Shadow on transparent background?

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Alexander Hompe
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Shadow on transparent background?

Unread post by Alexander Hompe »

I'm afraid at the moment I am completely lost with transparency ... :?

1) I would like to create a PNG file with alpha channel that contains an application window's screenshot that has a shadow on a transparent background. So it would be independent from any background color in a CHM file. (different from PDF background = white)
In Impict I can only select a 'real' color for my background, no transparency.
Any ideas, what do I miss?

2) When taking a screen capture, is there a way to get 'transparent rounded XP corners' outside of the blue title bar?
Or how do you get correct shadows for these corners?
The H&M screenshot tool makes it correct with the "automatic shape" option (but also not for transparent background). How do I make it with Impict?

3) When I open a PNG that contains transparency (e.g. the mentioned XP window corners) the transparent parts look white.
Does Impict support background transparency?

4) I have an object on a (unfortunately not transparent but ;-) ) white background. The background is bigger than the object. I use the shadow tool for the object and then I want to auto adjust the image size in the File > Properties dialog. But it crops the image only at the right bottom corner, not at the top left corner. (I have a shadow that also reaches a bit to the top left side of the object, that's why I can not easily move the object to the top left corner of the background.) Is there a possibility to crop the whole object+shadow image?

Thanks for any help,
Alex
Help & Manual 6 Professional Edition
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
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Tim Green
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Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Alex,

Impict doesn't currently support alpha transparency (or any kind of transparency) for PNGs. The transparency that you set with the transparency tool is "fake" -- it only applies within the image itself and is achieved by blending with the background within the image. The only real transparency is with GIF, for which you can set the background color to transparent when you save an Impict image as a GIF with Save As...

In Impict you can get the AutoShape function with the "Custom" option in the Shape Tool dropdown menu.

The AutoSize function doesn't crop, it only adjusts the canvas of the image, which is the background without any objects on it. It will always stop at the borders of any objects on the page, because its function is to reduce the size of the canvas to the objects on the page. If you want to do real cropping with Impict you need to be a little tricky with the lens tool, how to do this is explained in the Tips and Tricks topic in the Step-by-Step procedures chapter in the help.
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Alexander Hompe
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Unread post by Alexander Hompe »

Thank you very much for your explanation, Tim!
I was confused and mixed the Impict transparency tool with PNG's alpha channel transparency. Maybe a future version (I remember of reading there were plans to redesign Impict+TNT) supports alpha channel PNGs ...
In Impict you can get the AutoShape function with the "Custom" option in the Shape Tool dropdown menu.
My experience says that Automatic Shape option in the extended H&M screen capture dialog (fills the background of the image with the background color, it detects the rounded XP corners) does another job than the Automatic option in the Impict Shape Tool's "Mask Editor" (The lower left pixel is used as the transparent color). Or where I can find another AutoShape function in Impict?
The AutoSize function doesn't crop, it only adjusts the canvas of the image ...
I understand. Auto Adjust works a bit like the "Last cell" command in Excel. I thought it could move 'my filled Excel cells' (my object) to the most top left area before adjusting the canvas at the bottom and at the right.

Thanks again, many things have lightened now. :idea:
Best regards,
Alex
Help & Manual 6 Professional Edition
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
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Tim Green
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Unread post by Tim Green »

Hi Alex,

You're right, the "Custom" shape in Impict won't do quite the same job as applying automatic shape while doing the screen capture. It depends on the corners of the object you are trying to make transparent having the right color... There's no way around this. :?
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

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Alexander Hompe
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Unread post by Alexander Hompe »

Probably it is not possible due to technical reason - but it would be very nice to apply a transparent shadow effect to any image simply by selecting a "Shadow" option in the H&M "Open Image" dialog some day. 8)
Help & Manual 6 Professional Edition
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
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