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Thread: Would like ot know how to make symbols transparent

  1. #1
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    GOod morning all,

    I am desigining a Flash 4.0 movie and I have some jpgs that I put into the movie library. The jpgs were designed in Paint Shop Plus 5 and are2 layers deep - a foreground where the image is and a background which is transparent and not visable. When I import these images into the library, the image looks great but I lost my transparency. So when I put them on the background of the movie you see white square around the image. So now I either make the background white so you dont know my image is not transparent or figure out how to edit the symbols and get the "white out." Any suggestions how I can make my jpgs/symbols in my library transparent? I have tried to use the trace bitmap feature but it seems that I need some additional assistance.

    Thanks in advance!
    Maytag

  2. #2
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    have you tried meddling with your instance's alpha channel?
    select a symbol and try some color effects...
    if that doesn't work you can always use masks to hide that part of the image (big filesize...)

  3. #3
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    Originally posted by Alexei
    have you tried meddling with your instance's alpha channel?
    select a symbol and try some color effects...
    if that doesn't work you can always use masks to hide that part of the image (big filesize...)
    No I have not tried changing the instance's alpha channel or color effects. I have not used masks either. I was hoping there was a simple way to import a jpg an maintain the integrity of transparent sections. I will see what I can figure out with the alpha channel and color effects. Thanks for the suggestions!

    -Maytag

  4. #4
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    Smile

    sup man..yeah alexei is on the right track with the alpha..but be careful for some reason alpha tweening causes files to increase in size, try using the tint function....itll keep the size of your movie smaller or when alphaing (bad english...heh, not even sure thats a word)...try using 1% rather than 0%....weird i know...but it has a huge size difference

    Peace

  5. #5
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    Originally posted by nymyth
    sup man..yeah alexei is on the right track with the alpha..but be careful for some reason alpha tweening causes files to increase in size, try using the tint function....itll keep the size of your movie smaller or when alphaing (bad english...heh, not even sure thats a word)...try using 1% rather than 0%....weird i know...but it has a huge size difference

    Peace
    Thanks for the replies! I am unclear how changing the tint or alpha would allow the transparent areas of the jpg to be correct in Flash. Can anyone elaborate?

    Thanks!
    Maytag

  6. #6
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    i might be wrong on this...but i always thought that jpg files couldn't keep the transparent background of a picture...and that gif were the ones with the capability of making something transparent...

  7. #7
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    Originally posted by fierystars
    i might be wrong on this...but i always thought that jpg files couldn't keep the transparent background of a picture...and that gif were the ones with the capability of making something transparent...
    Good tip, I actually thought the same thing and tried a gif file and had the same results in Flash. It seems that the transparent part of gifs were still given a color of white and thus you would see the wite square surrounding the image.

    Transparentless,
    -Maytag

  8. #8
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    Originally posted by fierystars
    i might be wrong on this...but i always thought that jpg files couldn't keep the transparent background of a picture...and that gif were the ones with the capability of making something transparent...
    Png files can also use alpha channels....
    flash doesn't import the alpha channels of bitmaps, so you'll have to create or simulate them!

  9. #9
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    or make ur bitmaps into vector images in illustrator

  10. #10
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    Flash can also trace bitmaps into vector images, but that is not the point. Just try to trace a hi res photo and you'll see what i meen!
    If you have to use a bitmap, at least do it well!

  11. #11
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    Smile

    sup guys....hmmm..have you tried using the lasso tool and tried cutting around the image....or save it as png and work from there......i used have the same problem...your other choice is making the background the same color as your movie....heh

    Peace

  12. #12
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    Originally posted by nymyth
    sup guys....hmmm..have you tried using the lasso tool and tried cutting around the image....or save it as png and work from there......i used have the same problem...your other choice is making the background the same color as your movie....heh

    Peace
    Yes! I tried using the lasso tool in Edit symbol mode - cut around the entire edge of the image! I definately dont have the wrist for that, but once I did it, it appeared as if the result that I captured was the shape of the image I wanted - Great! HOWEVER, how do I get that new image into the Library? That was a new problem, I could not seem to get the image into the library easily. It was at this point I said there has to be a better way and posted to this board hahaha

    -Maytag (Flash on the brain)

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