Alpha channel deteriorates on scaling image

[Actionscriptkills]

Using Flash CS4. I have some images with transparent backgrounds that I'm putting into Flash. Placed in Flash at original size, transparency looks great. However, when I scale the images to any different size, the edges of the alpha channel get real rough, not smooth and aligned to object. I've experimented with png, targa, gif, but all seem to have this problem. Is this some issue with Flash? I don't remember seeing this problem in say Powerpoint.

Note: I need the flexibility to change the size of the images, not produce an original everytime I need a different size.

thanks,
Dennis

[goliard]

Yeah, I've had this. I don't think it's so much an issue with Flash, as a consequence of scaling bitmaps...I don't use Powerpoint, so I can't make any meaningful comparisons there. I tried two workarounds:

1) Where possible, trace around the irregular bitamp shape as a vector, and then situate the vector drawing on a layer behind the image to smooth out the jaggies
(If the bitmap is complicated, try converting a copy of it into a vector using Flash's Trace Bitmap feature (yes, I know it sucks), filling it with one colour, and then using that as a backing silhouette)

2) Using Trace Bitmap of a copy as before, magnify it slightly and then place that in a layer below the bitmap. You may have to tinker around with the edges to make it look acceptable.

I agree, the real solution is to get bitmap transparency to work properly, but deadlines tend not to coincide with new software features...