Please tell me the secret of MAGIC ERASE

[Thopaga]

Hello.
I was wondering if someone could clarify the use of Magic Erase - I am using Photo & Graphic Designer 2013.
When I try to replace an area with another of the same photo it does not work properly with PNG but seems to work almost 90% good with BMP.
It looks like the colour is not correct with PNG even thou the Feather = None.
Does this means that Magic Erase should be done with another format than PNG?
Do you know if there is possible that Magic Erase will not copy the source area colour 100% on any format even if the Feather = None?
Thanks.

[gwpriester]

Welcome to TalkGraphics

You are perhaps confusing the Clone Tool with the Magic Erase option/function.

The Clone Tool lets you create an area of a photo (by drawing a shape) that you can then drag other parts of the photo into.

The Magic Erase function uses the same selection but attempts to remove parts of the area that are different from surrounding area.

[Rik]

Hi.

I'm not sure I understand your question exactly.
Maybe a sample image of what you're trying to do would help.

But, I've just taken a PNG and Magic Erased, without any problems.

[Thopaga]

Thanks gwpriester and Rik, very good news.
Gwpriester, yes that is a Clone I tried to do.
Rik, I think the problem lies close to the edges of Transparency with PNG.
Maybe that is why I have had some problems.
Thanks for your kind help.

[angelize]

One thing that I have found with the clone tool and magic erase is that some backgrounds which are diffuse (like the background in Rik's example) make easy to remove something quickly in one go. But often you can use a combo of the two methods to deal with more difficult backgrounds and another tip: When working with the cloning/magic erase the program creates a photo group and this group can be flattened by right click>flatten photo group, which gives you a single photo again.

[Thopaga]

Thanks Angelize, yes that seems to help.
I need to play around with it a little more.
It looks now that edges close to Transparency might cause some problems with PNG and not BMP.
Probably because I had first used the Shape Eraser Tool.
So until I have learned and experienced more I will first use BMP and later convert it to PNG.
Thanks for your kind help.

[handrawn]

I am a little confused about your reference to PNG or BMP

I know there is an option for this when using an external bitmap editor

I'm not at all sure that a windows BMP bitmap supports [allows] transparency, but I could be wrong

[Thopaga]

I am a little confused about your reference to PNG or BMP

I know there is an option for this when using an external bitmap editor

I'm not at all sure that a windows BMP bitmap supports [allows] transparency, but I could be wrong

Yes handrawn, I must have explained this a little wrong.
BMP is without transparency when converted from PNG.
Thanks.

[handrawn]

ok you are importing the BMP and the PNG into Xara ?

If the PNG has transparency that will affect the cloning, yes.

[Thopaga]

Thanks Handrawn, you're a genius.
I did not import them both, but when you told me I did, so I can actually clone from the BMP directly to the PNG.

Anyway, I have found out that my problem was a beginner problem.
I thought that when I clone from another part I had to use the MAGIC ERASE button.
Instead all I had to do was to click outside the area to make it work.
By using a combination of Clone and Magic Erase I have no problem anymore.
So thanks to all of you for guiding me towards the correct solution.
Thanks.