Problem pasting masked bitmaps

I have a load of jpegs that I load into Corel PhotoPAINT (11), using the magic wand mask tool, remove the white background and end up with a masked image, which I save as a PNG. Process takes about 15 seconds per image, which is a great time saver.

I can do this on Xara Xtreme Pro (5) by creating a clip-view, but the tracing around the object by hand takes far too long, especially for intricate objects with irregular borders.

So, with PhotoPAINT, I can create transparent GIFs or transparent PNGs (which are both flattened on export, and then the solid white is used as the mask colour).

If I view these images, say in a web browser, they are masked, have a transparent background. Same applies when I import them into CorelDRAW.

The problem is when I import them into Xara Xtreme Pro 5, the PNGs are flattened, showing the white background. So, I'm having to use GIFs which maintain the mask.

I don't think I'm getting the best image quality because of this, as the GIFs are converted to 256 colours. I'm assuming that the PNGs are staying as true colour, but then I can't use them properly because of the masking.

Is there a better way of importing a masked true colour object? Is Xara Xtreme Pro letting me down on the import or is it something to do with the way PhotoPAINT exports the format? Is there a better way of creating masked bitmaps for use in Xara? Is there a .CPT import plugin available for Xara?

Xara Xtreme Pro supports PNG with Alpha transparency.

There is also a plug-in in the Live Effects Tool Mehdi > Eraser Classic that you can use to sample a color and remove it from a photo. I removed the black background from this image. Mehdi has a page of free plug-in filters all of which work very well with Xtreme. I use Eraser Genuine which provides more options.

Also, Corel's KnockOut plugin works with Xara; I've been using it in Xara ever since they initiated the plug-in feature. You may be able to find a cheap copy of it for sale via the Internet. (KnockOut technology was used as the basis for the newer "mask-by-painting-edges" features found in recent release of the Corel Suite)

I hope you realise, you've made someone very happy this evening.

The plugin works very similarly to photoPAINT, and now I don't need photoPAINT any more, because I can do this in Xara.

Not only is that great, it'll also save me loads of time in saving and loading, as I can now just do it all within the document.

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and now I don't need photoPAINT any more, because I can do this in Xara.

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:)

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Mehdi has a page of free plug-in filters all of which work very well with Xtreme

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Are you sure Gary? I just explored the page you linked to and installed the "projection" plug-in to my XX5. It sort of works but the repeat edges function I cannot get to perform. Is it XX5 or is this just a minor incompatability with what is primarily a PS plug-in?