creating transparent .gif

R

risu

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I've been making pixel art for a 2D online rpg since 2003. The game's format is transparent .gif images, runs with Java. I've seen threads here where users provide an alternate file format, but this must be transparent .gif to work in the game.

In Windows, I always used a free program called Irfanview. It was simple and efficient. Now that I have Mac, it's difficult finding an equivalent program. I have so far tried Photoshop Elements 3, Preview, Pixen, and a few poor quality free programs that I deleted from my computer. I was ONCE able to save transparent .gif in Photoshop, but I haven't been able to do it twice, :confused: though I've tried all the possible combinations of 'save interlaced, save normal, exact pallete, etc.' they give you in the .gif menu.

So,
If anyone could provide me a link to a program that may work.. it's greatly appreciated.
 
If you have Leopard, I think X11.app is installed by default. IF it's anything older (Jaguar, Panther, Tiger), then you can install it from the installation disc for your Mac.
 
still, is there really no way to make transparent .gif without x11? seems like a pretty basic task to me.
 
GraphicConverter can do it. Select the part you want to make transparent, and then just select "Make Selection Transparent" from the Edit menu.

Photoshop can work, too. The key in Photoshop is to hide the background layer. That way the transparent parts of the other layer(s) will actually be transparent. I usually use the "Save for Web" option ot make gifs.

GIMP is your best choice for animated gifs, but otherwise it shouldn't be necessary.
 
GraphicConverter- I would rather not have to pay for a program to do this, also.. after i click "try it" a text file in Spanish pops up, and I'm not sure what it's instructing me to do.

Photoshop: I created a background layer behind the image (both layers appeared transparent, i could see the checkerboard photoshop bg) and saved it as forced for web. Could not find "save for web" with that exact wording. I checked the "save transparent" box, and in the preview window it did appear transparent. After saving, it was not.
 
risu said:
GraphicConverter- I would rather not have to pay for a program to do this, also.. .
Click to expand...
Did you download the version for you native language? At any rate, GraphicConverter is nagware. Before you pay the shareware fee, it is fully functional. However, it will nag you about paying every time you launch the app. GC is so good that you really ought to pay the fee. Paying the fee puts an end to the nagging. Or, you could just launch GC once and never shut it down.
 
Chocoflop WORKS!
You just put to rest 3 months of frustration with my new mac. :) thank you so very much.
and thanks to everyone for your time/help and links to cool programs.
 
risu said:
I've been making pixel art for a 2D online rpg since 2003. The game's format is transparent .gif images, runs with Java. I've seen threads here where users provide an alternate file format, but this must be transparent .gif to work in the game.

In Windows, I always used a free program called Irfanview. It was simple and efficient. Now that I have Mac, it's difficult finding an equivalent program. I have so far tried Photoshop Elements 3, Preview, Pixen, and a few poor quality free programs that I deleted from my computer. I was ONCE able to save transparent .gif in Photoshop, but I haven't been able to do it twice, :confused: though I've tried all the possible combinations of 'save interlaced, save normal, exact pallete, etc.' they give you in the .gif menu.

So,
If anyone could provide me a link to a program that may work.. it's greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Hi Risu,

There is a simple way to make a transparent GIF from any image by using the standard Mac OS X Preview application. (The feature may not be in older versions of Mac OS X, but it is in Mac OS X 10.5; Leopard.)

Open the image in Preview.

Click and hold down the "Select" button, and select "Instant Alpha".

Then drag in the area you want transparent, and it will increasingly fill as you drag. If you drag too far, you may start making parts of the image transparent, so drag slowly and watch carefully.

Press Return when you are done, and save as a GIF or PNG with "Alpha" checked.

There is also a Select choice of "Extract Shape", which may be useful for very irregular shapes; you draw around the shape to create a surrounding line, and then drag little handles to make the surrounding line fit more closely.

Good luck!
 
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