Export Vector To Transparent GIF With Highest Quality?

**jimhanus** · 11 February 2010, 02:29 AM

I'm trying to export a vector logo made in Xara to a transparent GIF but not having much luck. I'm trying to get the highest quality possible, file size doesn't matter. I'm getting a fringe color on the letters even though there are just text in the original. Is there a specific way to get the cleanest edges and maximum sharpness? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Jim

**Fred C** · 11 February 2010, 02:43 AM

Hi Jim,

Gary has an article in a XaraXone Workbook that should help:
http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/workbook23/page_1.htm

Regards,

**steve.ledger** · 11 February 2010, 02:57 AM

May I ask why it has to be .gif Jim?
.png true-color with Alpha is the best choice for clean graphics with transparency.

**jimhanus** · 11 February 2010, 03:38 AM

sledger,
Customer requested GIF for their application. I do prefer PNG but can't in this case. I know about creating the GIF on the same or similar background as the intended page (as in the tutorial), but I don't know what that color is. I was hoping for some tips, maybe some other tricks I'm not aware of. Changing some of the export settings I don't see any difference in the output so I'm not sure what settings to use in what situation.

Jim

**handrawn** · 11 February 2010, 08:49 AM

Hi Jim

the white fringe can be dealt with in photoshop, though it needs a white removal filter to work best

however the stepped edge I think you are stuck with in gif format because of its limitations

the attached shows test out which is the vector created in, and exported from, xtreme as gif

test pse shows this file which has been run through the white removal filter [I use 'mac's remove white '] in photoshop[elements] and exported as gif - there is no white, but the step edge remains
[it imported as index file - needed to change mode to rgb for this to work]

the third shows an attempt to do same in xtreme - never got this to work properly in xtreme [and I used to need to do it a lot]

the images are shown below with a color layer beneath to highlight the differences

Been a year or three since I did this, but as I recall the real issue in xtreme is partly the anti-aliasing methodology and partly the fact that you can never have an object in xtreme without a background color behind it, be it page/pasteboard/whatever [unlike photoshop where you can]
[Last time I moaned about this, in another context, I got shot down in flames

]

here are the files

**steve.ledger** · 11 February 2010, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by jimhanus

sledger,
Customer requested GIF for their application.

Hi Jim,

Is this a Web related question or a Graphics related question?

**jimhanus** · 11 February 2010, 09:30 AM

sledger,
It's to be used on a website. Why are you asking? Is there a difference?
handdrawn,
Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like there really isn't much more I can do to improve on what I have already done other than the white filter. Thanks.

Jim

**steve.ledger** · 11 February 2010, 09:37 AM

Just trying to understand the context of 'application' which perhaps means that your customer is developing an app which will run in an environment not capable of showing more than 256 colours.