How do you make a "custom" library thumbnail once you have the ProPack. With version 4.02/4.03 you simply rendered your figure, pasted the render on to the background, moved your character out of the way, and then added them to the library. The PP won't let me do this ... if I move the character out of the way it simply creates a BLANK thumbnail image. If I leave the character there and add them it displays a thumbnail of them unrendered, without hair, etc. Does anyone know how to do correct this? Thanks in advance! -Tim

I even tried manually creating a PNG file, replacing the one in the character folder, but this does not work either. HELP!! How can this be ... where is it getting the thumbnail image from if it is not getting it from the PNG? And then what good is the PNG file?? Also, I loaded the original PNG file that it created for my character addition, and it was the rendered (with hair) version. What gives? -Tim

It is getting it from the PNG in the propack. The name of the CR2 and PNG must match exactly.

Jeff, the file names are identical ... right down to the case. Maybe I just need to close and reload Poser?? I'm doing a render now, so it will have to wait. How about my other question ... is manually creating a PNG the only way to get an accurate (i.e. rendered) thumbnail? Thanks, Tim

Nope! I shut down and restarted Poser. It is still using a "phantom" thumbnail. I would love to know what those PNGs are really for. Anyone? -Tim

PNGs are the library graphic. PNG is the high color version of the GIF. If they aren't working for you, you may have other problems. Maybe your bitmap editor doesn't fully support PNG? Set the hair to cartoon display if it has transparency.

No, I can edit, view, etc. etc. PNGs just fine. Cartoon? So, in other words, this is yet another thing they totally screw-up with the PP implementation. I asuume then manual PNGs are the only way to do it correctly then?

If you set the trans item to cartoon display you can see it better. That's why they used PNG, so it can easily be edited.

But why not have it create the thumbnail from within Poser the same way as with Poser 4.03?? (As I described above.) Anyone from Curious reading this thread? Also, I was not aware you could make individual items display in certain modes. HOW can you do this ... I always thought it was all or nothing in Poser. -Tim

Jeff: I think I have discovered the problem with my edited PNGs ... apparently ALL of the editing programs I have tried (Picture Publisher 8, ThumbsPlus, Paint Shop Pro) are not saving it in the proper PNG format. Does Poser require a PNG with an alpha channel? I noticed all of the Poser-created PNGs have an alpha. So they need to be 32-bit? What software do you edit and save PNGs with? Thanks! -Tim

I just figured out a workaround ... Simply save the image as a TIF with alpha, then rename it with a PNG extension. I just thought I'd try it, and it worked! -Tim

Hello, See my post further up the list. I've messed with this also and found a couple of work arounds. One way is to save the image as a pct file and use the RSR Converter and delete or rename the original png file. Poser Pro will create the png from the rsr the next time you access the category. I never thought about the alpha channel thing. I'll have to experiment with that. Later...

No good deed goes unpunished ...

Thanks for the additional technique H! -Tim

Interesting. I didn't think PNG and TIF were related formats. Time for some research ;-) -JH.