Transparency and PNG format

[Ken Ray]

On 11/29/05 4:05 PM, "graham samuel" <graham.samuel at wanadoo.fr> wrote:

> I've now started to using PNGs rather than GIFS, and I can give them
> transparent backgrounds in exactly the same way as the GIFs
> (GraphicConverter on the Mac is really good for this - a lot simpler
> than Photoshop Elements... but I digress).

That's the problem, unfortunately - you need to have a true alpha channel in
order to have the PNG be transparent. To do this in GraphicConverter takes
only one more step.

After you've used the wand tool to drop out the transparent color, go to the
Picture menu, down to Alpha Channel, and select Create Alpha/Mask Channel
>From Transparency.

You won't notice anything happen in GraphicConverter, but when you save it
out, you'll have the proper transparency in Rev/MC.

> (This leads me to ask if
> is there any disadvantage to using GIFs over PNGs - I kind of thought
> there was, but I'm no longer sure why).

Yes, with GIFs you only get 256 colors, whereas with PNGs you get 24bit
color. That's the primary reason.

Have fun,

Ken Ray
Sons of Thunder Software
Web site: http://www.sonsothunder.com/
Email: kray at sonsothunder.com