Request - 24-bit transparent output

[essorant]

X3D is a great little app, and it would be so much more useful to me if it could output animations at 24-bit with an alpha channel (in one go). I'm currently trying to use X3D to make an animated cursor, but it seems to be a case of exporting 24-bit PNGs frame by frame!

I notice it does output an AVI in 24bit, but it doesn't seem to allow a transparent background.

While I'm grovelling, I might as well ask that it would be possible to change the angle of the axis about which the text/image rotates?

(Grovel grovel...)

[Soquili]

The axis of rotation is easy...it is already in the animation options. See attachment.

As for 24bit with Alpha...only Xara Group Ltd knows if they plan on adding that in a future version.

If you also have Xara Xtreme you can import an animated gif and then export to png with alpha.

[essorant]

Thanks for that. I knew about the orientation of the axis, (i.e. horizontally or vertically) but you've given me an idea about how I can use it.

Handy about exporting the pngs with separate layers, but it still means exporting an animation as individual frames in png format... quite time consuming!

Still, for for thought. Thanks for your help.

Tim.

[Soquili]

If you export an animated gif file then import that into Xara Xtreme each frame will be a layer. Then export to png with the option shown in my previous post and each frame/layer will be an individual png file automatically.

Where will you use the 24bit+alpha images as an animation? If you need it for a video editing program simply set the background in Xara3D to a green screen colour and export as an avi. Your video editing application should then be able to make the green screen transparent the same as is done in major motion pictures.

I'm not sure I follow you about rotating the axis. Are you aware that holding Ctrl+Shift will allow you to rotate an object around it's centerline?

Positioning & rotating 3D objects

To position or rotate the objects

The most reliable way to rotate an object is to use the scrollbars to the right and bottom of the design window.

If you do not have a background texture, you can also drag on the background to move the object. (But be careful not to move the shadow, which you can also move by clicking and dragging.)

You can also have more precise control over the movement of the 3D object:

Hold down Ctrl to move only horizontally. Hold down Shift to move only vertically.

If you want a precise rotation, use the cursor (arrow) keys on the keyboard to change the rotation in 1 degree steps. Ctrl+ the cursor keys gives 15 degree steps.

Alt-drag moves the objects relative to the background.

You can also rotate the objects around their center line. Either:

• Ctrl+Shift drag on the right scrollbar
  or hold down Shift and use the up/down cursor keys for 1 degree steps
• or CTRL+Shift+up/down cursor keys for 15 degree steps.

Note that when the text is horizontally face-on, rotation around the center line gives the same effect as vertical movement.

Alt+Home cancels any rotation and displays the objects face-on.

You can see the specific rotation angles on the bottom right of the Xara3D window.

[Soquili]

Just playing around.

[Egg Bramhill]

Come on Bill, you're just enjoying yourself now!

[Soquili]

Cheers Egg