Doon1

They are. When I save in the BC6H format the underlying graphics are visible. unfortunately the whole panel illuminates at night in game instead of just the lettering when I save in this format. I think I'm getting closer now. I did the select all > copy. Then made a new image and did the Effects > Object > Paste alpha into the new image. The I removed some of the lettering from the new image. Then did select all > copy of the new image. Then did the Effects > Object > Paste alpha into the original file. All seemed well. So I saved the original image in both the BC6H and BC7H formats. All looked right in the BC7H save but the BC6H save shows all the element of the image. The letters that I removed in the new image are still in the BC6H image so they must also be part of the underlying graphics and the alpha layer is just there for the lighting effect. So I will have to edit the graphics layer as well as the alpha layer independent of each other, yet the edit has to be identical. Lets see if I can figure this one out. My brain's starting to hurt. Should it be possible to save the original file in a format that the alpha layer isn't recognized? Then I could edit the graphic file. Add all the lettering in a new layer, flatten the new layer into the original graphics and also use it as an alpha layer?

Hello and thank you for sharing your input. Your method did the exact opposite of what I am trying to do. Which is a step in the right direction in my book. Let me try to better explain what I'm attempting because reading what I originally wrote looks a little unclear. I'm working on making the writing that is on panels and buttons in a cockpit more visible in VR. So I'm enlarging the font and cleaning up the lettering. When it is dark (night) in the game this lettering will illuminate (green) so it can be seen in the dark. When I open the dds file it displays as the checkerboard (translucent?) with the lettering described above visible. The panels that the lettering are on is in the dds file but I can not see them as they are hidden from view for some reason. So if I erase a letter to replace it, I am also erasing the underlying graphics of the panel. I also tried a variation of what you suggested by copying the translucent (alpha?) to another file. Then did a select all > delete on the original file. Then select all > copy on the second file and then do the Effects > Object > Paste alpha (clipboard alpha) onto the original file. This moved the alpha back to the original file. When I fired up the game all the lettering was there but panel graphics were gone. I thinking what I need to do is be able to lift off the alpha from the underlying graphics like I did in the variation. Then be able to just delete the alpha from the original file. Then edit the second file and re-apply it to the first one. Wow. this was long. I hope I didn't make it more confusing. Thanks again for your time. I'm going to play with this to see if I can figure anything out.

The issue is that the other (background) layer is hidden. It doesn't show up as a layer but if I save the file in the wrong format it saves with both "layers" showing. Any editing I do to the layer I can see affects the hidden layer.

I've been using Paint for quite some time but never for anything like this. I have a dds file that has a hidden layer (alpha?). I am trying to edit the layer I can see without changing the hidden layer. Is there a way to display these two layers separately so that I may do this with Paint? Thanks . John

I guess I need stronger glasses. I must have looked through the menu bar three times. Then i post the question, go back for one more look a viola, there it is. I'll try to make the next question a little more difficult if I can. Till then "See ya" John

Hi Guys, I checked the help section and could not find the answer to my question. I'm new to Paint.net (my first paint program). I'm used to an older TurboCAD program and the transition to a paint program is somewhat confusing. Also, so you know what you're dealing with, I am by no means an artist. I'm in the process of redrawing the flight panel gauges of FSX at a higher resolution. I've done a couple of the easier ones but am having some issues with the more complex ones. There are several degree tick marks and windowed areas around the circumfrence of the gauge I am currently working on. What I'd like to do is use a layer to draw some concentric circles and also lines eminating from the center of the gauge. Then I'd like to use this layer as a guide to draw in the elements of the gauge on a second layer. Then I want to remove the first layer leaving just the gauge element drawn in the second . Unfortunately I can't seem to figure out how to switch between layer so that I may remove the first. What am i missing? Sorry if this is am Ubernoob question but I am an Ubernoob to all of this. Thanks for your time, John