Graphic as buttons and format advice?

[yoy]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Rossi" <scott at tactilemedia.com>
To: "How to use Revolution" <use-revolution at lists.runrev.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 3:19 AM
Subject: Re: Graphic as buttons and format advice?


> Recently, yoy  wrote:
>
> > For a major version overhaul, I am creating LOTS of 3D round buttons,
but
> > creating graphics instead of buttons.
> >
> > The option I can save them as are .24-bit .png, 8-bit .png or .jpg.
> >
> > Which one is best for cross-platform? And which, overall, is the best
> > quality?
> >
> > I have 280 graphics (140 "up button" and 140 "down button" graphics).
>
> Any of the formats you mention can work, even GIF.
>
> There are two ways to create buttons that have a smooth non-rectangular
> appearance: 1) 24 bit PNG with transparency, or 2) any supported graphic
> format with the background color or texture included in the rect of the
> button image.
>
> 1) If the buttons will sit on changing or various color backgrounds, then
24
> bit PNG with transparency is a good way to to go since the edges of the
> buttons will always blend with the background.  Note that it is sometimes
> possible to see a slight color shift in PNG images when sitting against
> non-PNG images, so if absolute color accuracy is important then either
make
> all the images in your stacks PNGs, or use a different image format.
>
> 2) You can use 8 bit PNG, JPEG and GIF formats for your images, with the
> only drawback being that must sacrifice either smooth edges or a truly
round
> "live" area (hit region).  You can create button images that *appear*
round
> but are really rectangular, in that the corners of the image include
> whatever background color/texture is present in your stack.
>
> One other thing to keep in mind: make your buttons as efficiently as
> possible.  If your 140 buttons all have the same dimensional
characteristics
> (beveling, shadow, etc) then you might be able to use a single non-colored
> transparent image for the dimensional appearance of all the buttons, and
> assign each button a varying background color or icon.
>
> There are actually many ways to build non-standard buttons in Rev; it
really
> depends on the application.
>
> Regards,
>
> Scott Rossi
> Creative Director
> Tactile Media, Multimedia & Design


Scott,

Thanks for your help.

Actually, I don't know how, but I found your website and saw your beautiful
application designs which prompted me to rethink spicing up my stack.

I thought to contact you about redesigning my stack but I couldn't afford
it. My software is freeware anyway. So I'm going to attempt a go at it
myself, being a little design challenged!

Fancy that!

All the best,

Andy Burns
Media, PA