Watermark appear as solid black box

Question

Level 1

4 points

Watermark appear as solid black box

Since upgrading to 1.0.1 watermarks have stopped working for me. Previously I could get perfect watermarks using various images types but now whatever I use just comes out as a solid black rectangle. I've deleted prefs and so on but with no joy.

Anyone had this problem? Anyone have a solution?

Thanks in advance.

Powermac G5 2GhzDP, Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Posted on Mar 7, 2006 2:48 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Katnoodle Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 13, 2006 8:10 AM in response to Katnoodle

I was hoping the 1.1 update would fix this for me but no luck. I've even wiped Aperture and reinstalled from scratch but no luck.

Seems whatever image format and opacity I use for a watermark, it just comes out solid black.

This is immensely frustrating as I have to watermark many images.

Does anyone else have this issue?

Thanks
Richard

Reply

Answer 2

Apr 13, 2006 10:51 AM in response to Katnoodle

Watermarks work fine for me, but I generally only use them for Export. Where in Aperture are you using them (Image Export, Web Export, etc)?

Also, what file types do you usually use for your watermarks? And what file types (jpeg, RAW... which camera?) do you apply the watermark to?

Reply

Answer 3

Katnoodle Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 13, 2006 1:29 PM in response to Reuben James

Thanks for the reply.

Watermarks worked fine for me in 1.0 and I had some nice presets. They stopped working in version 1.01, and now won't work whatever version I install.

I'm using 'export version' in the file menu. Whatever format I export the image as, and whatever format I use as a watermark (PS, PNG, AI, PDF, PNG8,PNG24) has the same effect.

I'm running Aperture 1.1 on OS X 10.4.6

I've totally uninstalled Aperture and reinstalled (testing watermarks on 1.0, 1.01 and 1.1 as I went) but the same thing happens. I'm coming to the conclusion that something must be caught up somewhere in the OS - maybe I'll have to reinstall Mac OS but I really don't want to do that.

If anyone can help I'd really appreciate it.

Richard

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 13, 2006 1:54 PM in response to Katnoodle

The Watermark images are stored at:
Library/Application Support/Aperture/WatermarkImages/

If you navigate to that folder in the finder, do the Watermark images appear as solid black in there?

Also, you could try moving your Export Presets plist aside (Library/Application Support/Aperture/Export Presets.plist) and see if this problem still occurs when creating brand new Export Presets with Watermarks in Aperture 1.1.

Reply

Answer 5

Katnoodle Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 13, 2006 2:16 PM in response to Reuben James

Thanks Reuben.

The images are all fine, and I've wiped every setting I can imagine. Even created a new user on the same machine and that has the same problem with brand new settings and library.

This is why I'm starting to think it's to do with some system thing that Aperture is using to overlay the watermarks.

To be honest I'm baffled, and pretty fed up!!

Is there any way to email Apple directly about this kind of thing?

Cheers
Richard

Reply

Answer 6

Apr 13, 2006 6:00 PM in response to Katnoodle

There is a "Feedback" button under the Aperture menu pick. Unsure how regularly they read these.

Are you covered by Applecare or Procare? They should be able to help you.

I don't know of an Apple Store nearby you is there one in Birm'ham these days?) as they would probably spend a few mins. with you, although it'd be easier with a laptop so they could see the effect.

Reply

Answer 7

Apr 13, 2006 10:37 PM in response to Katnoodle

Have you tried to resave the watermarks in Photshop? Are these TIFF or JPEG images? Have you tried both? Are you seeing it preview when choosing the watermark from your Export panel under Edit?

I am seeing the watermarks in 1.0.1 and the update 1.1.

Have you just tried to select any JPEG (even an image) and use it as a watermark to see if it works?

Reply

Answer 8

Katnoodle Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 14, 2006 5:53 AM in response to firstlaunch

Thanks for the help.

I've tried every possible file combination for the watermark and the export file type but they all have the same effect.

Having wiped Aperture (and all settings I know of in both my user lib and the main lib) and reinstalled a couple of times I can only think that something is not so good with some thing deep in the OS. I guess Aperture uses core image to do the watermark overlays but I'm not techy enough to dig deeper!

I'm too far away from an Apple store so I'll try emailing Apple somehow to see if one of their tech people knows more. I reckon it'll need an OS reinstall (sob)!

Richard

Powermac G5 Dual 2ghz Mac OS X (10.4.6)

Reply

Answer 9

Apr 19, 2006 12:35 PM in response to Katnoodle

Same problem here now, just out of the blue, it renders rtansparancy as black. The PNG file is fina and transparent when opened in preview. It is indeed something in Aperture itself, onto investigating..

Reply

Answer 10

Katnoodle Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 24, 2006 4:16 AM in response to Jacco.Rens

I'm sorry to hear you're in the same boat - but I'm glad it's not just me!

Apple have actually picked up on this and I am in dialogue with them to see if we can work out a solution.

I'll post back here if there is any progress.

Richard

Reply

Answer 11

mdearly

Level 1

10 points

Apr 24, 2006 7:57 AM in response to Katnoodle

Richard, I am glad they are having a dialog with you -- I sent them a comment via the comment box and haven't heard anything back. The original watermark image appears transparent but once it gets put on the box it seems to stay transparent via the sliders but the box itself loses any transparency (in the Aperture dialog boxes) and then once it gets on the image it is the black box -- at least that is how it works on my system.

Hope you and Apple get somewhere -- so, please let us know how it goes. Hopefully this will be a near term future update -- along with the white balance issue they are working on.

Mike

Reply

Answer 12

Apr 13, 2006 10:44 PM in response to firstlaunch

Also,

What are your export options? Have you tried other options? TiFF, JPEG, Email...

Reply