Uploading images with invisible backgrounds

[Shaliza]

Hello:

I have a question about uploading images with an invisible background on my forum.

allkindsofeverything.boards.net

If I upload images/avatars to the themes directly from my iMac computer, then the invisible background is not retained and it ends up showing as white. The only way I can have the invisibility maintained is if I link the board images directed from my image host. 

I also tried a new image host NickPic a few months back, and every time I uploaded an invisible image to the site, the background showed up white too. Most if not all the images are PNG ones. 

Is there anyway I can get around this? I would like to upload all the images to my themes if possible, so that I don't have to hotlink from my image host as much as I do. The reason being that I would like the images to be intact if the host decides to hiccup which has happened in the past. 

Thanks in advance for the help!  

[Retread]

Feb 1, 2020 19:28:24 GMT -8 Shaliza said:

If I upload images/avatars to the themes directly from my iMac computer, then the invisible background is not retained and it ends up showing as white. The only way I can have the invisibility maintained is if I link the board images directed from my image host. 

"Hi Shaliza

I don't know why that would be happening. If we can't solve this, we might need to get a ProBoards Admin in the loop when they're in their office on Monday.

As a test, I copied the New Posts and No New Posts icons you're using on your forum to my computer, then uploaded them to my test forum. (I'm using a lightblue background color in this post so you can see the result. They both maintained the transparency:


storage.proboards.com/6994517/images/VcfOwYIteIgIqcjVadau.png


storage.proboards.com/6994517/images/HFa0gxijvMjpEhsKXgAj.png

Is it possible your iMac is converting the images to a different file format (for instance .jpg) which doesn't support transparency?

[Shaliza]

Hello Retread,

Thanks for the quick reply. I don't think the iMac is converting the images to another format, because the .png is maintained when I check the PB link of the image that was uploaded.

NickPic will not retain the transparency either when I upload images from my iMac. But my current image host Village Photos does. So I'm really baffled, LOL.

[Retread]

Feb 1, 2020 20:13:33 GMT -8 Shaliza said:

NickPic will not retain the transparency either when I upload images from my iMac.

That's puzzling. When I uploaded those images to nickpic from my computer, the transparency was retained.


nickpic.host/image/s1rdf5


nickpic.host/image/s1sIEM

Any chance you can try uploading from a different computer or even just a different browser than Safari?

[Shaliza]

I don't have access to a PC unless I use the ones at work and we're not supposed to use them for personal stuff.

I guess I can wait to see if any of the Admins have any insights to offer. Thanks for testing out the images for me though, I really appreciate it. The issue probably has to do with the iMac, but I'm not sure why Village Photos is not having a problem with the transparency. Very bizarre to say the least.

[Kami]

It's safe to rule out this being a software problem with PB because you can confirm it happens on a third party site as well, so no need to ping the admins about this.

I think I may know what is causing this, but to confirm, a couple of questions:

- if these images are uploaded to one host, how are you "transferring" them to PB / another host? are you downloading from Host 1 to your computer then re-uploading to Host 2, downloading them from the originating site, or are you creating these from a program on your Mac then uploading from your computer directly?

- when did you last upload to Host 1?

[Shaliza]

Hello Kami

Thanks for taking the time to help me out.  

I will call Village Photos Host 1 and NickPic Host 2. I upload images to Host 1 almost daily and my last time doing this was this past Friday (1/31/2020). 

After making things like avatars, theme images, etc, I save them to my iMac's photos folder and upload images to my host from there. I haven't tried to upload any images to Host 2 for several months because the transparency wasn't maintained. I can upload the same images to Host 1 and have no problem retaining the transparency. 

I use a free online editing program called Luna Pic to make the images and then save them to my computer. 

www4.lunapic.com/editor/

In terms of transferring the images to my forum, I've tried to upload directly from my computer without having the transparency retained. I've used the image links from Host 2 and had the same problem. I can use the links from Host 1 and the transparency is maintained. 

I hope this helps to answer your questions. Thanks again. 

[Kami]

Hm, that actually rules out what I was thinking (that you were losing the Alpha channel when saving to the Mac, which happens on occasion and is an easy fix).

Let's do a small test. Download this image:
i.dlpng.com/static/png/175869_preview.png

When you open this up in the mac, does it show as transparent?

[Shaliza]

When I downloaded the image to my computer it showed up as a black dot. Is that what I was supposed to see?

[Kami]

Feb 2, 2020 13:47:15 GMT -8 Shaliza said:

When I downloaded the image to my computer it showed up as a black dot. Is that what I was supposed to see?

You should have seen a black dot with a transparent background. Did you see a black dot on a transparent background, or on a solid background?

[Shaliza]

Hello again, Kami, 

When I downloaded the image to my computer it shows up as a black dot on a white background in the photos folder. When I opened it in the photo editor (also on the Mac), it shows up the invisible background. When I uploaded it to Village Photos it again showed up with an invisible background. 

I usually click and drag photos to save them on my computer. Not sure if this is the problem? 

[Kami]

Feb 2, 2020 18:43:26 GMT -8 Shaliza said:

Hello again, Kami, 

When I downloaded the image to my computer it shows up as a black dot on a white background in the photos folder. When I opened it in the photo editor (also on the Mac), it shows up the invisible background. When I uploaded it to Village Photos it again showed up with an invisible background. 

I usually click and drag photos to save them on my computer. Not sure if this is the problem? 

When you save the photo in the photo editor, can you make sure you're saving with the Alpha channel unchecked like this: i.stack.imgur.com/Ejjur.png

Then try uploading it to PB and see what happens.

[Shaliza]

Hello again, Kami... 

Sorry to be so ignorant, but how do I get to the menu option that shows the Alpha channel? I tried different things but it does not show up? 

Thanks again for all your help.  

[Kami]

Its been about a month since I last used a mac, but this should just be the File > Save As dialogue when you're saving the image.

And no need to apologise, you're learning new things which is always good (:

[Shaliza]

Hello Kami, 

I tried to find that menu again, but under file --> save as in the picture preview window, I don't have the option of the menu you posted an image of. There is no alpha setting at all.