Creating a "transparent" bitmap

[Kraftman]

I am having troubles creating a "transparent" bitmap (transparent = #FF0000). When I make the bitmap in Photoshop, it does work, the bitmaps in the strip are mainly transparent. If there is an empty area, it is transparent. You can see the window under it, instead of a horrible red.

But, it only sorta works, and I think this is because Photoshop makes things merge together nicely. The bitmaps I am trying to replace are in mspaint, and I am replacing them with partially transparent Tango icons. When I put a layer of red underneath everything to create the transparent effect, Photoshop blends the background + PNGs togther = reddish shadows and stuff.

So when converted into a bitmap, it is partially red since Photoshop did what it should, and blended the red. Which looks horrible.

Screenshot :

Does anyone know how to change this so it actually works? mspaint doesn't support alphabmps, only ugly background color bitmaps.

[Twisted Chaz]

Bitmaps can only handle full 100% (1.0 alpha channel?) transparency.

[Sam]

I'd suggest getting rid of the transparency and making the background a solid colour, the same as the buttons.

[vertigosity]

Convert it to an indexed-mode bitmap in GIMP... it'll give the images some aliasing and dump the variable alpha channel.

[primexx]

bitmaps support transparency?

[chopyaedoff]

Instead of using 1 colour alpha (Magenta or 'Magic Pink'), you can use a bit 32bit bitmap which will have an 8bit alpha channel.

There's two option to making a 32bit bitmap:

First - Create the image with a transparent background and then save it as a 32bit bitmap in Photoshop.

Second - Save it as a portable network graphic and then open it in Microsoft Paint and save it as a bitmap.

[LightIdea]

- forget it -

[vertigosity]

Bitmaps don't, normally. Some apps will use a color key (you VS-modders know what I'm talking about). Other XP apps use a special XP version of the bitmap format that includes full transparency. MS Paint isn't one of those, it'll only use a color key. But it's not too horrible.

[Kraftman]

vertigosity,

a) how did you make thee rounded rectangle

b) can you send me that bitmap (859) :p

[vertigosity]

  bobp said:

vertigosity,

a) how did you make thee rounded rectangle

b) can you send me that bitmap (859) :p

a. I quite literally just slapped some pixels down, in a bitmap image editor.

b.

[Kraftman]

Are you able to explain how exactly you went about making that bitmap, that acutally works?