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In response to Michael's questions about transparent GIF's, I'll tell you
what I have found and maybe someone can enlighten both of us on the subject.
1) From what I understand in the case of HTML images, it is not enough to
turn an image transparent in a graphics tool. You have to use a utility
that transposes the GIF into what is called an 87a or 89a. This is so that
the browser sees the image as transparent and allows the background color or
background image to come through.
Does anyone know what the difference between an 87a and an 89a is?
You can download a shareware utility for making GIF's transparent from any
internet shareware resource. If you need to know the locations of the
shareware sites send me a personal e-mail and I will get them to you.
2) I have been searching for a utility that can do batch conversions of
GIF's to transparent 87a or 89a. I have not had any luck.
Does anyone know if there is a way to do batch conversion of GIF's to
transparent 87a or 89a?
I don't think it is possible to do a batch conversion. The reason is that
each image has to be opened in the conversion utility and then you must
click on the area that is to be transparent.
3) Is this the same for screen captures? I'm not sure, but would assume it
is. Does anyone know?
4) The procedure can go pretty quick if you have all of your images in a
separate graphics directory from your html files.
5) Yes there is one work around. Keep your background white. Not my
personal preference, but if time is an issue, we do what we must. Like it
isn't ever THE issue. ;-)
One new development I thought I would share with everyone. I wrote in my
first message on the subject that I was translating the source file from
Interleaf into ASCI to convert them to HTML. This caused the native
Interleaf vector images to be corrupted. I have since come across a filter
that converts Interleaf ASCI to Word RTF (text and graphics). Amazingly
enough this format works very well. It kept a good part of my text and the
images are "doable". I'm not sure where the filter originated, I don't
think that it is one of the Interleaf standard filters.
In God we trust; all others must provide data.
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