Targa sequence with alpha as movie texture file?

[pigcity]

Hi there,

I am trying to get a targa sequence with alpha channel to play as a file texture in maya. When I import a targa sequence as a movie it sticks on the first frame and the alpha channel doesn't work. Is this possible as I can only get an .avi to play at present? The alpha channel is essential for the project.

When I import it as a file texture instead of a movie texture the image appears but when I check the 'use image sequence' box the image goes blank and I get a black square when I do a test render.

I have come across some documentation that talks about adding file types to the 'getFileSequenceFormats.mel' file but I am not sure of the correct syntax to add targa files to this.

Can anyone help at all?

Thanks very much ineed!

[joojaa]

Hard to say i never yuse targas for anything anymore! But it seems to werk with a iff sequence fine.

Justa note tough there might be something wrong with your naming convention too. Chek the script editor for possible clies on this.

Anyway yuou cana lways use imgcvt for bach convertting the miages ti iffs. Also if you sue the caching be sure to check your range well!

[pigcity]

Thanks, I have got the targa sequence to play and it was down to the naming convention, this worked;

test.001.tga
test.002.tga
test.003.tga
test.004.tga

but now the alpha channel isn't working, I have tried various links in the connection editor between the file and the lambert shader but with no success. Any ideas about this?

Thanks again

[drblacksnake]

Yes. sequences had to be perioded before image number.
First don't look in connection editor, but look in Hypershade. If image with alpha is loadad, then maya automatically connects its OutTransparency(invereted opacity) with Transparency attr of material.
Try to connect single image, then, if working, replace by sequence.
Also Joojaa was wright about using MayaIFFs - Maya likes them better than other formats. imgcvt.

[pigcity]

I've got that working now though I did have to plug the transparency in manually but thanks for everyone's help.

!!