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Thread: Importing pictures (with transparency) without the white boxes?

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
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    I'm a complete newbie to MX and rather new to Flash itself, and I haven't been able to figure out how to import image files with transparencies in them without flash putting a white box around the image. I'm using Photoshop to create an image without a background so that the actual image is oddly shaped and has gradient transparencies. I want to import the image in this form (unusual shape and gradient tansparencies), but when I do, either flash cannot read the file (in the case of photoshop .psd files) or creates a solid white box around my image. So, how do you import images into flash while keeping the transparencies and shape of the image? Also, what file type should I be saving my image as (and, if you're a photoshop user, how would I change the file type without creating a solid background [jpegs, for example, fill in the background when converted]). Thank you for any and all help you can provide, I appreciate it.

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2000
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    59
    Hi!
    You need to save your image as a PNG.
    First you must combine your layers in Photoshop in order to have a single one with the gradient for instance.
    Then you must save your image as a PNG file with 24 bits depth and transparency (that is 8 bits, so your image will be of 32 bits [24 bits + 8 bits]).Keep it in mind because the size of your file will be consideraby incremented.

    The next thing is to import that image in Flash (ctrl + r in windows), and that´s all! Now you have a transparent bitmap on your flash!

    Hope it helps.
    Good luck!

  3. #3
    Member
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    Apr 2002
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    hi Charlie,
    First I'll answer your question of creating transparent images. see jpg or joint photographic experts group is a file format that doesnt support transparency or rather I havent seen one to my knowledge. if you want to create a transparent image the best formats are for defined colors .GIF and if your image has a continious tone then use .PNG. these two image formats support transparency.

    Secondly, Flash, no matter what version it is now, is primarily a Vector based software. so its support as far as bitmaps are supported are limited. so no matter whether your image is transparent or not it will take only the total image area and display you the bounding box. now you have many options to convert it in to a vector image, if your image is simple enough, or simply break it apart. refer to flash help for more ....

  4. #4
    Junior Member
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    Apr 2002
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    Thanks for the help so far, but I'm still having trouble (and can probably only be helped by another Photoshop user). When I've merged/deleted my layers so that I have only one layer with a transparency, I don't have the option of saving the file as a .PNG or a .GIF, and if I attempt to modify the extension, it just comes out as a .png.psd or .gif.psd. Do any Photoshop/Flash users know what's going wrong and why I can't save the image in the correct file type format? Thanks again for the previous help.

  5. #5
    Junior Member
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    Apr 2002
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    Nevermind, I figured it out. Thanks for all the help.

  6. #6
    Member
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    Apr 2002
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    what is the version of photoShop you are using... if it is greater than 5.5 then I would suggest please use the save for web option. which you can acces by cntrl, alt ,shift and S. you can use the GIF option in the drop down list with the transparency check box checked. now click on the save button .

  7. #7
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
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    Yeah, that "save for web" option is what I discovered after messing around a bit and it's what lets me save the file as a .png or .gif. Thanks for the reply though.

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