Create shorter hair by modifying the alpha PLEASE HELP!

[chriba76player]

Hi!
I just tried to modify a haircut I downloaded. But somehow it doesn't work. I thought, the easiest way to make hair look shorter would be to paint part of the alpha-file in black so that it doesn't show up on the sim any more.
As I read carefully all the hair-recoloring tutorials, I first changed the color of the hair-parts to see which part goes where.
It all worked perfectly.
Then I opened the alpha-files and started on the first. But when I looked at the result in Bodyshop, I got what you see on the image below. And somehow there's no way to undo this change. I restored the original alpha-file and clicked on "refresh" in Bodyshop. But somehow there's no result.
Is there anyone out there who already succesfully worked with an hair-alpha?
Please help me. The haircut would be perfect for the sim I want to do. If only it was a little shorter.

[tiggerypum]

Well, first of all, not all 'hair' can be alpha'd away. Hair can alpha to 2 states, one of which is to the scalp (skin) color - the other being a regular alpha to nothing. Most hair meshes have the scalp/innermost layer set to alpha to skin. Hair like the barrette hair - the entire long hair area will alpha to skin, depends on how it was built.

It is puzzling that you can't get the alpha to reset - did you get _all_ the files needed and name them for the correct age(s) ??

[chriba76player]

It is puzzling that you can't get the alpha to reset - did you get _all_ the files needed and name them for the correct age(s) ??

I had them all open in PhotoLine, there were three alphas. I started with one of them, saved the changes and wanted to see the result in bodyshop. When I got the result you can see in my screenshot above, I restored the original alpha by undoing the changes in PhotoLine. I saved again, clicked on the refresh-icon, but nothing changed. I didn't change any names or anything… :blink:

[tiggerypum]

Well, I'd go to the hard drive and look in the actual projects folder and see what you see there. I don't know photoline, and I can't tell if you saved somehow to a diff folder or something. What you say should have worked, but the best way to know for sure is to go look in the projects folder.

[chriba76player]

Mmm, I just tried something similar with another haircut. Seems that messing with the alpha-file cannot be undone. I painted one little detail in black and - whoosh - everything I had left was the mesh. There was no turning back either… I had to delete the whole project.
PhotoLine leaves the files in their original projects folder, and doesn't change the names nor the file-endings. It seems to be a big mystery.

[jonjon24-sims2]

Help Me I Do Not Now What To To This Is So Confusing Someone Helppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp Plaeze

[tiggerypum]

jonjon24-sims2

That is NOT the way to get help on this site.

1) go to the top of the forum and look for tutorials. Start with something BEGINNER. Clothing edits are the most covered.

2) Also at the top of the forum is FAQ. Read it

3) Try a tutorial. Like try and DO it. Then ask specific questions. We cannot look over your shoulder. You must describe what you did, and what happened next as thoroughly as possible for someone to give you an answer. Also consider starting over with a tutorial if you get lost the first time -- sometimes that's just part of the learning process.