How do you save a 32 bit RGBA image? That includes the alpha/transparency channel?

Hey everybody!

I come from the 3D industry, and I'm used to working with Photoshop.  At the moment I've got my hands on Corel Photo-paint and am intent on getting to know it.

 The biggest problem that has stumped me for two weeks now, is how do I save 32 bit images, (so not 24 bit RGB, but 32 bit RGBA with the Alpha channel)?

It seems whatever file format I choose, like png, tif, it wants to save only the colour channels, and even if I only have one object, it will warn me- "Saving in this format will merge with background" and then I end up with a flat colour background!

 

Advice is greatly appreciated! This seems to be a nice community...

Native CPT will save the objects and the Alpha channel(s)
TIF will preserve the Alpha Channel (mask), but not the objects.

Differentiate between objects and the alpha channel(s). In some
applications an object may appear to be similar to an alpha channel but
they really are two different things. Object in PP is very similar to
Layer in PS.

jorx wrote:
> Hey everybody!
>
> I come from the 3D industry, and I'm used to working with Photoshop. At
> the moment I've got my hands on Corel Photo-paint and am intent on
> getting to know it.
>
> The biggest problem that has stumped me for two weeks now, is how do I
> save 32 bit images, (so not 24 bit RGB, but 32 bit RGBA with the Alpha
> channel)?
>
> It seems whatever file format I choose, like png, tif, it wants to save
> only the colour channels, and even if I only have one object, it will
> warn me- "Saving in this format will merge with background" and then I
> end up with a flat colour background!
>
>
>
> Advice is greatly appreciated! This seems to be a nice community...
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> http://coreldraw.com/forums/p/5458/20015.aspx#20015
>

 Hey Paul, you're close to home! I live in Stony Plain! Thank you for the quick reply..

 

Ok, the only option I've been able to find is:

1. Create mask from object. This only works on one object, or if they're all merged/flattened

2. menu: Mask > Save >  Save Mask to Disk...

 

All this does however is save the mask as an 8 bit greyscale on it's own... although that is very helpful it still does not solve my original problem of saving the alpha channel with the file.

 I do understand objects. I've worked with photo-paint for probably about ~12 to 15 hours now. 

 My original question still stands- how do you save the alpha (transparent) pixels with the RGB values? (thus making it RGB(A)?)

 

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