Gif export in web pages...possible?

[spyro70]

Ok,

XX4 is very spectacular!! I am very happy for this new release. I believe that more user are enthusiast for new features, in particular for the HTML export.

But can I export images as GIF and not as PNG?.

I rename image, go in NAME GALLERY e set it in GIF, but when I export in HTML I get PNG!

Is a bug?

Thanks

[willdean]

I think you get either PNG or JPG, depending on the type of image.

Just out of interest, why did you want GIF? Are they smaller in your case?

[Charles Moir]

No it's not possible. GIFs serve no purpose or benefit and have been superseded by PNGs. Now fully supported across all browsers, they are better, faster, smaller.

(The exception being that you can have animated GIFs, not animated PNGs, but most people use Flash nowadays, which being vector based, and a lot more efficient, scalable etc is a much better approach to animation.)

[gwpriester]

Not a bug, a feature. I think that the only way the image will export as a GIF when you specify it in the Name Gallery, is if you are exporting an image in slices. Which you are not.

Xara does not think anybody uses GIF images any more. They may be right, but still...

Here is what you can do but it requires a bit of effort.

Replace the PNG images with GIF images.

Edit the HTML source text (in Notepad or any text editor) and replace the .png with .gif.

The difference in image quality between 8-bit PNG and GIF is virtually the same. 8-bit PNG files are smaller in size even if both images are exported with the exact same number of colors, transparency, etc.

Gary

[gwpriester]

And since Charles is online.

If Xara is exporting PNG files, even when the user specifies GIF, then why is that option even in the Name Gallery?

[spyro70]

Mhh...I have understand that you want say.

So PNG is smaller like GIF?? If it is so then no problem...I believed that to make a "light" web page I must use always GIF.

[Squeaky]

a png CAN be smaller than a giff but only if you use a small number of colours (not 32 bit)
I still have clients requesting animated gifs for web adverts so they are still alive and kicking

[Charles Moir]

Well Xara can still make excellent animated GIFs using the animation features, but you just can't easily include one in your web page using HTML export feature (unless you do Gary's search and replace trick).

PNGs have quite a few advantages - the key one is that they support alpha channel transparency. So you can, for example, draw a graduated transparent shape over the objects on your web page - and when exported as HTML, that appears as a real semi-transparent object over your page, (done using CSS layers in the HTML). You can tell this by the fact you can still select text under semi-transparent objects in your browser.