Does the new (or will future) build(s) of litestep provide support for PNG image format and alpha transparency/blending like in WAMP3 etc.?

I would really like to see what some of these great artists (and even the not so great artists (ME! :) ) could do with the blending.

With WIN2k and XP's direct integration with the directx engine this would be an option that we had not had in the past due to CPU and OS restrictions.

-groon

Transparency is supported--it may not have a fade in fade out ability though for now download fern#1 if you haven't already.

PNG files? Eh, how about PSD photoshop files?

I'm a newbie, pay no attention to what I say...
I won't make anymore posts until I'm a little more knowlegable about litestep, because I seem to be making an a-- out of myself here.
sheesh....
....In case someone may misread this I'm talking about myself here.
there are no images in the fern theme.

Lol, I didn't mistake you. PSD would be nice with modification layers etc. PNG is just more universally supported. I may toy with the source a bit and see If I can add some really rocky PNG or Alpha blitting support. I'll let you know! :)
Anyhow thanks for responding, I was beginning to feel neglected! lol

L8r,
Groon

The problem with PSDs is that they are huge and serve very little purpose for anything other than an image editor.

PNG and transparency *is* supported, you just have to use the right modules to get alpha to work.

might you tell us which modules to look out for? I gave alpha and png's a shot once myself, but failed miserably.. Would love to know how to get em working, cut down on file size a bit.

The only one that does this right now is layercut.dll. Wich is a shortcut2.dll replacement with similer syntax, but allows for true alpha transpareny png's. http://shellfront.org/modules-list.php#l
I requested this feature for some of the core modules, but haven't gotten a reply yet. So if anyone would like to, please hook us up with this feature as the author of layercut is currently busy with real life. :)

As for the PSD format, I have to agree with RabidCow here, PSD's have no use besides editing the file. As long as you have transparency in your file, when you convert it to png and use layercut, the transparency stays true. No more magic pink. /me shudders.

skinbox does it too, but it's confusing. (and buggy, but in a non-crashy way)

I'd guess the reason it's not in the core modules is because it's not something you can just drop in, you have to have separate code to create and paint the windows when you're using this.

I've been using Shortcut3.dll for awhile now and it seems to be working, but I am having difficulties keeping the shortcuts on top of my eyecandy base bar.

Anyways I'm off to read a bit about that, I'm excited to see if it makes it into some core mods, this would make it a powerful looking GUI.

Rainlendar supports per-pixel alpha-transparent images without any problems.

I haven't been able to find shortcut3.dll anywhere, and would like to see what it's all about.. does anyone know where can I get it?

it's included in the Independent LiteStep builds...