How can I fill part of an imported bitmap image

[lenw]

I have an image which is currently on a white background. Imported into Xara Extreme Pro (which I use all the time), I can't find a way to fill the background with a different colour or make transparent, whilst leaving the image colour untouched. Using a Zara fill tool changes the colour of everything - background and the image on it. Using the image trace leaves a real mess. The way I have found is to first import into Microsoft Paint, do a fill in there then bring into Xara to resize and export - this just fills the background areas. Is there a way to acheive this in Extreme?

[masque]

Hi
If what you have imported is a bitmap with a white surround you can use the Mehdi Eraser plugin which you should have installed with Xara. This will enable you to remove the white box around the object and you can then place it onto a new colour background or do whatever you want with it.
One drawback to this is if you erase white and there are white areas in the object you want to keep they will be erased as well.
An alternative is to draw around the area you wish to keep and slice it out from the white.
This is my prefered method, though the drawing around the object takes a little practice.
Once you have drawn around the area you want to keep as accurately as possible you should have a closed, and therefore filled shape. Select the bitmap and your drawn shape and go to ARRANGE>COMBINE>INTERSECT.
This should leave you with the area you want that can be used on any background you may wish.
A little feathering can sometimes help merge to a new background.
Derek

[lenw]

Thanks for these suggestions.
Where do I find the Mehdi Eraser plug in, and how do I know if its installed? I used the XaraPro CD I got from Xara.

I use the shape editor then combine / intersect for cutting out photo images, but the image I am working with now although fairly simple - single colour, is a difficult shape. For now I have changed the background with MSPaint, and just want to be able to do the same in Xara.
Lenw

[masque]

Click on the plugin icon on the tool bar. Go to Mehdi > Eraser and you can select a colour to be erased. It can only effectivly erase areas of flat even colour.
Derek

[lenw]

Just discovered how to get to the plugins in Pro: select the object, then use the electric plud icon, select new then the plugin. The Medhi eraser works excellently - thanks for the help masque.
Lenw

[handrawn]

there are two medhi erasers - the classic, included with xara, and the genuine which is available on their website free.
they work differently and I find both worth having

[remi]

For bitmaps with white background there is also another - much more faster - technique:

1. Import the bitmap with the white background
2. Select the image and choose the Transparency Tool (F6)
3. Select the transparency type "Stained glass"
4. Finished

Regards,
Remi

[handrawn]

True Remi.

Thats a good quick method and a third option.

However stained glass transparency can have knock on effects - thats why, for example, we get a warning when we make a bitmap copy of it that the results may not be as we expect.

[remi]

Thanks for the mention, Steve. It is rarely that I create a bitmap copy (perhaps twice a year).

Remi