Flash 8 PNG Image as Mask

[rexusdiablos]

Hi All,

I created a png image in photoshop (a silhouetted star with a transparent background).

I then imported it into flash 8 to use it as a mask layed over another image (jpeg of mountain terrain).

Herein lies the problem: The png is behaving like its fully non-transparent (the transparent part of the image is not blocking my jpg image even though it should).

I have spent 3 hours researching this but to no avail.

I've checked "caching as bmp" articles and "png as mask" articles. I've also tried tracing it in flash but it comes out messy.

Can somebody please shine some light on this and break it down step by step in laymans terms what the hell I need to doing.

(We have all this technology in the world and yet flash can't let me import an external png and set it as a mask. I am so pissed.)

Help me DaniWeb, your my only hope.

[rexusdiablos]

Yay! Found the answer by pure luck and after being so close to giving up!!!

I thought I'd post it here to help anyone else (namely newbs like me) out.

(Remember this is for solidly outlined pngs and not for gradient or blurred pngs)

I am frickin tired! Must... fight... sleep... mind... over... matter... sleep... not... a... mandatory... physiological... function... need... decent... cappachino... no... too... late... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

n Flash 8 it's as follows:

1. Import your image to the stage (Ctrl+R).
2. Select your imported bitmap.
3. Go to the Modify menu -> Bitmap -> Trace bitmap.
4. Depending on how much detail you want, change around the options. If you want full detail use this:
a) Color threshold: 1
b) Minimum area: 1
c) Curve fit: Very Smooth
d) Corner threshold: Many Corners
5. It will probably take a bit if it's too detailed, once it's finished, it'll be turned into a Shape.
6. Select either the black or white bits of the image (just click on them) and delete them.
7. Voilá, you have a Shape that you can now use as a mask.

[craja753]

I too struck on the same luckily i saw your reply.

Yay! Found the answer by pure luck and after being so close to giving up!!!

I thought I'd post it here to help anyone else (namely newbs like me) out.

(Remember this is for solidly outlined pngs and not for gradient or blurred pngs)

I am frickin tired! Must... fight... sleep... mind... over... matter... sleep... not... a... mandatory... physiological... function... need... decent... cappachino... no... too... late... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

n Flash 8 it's as follows:

1. Import your image to the stage (Ctrl+R).
2. Select your imported bitmap.
3. Go to the Modify menu -> Bitmap -> Trace bitmap.
4. Depending on how much detail you want, change around the options. If you want full detail use this:
a) Color threshold: 1
b) Minimum area: 1
c) Curve fit: Very Smooth
d) Corner threshold: Many Corners
5. It will probably take a bit if it's too detailed, once it's finished, it'll be turned into a Shape.
6. Select either the black or white bits of the image (just click on them) and delete them.
7. Voilá, you have a Shape that you can now use as a mask.

[pixelpaintr]

It sounds like you were just trying to create a star-shaped mask, yes? If so, a simpler way would be to select the polystar tool from the menu, then go to the options button for that tool, select "star" for shape, and set the number and angle of points. Then you have a vector star, very clean, created in Flash to use as a mask.

If you want the reverse of the star for your mask, place the star object on a larger square shape with a different fill, and then delete out the star fill.