PNG is the only common "web-safe" format that does proper transparency. All Mac browsers properly display PNGs with the alpha. Of course, Internet Explorer on Windows doesn't render transparency properly. No surprise there. Mozilla and Netscape for Windows does, though.
Or are you trying to make a GIF with a transparent color?
<strong>3) When you are done, go to Image->Mode->Index color.</strong><hr></blockquote>You only want indexed color if you're making a gif. PNGs have far more than 256 colors.
<strong>You only want indexed color if you're making a gif. PNGs have far more than 256 colors.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I can't believe this! This is like the bad chess game I played two days ago. There is always something I didn't plan for. <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> Well, I am going to think about my responses longer before I write them down.
Aahh! I mean well people. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
Sorry Eugene, you're wrong! Create some artwork that has a transparent background (so the checkerboard pattern shows) then select save for web (File > Save For Web...)
From the settings section choose PNG-24 from the drop down. Make sure Transaparency is checked and there is no Matte selected and save!
Voila! A PNG with full alpha channel transaparency, not GIF like 1-bit transparancy!
(interesting note: PNGs with full alpha channels are the best way to import bitmaps into flash and maintain their transparency: try it - you'll thank me!)
GIFs often work best, but to get the smoothest matting you need to specify a Matte colour, ie the background colour onto which the graphic will be placed, otherwise you'll get the cruddy white halo around graduated tone. You can use no matte colour for your transparency, but you may end up with an ugly stepped effect from the GIF's 1-bit transparency channel.
<strong>Sorry Eugene, you're wrong! Create some artwork that has a transparent background (so the checkerboard pattern shows) then select save for web (File > Save For Web...)</strong><hr></blockquote>
Hmm, is this new in PS 6 or 7? I tried this with 5.5 a long time ago and it didn't seem to work. I have PS 7, but I haven't used Save For Web in conjunction with transparent PNGs with it.
I used that save for web feature in Photoshop 7 (saving to PNG-24, for the same reasons: a lust for transparancy).
It's, frankly, disconcerting to read that some browsers can't display it. Jeez. It never ceases. (especially CSS2, that's often horrible - last week, I wanted to show off some new site I built, and worked perfectly on my Mac, and maybe in VPC, and the PC of this guy just went berserk!!).
You should never EVER be using PNG-24 on a web site. The reason? They're biiiiig files. PNG-24 is meant for situations where you would use a JPEG, but need alpha transparency. Always use PNG-8 as a GIF replacement. The files are small (smaller than GIFs) and it allows for all sorts of transparency.
To be honest, PS is a really lousy program for making images destined for the web. Most people would be much better off with something like FiewWorks. Just my $0.02.
<strong>-But you say windows doesn't see it properly?</strong><hr></blockquote>No. Specifically, Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows does not do transparency right. Netscape and Mozilla do. I haven't tried with Opera, but I suspect it works fine too.
<strong>No. Specifically, Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows does not do transparency right. Netscape and Mozilla do. I haven't tried with Opera, but I suspect it works fine too.
Microsoft. </strong><hr></blockquote>
I had two friend go to my website i'm making for my school's track team (www.exctrack.com) and they said it looks fine (wintel users)
I was using Photoshop 5 until very recently, but in that I always did it with a .gif. I remember I had to pick one of the colors to be the transparent one and then it would work.
<strong>I had two friend go to my website i'm making for my school's track team (www.exctrack.com) and they said it looks fine (wintel users)</strong><hr></blockquote>I'm curious exactly how your alpha mask look and what background color it's on. Every time I've tested PNGs in IE5 and IE6 on Windows 95, 98, and 2000, the area that's supposed to be transparent is either only partially so or has an odd tint to it.
Shoot, even AppleInsider's own resident Windows zealot groverat admits that this is one of Internet Explorer's shortcomings.
Yeah, I always find the web to be an exercise in the lowest common denominator. Unless you are making something for yourself or for a very progressive (read broke) client, you have to stick to the ole tried and true.
I would really love to embrace CSS lock stock and barrel (and really should to do my part in promoting the standards) but I just can't do it - it never fails the clients says "But, why doesn't it look right in X,Y or Z?". That is a no win situation and usually means they will go somewhere else next time.
Ack! I just lost my train of thought. <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[Surprised]" /> Next!
<strong>I'm curious exactly how your alpha mask look and what background color it's on. Every time I've tested PNGs in IE5 and IE6 on Windows 95, 98, and 2000, the area that's supposed to be transparent is either only partially so or has an odd tint to it.
Shoot, even AppleInsider's own resident Windows zealot groverat admits that this is one of Internet Explorer's shortcomings.
