jevans Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 I should know the answer to this question but cannot remember the technique and cannot find the right topic via a search in the forum or in the help file.I think you can create a special shape in Photoshop, save it as a png file and then use it in PTE as a mask instead of the built-in standard circular and rectangular masks in the mask container. At the moment I cannot get this to work. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 A white rectangle of any size can be used and added (as an Image in) a mask.It can then be re-sized as required.I also find that a white "diamond" shape can be useful.DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Jeff, any shape will work as a mask. The white areas allow the object inside the mask to show and the black areas allow what isn't inside the mask but on the topmost area to show. Intermediate between black and white such as various shades of grey become semi-transparent to what's inside the mask.Take an image you want to mask into Photoshop. Paint with 255, 255, 255 white where you want to have transparency and have what's inside the mask to show. Paint with black where you want what isn't inside the mask to show. Save as a jpg and use this image as your mask.Best regards,Lin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jevans Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Hi Lin,I understand how to produce that sort of a mask, although I thought you would have to save the file as a png to retain transparency. However what I am trying to do is replicate the standard mask facility in the O&A window with an alternative shape to the circle/rectangle shape provided as the default. I thought I could produce a shape (e.g diamond) in Photoshop, fill it with white, save as png, then use this shape as an image in the mask container. (DaveG seems to be suggesting this process in his post above). But this does not work. Maybe I need a white rectangle with a transparent cutout in the desired mask shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jevans Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Dave,I have tried that unsuccessfully! See my reply to Lin. What mistake am I making? Process used : Create new image in PS with transparent background. Create diamond shape and fill with white. Save as png. Open O&A window in PTE. Add mask container. Add white diamond as image to mask container. Now all that happens if opacity altered is diamond appears or disappears. What I want is a diamond mask, not a circular or rectangle one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGA Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Jeff,As I recall, when you add the mask container you get prompted as to which mask to use. At that point you can choose Rectangle, Circle or "from a file". You need to take the "from a file" route.Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Hi Jeff, Sorry if I confused. As Peter said tick the image or video option and browse to find your diamond.DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Jeff,Analyse this?Project1_Nov12-2014_20-48-18.zipDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jevans Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Dave and Peter,Thanks gentlemen. Sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Hi Jeff,File format has no revelant importance concerning what a mask does. The only important thing as far as a mask is concened is color. Pure black is transparent to everything outside a mask and opaque to what's inside. Pure white is transparent to what's inside the mask and opaque to what is outside. A jpg file works just fine. As Peter mentioned, you just need to call your mask from a file. Either a still image or a video can act as a mask. For example, if you purchase an Alpha Channel video along with an Alpha Matte (the Alpha Matte is a black and white video) the Alpha Matte can act as the mask allowing the Alpha Channel video to be superimposed on another video or still image. This is how Proshow Producer uses Alpha Channel Videos. PTE can use this method or use an RGBA Alpha Channel video in AVI format directly.As an example, let's say you go into Photoshop and create a file which has only pure black and white elements. You then subsequently use this file as your mask. Inside the mask container you put a video. The only part of that video which will be visible are the parts covered by the white elements. The parts covered by black will not be seen.You can make a mask any shape and with any degree of transparency depending on the relative intensity of the black and white elements. I think perhaps an AVI tutorial on masking might be helpful. As soon as I get some time available, I'll try to make a few to help explain how they work and how they can be constructed. I'm sort of tied up right now because a tree fell on my house and I'm waiting for the snow to clear so I can remove it. Hopefully in the next week or so I'll be able to get this issue resolved and have some time to devote to PTE.Best regards,Lin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyKay Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 A tree fell on your house? Quite a few years ago in a heavy snow a huge pine tree maybe 3 feet in diameter feel across my neighbor's house, right across the bedroom. It smashed it's way all the way down to floor level. Missed their bed by inches. Imagine waking up to that all that crashing, and splintering and swirling snow and cold air! They were shook up, but fine. By the way. Are you and all your's OK?! Were you in the house when it fell? I am worried about you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Hi Judy,It's just me and my old dog and yes, we were inside when it came down. Fortunately the damage to the house is minimal (I think) but it's going to take me at least a week with a pretty good sized chain saw to get it off my house and cut up. Unfortunately, I'm buried in snow right now and it will be -15 F tonight so I won't be able to get on my roof to get started until the snow is gone. The tree was dead and about 48 inches in diameter at the base but the way it came down most of the weight was transferred to the ground first via large branches and it ended up bridging to my roof at probably the strongest point. The tree actually belongs to the neighbor's house, but we've been fighting about it for a number of years. My little place formerly belonged to my mother and she bought the home when it was only three years old. There is a six foot cedar slat fence separating my property from the neighbors and two trees grew close to the fence on their side. They sold the property about twelve years ago to the present owner who proceeded to fence around them in a "U" shape and as they grew, they broke my fence and pushed it nearly over. Just before my wife Sherry passed away four years ago last August, an 18 inch diameter limb broke in a wind storm and bridged between a tree in our yard and the trunk which was slightly higher than the fence. It took three days with a chain saw to cut it up and stack it and I asked the owner (he uses the home as a rental) to remove the trees but he ignored me. About two years ago I put a new roof on my house and have been expecting this to happen every time we get strong winds. The city refuses to help and I guess I'll have to get an attorney and get involved in litigation against the owner because the second dead tree is still standing. He's trying to claim that the trees are "border trees" on the property line so that I have to pay half the fee of having them removed. They are not, but it will probably end up in court before he will be forced to pay to have the one left standing removed. I've made multiple calls to the city but they never return my calls so I guess I'll have to remove this one by myself. Unfortunately I have no one who can help in any way so it's going to take a while. Below are a couple pictures... I snapped these five minutes after the tree came down and ten minutes later it started snowing and hasn't quit...Best regards,Lin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyKay Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 It looks like a cottonwood tree? Those are so pretty, but so messy and they get rotten in the middle and weigh a ton! Can you burn it for firewood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 I wish I could burn it, but have no fireplace so it's just going to have to be hauled off once I get it chopped up into bite size pieces that I can handle....Best regards,Lin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jevans Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Hi Lin,Thanks for the clarification. I was getting confused between using an image as a mask and using a png file when you want a transparent object. I tend just to use PTE for fairly straightforward avs and do not use many of the special festures which you and the other experts are so good at. I have tried you suggestion with a jpg file and of course it works just as you described. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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