PSP 9 and the Working Layer

Alright, I am about at my wits end here! I have been trying to make some clothing using the templates off of SL.com with the pen, paint brush, and air brush tools. When I do I come across the following problems:

1. The pen tool creates a new Vector layer that is not on the Working Layer
2. The paint and air brush tools can be done on the working layer BUT
3. When I try to erase on the working layer it promotes it to a Raster Layer.
4. When I try to merge layers I don't get all of the layers to be visible when I upload it into SL.

HELP HELP HELP! What am I doing wrong? Or how can this be fixed to where everything stay on one layer like in Photoshop? Thanks to all who help with this!

Why do you want to put everything on the same layer? The more layers you have, the easier it is to tweak colors or redo part of an image without destroying the whole thing.

You have to create an alpha mask. And templates may already have one so you have to delete it. Here's a tutorial for using Paintshop with SL. http://www.sluniverse.com/kb/article.aspx?id=10190

Yeah you misread what I said. I am NOT putting everything in the same layer to begin with. And I know all about adding the mask to the layer and alpha channels.

You see, when you have different vector and raster layers visible, then when you try to make an alpha channel off those visible layers, it sometimes only makes an alpha channel for a few of the layers. So, say you have a base layer for jeans on a vector layer and then you make the design on it in a raster...you create the alpha channel and the vector in the alpha is missing and it has only put the vector in the alpha channel. Even when you have merged all the layers into one layer it STILL wants to treat the merged layers as individual layers.

Anyone know?

I'm trying to follow what you are saying and where you are having problems but I'm having difficulty doing so. If you'd like to [EMAIL=sunshineclio@charter.net]send me[/EMAIL] the .psp file so I can better see what you are trying to say I'd be more than happy to look at it. And won't at all be offended if it has some kind of "sample!" or something splashed over each layer of it.
To address a few things in your first message,
"1. The pen tool creates a new Vector layer that is not on the Working Layer"

If you don't want the pen tool to create as a vector layer, turn off the "create on vector" on the top. It will now be a raster layer, and unless you start your work on a new layer, will be on the "working layer."

"3. When I try to erase on the working layer it promotes it to a Raster Layer."

If the working layer is a vector layer it has to convert it to a raster layer to use the erase tool. The erase tool does not work on vectors, if you want to modify a vector layer you have to instead move the nodes. (make sure you have "show nodes" checked)

"4. When I try to merge layers I don't get all of the layers to be visible when I upload it into SL."
You don't really have to merge your layers to save a .tga, but if you are getting visibility problems I'm guessing there's some step missing in the alpha channel creation.
Since you've said you already know how to do mask/alpha channels I'll just post the short version of how I do it so see if perhaps a step is getting overlooked?
1. layers/new mask layer/from image (source opacity checked)
2. layers/load save mask/save mask to alpha channel
3. delete the actual mask layer from the your image, don't merge when it asks.
4. save as truevision targa .tga (you might check options when "save as" and make sure it's 24bit)

Hope this helps, and again, I'd be more than willing to look at the image you are working on to more fully understand what you are saying.

-Sun

Now that I've calmed down a bit, I will go ahead and try to retell what my problem is in a better fashion. Here are the steps that lead to the problem:

1. I drew out a thong design in Photoshop 5.0 LE on my computer and saved the work layer only as a PSD file.
2. I sent the image to another computer that uses PSP 9.0 since I can't figure out how to make an alpha channel in Photoshop 5.0
3. I made the alpha channel exactly the way Sun said to above in PSP 9 and saved the thong as a TGA file.
4. When I uploaded it into SL to see what it looks like in the preview window in Female Lower Body.
5. The thong wasn't long enough between the legs and well...it was too revealing. So....
6. I reopened the original PSD file to make a modification to it, making the crotch longer in PSP 9.0
7. I used the pen tool to do this, which added a new Vector layer to the image making the thong design have a Vector layer (where the mofication is) and the Work layer (where the original design is).
8. I left both visible and repeated the steps to make an alpha channel.
9. In preview mode, right before you say OK for the creation it shows what the alpha looks like. It shows in the preview window the correct alpha channel for the design I had just modified.
10. I save the image as an alpha channel and make a new TGA file.
11. I upload the image into SL.
12. When the design loads into the preview window, it shows the Non-modified version of the thong design, like I had never modified the thong at all! It only shows the work that was on the original Work layer. The vector layer is no where to be found, even though the image was saved with the vecor layer and the alpha channel also refected and recognized the two layers together.

So....who can figure this one out? I know I sure can't. BTW, sorry for the irritable attitude earlier, I was just VERY frustated with the whole thing.

My best guess from following your steps is that you've got "battle of the dueling alpha channels." While photoshop can handle more than one, psp will not.
When you re-opened your image and worked on it again, did you first delete the old alpha channel?
Go to "image/delete alpha channel"
Of course after you make all your changes you'll have to make a brand new one.
That's my guess for now, and if it doesn't work it rules out one more thing.

-Sun

I agree with Sunshine Clio. I have had this happen to me before and thats exactly what i had to do to get the alpha channel working again.

LOL Thanks guys. Well, first I never made a first alpha channel in Photoshop 5 because I never figured out how to do it there. Anyway, I intalled PSP 9 on the computer that holds PS 5 and when I was playing around in PSP I noticed something I hadn't before. I feel really dumb if this is the actual problem, but there is a small checkbox that appears on the toolbar after you have selected the pen tool. Next to the box says "Create on a Vector". Basically that is giving the option to create the penning on a new vector when checked and to pen on the original layer when not checked. At any rate, I have a feeling that is the whole problem but will have to look at this tomorrow on the computer where the problem happened. I'll keep you posted on what happened. Thanks to all who have helped!