Picture Transparency in Image Manager

[David Koudela]

Hi all,

I have a problem with picture’s background transparency when I add a new picture via Image Manager.
I would like to use alternate image for my Use Case Actor, but I need to have transparent background of the new image.
I have set transparent background of my picture in gimp editor. It seems to be working in other applications like MS Word, but EA Image Manager does not accept the transparent background.
I have used .png format of the file, I also converted the file to the all others, but it is still not working.

On other hand, pictures from imported Image Library have transparent background.

I have EA 7.1.830, can somebody help me with this?
Thanks,
David.

[«Midnight»]

I ran into this a while ago.

I think the 'solution' was to use metafiles for imported images. I found no other way to preserve transparency.

My guess is that this is a throwback to some legacy code, since EA tolerates transparent bitmaps elsewhere. I do not remember if I submitted a bug report on the issue - I was traveling at the time and might not have remembered when I got back - but if I did I've not heard back from Sparx.

David

[David Koudela]

Did you use .wmf or .emf format?
Unfortunately, I tried both and it seems to me that I cannot setup transparent background for .wmf and .emf files.
I used Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 bitmap editor.
Which bitmap editor shall I use to setup transparent background of .wmf or .emf files?
Thanks,
David.

[«Midnight»]

Hi David,

I really don't remember the format, but I think it was wmf. As to what I did with the file, that's a mystery. Normally I would have made some kind of notes, but I actually did this while waiting for a train, which proceeded to arrive just as I got it working.

As to the editor, I remember that the first thing that came to mind was the editor from SnagIt - the screen capture utility - since I was looking for something that would load fast and convert files. I'm not absolutely sure but I don't remember having to switch.

The above said, I have been successful in converting Visio images into EA. I think I saved as wmf, but again I'm not sure. These might have been the 'source' files I fed to SnagIt.

Sorry I can't be more helpful. As I said, it was really on the fly.

David

[David Koudela]

Hi David,

I inserted my picture to Visio and then I stored it as .wmf and .emf.
Both formats have transparent background in EA.
Picture quality is little bit less, but it is fine for my diagrams.

Thank you very much for your help,
David.

[«Midnight»]

I do remember the issue with picture quality.

EA also seems to like to size the image on its own, which produced results that did not (quite) match what I expected. All things considered though, I was able to make the whole thing work.

David

[David Koudela]

Hi David,

Ok, thanks.

I also found that the size of my image is different from I expected.
But this is not a crucial problem to me. I can change the size. Unfortunately, I have to do it every time when I paste the element as simple link.
Anyway this is minor issue here.

Thanks,
David.