)

I exported a quicktime movie in which the alpha channel worked… but i prefer working with frames. My 3D and higher end software has no problem with this.

When I bring the targas into photoshop, sure enough, there is no alpha channel in the channels list.

[Donutz Mar]

To export “*.tga” format with alpha channel you have to set your AfterFx project at 32 bit and set the render to:

-32 bit
-millions of color+
-RGB+Alpha
-Straight (unmatted).

If you open your tga in photoshop you can find your “alpha” in channel tab.
Create a selection of alpha channel with “ctrl+click” and apply it to your image in layers tab with “add vector mask”.
I tried this in AdobeSuiteCC2014 and works well!

Good luck! 😀