Need help on doing a transparent background

[Laura7491]

Hi all, I am very new here with the software and on board.

I need help. Can you please be so kind and walk me step by step on how to make a transparent background to the animated gif? I am pretty good on figuring things out, but I was confused on this one.

I don't like the "white square" around the image. I would like to make a light gray background that would match a chat room's background where I will use it for.

(I need a color #aaaaad on the Windows palette... I believe it's gray but not positive).

Thanks so mush in advance.

Laura.

[Tom]

Hi Laura,

To make a transparent background :

• In the tools palette, clic on the Magic wand tool to activate it
• with the Magic wand tool, clic in the solid white square around the image
• menu Image / Automatic transaprency / Inside selection

[Laura7491]

Hi Tom, thank you for responding.
When I click Inside Transparency nothing happens. What exactly should I expect when I click Inside Transparency?

I need some more details, please.

Thank you so much.

[Tom]

If you want to make a transparent background, i think you have no transparency at this point of your work.
But i have perhaps the question not understood ?

[Laura7491]

If you want to make a transparent background, i think you have no transparency at this point of your work.
But i have perhaps the question not understood ?

That is correct - was no transparency. You did understand.

After I clicked Inside Selection it did make a transparent background, but light greenish color. I need gray, like I mentioned before.

◄ How can I change to the gray background? ►

[Tom]

Ah yes, i see :

- Unfortunately, the gif file format does keep only transparency as 100% or nothing. No half transparency for example, in this file format.
- PNG file format can keep transparency in 256 levels, but this file format does not may to do animated images.
- Only the studio release can create 256 levels of transparency with png files.

But we have more than a magic trick in our bag, we can work with several films as pseudo layers :
- first, you have to copy exactly the background position where the final image will be pasted.
- then, you can tint in grey this partial copy of the background : this will be the first layer to put on your background.
- on the layers of the animated image you set transparency as done above
- when the transparent animated image is applied as a second layer at his position, you should have the desired effect.

Don't forget that gif file format is a special color format in 256 indexed colors, that is very lower as 16 millions usually.
And to work with PhotoFiltre, you need to change colors mode and swap in menu Image/ Mode / RGB colors
For the transparency, have a look at the first paragraph of the Information sheet : F1 key or menu ? / Information

[Laura7491]

Ah yes, i see :

- Unfortunately, the gif file format does keep only transparency as 100% or nothing. No half transparency for example, in this file format.
- PNG file format can keep transparency in 256 levels, but this file format does not may to do animated images.
- Only the studio release can create 256 levels of transparency with png files.

But we have more than a magic trick in our bag, we can work with several films as pseudo layers :
- first, you have to copy exactly the background position where the final image will be pasted.
- then, you can tint in grey this partial copy of the background : this will be the first layer to put on your background.
- on the layers of the animated image you set transparency as done above
- when the transparent animated image is applied as a second layer at his position, you should have the desired effect.

Don't forget that gif file format is a special color format in 256 indexed colors, that is very lower as 16 millions usually.
And to work with PhotoFiltre, you need to change colors mode and swap in menu Image/ Mode / RGB colors
For the transparency, have a look at the first paragraph of the Information sheet : F1 key or menu ? / Information

Hi Tom, what about if I save this image in PNG first, and then try a transparency???

[Tom]

If you can, tell me how. It would be a first good try !!!
"Unfortunately, the gif file format does keep only transparency as 100% or nothing"
Dura lex sed lex.

[Laura7491]

If you can, tell me how. It would be a first good try !!!
"Unfortunately, the gif file format does keep only transparency as 100% or nothing"
Dura lex sed lex.

I use Irfanview (free software) for this purpose. However these days I have a problem with Irfanview and am trying to solve it.

I have always been able to re-save any file in any format I need with Irfanview. I don't know why I have troubles now. "Save" and "Save As" options are not available for the animated image.

When I figure out , I certainly WILL tell you how it worked.. It's a deal.

[Laura7491]

If you can, tell me how. It would be a first good try !!!
"Unfortunately, the gif file format does keep only transparency as 100% or nothing"
Dura lex sed lex.

Hi Tom, well... I've been researching, and found out that Irfanview did not work with the animated images. So, I could not convert my image into PNG format. For some reason I had an impression it did, in the past.

On the other hand, PhotoFiltre did get rid of the white square around the image, but using the magic wand it only is able to make a light greenish background.

I guess I have given up. LOL Someone helped me to make a desired gray background using a completely different software (Adobe).

I appreciate your trying to help.

[Tom]

Hi,

On the other hand, PhotoFiltre did get rid of the white square around the image, but using the magic wand it only is able to make a light greenish background.

There you describe a gif file with transparency which is opened in a software that cannot read it correctly,
or a gif file opened in PhotoFiltre but which transparency is disabled. Any web browser can correctly read a real transparent gif file.
If transparency of gif file would not work with PhotoFiltre, we sould be advised for a long time ago.

Making a gray background is very easy, but a gray half transparent backgroung in a gif file, i'm still waiting to see one someday.
It's not a software problem of capacity for PhotoFiltre or any one else, it is a specification of the gif file format.
It does not keep anything else as complete transparency.

But perhaps have you found a way to do like it was a half transparent background. Several ways to get this effect are available.

[Laura7491]

Hi,

On the other hand, PhotoFiltre did get rid of the white square around the image, but using the magic wand it only is able to make a light greenish background.

There you describe a gif file with transparency which is opened in a software that cannot read it correctly,
or a gif file opened in PhotoFiltre but which transparency is disabled. Any web browser can correctly read a real transparent gif file.
If transparency of gif file would not work with PhotoFiltre, we sould be advised for a long time ago.

Making a gray background is very easy, but a gray half transparent backgroung in a gif file, i'm still waiting to see one someday.
It's not a software problem of capacity for PhotoFiltre or any one else, it is a specification of the gif file format.
It does not keep anything else as complete transparency.

But perhaps have you found a way to do like it was a half transparent background. Several ways to get this effect are available.

Tom, I opened a GIF file which had a "white square" background. When I click Transparency color and it actually has a drop down menu but it did NOT let me getting this menu and change the color. Another words I was not given any other option than greenish. I don't know what exactly a problem.

[Tom]

When I click Transparency color and it actually has a drop down menu but it did NOT let me getting this menu and change the color.
Another words I was not given any other option than greenish.

=> Indeed, i see : move the mouse pointer out of the dialog box, it will be transformed as a pipette tool and you can pick the greenish color,
or any other color you wish.
But remind that after transparency you are in 256 indexed colors mode and you cannot then use filters or adjust properties.
Read the help file (F1 key) it's indicated at the first point.