New question for an old problem, Transparency

T
Posted By
TooSano
Aug 20, 2003
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326
Replies
2
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Closed
HI,
I am slowly learning PS, but my one sticky point is making a transparent background. It seems like I do it correctly but when I import a graphic into PageMaker, the background is not transparent. Whether I do it as a psd file or jpg file, the results are the same. My ultimate goal is to be able to make backgrounds in jpg’s transparent. Maybe it can’t be done. Normally, I create an object, use the magic wand to segregate it, copy it and paste it into a new document with the transparent background selected. If I save it as a psd file it works sometimes when I import that graphic to corel draw, but not PageMaker, where I do most of my work. Help!!
Thanks, Tim
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new old problem question transparency

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R
Roberto
Aug 20, 2003
Well, as far as I know and could be wrong. PageMaker doesn’t have direct support for transparency in PSD files. Only InDesign does.

You need to use a .TIFF or .EPS file with a clipping path for PageMaker to do the transparency. This means no soft edges. Also, keep in mind that on many PC’s the transparency in PageMaker won’t display. Sometimes it will most times it won’t but it should print ok.

Finally, there is no way to do a transparent JPG because the file format doesn’t support transparency in any form and it doesn’t work with clipping paths and even if it did PageMaker doesn’t.

Robert

"TooSano" wrote in message
HI,
I am slowly learning PS, but my one sticky point is making a transparent background. It seems like I do it correctly but when I import a graphic
into
PageMaker, the background is not transparent. Whether I do it as a psd
file
or jpg file, the results are the same. My ultimate goal is to be able to make backgrounds in jpg’s transparent. Maybe it can’t be done. Normally, I create an object, use the magic wand to segregate it, copy it and paste it into a new document with the transparent background selected. If I save it as a psd file it works sometimes when I import that graphic
to
corel draw, but not PageMaker, where I do most of my work. Help!!
Thanks, Tim

F
Fred
Aug 22, 2003
TooSano wrote:

"nospam" wrote:
You need to use a .TIFF or .EPS file with a clipping path for PageMaker to do the transparency. This means no soft edges.

I had no luck with the tiff files, but perhaps I haven’t saved them correctly. I haven’t tried an eps file yet.

Have you noticed that for a "transparent" TIFF you need a *path* (clipping path) that clips out your object, not a selection.

This is why Robert mentioned that you can’t have soft edges in a common TIFF or an EPS, because clipping paths don’t support feathering (while selections do).

You can ask Photoshop to automatically create a path, based on an existing selection. For that, take a close look at the buttons at the bottom of the Layers, Channels, and Path palettes; and read about their functions in the manual/help files.

It’s pretty strange that an outside program like corel draw would let you work with psd files, yet adobe PageMaker won’t, lol. They might want to look at that glitch, eh?
Thanks for the input.
Tim

Adobe is pushing Indesign for that funky transparency stuff. I assume they want to sell more copies of Indesign, instead of making Pagemaker more competetive in that field.

Cheers,
Fred

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