VFB : background layer, save to image and alpha.

[francomanko]

Hi,

So i have a sphere in an empty scene, then i add a background image to the VFB layer, with 'save to image' ticked. However if i try to save the image out of the VFB as a png, the alpha is retained and there is no background image. Save it out as a jpg and its fine. Shouldnt the alpha be overridden for every format if the 'save to image' is enabled? This is the same if i copy to clipboard, or duplicate to host.

Using latest version of vray, maya 2020.

[yolov]

PNGs will preserve alpha and since that's where the background is, it won't get saved to this format.
It's better to use JPG in this case.

[francomanko]

Hi, thanks for reply.

So this means using the copy to clipboard or duplicate to frame buffer wont work with backgrounds? Surely if the 'save to image' option is ticked, this should override the alpha, seeing as its a background? If not, would it be possible to get something like that, because to me it makes sense that whatever i see in the VFB is what I should be able to save out, regardless of image format.

[yolov]

It will probably be best to think about adding an option where the background layer overrides the image alpha or something like that. We'll run some internal discussion, but any tips and input you can share will help.
For example, should this only affect saving from the VFB?
Should it also affect rendering?
Should this be a VFB option that affects the image with a background VFB layer?
Should this be a more general option for when saving to PNG?

[francomanko]

Probably it should just affect just whats in the VFB, as thats where you are adding the background layer. Adding the alpha option sounds good. I tend to use the copy to clipboard and dup to frame buffer quite frequently and it would be good to have and option to be able to output purely the end result of the VFB, regardless of how the layers are set up..'what you see it was you get', kind of thing