Vectored in a Bitmapped World

**JB Smith** · 30 March 2006, 07:10 AM

Hi,

I'm evaluating Xara Xtreme as a tool for logos and such, because vector graphics are scalable like that. Problem is i am a pixel oriented guy, and i don't "get" drawing programs. Although i must say i get Xara better than most.

If there are any folks around here with similar tendencies, who could possibly advise me how to adjust my brain, it would be appreciated.

But my immediate question, before i drop my money on Xara, is if there's any way to export an image with a transparent backgound for use in Photoshop. Um, offhand i can't remember the trouble i got into... i think i exported a .gif, which of course was ugly, and so tried 24 bit .png but it came out with a white background? I think? Anyway this is a must do thing, especially until the day when i can complete an entire composition in a drawing program; i need transparent layers in order for my brain to function properly.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,
-jb

**masque** · 30 March 2006, 07:18 AM

Hi
Export as PNG+alpha, which works a treat for me.
Derek

**JB Smith** · 30 March 2006, 07:36 AM

Thanks for the tip. Could you elaborate please?

What i just tried was dropping a transparent .psd onto Xara, (which i didn't expect to work), i selected the object, and then i exported "true color +alpha", "selected", and "transparent". I still didn't shake the transparent background, so i did the same thing with a transparent 24bit PNG, to the same results.

I'm obviously unclear on the concept.

Thanks,
-jb

**molucca** · 30 March 2006, 08:35 AM

I don't think Xara retains the PSD transparency. If you save to PNG/alpha from Photoshop, you should see the transparency. And, if you export from Xara to a PNG with alpha, the file will be transparent in PS.

Place a colored object behind your imported image to see if it has a transparent background. It may be white and matches the page.

Rich

**Christine Farrelly** · 30 March 2006, 08:59 AM

Dragging from PS doen't retain the transparency, but you can import transparent PNG file into Xara.

Christine

**masque** · 30 March 2006, 09:50 AM

I thought you were exporting PNG with Alpha from Xara to whatever. However I import transparent PNG of a question mark from Microsoft Expression to Xara overlaid onto text with no trouble, see screenshot 3.
I don't use Photoshop so I can't comment but I assume it would be the same.

The trouble you had wth your export from PS might be you were exporting from the background layer and I would think you need to cut and paste your graphic from the background layer to a new layer to enable you to export with transparency... I might be wrong not being a PS user but I bet I'm not.

Attached first screen shot; Scrappy cartoon drawing exported from Xara as PNG opened in MS Expression with drop shadow added to PNG in Expression and pasted over texture back to show transparency.

Second screenshot of Expression with photograph of number one daughter in a fashion show seamlessly integrated with xara cartoon figure PNG, altered in expression.

Derek

**molucca** · 30 March 2006, 01:15 PM

Derek,

I made a test file and saved to PSD. The file opened in EGD with transparency. It didn't open with transparency in Xtreme.

Rich

**gwpriester** · 30 March 2006, 03:11 PM

Export your image as Xara EPS. It comes into Photoshop with a transparent background (as long as you don't have an opaque object behind it), and at whatever resolution you desire.

But be that as it may, if your background is solid you can easily select your object and copy and paste it into another window. So, I really don't see a problem here.

If you need to bring a bitmap into Xara with a transparent background from Photoshop there is a very effective way to do this. Export your bitmap. Make a mask of your object in Photoshop and fill the shape solid black.

Import both images into Xara. In the Bitmap Gallery, select the black mask, and click the Transp. button. Works like a charm and it works with any bitmap file format. The higher your export resolution the cleaner it works.

Gary

**gwpriester** · 30 March 2006, 03:37 PM

Here is an example of saving the image with a solid background and a black mask version.

You get a very sharp transparency and you can even add a drop shadow to the object.

Gary

**JB Smith** · 30 March 2006, 07:58 PM

Thanks, all, i have something to work with now.

Particular thanks to Gary. That last post is what i'm talking about; combining the two different paradigms and getting one more effective tool.

Could someone please explain what exactly i'm doing when i "apply as transparency"? All i did was go through the motions and it worked like magic.

E.g. how does the dialog know what to apply to? My mask image is nowhere near in proximity to the object i'm making transparent... and Gary has a second object for demonstration which did not turn transparent... am i making my confusion clear?

In any case i'm convinced now. Xara is money well spent. I mostly work with web graphics, but then i'm often asked to translate to business cards or letterheads, and i often fail because my graphics don't scale like that. And i've never gotten even this far in any other vector app because of my pixelized nature.

Cool stuff.
Thanks again.

-jb