How to protect transparent areas in APhoto

[Tomeric]

Hi,
how do I protect transparent areas of a pixel layer against filling?
Or in other words: How do I fill only the not-transparent parts on a pixel layer? (...without first applying a proper masking)

 

[John Rostron]

29 minutes ago, Tomeric said:

without first applying a proper masking

Why do you not want to apply masking (proper or otherwise). The obvious solution would be to select the transparent area, invert the selection and then fill this non-transparent selection.

John

[MEB]

Hi Tomeric,
cmd click the thumbnail of the pixel layer in the Layers panels to create a selection from its content then use Edit > Fill to fill it with the color you want (make sure the layers is selected in the layers panel). Alternatively switch to/use the Paint Brush Tool with a large brush size (no selection needed), tick the Protect Alpha checkbox in the context toolbar and paint over the object.

[PixelPest]

I guess you want just the shape to carry a new color.

I´d probably go this route: 1. Select layer if its alone in a layer (or flood select for selection of interest)  2. add layer effect-> Color Overlay: adjust color

[Tomeric]

Thank you all!
So unfortunately there is no function to protect the transparent surfaces like in PhotoShop.

 

1 hour ago, John Rostron said:

Why do you not want to apply masking (proper or otherwise). The obvious solution would be to select the transparent area, invert the selection and then fill this non-transparent selection.

If you want to apply a new color to some pixels, filling with transparency-protection can be the quickest way.
PhotoShop has a checkbox for that in its "Fill"-popup and besides that a "protect transparency" option in its layers context menu. Both are quite useful.

Example: Today I received a logo as a transparent PNG file in which I had to change some text, but only a part of the graphic. In the end, I made a selection of the entire content and deselected the area that wasn't to be colored. With simple filling it would have been faster.

 

 

 

[PixelPest]

Protect Alpha won´t work for you?

Note that you don´t need to select anything - just paint over.

 

[Tomeric]

Thanks Pixel, I didn't notice this Checkbox in the Brush-Context-Toolbar.
It's a little more cumbersome than it should be, but that's acceptable to me.

[PixelPest]

Layer effect: Color Overlay won´t work for you?

[mac_heibu]

19 minutes ago, Tomeric said:

Thanks Pixel, I didn't notice this Checkbox in the Brush-Context-Toolbar.
It's a little more cumbersome than it should be, but that's acceptable to me.

That is the „drama“ for all users, who expect a new application B working identically as application A. This is not the case, and if, it would be an evidence of incapacity for the software engineers of application B. Copycats seldomly are creative beings …

[Tomeric]

"Color overlay" ignores any selections. Currently the "Brush-trick" seems to be the quickest way...

"New Adjustment Layer/ Recolour" could also be an alternative, but here we can't define the new color precisely; respectively not by RGB value or so.

[Tomeric]

3 minutes ago, mac_heibu said:

That is the „drama“ for all users, who expect a new application B working identically as application A. This is not the case, and if, it would be an evidence of incapacity for the software engineers of application B.

Truly, but this is how you typically approach new software... or a new Microwave, Radio, Navi, Toaster, ... 

I think that's perfectly okay, and maybe for the developers of "B" it could be an indication that the developers of "A" had a good idea too that should be adopted.

[mac_heibu]

5 minutes ago, Tomeric said:

Truly, but this is how you typically approach new software... or a new Microwave, Radio, Navi, Toaster, ... 

Following this, the computer, the  iPhone, … never would have been invented.

6 minutes ago, Tomeric said:

 

I think that's perfectly okay, and maybe for the developers of "B" it could be an indication that the developers of "A" had a good idea too that should be adopted.

So, you really want a copy of Photoshop? Are you looking for a cheaper version of Photoshop?

[PixelPest]

18 minutes ago, Tomeric said:

"New Adjustment Layer/ Recolour" could also be an alternative, but here we can't define the new color precisely; respectively not by RGB value or so.