I know one of them is using XP, the other i'm not sure. Perhaps MS realized they sux and got to work on fixing the problem for XP (it would make sense...i mean at least its an excuse...."we put some of our security programmers with the graphics team to work on transperancy, and that is why there are security holes...we didn't have enough security programmers"... haha like they couldn't afford it
Comments
PNG is the only common "web-safe" format that does proper transparency. All Mac browsers properly display PNGs with the alpha. Of course, Internet Explorer on Windows doesn't render transparency properly. No surprise there. Mozilla and Netscape for Windows does, though.
Or are you trying to make a GIF with a transparent color?
[ 09-10-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</p>
2) Do your editing stuff
3) When you are done, go to Image->Mode->Index color.
4) Save the image as a Gif/PNG and check "Preserve Transparency"
PS: PNG does not work for me with Netscape 4.79. :cool:
<strong>3) When you are done, go to Image->Mode->Index color.</strong><hr></blockquote>You only want indexed color if you're making a gif. PNGs have far more than 256 colors.
<strong>You only want indexed color if you're making a gif. PNGs have far more than 256 colors.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I can't believe this!
Aahh! I mean well people. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />
If you do "Save for Web" as a PNG you only get 1-bit transparency (where one color is replaced with a fully transparent pixel)
From the settings section choose PNG-24 from the drop down. Make sure Transaparency is checked and there is no Matte selected and save!
Voila! A PNG with full alpha channel transaparency, not GIF like 1-bit transparancy!
(interesting note: PNGs with full alpha channels are the best way to import bitmaps into flash and maintain their transparency: try it - you'll thank me!)
(interesting note 2: inline PNGs, ie referenced within HTML display fine, but if you have a direct link to a PNG, ie <a href="http://www.yourdomain.com/image.png"; target="_blank">http://www.yourdomain.com/image.png</a>; then it won't work! Thanks Microsoft Mac unit!)
GIFs often work best, but to get the smoothest matting you need to specify a Matte colour, ie the background colour onto which the graphic will be placed, otherwise you'll get the cruddy white halo around graduated tone. You can use no matte colour for your transparency, but you may end up with an ugly stepped effect from the GIF's 1-bit transparency channel.
<strong>Sorry Eugene, you're wrong! Create some artwork that has a transparent background (so the checkerboard pattern shows) then select save for web (File > Save For Web...)</strong><hr></blockquote>
Hmm, is this new in PS 6 or 7? I tried this with 5.5 a long time ago and it didn't seem to work. I have PS 7, but I haven't used Save For Web in conjunction with transparent PNGs with it.
It's, frankly, disconcerting to read that some browsers can't display it. Jeez. It never ceases. (especially CSS2, that's often horrible - last week, I wanted to show off some new site I built, and worked perfectly on my Mac, and maybe in VPC, and the PC of this guy just went berserk!!).
To be honest, PS is a really lousy program for making images destined for the web. Most people would be much better off with something like FiewWorks. Just my $0.02.
-But you say windows doesn't see it properly?
<strong>-But you say windows doesn't see it properly?</strong><hr></blockquote>No. Specifically, Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows does not do transparency right. Netscape and Mozilla do. I haven't tried with Opera, but I suspect it works fine too.
Microsoft.
<strong>No. Specifically, Microsoft Internet Explorer for Windows does not do transparency right. Netscape and Mozilla do. I haven't tried with Opera, but I suspect it works fine too.
Microsoft.
I had two friend go to my website i'm making for my school's track team (www.exctrack.com) and they said it looks fine (wintel users)
<strong>I had two friend go to my website i'm making for my school's track team (www.exctrack.com) and they said it looks fine (wintel users)</strong><hr></blockquote>I'm curious exactly how your alpha mask look and what background color it's on. Every time I've tested PNGs in IE5 and IE6 on Windows 95, 98, and 2000, the area that's supposed to be transparent is either only partially so or has an odd tint to it.
Shoot, even AppleInsider's own resident Windows zealot groverat admits that this is one of Internet Explorer's shortcomings.
[ 09-11-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</p>
I would really love to embrace CSS lock stock and barrel (and really should to do my part in promoting the standards) but I just can't do it - it never fails the clients says "But, why doesn't it look right in X,Y or Z?". That is a no win situation and usually means they will go somewhere else next time.
Ack! I just lost my train of thought. <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[Surprised]" /> Next!
<strong>I'm curious exactly how your alpha mask look and what background color it's on. Every time I've tested PNGs in IE5 and IE6 on Windows 95, 98, and 2000, the area that's supposed to be transparent is either only partially so or has an odd tint to it.
Shoot, even AppleInsider's own resident Windows zealot groverat admits that this is one of Internet Explorer's shortcomings.
[ 09-11-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
I know one of them is using XP, the other i'm not sure. Perhaps MS realized they sux and got to work on fixing the problem for XP (it would make sense...i mean at least its an excuse...."we put some of our security programmers with the graphics team to work on transperancy, and that is why there are security holes...we didn't have enough security programmers"... haha like they couldn't afford it