start orb problem

[iFission]

I've made my own start orb bmp and applied it with StartOrbz. It works fine but soon later i found a problem. When i hover my cursor on the orb, there's an animation, together with a black background.
Can anyone here help me solve this problem?

There're 2 files in the attachment, one is the startorb bmp and the other one is a screenshot which shows the black backgound when hovered.

 

[derekimo]

Your's is 55x165, it should be 54x162 like this one,

 

[iFission]

I know that and i resized it to 54x162, there's still the black background when the cursor hovers the orb. I don't think it is the problem. Anyway thanks for the reply.

 

[derekimo]

You're welcome, one of the gfx guru's will be able to answer that for you as soon as they see this.

 

[dunfiddlin]

I've made my own start orb bmp and applied it with StartOrbz. It works fine but soon later i found a problem. When i hover my cursor on the orb, there's an animation, together with a black background.
Can anyone here help me solve this problem?

There're 2 files in the attachment, one is the startorb bmp and the other one is a screenshot which shows the black backgound when hovered.

There's your trouble! It should be a png. There's no transparency in a bmp file!

 

[Vector]

There's your trouble! It should be a png. There's no transparency in a bmp file!

Unless I've missed something, every start orb tutorial says to save the image as a 32-bit BMP. The problem with iFission's file is the lack of an alpha channel.

iFission, check out the excellent Start Orb tutorial here on Sevenforums (additional tutorials here and here). Pay close attention to the section regarding alpha channel creation.

 

[dunfiddlin]

There's your trouble! It should be a png. There's no transparency in a bmp file!

Unless I've missed something, every start orb tutorial says to save the image as a 32-bit BMP. The problem with iFission's file is the lack of an alpha channel.

iFission, check out the excellent Start Orb tutorial here on Sevenforums (additional tutorials here and here). Pay close attention to the section regarding alpha channel creation.

My apologies. That was somewhat misleading. StartOrbz Studio uses .png as it's default import & export filetype precisely because the alpha channel is available without further ado. If you are using Start Orb Changer or doing the edit manually (which I wouldn't advise given the safer alternatives) you have to stick with .bmp and impose the alpha channel on it. As StartOrbz Studio is free and has a far greater number of functions I tend to assume that that's what people use. The added advantage that you need never create a start orb in a image editor again or worry about alpha channels makes it a must-have.

 

[Vector]

Thanks dunfiddlin for the StartOrbz suggestion. I now wonder if PNG's can be used with start button changers that specifically ask for BMP's. Obviously, working with a PNG would be easier than working with a BMP with alpha channels.

Edit: apparently StartOrbz converts png to bmp on the fly

 

[iFission]

Ok. thank you for all your comments. Now i followed the instructions and created a new startorb using photoshop. The instruction says that 'Switch to the Brush tool, set it to something decent like 100px at least, hardness doesn't matter here, and fill in as much as your can of your selection with white. Notice how the selection we made earlier follows the 'glow' effect of the orbs and only allows a certain amount of white to be 'painted' onto the Alpha channel? That's what gives the soft edges on your Start Orb later.'
Here the problem comes. I'm having a hard time using brush painting the alpha channel white. Due to the glow effects, it is difficult to paint only the certain amount white.
Anyone here has any good ideas to solve this problem?
I'll upload my startorb bmp with alpha channel untouched. If you can, please help me to paint it white. I'll appreciate it.

 

[iFission]

I've solved the problem!! Just save the bmp without alpha channel, 32 bit, and everything is working perfectly!
Again. Thank you for all your helpful comments.

 

[derekimo]

Thanks for posting your solution.