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I have created a gif file with a transparent background. I have also
made an enewsletter through microsoft work. When insert this file and
sent it over email it comes out kinda pixal-ely. This doesnt happen
with the jpeg pics on the same page? Why is this, and how can i fix
it???

Thanks/\

wrote in
news: oups.com:

> I have created a gif file with a transparent background. I
> have also made an enewsletter through microsoft work. When
> insert this file and sent it over email it comes out kinda
> pixal-ely. This doesnt happen with the jpeg pics on the
> same page? Why is this, and how can i fix it???
>
> Thanks/\
>

The GIF format only uses 256 colors, although you can -
depending on the program you use - choose the 256 most suited to
your purposes - whether those 256 will be the one "on the other
end" is another matter. There IS a standard 256-color Windows
palette which it is safest to stick to.

(This is why sometimes when viewing a series of gif pictures
some look fine and some flash colors momentarily before
adjusting the palette. That's because the indiv. pictures use
custom palettes, and some systems can only display one palette
at a time.)

The reason transparent gifs show up "funny" is that the color
chosen as transparent does not match the background color, or
the "transparent" color used by the recipient. FWIW, I have
NEVER run across a transparent GIF that looked OK >anywhere<
except on its original web page etc.

Considering that in many cases a GIF will be larger than a JPG
of the same image, I would recommend sticking to JPG's.

You can Google for specifics of the most popular image formats
if you want more info and possibly something you can use to
apply to your particular problem.

Are you sure???? What about the google.gif file. that has looked good
on every computer i have ever used.


I think i have determined my problem has something to do with MS word.
Maybe it doestn like gif files or something.




thanatoid wrote:
> wrote in
> news: oups.com:
>
> > I have created a gif file with a transparent background. I
> > have also made an enewsletter through microsoft work. When
> > insert this file and sent it over email it comes out kinda
> > pixal-ely. This doesnt happen with the jpeg pics on the
> > same page? Why is this, and how can i fix it???
> >
> > Thanks/\
> >
>
> The GIF format only uses 256 colors, although you can -
> depending on the program you use - choose the 256 most suited to
> your purposes - whether those 256 will be the one "on the other
> end" is another matter. There IS a standard 256-color Windows
> palette which it is safest to stick to.
>
> (This is why sometimes when viewing a series of gif pictures
> some look fine and some flash colors momentarily before
> adjusting the palette. That's because the indiv. pictures use
> custom palettes, and some systems can only display one palette
> at a time.)
>
> The reason transparent gifs show up "funny" is that the color
> chosen as transparent does not match the background color, or
> the "transparent" color used by the recipient. FWIW, I have
> NEVER run across a transparent GIF that looked OK >anywhere<
> except on its original web page etc.
>
> Considering that in many cases a GIF will be larger than a JPG
> of the same image, I would recommend sticking to JPG's.
>
> You can Google for specifics of the most popular image formats
> if you want more info and possibly something you can use to
> apply to your particular problem.

wrote in
news: ups.com:

> Are you sure???? What about the google.gif file. that has
> looked good on every computer i have ever used.
>
>
> I think i have determined my problem has something to do
> with MS word. Maybe it doestn like gif files or something.
>
<SNIP>

I haven't played around with them but I have no reason to
suspect the Google image(s) are "transparent", they simply use
white as the background, and they merge seamlessly with the
white background.
The are all rectangles, so they are not transparent.

But even a transparent gif with white as the transparent color
might look almost same on WHITE background.

Using MS Office/Word is another problem and you're on your own
there. Last time I had it installed was about 10 years ago at
work, and I have chosen less trouble-prone software for my home
use since then.

Even though gif is one of the older and most common image
formats, it certainly would not surprise me if Word "didn't like
it".

