WE --> to --> Ingame skin issue

Why the heck is the skin I imported into my .w3m map file REPLACED by the original roc skin ingame?
WHat have i done wrong?
I cna see my custom skin in WE...but not in wc3..
THis is common I think, so a quick to the point answer would really make my day...and or night..

if it doesn't show in Warcraft but shows in World Editor, import your skin, make sure it shows in WE, save the map, close World Editor, open again, test map

It seems the porblme goes depepr then that:
I saved the WORKIGN we version of the skinned unit/map..and ran it in wc3
Now wc3 shows me the normal skin..thats fine..because you told me how to fix that..
But now..i opened we, same map, which worked before running we, and now it has the normal skin again...
So it overwrote my custom skin when running wc3...
Is there something i am not saving correctly?
My skin works in we, but is erased upon running wc3...

EDIT: Oh, and it deletes my .blp from the .w3m archive...yes..erases something i imported..jsut by running wc3..

well which unit it is and which path its use?, look in the object editor, its maybe an issue with the Frozen Throne or Roc Version little box you can check

Can you elaborate?
I am working with two model skins currently:
TheCaptain for humans
and the Rifleman skin for humans as well
Is there a max filesize for skins..is that the issue?
And do you know of anywhere where i cna get a working .psd, photoshop file, with the selections for different parts of the wc3 skins?(in .tga format)
If this even exists...i doubt it..
its just hard to know what part of the laid out skin is applied to what part of the model (some are obvious)
Also, can i alter the skin entirely?

It wasnt the editor then...
I think its actually happened to me, i remember now... it was because of paint shop pro or an alpha channel problem but maybe its an import\export problem, make sure the file is always in 32 bits and uncompressed if this doesnt work then i dont really know

There is no Min or Max Filesize, Clotaire for exemple have skin of 1 mb on some of his models

There is no file with a selection since all skin have a different location for head body ect... you will have to guess which part is what, its a bit harder when you have to skin a dark unit.

You can alter the skin completely but i dont know if you actually can skin over the Team Color completely by skinning.

Well first off what prog are you using, second, are you using wc3viewer to extract and convert.

When you finish a skin, save it as a TARGA, or TGA file, then with wc3viewer, convert it to a blp, then import into the import manager, and the skin file will go as follows.



So thats simple, then either Test the map, or save it, close the world editor, and reopen and you'll see your skin. Also, on Wc3viewer, open the model you're skinning, then go to current file<remap textures, find the path for the model you're doing, and replace it with either the targe or blp you edited, and you can see your skin on the model, its good for seeing your skin without having to play it in warcraft.

Ok lol, let me rehash everything, because i am wasting your posts otherwise (no offence taken hopefully)
Problems:
1. My winmpq is dead. Can someone suggest an alternative program to open .w3m arhcives?
2. Thats not the main problem in skinning. I know paths, and how to replace sksins, so that they appear in we.
Now when i create my skin, and use wc3 vierwer (yup), to conmvert from .blp to .tga and back to .blp, and import it into the .w3m arhcive (map) using winmpq (when it worked previously) with the correct unit**race**etc path, it appeared in we, correctly skinning (using my custom skin), the model i had initially wanted to re-skin.
THE REAL PROBLEM: When i saved the map (with working skin), and ran wc3, i only saw the regular skins on the model. (see bottom of post for another question)
When i RE-opened my .w3m file in winmpq, it told ME that my custom skin HAD been ERASED, apparently by running wc3

Questions:
1. WTF is wrong?
2. If i paint over a alpha channel in photoshop, will it destroy the model in some way?
3. Can i be redirected to an alternative program which can be used to open .w3m files and import files with a path input box, or some other form of file input? (winmpq tells me that every man, no matter what, i create, is using an unknown protection!!!! And thats bs...and i re-installed w3m map utilities 4 times!!!!!!)

-THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR TIME!!!!!!!!!!!
-will try to rep all who help.....and bother to read

EDIT: I tried ladek's mpq, but its not working at all, period.

.... do you even have frozen throne? Winmpq = useless with Tft, the import manager do the job

If you actually put black on alpha channel it should remove the area you colored un black ex: alpha correctly the footman sword = no sword ingame BUt if your alpha isnt well done you may get a sword with holes... or just a little bit of metal floating

1. Wc3 deletes any custom files added once the map has been opened in the World Editor. No way around it, unless you protect the map before you put it on b.net so people can't open it and inadvertantly delete the files. This also means that everytime you open the map to edit it, you have to reimport all the files.
2. By coloring over the alpha channel (different shades of gray), you can change the opacity of those parts of the model, making it totally, or semi transparent.
3. I really think that you need to get Frozen Throne-- It should be cheaper now, it adds an import editor, which is a lot faster then .mpq editing, and the files stay with the map. It also adds numerous other Map options. It's one of those things that you don't think you need, but after you have it, you don't know how you did without it. All the problems your having can be fixed with just getting Frozen Throne; I'm pretty sure most everybody here would agree with me

Excellent. I'm getting a copy soon...this weekend I think...
So youre sayoing, the LAST thing to import into a map are the custom skins?
-That is the end of my questions
-THanks alot all!