Transparent webpage backgrounds

Using XtremePro

I applied a shading transparency to the background of my web page but it won't show up in preview. Is this just the way it is or am I doing something wrong.

I liked the effect but.... Is there a way to get this to work?

DaveC

Hi Dave,

We really work better if you attach your file, stops all the guess work and get's to the heart of the matter much quicker.

Sorry about that. I had intended to attach the file. I think you'll see the effect I'm trying, subtle but present. Like the blue sky fading to lighter horizon.

Hope this works, first time I've tried it. Thanks for your interest.

Not sure what you did, but I tried re-making a rectangle and applied a linear transparency and it worked fine. I've attached it for you to look at. I'm guessing it has something to do with it being designated as an actual background so it fills the entire screen.

Jim

I think that's the problem. The filled-in rectangle works fine but not as a background. I find it odd but perhaps somebody knows how to do it.

Hi Dave,

A filled in rectangle can be your background but not with Transparency.

Create it as a linear fill from blue to a lighter blue or white.

Web browsers cannot use a transparent background.

I knew there was some simple explanation.

I tried your idea but no go. When I try to put a linear fill on the background it won't work for me. Says I have no object selected. Tried both locked and unlocked background layer.

I actually thought of this on my own but wasn't successful so gave up. What's the trick to make a linear fill actually work on the background.

Thanks

Dave you can do it in a couple of ways but I think the easiest is to make a tall (as tall as your page is long) and narrow (about 1 pixel will do) rectangle. Create a bitmap copy and then assign that to the background.

See the attached .xar (a copy of your file with the technique I described above).

Open the file then export and preview.

Dave,
Here's my sample with all blue fade background. Let me know what you think!

Jim

I think it's perfect. Looks exactly what I was trying to get, the wrong way. That's the nice thing about these programs: more than one way to skin a cat or fill a page.

Thanks to all of you for your help.

But I always like to know HOW these things work. Do I have to keep the long narrow bitmap with the working web page so it turns up in the bitmap gallery? Or, once inserted onto the web page does it really matter if it's in the bitmap gallery? I guess the real question is: Does the planned website have to go back to the bitmap gallery to complete the fill each time? Is my question clear?

Thanks again, Dave

After a bit of fidddling around I answered my last set of questions. I was able to reproduce what was suggested - all on my own. Had never noticed that "Create bitmap copy" before.

One problem:my bitmaps used as fills leave lines between each section. How do I overcome this? With this I think we can close my problem. Also whenever I do a fill now I get the Xara name as part of the fill. What did I do to deserve this? I don't think it was this way before.

Dave

When you make the rectangle and bitmap copy, make sure the width is in whole pixels. ie: 20 instead of 20.1.
The Xara logo is the default bitmap fill. If you make a rectangle and apply a bitmap fill instead of a linear fill, it will first be the Xara logo.

Thanks once again. Now it works like a charm. I also have the distinct impression I MAY actually know what I'm doing. Most likely incorrect and probably dangerous!

Dave

Dave,
It's funny that I anticipated the Xara logo bitmap fill and line on the edge of the export! I think we've all been through those before. Something else to watch out for is that the bitmap fills can be linked together. If you make a bunch of rectangles and apply a bitmap fill to all of them, they all will have the default Xara logo. Then if you change just one of them, they all will change, so you have to make them one at a time. I've done it where I tried making a bunch of thumbnails with a bitmap fill and all were linked together. I had to go back to each one and make it a flat fill first before changing to a bitmap fill. Lots of extra work on my part, but it's something that can be useful when you need it.
Good luck and have fun!

Jim