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I need to create a bmp file with "white" text that I can superimpose on
a bmp image file (I use a program that merges two bmp files). If I use
a transparent canvas and set the color to white, the text is invisible.

What am I missing here?

Todd

Are you flattening the image before saving as a bmp?

AMD'r

"Todd Cary" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:ENYJb.6522$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I need to create a bmp file with "white" text that I can superimpose on
> a bmp image file (I use a program that merges two bmp files). If I use
> a transparent canvas and set the color to white, the text is invisible.
>
> What am I missing here?
>
> Todd
>

Todd Cary wrote:
> I need to create a bmp file with "white" text that I can superimpose on
> a bmp image file (I use a program that merges two bmp files). If I use
> a transparent canvas and set the color to white, the text is invisible.
>
> What am I missing here?
>
> Todd
>
Where is the type not visible? In Photoshop or the other program? What
is the Blending Mode?

What are you setting to white, the canvas or the type? Or both?

--
Comic book sketches and artwork:
http://www.sover.net/~hannigan/edjh.html

Todd Cary wrote:
> I need to create a bmp file with "white" text that I can superimpose
> on a bmp image file (I use a program that merges two bmp files). If
> I use a transparent canvas and set the color to white, the text is
> invisible.
>
> What am I missing here?

BMP files don't save transparency - instead you get white where the file
would have been transparent. Even if that didn't get you, it's likely that
your merging program assumes that pure white is transparent as well.

Being a photoshop person, and as long as you are already creating the text
in Photoshop, I'd suggest you ditch your bmp merger and create a Photoshop
action to merge the text. You'll have other effects such as drop shadow
available that way as well.

If you want to stick with your bmp utility, though, one solution would be to
use slightly off-white text. Try darkening the text a bit to see if that
does the trick. You may be able to use 254,254, 254 for your text, but you
may want to start with a brightness of rgb 250,250,250 or so to avoid any
issues with roundoff error.
--

Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com
www.geigy.2y.net

Mike -

It must have to do with transparency and bmp files - I need to look at
the code and determine what is happening.

The reason I use the program that merges the two files is because it
does a complete directory: converts the jpg photo images (after I have
worked on them with PS), resizes them to thumbnails are to a specified
size for the Web, merges the copyright, puts a border around them and a
drop shadow and creates the HTML (http://209.204.172.137/dictionary/ ).

Now, I tried black with 100% opacity and the anti-alias (PS 7) is
"smooth". I am getting what appears to be aliasing.

http://209.204.172.137/test/dsc_1315.jpg

Is that correct?

Todd

Mike Russell wrote:
> Todd Cary wrote:
>
>>I need to create a bmp file with "white" text that I can superimpose
>>on a bmp image file (I use a program that merges two bmp files). If
>>I use a transparent canvas and set the color to white, the text is
>>invisible.
>>
>>What am I missing here?
>
>
> BMP files don't save transparency - instead you get white where the file
> would have been transparent. Even if that didn't get you, it's likely that
> your merging program assumes that pure white is transparent as well.
>
> Being a photoshop person, and as long as you are already creating the text
> in Photoshop, I'd suggest you ditch your bmp merger and create a Photoshop
> action to merge the text. You'll have other effects such as drop shadow
> available that way as well.
>
> If you want to stick with your bmp utility, though, one solution would be to
> use slightly off-white text. Try darkening the text a bit to see if that
> does the trick. You may be able to use 254,254, 254 for your text, but you
> may want to start with a brightness of rgb 250,250,250 or so to avoid any
> issues with roundoff error.

Todd Cary wrote:
> Mike -
>
> It must have to do with transparency and bmp files - I need to look at
> the code and determine what is happening.
>
> The reason I use the program that merges the two files is because it
> does a complete directory: converts the jpg photo images (after I have
> worked on them with PS), resizes them to thumbnails are to a specified
> size for the Web, merges the copyright, puts a border around them and
> a
> drop shadow and creates the HTML (http://209.204.172.137/dictionary/
> ).
>
> Now, I tried black with 100% opacity and the anti-alias (PS 7) is
> "smooth". I am getting what appears to be aliasing.
>
> http://209.204.172.137/test/dsc_1315.jpg
>
> Is that correct?

This is a white matte around the black text. One workaround is to use a 50%
gray background, which will cover most of the problem most of the time.

Another solution is to turn off anti-aliasing. This will give you jaggies,
but it will look a lot better than what you're getting now. Still another
solution would be to add the text before resizing the thumbnail, if you have
that option.

The ultimate solution is to use an alpha channel to get a clean anti-aliased
mask, but that would require the use of full Photoshop, or some other
alpha-aware imaging app.
--

Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com
www.geigy.2y.net