Can PSP 8 edit TGA files?

[terrypin]

I have a vague recollection of asking about TGA before but cannot so far track it down.

I opened a TGA but darned if I can remember how to edit it. Just shows a single layer, ‘Bacground’.

On my iPad at the moment but if necessary I’ll provide more details in the morning back at my PC.

[LeviFiction]

I believe your previous topic was - TGA Puzzle - https://forum.corel.com/viewtopic.php?f ... 33#p357033

This was brought up by another user as well where we came to the same conclusion. .tga "problem" https://forum.corel.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=67357

PSP used to only load TGA transparency into the Alpha Channel of the image in versions PSP8-X2, now it's loading it directly into the layer transparency.

[terrypin]

Thanks @LeviFiction; thought it might be you coming to my aid!

I've studied both threads again, particularly the latter started by Monteiro, but I'm still struggling. My immediate objective is to edit a few TGA files like this one:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/505ag38ln4yde ... .tga?raw=1

(The others differ only in the colour of the balloons.)

In my video editor it looks like this:


In PSP 8:


PSP 2018 is similar on opening, but allows opacity to be changed:


I want to delete all the string (or even better, all but a tiny piece of the string under the knot). My video clip will show the balloon moving over the background.

Of course, I could achieve this by converting the TGA to a PNG, editing it, and saving with white as transparency. But that seems rather crude, so I would greatly appreciate learning how to do it in either PSP 8 or PSP 2018 please, preserving the type as TGA. If indeed it's possible at all!

Otherwise, my hurried research last night seemed to imply it might be possible in FastStone Image Viewer. Although I haven't used it for a decade or so I'll investigate that if PSP cannot do it, but it sounds unlikely to me that any 'viewer' could tackle this.

[Jean-Luc]

Hy, Terrypin,
I opened your TGA file in my PSP 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 and it shows immediately the transparency.

(if I understand, you want to remove the black background)

[terrypin]

Thanks Jean-Luc. How would you then proceed to remove the string and save as a new TGA please?

[LeviFiction]

Transparency in TGA files are saved in the Alpha Channel. So in PSP you want to edit the alpha channel to change the transparency of the TGA file. What I would do is just edit the alpha channel either as a mask layer or as a selection.

1) Open the image
2) Layers -> Load/Save Mask -> Load Mask from Alpha Channel
3) Make sure "Invert transparency" is not selected. Hit OK on dialog box to accept the default alpha channel
4) Select the mask layer
5) Use black to paint over the area of the string
6) Layers -> Load/Save Mask -> Save Mask to Alpha Channel
7) Use the same name as the current Alpha Channel (usually Alpha Channel 1) as the name to overwrite the current alpha channel.
Use File Save Copy As or save with a different name so you don't destroy the original file.

Or you could just load the TGA, erase the string, and save as a PNG with transparency if your video editor supports that.

EDIT: I would like to add that editing a TGA file with existing transparency is frustrating in all versions of PSP after X2. Because PSP essentially deletes the transparent areas. So you can't get those areas back after you've saved. If you get rid of the string on the alpha channel and save it, always save it with a different name. Because there is no getting that string back in PSP. It will act like the string never existed.

[terrypin]

Many thanks @LeviFiction. I'll try that as a learning exercise, although the PNG alternative (which I mentioned in my first post) is obviously so much simpler!