How my God! I am Just swaping my images with the one's in Skinstudio and making some great skins, well parts to skins. This PSP 8 is the best software I ever put om my PC. It's going to be a while till I get some sleep. I can play with this stuff forever. Wait till youu guys see this one design I came up with for the task bar and start panel. It's mind blowing. This is to much for words. I mean there is so much PoWeR at your hands. Multiple layers, Imaging enhancement, Shading, the list goes on and on. Ok I gotta go do some more. I just Cant wait to be able to show off my style. I wonder if there is a way to show off a BMP that I made, if anyone even cares.

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Re: #30

Chas, it doesn't matter whether you're talking PSP7 or PSP8, the background of any PSP image file is the bottom-most layer, and only that layer. In both versions of the program this layer may be transparent, translucent or opaque. Technically, in either version of the program, you may also delete the background, or convert it to a raster layer. I say technically, because this is only a matter of state as far as the software is concerned so that you may change the z-order of the layer (a layer can be moved, a background cannot).

The only difference between the two versions of PSP in this regard is that in PSP8, one may start with a vector background. This is really only a time saving step so that you may begin drawing a vector image on the first layer without having to create a second layer.

As for the rest, not much is changed between the two versions when it comes to saving your work. Depending on the format in which you choose to save your work, layers may still need to be merged, vector layers may still need to be converted to raster, and any transparency or translucency may need to be made opaque if the image format you are saving to does not support those features. The biggest difference between the PSP7 and PSP8 from that standpoint, is that PSP8 now supports more image formats, and has more options for some of the formats in doing the conversion.

I hope this clears up some of the confusion.

Well, I guess I never put much thought into any of the semantics to creating a vector image. I just choose a vector tool and draw it, and the layer is automatically created.

a layer can be moved, a background cannot

This is the way I thought of it too. But, with a vector or raster background, the layer can be moved. So, the terminology can be a bit confusing, if you start swapping background terminology and layer terminology.

It's not semantics, Chas. That is the technical difference in PSP between a background and a layer. it doesn't matter whether it is a vector background or a raster background, you can't move it. It can only be moved if it is a layer.

It is plain silly then. Why have a raster or vector layer that you can't move? The purpose of changing a background to a raster layer is so that it can be moved. I'll stick with PSP7.

I have Paint shop Pro now!! I am on my way baby!! One year from now you will be calling me the new skinner in town!

wait, you mean you can not a Vector Shape on any given layer and the bump it up/down or to side of the display pixel by pixelwith the directional keys on the keyboard or your mouse to move it?

Re: #37

In PSP, any vector object must be on a vector layer. The vector layer can then be moved up or down to any point in the z-order. The vector object within the layer may also be moved anywhere in the x-y plane using the keyboard or the mouse. In PSP7, one can move objects pixel-by-pixel, In PSP8, one can move vector images half-pixel-by-half-pixel.

SD... I see the info in the Help files about moving a vector object 1 or 10 pixels using the keyboard, but I can't make it work. The instructions say

1. Select the object(s) you want to move.

2. Do any of the following:

3. Click inside a bounding box and drag the object or objects to a new position.

4. To move one pixel at a time, press Shift or Ctrl and press the Up, Down, Left, or Right arrow keys.

5. To move 10 pixels at a time, press Ctrl + Shift and press the Up, Down, Left, or Right arrow keys.

4 and 5 do nothing......... what am I missing?
I see nothing about moving a vector object by half-pixel.

If it is a object that you draw then you can do this. You just right click and go into edit mode. Otherwise, the object or also works for resizing vector images and the deformation tool works for vector and raster images as well. (If I'm not mistaken)

Randy... there is a little glitch with the move tool keyboard shortcuts in PSP (both versions). JASC is aware of it and has indicated that it will be fixed in an update, but I'm not holding my breath.

To use the keyboard move controls, you first have to have the move tool active by physically moving the Selection, layer, object, or group to the approximate position you want it. Once you have moved it even a couple of pixels with the move tool, you'll be able to use the arrows on the keyboard as described.

As for the half-pixel move, it is only with vector objects that you can move by half-pixel increments. In PSP8, you have the option to have vector nodes align to the center of a pixel or aligned to the grid (corner of a pixel). If you go into File>Preferences>General Program Preferences... and click on the Units tab, you'll see a check box on the lower left under Vector Coordinates. If you check this box, then the Vector Nodes will align themselves to the center of the pixel. If you leave this box, unchecked, the nodes will align themselves to the grid (corner). It can come in handy when working with a mandatory image size of even units (ie 16x16, 24x24) and you want to align a shape such as a triangle for a forward/back button and you want the tip to be centered in the image. Normally, you'd have to either settle for a blunt tip two pixels wide, or have the point be slightly off the midline. With this setting, you don't have to choose (assuming you're planning to save as a png for conversion to a tga).



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Hey guy's here is a simple one. Im still trying to lick this whole Raster/Vector thing. Why is it sometimes I cant delete cut away a background. I choose the whole area and then click cut. but it doesnt cut it out. Is that because of a vector or raster image?
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Funny thing i noticed. On these posts you can't spell the word "s e l e c t" straight out because these message boards wont display the word. As anyone else noticed this?
because it doesnt show the word. The only way to get it to show is put spaces between the letters. Someone else try it. This is strange. I wonder does JafO and gang know about this?


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To use the keyboard move controls, you first have to have the move tool active by physically moving the Selection, layer, object, or group to the approximate position you want it. Once you have moved it even a couple of pixels with the move tool, you'll be able to use the arrows on the keyboard as described.

Sadly, that doesn't work for me either.

#42 by csurfside - 7/10/2004 9:44:31 AM Hey guy's here is a simple one. Im still trying to lick this whole Raster/Vector thing. Why is it sometimes I cant delete cut away a background. I choose the whole area and then click cut. but it doesnt cut it out. Is that because of a vector or raster image?

You can't use the Selection tools on a Vector layer (unless it's the 'Object Selection' tool). Vector works very different than Raster.

And yes we're aware of the gremlin that eats certain words.

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Select.....Delete.....and a few others are Stripped....caps will fix it though...