Ok Ok - here´s an ugly one but with RGB control when ambient lighting is killed:

[Tomeric]

IMHO it's absoluty human to first try out what has worked before in a similar situation. 

> Following this, the computer, the  iPhone, … never would have been invented.

The computer as an example... originally paper tape was necessary. Necessary, but not a user-friendly idea. So they finally used what the users already knew since the 19th century: The keyboard. And this in an old layout that could have been improved in the process. (Dvorak keyboard for example.) A good decision, IMHO.

When I create something new, I always consider user expectations, and only when I think there is a *really* better solution, I do implement that.

> So, you really want a copy of Photoshop? Are you looking for a cheaper version of Photoshop?

Not a copy, but: A software that has been developed for 30 years must contain some good ideas. Why not find them out and make them your own (speaking for Serif here)?

By the way, the price is not why I don't want to use PhotoShop anymore: I don't like the rental software system. Because of AD (among others) I have cancelled my Adobe CC subscription in the meantime. Only the photographer subscription is left, because AP does not contain yet all features that are helpful for my jobs.

[colindun]

On 8/20/2019 at 1:41 PM, MEB said:

Hi Tomeric,
cmd click the thumbnail of the pixel layer in the Layers panels to create a selection from its content then use Edit > Fill to fill it with the color you want (make sure the layers is selected in the layers panel). Alternatively switch to/use the Paint Brush Tool with a large brush size (no selection needed), tick the Protect Alpha checkbox in the context toolbar and paint over the object.

How can I do this with a gradient? When I want to fill just the object on a layer and select the gradient tool, I don't see a 'protect alpha' box. 

[Alfred]

35 minutes ago, colindun said:

How can I do this with a gradient? When I want to fill just the object on a layer and select the gradient tool, I don't see a 'protect alpha' box. 

Since there’s no ‘Protect Alpha’ option for the Gradient Tool, you have to use the pixel selection method.

[Lisbon]

I just uncheck Editable on the composite alpha.

Am i missing something?

[NotMyFault]

1 minute ago, Lisbon said:

I just uncheck Editable on the composite alpha.

Am i missing something?

Works for all painting tools and almost all destructive filters (did not check e.g. frequency separation). Does not work for adjustment layers and live filter layers.

[Lisbon]

54 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

Works for all painting tools and almost all destructive filters (did not check e.g. frequency separation). Does not work for adjustment layers and live filter layers.

Right.
I was referring to the Gradient Tool question. I should have mentioned it. Sorry. My fault.

[telemax]

3 hours ago, colindun said:

How can I do this with a gradient? When I want to fill just the object on a layer and select the gradient tool, I don't see a 'protect alpha' box. 

The best way is non-destructive. Keeps the original, and allows you to edit the gradient after.

[PixelPest]

6 hours ago, colindun said:

How can I do this with a gradient? When I want to fill just the object on a layer and select the gradient tool, I don't see a 'protect alpha' box. 

What kind of "object" is it? I mean in the case of the "Square star"  above simply select and drag a gradient to it. No?

[colindun]

19 hours ago, Lisbon said:

I just uncheck Editable on the composite alpha.

Am i missing something?

Uh, I'm new here, so where do I find the compost alpha settings? ;0)

[colindun]

In my case it was some text that I had rasterised. I then wanted to fill the text shape with a gradient, but when I select the gradient tool and set the colours it's filling the entire layer rather than just the rasterised shape on the layer. Is there a preserve alpha alpha control I am overlooking somewhere?

[NotMyFault]

13 minutes ago, colindun said:

In my case it was some text that I had rasterised. I then wanted to fill the text shape with a gradient, but when I select the gradient tool and set the colours it's filling the entire layer rather than just the rasterised shape on the layer. Is there a preserve alpha alpha control I am overlooking somewhere?

In your case a different workflow leads to success:

• create a rectangle with a gradient. Should be large enough to cover the text.
• nest this layer under the rasterized text
• you can re-adjust the gradient any time later if required 

 

 

[colindun]

Thanks ;0)