I have a cpt image that has a single object with transparency applied as a gradient from 100 to 0 via the interactive transparency tool. I would like to export this as a transparent png for web use. However, photopaint x4 doesn't seem to allow me to do this - I get a message that object(s) will be merged, and then no option to maintain the transparency.
My workaround is to save it as a psd from photopaint, open in photoshop, and then use photoshop's export for the web. But there must be a direct way to do it in x4, right?
From my experience, merging with background is not necessary, but either way, the quality of the export is poor. If I feather the edges of a square, create mask from layer, then export to transparent png, it works, but there's an ugly white haze in the feathered area which makes this unusable in Photopaint. The result is the same flattened or left as layer before export.
OK, so I'm a little loco :) But why is the original, I made yesterday, still working perfect while the uploaded version of the original does not? Tell me? Tell me now? :)
Harrrrrrrrrrr, loco Alfredo.
OK, email your "good PNG" to me then for inspection, or attach here to forum. It might not look right in the forum depending on browser, you know what I mean.
Jeff
Alfred said: OK, so I'm a little loco :) But why is the original, I made yesterday, still working perfect while the uploaded version of the original does not? Tell me? Tell me now? :) Harrrrrrrrrrr, loco Alfredo.
I will send you the file later on this week, I'm quite busy for the next few days, not much time for play!
I've looked into this before: the problem is that PPaint does merge the image before applying the mask...
PP treats transparencies very poorly: once a pixel has a level of transparency applied to it, then you can only make it more transparent. The transparency is not a non-destructive lens {which it should be IMHO}. If you want "proper" PNG's with proper alpha channel masks within PP, then you have to maintain the original object at 100% opacity (or at least have it look this way at time of export) and use the mask as a proper alpha channel. (I would duplicate the object, hide the original, get the transparency you want, then create a mask from the object, show the origional and then export.) (PShop I presume works with transparencies as a separate "lens" or whatever the equivalent is - therefore no problems.)
Since the object's transparency is "locked", PP flattens the image, then applies the transparency to the flattened image. So you get a whiteness - the transparency is almost applied twice. On import of a PNG, PP applies the transparency to the object so you now loose the origional object's pixel data - save it out as a PNG and you have the same problem, except no "origional" that you can have at 100% opaque to generate the correct output.
Draw works differently: each transparency is editable (and removable) once applied - when exporting, it takes all the transparencys and makes an alpha mask from them. Then ignores all opacity data and exports a flat image with the correct alpha mask. So you get a "proper" PNG file without any hassle.
{I don't "Know" this as fact: I am deducing this from what's happening.}
Gadget said:PP treats transparencies very poorly: once a pixel has a level of transparency applied to it, then you can only make it more transparent. The transparency is not a non-destructive lens {which it should be IMHO}
Gadget said:PP flattens the image, then applies the transparency to the flattened image. So you get a whiteness - the transparency is almost applied twice.
In my previous post, the second rectangle is actually two rectangles; I combined the above with a third white duplicate, loaded a mask from an alpha channel I created from the rectangles and exported to PNG with 'Masked Area' selected (image attached).
Yeah you can tell it automatically sets the background to white when exporting or saving to PNG because the original and preview have the white background in the dialog box (instead of the checkered invisible background.)
If you fool around with the settings and make white the invisible color it seems to only change the pure white pixels to transparent but the image's pixels are still alpha blended with the white background.
I imagine the PNG format is "old-school" where back in the day you had to make your icons or toolbar images with a magenta background and program the settings to make magenta the invisible color. That is to say their color mode is RGB with a specific color used as the transparent color.
Corel doesn't do it right, but a other programs like Paint.NET make the PNG work perfect. It handles all the ugly settings in the background.
That is one big shortcoming with Corel is that they don't have an ARBG color mode, which is surprising considering Microsoft has used it for the last 5 years since Windows XP (and GDI+) came out.
CountZero1942 said:I imagine the PNG format is "old-school" where back in the day you had to make your icons or toolbar images with a magenta background and program the settings to make magenta the invisible color. That is to say their color mode is RGB with a specific color used as the transparent color.
I think PNG has supported an 8 bit alpha since the beginning.
CountZero1942 said:Corel doesn't do it right, but a other programs like Paint.NET make the PNG work perfect. It handles all the ugly settings in the background.
Note that while we still have hope for PP, CorelDRAW has always created great alphas in PNGs.
CountZero1942: I imagine the PNG format is "old-school" where back in the day you had to make your icons or toolbar images with a magenta background and program the settings to make magenta the invisible color. That is to say their color mode is RGB with a specific color used as the transparent color. I think PNG has supported an 8 bit alpha since the beginning. CountZero1942: Corel doesn't do it right, but a other programs like Paint.NET make the PNG work perfect. It handles all the ugly settings in the background. Note that while we still have hope for PP, CorelDRAW has always created great alphas in PNGs. Jeff Harrison Featured Instructor CorelDRAW Unleashed Boot Camp Cruise Cruise from Los Angeles, California along the Mexican Riviera January 17-24, 2009 http://community.coreldraw.com/forums/p/6187/40721.aspx#40721
CountZero1942: I imagine the PNG format is "old-school" where back in the day you had to make your icons or toolbar images with a magenta background and program the settings to make magenta the invisible color. That is to say their color mode is RGB with a specific color used as the transparent color.
CountZero1942: Corel doesn't do it right, but a other programs like Paint.NET make the PNG work perfect. It handles all the ugly settings in the background.
Paul McGee said:FWIW I have been making several PNGs with perfect transparency from PhotoPaint for many of the last few days. Export for Office, and those go into Power Point just fine. I even had it work with feathered edges. No problems whatever.
Hi Paul,
they "seem" perfect, but there is an anomaly that reveals itself under repeatable conditions, since PP ver 9.
PNGs with little feathering will often work fine.
open the attached CPT, follow these steps
1. Load the CPT. It's a pure file, we can agree.
2. Export as Tiff with transparency. keep CPT open. Note: when viewing a transparent tiff in a quick viewer (like my old ver of ACDSEE, or Irfanview) it may not show the transparency. You'll only see a solid block of color. but the alpha channel is in the file.
3. Export from PP as a transparent 24 bit PNG anyway you like.
4. import your best PNG and the tiff into Draw, place over a background and you'll see. Same thing when brought into other progs.