I have no problems rendering a video, but when the render is complete, the exploded view I've rendered explodes through the ground and isn't visible again until it moves back up through the ground. This isn't a problem I have when saving an unrendered .avi file. What settings should I change to make it so the rendered video has a transparent background? (I'm using a student edition of 2014)
Go into Edit Scene ...
Set background to None ...
Un-check Floor reflections and Floor shadows
If Floor shadows is grey'd out, exit Edit Scene and turn on "Shadows in Shaded Mode" in View settings ...
Go back into Edit Scene, now turn off Floor shadows.
Did this actually solve the problem?! I cannot figure out how to make an animation with the transparent background. Any rendering yes. But the animation no way. I used avi, tga etc.. everything. I even used a transparent png as background image. It works with final rendering but not in the videos. It just wont work.
Any advice?
If you are saving your animation using the PV360 renderer and using the tga format then the alpha is included in the TGA files and therefore you have a transparent background.
If you compile your images in a video editing program (like after effects) it should respect the alpha channel (assuming your settings are set to do that).
As a quick test, open one of the TGA files in Photoshop. You should see the alpha channel in the channels list.
Sorry Rob, just wanted to reply here also. Maybe get some Solidworks attention so this can be fixed!
As Christophe mentions you can complete a single render in PV360 and save as .TGA the Alpha channel is included and works in Photoshop/After Effects exactly as you explain Rob. However rendering using a Motion Study as a series of .TGA does not include any Alpha Channel whatsoever (the file size is smaller also). What annoys me is that it used to work perfectly fine, but then they changed something, maybe in 2014 and now it no longer works.
Appreciate any more insight on this. Please help us Solidworks team!
Cheers,
Ben
Hi Ben,
Not sure what to say. I've created a lot of animations over the last 6 months in SW and saving them using PV360. The TGA files are working just fine with the alpha in SW 2014 and 2015. I'm wondering of your issue is machine or a certain obscure setting specific. Are you able to try saving on another machine to see if it works correctly?
Hi Rob,
Ok that is strange, lucky you! I have tried another couple of machines with the exact same results. See screenshots of both a still render and a motion study, also image file size details listed below. The Alpha channel is listed in Photoshop but contains no information. These were done in SW2016 but 2015 had the same issue for me.
The still render TGA came out at 3.51MB (left image)
The motion render TGA came out at 1.37MB (right image)
I'm not even sure what to try from here. Possibly it is some crazy setting, or maybe I have the same issue on my machines.
Cheers,
Ben
Hi Ben,
I just tried it here in 2016 with a new cube part and you are 100% correct. The TGA file does not have the alpha when saving out of SW Motion. This has happened in the past with TGA's from SW Motion. I'm not sure where to go from here? Maybe pin your VAR and ask them to open a bug for this.
Hi Rob,
Ok sounds like a plan. Ill try the latest service pack too, SP3 must be on the brink of release. And open a service request. Thanks for your help!
Cheers,
Ben
Hi Ben,
I tried turning off "Output ambient occlusion" in the PV360 render option before save out the animation with .tga
Seems like the alpha channel is working that way. Using SW2015
I'm new in the community and here is my solution I always use for animations with transparent Backgrounds.
One example I used it many time is in this movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2ek6ycdbBs
Step 1: Render your animation without floor reflection and without shadows on the ground and change the background to green.
Step 2: Render your animation with shadows on the ground and change the background to white (brightness of the background has to be 1 or more). Change the material on every object to white light (very simple in the assembly without changing the part).
Step 3: Use After Effects for the composition. Key out the green picture with Keylight (1.2). Some tutorials you will find on youtube. Place the white picture on the top and set the blending mode to multiply. Choose the background and you will have a good result with animated objects and even with animated shadow.
Have fun with this way ;-) Maybe you are interested in my summary movie about my work with Photoview : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-AUg_m23fM
Yulp, that is a good technique. I've used it many on time back in the days where I was doing a lot of SW videos. Worked well with Keylight in AfterEffects in removing green background.
Mark
Hi Kevin,
I've done some dental images over the years. Your images reminded me of them. The first one is PhotoWorks. The second is when PhotoView had just been integrated into SW.
Go into Edit Scene ...
Set background to None ...
Un-check Floor reflections and Floor shadows
If Floor shadows is grey'd out, exit Edit Scene and turn on "Shadows in Shaded Mode" in View settings ...
Go back into Edit Scene, now turn off Floor shadows.