Saving Bitmaps out of Photoshop!

from WinCustomize Forums
When I create a button in photoshop, there's always a little bit of transparent background around the edges, especially when what I'm making isn't rectangular. However, when saved as a bitmap, what used to be transparent in photoshop is made white by default. Is there a way I can avoid this? I want my unused canvas to remain transparent so only the button shows up when I import it into skin studio.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
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Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just make a new layer behind all others that is filled with magic pink (255,0,255) and save that as a bitmap.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Beware of the jaggies! If your edges are anti-aliased, you'll have various shades of pink. You might try the color of the background the buttons will be setting on, instead of the magic pink.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The problem is that often the button will be placed against a background that has gradients, which makes it difficult/impossible to fake the transparency. (unless i'm thinking of it the wrong way )

I'll keep it in mind though and try to do it when I can. thanks for the tip.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A difficulty I think you may be having is that when the image is shifted to Indexed Color from RGB, the color info will drift a bit. SO, if you specified 255,0,255 in PSD or JPG format, when you convert to Indexed color it will be different enough to fark up the transparency. (I had a lot of trouble with this in PS5)

I most always have to go back and re-touch the areas of transparency with the PENCIL tool to make certain it is all the specified transparency color. (The brush tool tends to fuzz-up surrounding pixels)

Also, To add a bit to Koasati's post, the safest way to deal with cutting/pasting is to turn the anti-aliasing off in Photoshop altogether when you make your selections. You end up with jagged lines, but I think it is much easier to tone-down jaggies if you have planned for them to begin with.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know exactly what you guys are talkin about now. I'm gettin looooots of jagged edges with some magenta specks stuck on the edges sometimes.

I guess I'll do what you suggested and take my images back into Photoshop 7 and try to clean it up with the pencil.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hm, I don't know much about WB skinning, but isn't it possible to use targa-files for the buttons ? Just an idea...
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Another idea is to create 2 layers

Layer 1 has the titlebar with the gradients
Layer 2 has the buttons

Then merge the layers and select the button area, copy and then paste as a new image. Then you have the button area with the gradients incorporated.

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Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Listen to Werewolf......
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That's pretty much what I meant werewolf.......but you said it a lot better.