you are right about the google image. thought it is a gif it is on a
white background.
but this is what i dont get. and i admit i am new to creating
graphics. when i take the google gif logo and insert it into my
enewsletter.....and send it....there is absolutly no problem. None.
When i take my gif logo and do the same thing. It appears that the my
text has bleed into the white. If the text is black there is like a
black bleed or speckled....it isnt bold and solid like the google
letter. Maybe this goes into how i made it and how they did or what?
Do you have any ideas how i can fix this. I wish there was a way to
attach files so i could show you. Many thnks Caleb


thanatoid wrote:
> wrote in
> news: ups.com:
>
> > Are you sure???? What about the google.gif file. that has
> > looked good on every computer i have ever used.
> >
> >
> > I think i have determined my problem has something to do
> > with MS word. Maybe it doestn like gif files or something.
> >
> <SNIP>
>
> I haven't played around with them but I have no reason to
> suspect the Google image(s) are "transparent", they simply use
> white as the background, and they merge seamlessly with the
> white background.
> The are all rectangles, so they are not transparent.
>
> But even a transparent gif with white as the transparent color
> might look almost same on WHITE background.
>
> Using MS Office/Word is another problem and you're on your own
> there. Last time I had it installed was about 10 years ago at
> work, and I have chosen less trouble-prone software for my home
> use since then.
>
> Even though gif is one of the older and most common image
> formats, it certainly would not surprise me if Word "didn't like
> it".

wrote in
news: ups.com:

> you are right about the google image. thought it is a gif
> it is on a white background.
> but this is what i dont get. and i admit i am new to
> creating graphics. when i take the google gif logo and
> insert it into my enewsletter.....and send it....there is
> absolutly no problem. None. When i take my gif logo and do
> the same thing. It appears that the my text has bleed into
> the white. If the text is black there is like a black
> bleed or speckled....it isnt bold and solid like the google
> letter. Maybe this goes into how i made it and how they
> did or what? Do you have any ideas how i can fix this. I
> wish there was a way to attach files so i could show you.
> Many thnks Caleb
>
>
> thanatoid wrote:
>> wrote in
>> news: ups.com:
>>
>> > Are you sure???? What about the google.gif file. that
>> > has looked good on every computer i have ever used.
>> >
>> >
>> > I think i have determined my problem has something to do
>> > with MS word. Maybe it doestn like gif files or
>> > something.
>> >
>> <SNIP>
>>
>> I haven't played around with them but I have no reason to
>> suspect the Google image(s) are "transparent", they simply
>> use white as the background, and they merge seamlessly
>> with the white background.
>> The are all rectangles, so they are not transparent.
>>
>> But even a transparent gif with white as the transparent
>> color might look almost same on WHITE background.
>>
>> Using MS Office/Word is another problem and you're on your
>> own there. Last time I had it installed was about 10 years
>> ago at work, and I have chosen less trouble-prone software
>> for my home use since then.
>>
>> Even though gif is one of the older and most common image
>> formats, it certainly would not surprise me if Word
>> "didn't like it".
>
>

I am assuming you are using Word which as I said I haven't used
in a decade or so. It has been trying to become a desktop-
publishing program but IMO is just a bloated buggy and horrible
word processor.

In real DTP programs you can arrange items in "vertical" layers,
so part of one can show through another or not, in fact if you
make a big mess you can just make a big white rectangle and
cover it up by putting it on the top layer (although it is not
considered a very "elegant" or economical way to do things).

You can make ANY image partially transparent >as a whole< as
opposed to GIF's where a PARTICULAR color is transparent. Unless
the image is 1000% very clean, these can be the little speckles
you mention.

Or your gif image (256 colors) is somehow mismatched palette-
wise with your newsletter (different 256 colors? or ???),
especially if you are making your GIF's transparent, which I see
no reason to do - but I don't know what you are doing exactly,
either.

The solution is either use jpg's (you can still have text go
around or over the image - well, maybe not in Word, but in a
real DTP program you can) or to make sure the GIF's aren't
transparent. Although you have not explained in detail, I see no
other reasons for the symptom you described.

There are numerous binary "test" groups where you can pretty
much get away with posting anything, but I doubt I would be able
to help you much more even if I saw the images. Depending on
source, I always work in BMP or JPG or the application's native
format and when I'm done I save as a JPG. The most fun thing
about GIF's is that you can make little animations out of them,
but that's another subject.

Look through the alt.graphics and comp.graphics hierarchies to
hopefully find people better qualified to help you. I have used
PageMaker and several paint/draw programs for years but I have
never worked with GIF's except for some small B&W logos, so...

Or if you are daring, post you question to a DTP group (like
Pagemaker, Quark, InDesign) although they might very well just
tell you to get the hell out of there.

I see you are in Google groups, just put a few keywords in
advanced search and see what you come up with.

Good luck.