[mooch]

Hi everybody,

I am new to Maxwell and this is my very first forum that I have joined. I would like to have an alpha channel that is saved as a separate image file. Multi light is checked and separate is selected. In the output options Depth is at RGB 16 bpc and the image is saved as a PNG file. In the channels options alpha is checked with PNG 16 selected. The problem is that all I am getting is a blank white page instead of the expected white for the scene objects and the black background. Can anybody shed some light on where I am going wrong here. I have ran out of ideas. Thanks.

[RobMitchell]

Hi mooch, welcome to the forum

Are you rendering direct from Maxwell studio? It'd be handy to see a screengrab of your viewport at the render angle to get a better idea of what's causing the issue. My immediate guess is there's a floor plane or perhaps an object in the foreground (ie. a light) that's being included in the alpha pass and causing the whole screen to be white.

If that's the case, your best bet is to use the custom alphas option. Simply check the Custom Alpha box and choose Set Alphas. Once in there, click the Plus button and add a name for your alpha(s), add what you want to be included in your alpha channels there and click OK. Then try the render again. Hope this helps!

[mooch]

Hi Rob,

first of all thank you very much for replying. I am working in Maxwell Studio V3 . I have checked my scene layout and I do not have any objects in the foreground that could be in between the camera and the object. I have taken two screen shots. One textured at the render angle and one wire frame from the perspective angle if this helps. I will try the custom alpha option tomorrow and let you know how I get on however I really would like to find out why this is not working just for future reference purposes.





looking forward to your reply and thanx again.

[Mihai]

About the screenshots, you need to post the direct links to images you upload, for them to show up in your post.

It seems in your case, it's simply because of the backdrop object. Maxwell can't know that you want that particular object to be excluded from the main alpha channel. In this case like Rob mentions the solution is to create a custom alpha channel either by object or by material (since 3.1) and add the chairs to it.

http://support.nextlimit.com/display/mx ... ha+channel

[mooch]

Both to Rob and Mihai,

your suggestion of using the custom alpha worked perfectly. I was getting a little dizzy running in circles trying to find out what was wrong. Sorry about the image links Mihai (another first) but thanks for taking the time to look at them. I now understand why this was happening and can use that knowledge in future renders. The video link has also helped me to organise myself better as I have quite a few arrangements of the chairs that I want to render.

So thank you both again for replying. The feeling of isolation has dissolved away.

[RobMitchell]

No problem. Glad to hear it worked out.