YUP

Fultro, would you be willing to send the mask over to me? I'll see if I can figger anything out.
dse at sundancemediagroup dot com

Spot - thanks for the offer
a file is on the way to the address you gave
please let me know here if you don't get it

Generally, I don't flatten the photoshop files. Vegas will use the file exactly as it appears in photoshop. If I want transparency I just turn off any layers I don't want to see and save the photoshop file. As long as Photoshop is showing me a checkerboard area, Vegas will see it as transparent.

It might be that you have some complex stuff going on in the psd file but I have imported PSD files with adjustment layers, vector based objects, and all sorts of stuff. Vegas has dealt with them just fine.

The key to it seems to be that an unflattened PSD file must have a "flattened" layer in it that is just what you see. In any case you don't need to flatten the image for Vegas, and this is an advantage because you can go back to photoshop and tweak the file and the changes will show in Vegas as well. That's nice.

Rob Mack

Fultro,

You're goin about it the long way and since Vegas doesn't see the layers it doesn't work. Try this:

--In Photoshop, fill the frame with the color you want.
--Select the area you want to keep
--Copy (Ctrl+C), Paste (Ctrl+v). now you have a new layer.
--Make the original layer invisible.
--Save.
--Open in Vegas

There are lots of other ways to do this in photoshop. You can make a filled shape, which is nice because you can go back to the file to change the shape or the color. Or you can fill a layer and erase what you don't want. In all cases, what you can see in photoshop should be what you'll get in Vegas.

Creating channels in Photoshop won't help if you aren't seeing the effect of the channel in the photoshop file. what you see is really what you'll get.

Rob Mack

Fultro,

Since you say you'd rather be a moron than the software be bad, I have good news. ahh, well, I can't say it. Anyway, I follwed your directions:

"I create a new doc in Photoshop and fill it with a color - nothing else in the image;
Then select any area - say a simple oval;
Save the selection - so that it shows up as an alpha channel;
Save the flattened file; "

This is really wrong for use in Vegas. There are many ways to do this. Try this:

--Create a new psd file.
--create a new layer
--make your shape on the new layer
--turn off the background layer and save the file. (This is very important!)
--Drop the file onto the timeline
--Maybe change the type of alpha channel in Vegas if you like.

Rob Mack

Rob,

Why the new layer?

I just create a transparent canvas in PS, add the shape I need and save flattened. Drop this on the Vegas T/L and it is transparent with default settings. Seems less work.

And the winner in the "Let's Prove Fultro a Moron Sweepstakes" :
Alright now I am really confused -- to start none of the mentioned procedures worked and

furthermore I really don't understand the first and simplest one you mentioned
,new psd / new layer / create selection / turn off Background layer / Save>
Vegas has never opened an unflattened file for me and I am not sure what you mean by (to paraphrase) "as long as some layers are flattened and the Background is off revealing the checkerboard"
For me whenever that checkerboard has been visible it has indicated an unflattened file.
And all of this seems way more complicated than necessary - if I create a complex file in PS how do I know according to these standards what I am doing is going to work.
Using the procedure I originally outlined and using a multitude of other files that basically
are the same structure (flattened with an alpha channel) has always worked with Boris and
Combustion and also seems to be the procedure that has been recommended on various Vegas tutoriials --

It's minimal work and you don't have to flatten it. I think the tradeoff of keystrokes is probably a wash.

You can leave the layers intact. That means you can have text layers, adjustment layers, filled shapes, Etc. You can also use layer styes and you can set opacity and transfer mode of layers. Vegas doesn't see the layers but it does see the visible result, and you can go back into photoshop and tweak the layers if you want.

Seems better all around but I've never tried putting a large number of photoshop files on the timeline so I can't vouch for performance under heavy usage.

Rob Mack

Hi Fultro.

Well, I've never flattened a photoshop file before adding it to Vegas. And what I'm describing is so simple that perhaps you're trying to complicate it with extra steps.

Now, as far as Vegas not opening unflattened PSD files for you...Maybe you need to have a quicktime pro license? I don't know. I've never had to flatten a photoshop file before using it in Vegas.

??"as long as some layers are flattened and the Background is off revealing the checkerboard" ?? -- that sounds like crazytalk. Beats me what I was trying to say but I did a few tests last night as I was writing and found that if the background layer of the PSD file was visible then Vegas would see it as opaque even if nothing was on it. So I create the shape, mask, whatever, on the layers above that and then turn the background off. Works fine in Vegas-no flattening required.

If you like, I can send you a small PSD file that should work fine in Vegas 4 or 5. Just as an example.

Rob Mack

In photoshop 6.0 Prefs, under Saving Files, select "Maximize backward compatibility..."

Now go to your layered PSD file and use "Save as" to save it over itself. You have to overwrite the file once you've changed the setting.

I have a PSD file in a Vegas project. The PSD file has 5 layers, drop shadows, styles. I can zip it up and send it to you if you'd like a proof of concept. email me at rmack350ATsbcglobalDOTnet and I'll send you the zipped up project.

I should point out that this is NOT the way you're working in combustion. So, yes, it's true that the PSD file may behave differently.

Rob Mack

Allright, finally, rmack350 solves the problem.
Turns out that PS Preferences / Maximize Backward Commpatibility must be on and then I can save layers in PS and there must be no Background matte.
So, If the unwanted, unselected area is revealing the transparent (checkerboard) back in PS - then that area will be transparent in Vegas too. Neither flattening nor saving alpha channels is necessary this way

Even though my other video programs act differently and though it seems there are those of you out there that have had different experiences, this is what I must do to get this to work
Thanks to all for your input - fultro

Still haven't gotten it.

David,

There's often more than one way to skin a cat so maybe you'll either find another way to do this in Vegas or another way to do it in other software.

Cheers!

Rob

While we're at it (transparency), anybody knows a way to save a feathered, solid-colored circle (it's an example) in Vegas, with transparent background and have the AVI-rendered file from this circle to appear as the circle just created with *checkerboard background* (transparency) when used in Vegas instead of this circle with *black* background I always get after render?
I DO NOT want to use chroma key in further(s) operation(s), just render something with alpha, then being able to use it, after rendered, like it should be used (ie: a "video sticker" with feather capability I can put on any clip I want and move it with Track Motion for positionning).
???

Futz,

Are you rendering to DV uncompressed, with the "Alpha Channel" box checked?

After adding to the timeline, you *may* need to right-click, choose Properties, and pick the proper Alpha method.

Yes, that's the ticket. Use uncompressed AVI, with alpha.

There may be other formats that will yeild smaller files (I don't really know, just guessing) but this one performs well in Vegas

Rob

Thanks guys.
Rendered like you said (ie Uncompressed), and right-clicked the top clip (the cookie-rendered one) then chose Premultiplied in properties. Great!

just curious FuTz - what are trying to do with this
I tried it myself and yes the black background on the track got cleared to a checkerboard
but I am not sure what it is you are trying to accomplish with it