Planetside Software Forums

General => Terragen Discussion => Topic started by: MrHooper on December 02, 2009, 09:38:46 AM

Title: Alpha Channel
Post by: MrHooper on December 02, 2009, 09:38:46 AM
I'm trying to get an alpha channel out with my image for compositing.

In a previous thread, I found this quote:

After your render is complete check Terragen image temp folder - there's a separate image with an alpha channel of your render (and your colour render also).

Sounds great, but call me stupid;)  Where is the terragen temp image folder?  It's not in the install dir.  not in my documents.  Any specifics?  Running win7 btw.

Andrew
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Zairyn Arsyn on December 02, 2009, 10:13:12 AM
i had same problem... looked and looked but couldnt find them, then someone told me how on this forum,

start terragen 2-
then go to: File> Explore Temporary Files, that should open a window with all your renders individual folders.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Henry Blewer on December 02, 2009, 03:41:35 PM
You can also change the path the temp files are stored into. This input is located under the sequence/output tab of the render settings.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Kadri on December 02, 2009, 04:01:39 PM
The folder is hidden by default(?).
Yes we can change the place...I don't know if you think the same but changing this folders default place would be better i think.

Kadri.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Marlin on December 02, 2009, 04:23:03 PM
Would it cause problems to delete these old files?
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Kadri on December 02, 2009, 04:40:48 PM
I deleted them just now. Nothing bad happened . But this is only me  :)

Kadri.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Henry Blewer on December 02, 2009, 07:26:21 PM
Eventually they just become old data. I clean them out about 4 times a year.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Hetzen on December 02, 2009, 07:45:24 PM
If your matte seems a couple of pixels out, check your antialiasing settings. Mattes seem to bloom too.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Dune on December 03, 2009, 02:36:22 AM
Actually you should empty the temp folder if you don't need the (old) files. I once had so many renders that my C: was completely full and the machine slowed down and crashed. Now I empty it after each session that I know wasn't interesting to keep. It's a good idea to change the location  to a more easy to reach place.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: jo on December 03, 2009, 03:20:33 AM
Hi,

The temp folder is easily reachable from the File menu using the Explore Temporary Files (Windows) or Reveal Temporary Files (Mac) menu items. Actually on the Mac these files are cleaned up automatically, not on Windows it seems (while have to check on that again).

In a future release we will let you specify where these files are created, but I don't think it will be for the next release.

Regards,

Jo
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: fxsculpt on January 21, 2010, 04:17:10 PM
Any idea when we will be able to output alpha channel on the Mac? I could really use this.

Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: cyphyr on January 21, 2010, 04:53:19 PM
Quote from: jo on December 03, 2009, 03:20:33 AM
...

In a future release we will let you specify where these files are created, but I don't think it will be for the next release.

...

Can I request also the ability to say what format these files are saved in, automatic saving of exr and jpg would be very useful :)
Richard
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Kadri on January 21, 2010, 05:29:00 PM
Quote from: cyphyr on January 21, 2010, 04:53:19 PM
...
Can I request also the ability to say what format these files are saved in, automatic saving of exr and jpg would be very useful :)
Richard

Good idea , Cyphyr . It seems basic but such things make life more comfortable  :)

Kadri.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Matt on January 21, 2010, 07:32:50 PM
In Terragen the alpha channel is saved as a separate image with RGB channels to represent different amount of alpha at different wavelengths, but the principle is the same. The alpha images can be found in your temporary files folder (File -> Explore/Reveal Temporary Files). Or if you render using the settings on the Sequence/Output tab in the render node, you can enable "extra output image" there. The Extra output images are just alpha images in current versions.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: fxsculpt on January 22, 2010, 10:32:53 AM
Does this go for Mac OS as well?

Thanks
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Oshyan on January 22, 2010, 09:20:45 PM
The temp location is different on a Mac, but there is still a menu option that opens it, the same as on Windows.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: fxsculpt on January 25, 2010, 12:22:22 AM
WOW I just found that stash. A ton of data was in there :)

Thanks for the tip.
Title: Re: Alpha Channel
Post by: Henry Blewer on January 25, 2010, 08:01:56 AM
I empty mine cache about once a month. This tends to get quite large quickly.