Halo on Shadows -- Yikes !!

Ace, here's how to zap a halo (you might never have seen it if you created the image on a light background):

http://graphicreporter.com/tutorials/zapping-edge-haloes

You can batch or create the action in CS5 probably, but I don't know how to do that... which Ps do you have, though? You write CS5 (Ps 12 at the beginning of the OP) and then Ps 5 in the middle.

If it's CS5:

http://www.photoshopsupport.com/photoshop-cs5/tutorials/refine-edge-photoshop-cs5-refine-edge.html

should help.

Ps5? See if the first one mentioned will do it. Good luck, mate.

Thank-you Doc , I think I'll give both of those links a look.  Yeah, I see what I did there in the post....I meant PhotoShop CS5. But I'll give them both a good look , you can never have too much ammo I always say. I'll also keep an eye on the thread here and get back with my latest results. I'm really stressed to the max right now.

Relax, mate. It's only pixels (I hope).

o.k. , I checked out the tutorials, but neither one really addresses the specific issue that I'm dealing with. The images themselves have no halo around them, the edges are clean and crisp. The drop shadow itself is what has a halo around it ,with no shadow I don't have the halo. So that's where I stand so far in this quest, how to eliminate the halo from a shadow effect. Haven't found a tutorial on that yet.

Oh! OK. Saving as a .png might eliminate that...

Do you have the alpha transparency option checked?

Also, what kind of matte are you using?  http://www.articlesbase.com/web-design-articles/web-design-articles-effective-use-of-photoshop-applying-a-drop-shadow-572548.html

Might address the problem, Ace.

You might try pm'ing Po'Smedley. His icon work is fantastic (as is his Ps work in general). He could be a great help...

Yes , I have always saved as a .png then converted the image to a .ico with another program that I use, but that link you just posted looks very interesting as I breezed through it quickly, I'm going to go back and study it some and see if it can give me some answers or something I can play around with and see what happens. If I get stumped, I'll take your advice and give Smedley a ring. He's been helpful to me in the past and I value his knowledge and expertise. Thanks Doc for hangin' in there for me

Welcome, Ace. 

Hi Ace, there is a man named russel Brown who works for Adobe and has many tutorials out. I had a question I asked him about a year ago and to my shock he replied wiith the answer. Don't know if you wish to go that direction or not but if so here is his email address. [email protected]

You should also bne able to create and My Adobe account since you have CS5. The forums are very good and active and all kind of questions are asked. Doc gave a good link but if it happens not to be the answer you may want to consider these options.

I have discovered something very interesting.....only the "live" folder icons have the halo problem on their drop shadows, those would be : Live Folder Front icon , Live folder back icon, and live folder (Data) icon. Just those 3. All static icons display fine with no halo effect on their shadows. Hmmmm... this is getting mighty perplexing since I use the same settings for all the shadows .....could it possibly be an IconPackager issue ???

could be.....

my suggestion,... lose the dropshadow.. im doing my new icon set without them and they are working out fine.

have you checked your setting for the drop shadow? you might be using gradient by accident or something instead of solid colour...

I tried an experiment, I mixed up the icons a bit by using half mine and half from another skinners pack , that is to say , I used the "live" folder front icon from my pack and used the "live" folder back from the "Junior" iconpackage by treetog....and guess what ? The same halo effect is on treetogs live folder back as well.....hmmm...isn't that interesting? That , in my opinion, points directly at IconPackager since that is all that is common between tretogs work and mine.

Kitty , you do make a very good point there. Losing the shadows on the live folders is probably an excellent idea and certainly wouldn't effect the quality of the image by doing so....well...actually it would make it better  NO HALO !!!  LOL !!

And since the drop shadows on all the other static icons displays fine with no problems, then All I'll have to do is change the live folder icons....not much rework there at all.....great idea Kitty !!! You're a life saver !! I got lots of Karma for you my friend !!!

hehe no worries ace, glad to help you anytime.

Kitty to the rescue.