Help With Image Transparency

This is the place for questions on using Impict, Help & Manual's integrated screenshot editor and enhancer.

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PatInAustin
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:41 pm

Help With Image Transparency

Unread post by PatInAustin »

I am using WebHelp_BabyBle.hmskin with HTML WebHelp. I an using Internet Explorer. I have HM6.0 Professional version.

I am trying to replace the stock image named background-logo.png that comes with an HTML skin with my image using the same name. I am using the impact image editor to try and make my image background transparent but can not do it. My image is now named background-logo.png and has a white background. I have tried using the flatten object... dialog box and tried using the transparency tool but my version of background-logo.png is not transparent. Can you post a set of instructions for making a .png image transparent?


Thanks
Patrick
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Tim Green
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Re: Help With Image Transparency

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Pat,

The key to this is that the color that is replaced with transparency is defined by the color of the bottom-most left pixel (i.e. the pixel in the bottom left corner). So you need to make sure that this corner is set to the color you want to replace with transparency. Then use the transparency tool as described in this topic in the Impict help: Step-by-Step Procedures > Standard Tasks > Extracted Images
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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PatInAustin
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:41 pm

Re: Help With Image Transparency

Unread post by PatInAustin »

The instructions in the step by step help file page did not create a transparent image. Here is a detailed description of what I am doing. I am trying to replace the stock company logo that comes with the BabyBlue webhelp skin with my company logo.


1) My image is a company logo saved as a .ipp file in impact.
2) The bottom left pixel and background are white or empty. There is no color there. Just white
3) When I select the image name in the Impact Object List the Fill Tool is grayed out so I can not change the background color
4) I select the Shape Tool and select Custom.
5) When I select the Mask Editor it will not hold the setting 'Automatic'. It always reverts back to Shapes
6) I save the image and published my WebHelp site.
7) The image is saved as a .png in the HTML output folder
8) I change the name of the image to 'background-logo.png' to replace the stock company logo that comes with the BabyBlue skin.
9) I load the web site in Internet Explore and the image back ground is still white not transparent.


What am I doing wrong?

Thanks
Patrick
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Tim Green
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Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
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Re: Help With Image Transparency

Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Patrick,

Sorry, I haven't worked with transparent images in Impict for so long that I forgot about the details on this. Using these methods will only make the components of the image transparent against the rest of the image. They won't make the image itself transparent. To do that, particularly with PNGs, you need to use a different graphics program. Impict won't handle that for you.

Sorry again, my bad here... :?
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
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