Transparent HUD background images

[endolf]

Hi

Me again. I'm trying to create a UIWindow (I want input boxes etc, and swing ones are nice and easy). So I have a JPanel with the other things on. With no background images I can create a hud plate that is 50% transparent, which is what I want. But I also want a background image. The image itself is a jpg, obviously applied as a texture to an object, I can just set the transparency to 0.5f and bobs your uncle. Applied to a UIWindow, nothing I do seems to effect it. If I can getOverlay.setTransparency(0.5f) nothing. I'm having to put the texture on in the paint method i've over ridden in the JPanel. If I call getOverlay.setBackgroundImage() then the image doesn't appear either.

So 2 things

1) when I call methods on the overlay I get from getOverlay on a UIWindow, why does nothing happen

2) what method do people recomend for creating a HUD with a semi transparent background image, without screwing around with the image itself?

Thanks

Endolf