Making a .gif file transparent

JPEG images cannot have transparency. So if that is what you are asking then
the answer is "no". Only GIF and PNG images can have transparency in them.
GIMP's native XCF format can also retain transparency but it is not usable
as a production image format -- you must "export it" (use File > Save As) to
a supported image format, such as JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, or others depending
on the system you are using.

Nathan

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 8:44 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:

> I will check them all out. Thanks, Nathan. Does it work the same with a
> .jpg file?
>
> On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:41:51 -0700, "Nathan Lane" <nathamberlane@gmail.com
> >
> wrote:
> > Attached I have included several screenshots, using the latest and
> greatest
> > GIMP on Windows XP. No doubt it is better on other operating systems, but
> > it
> > should function the same. In the first image
> > (gif_indexed_showingcolormap.jpeg), you'll see that a normal GIF image is
> > indexed. This makes it difficult to introduce new colors or even
> > transparency if it doesn't already exist. The second image
> > (gif_indexed_selectingcolornotinindex.jpeg) I show selecting a color that
> > is
> > not in the colormap. In the third image
> > (gif_indexed_paintedusingorangebutgotpink.jpeg) I show the result of
> using
> > a
> > color that is not in the colormap -- basically it is defined as
> > "unexpected". In the fourth image (gi_indexed_getcolorusingdropper.jpeg)
> I
> > use the dropper tool to get tha actual color that was used instead of
> > orange, which is based on the colormap. In the fifth image
> > (gif_indexed_showingpastedimageonlyindexedimageshavecolormap.jpeg), I
> show
> > you that only indexed images have a colormap, and once you copy the GIF
> > image and paste it onto a new image, you are no longer restrained by the
> > colormap as to what you can do with the image -- you'll need to resave it
> > later to keep it, my advice is save it as XCF, which is GIMP's native
> > format. This native format retains all of the image data and doesn't
> > restrict any operations on the image. In the sixth image
> > (gif_indexed_paintingonpastedimage.jpeg) I show you the result of
> painting
> > orange on the pasted image. And finally in the seventh image
> > (gif_indexed_delselectedareaofimagewithtransparentbg.jpeg), I show you
> > that
> > I can select an area, press the delete (Del) key, and now I have a
> > transparent area in the image. This however relies on the image have a
> > transparent background by default, which you can set in Edit >
> Preferences
> >>
> > Default Image, and in the "Fill With" select box, select "Transparency",
> > click on OK and now the default image will have a transparent background.
> >
> > I hope this helps you understand why the operation you were trying to do
> > did
> > no work originally.
> >
> > Nathan
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 8:01 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:
> >
> >> Nathan,
> >>
> >> It's an image we created for our website to protect photos sent to us
> > for
> >> display by watermarking them and I've tried layering and adding an alpha
> >> layer to no avail. I am clueless as to the ins and outs of imaging
> >> software and GIMP is the program we use. I've searched the tutorials to
> > no
> >> avail.
> >>
> >> Gene
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:36:41 -0700, "Nathan Lane"
> > <nathamberlane@gmail.com
> >> >
> >> wrote:
> >> > Hi Gene, maybe you could help us out by telling us the steps you took
> >> > previously to create transparent areas on the GIF image you are
> > talking
> >> > about. Also, are you using a GIF image that you created or that you
> >> > downloaded from somewhere?
> >> >
> >> > Nathan
> >> >
> >> > On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 7:05 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Just beginning to use GIMP and I am baffled about how to properly
> >> > transform
> >> >> a .gif file to make it appear transparent when I subsequently add it
> > to
> >> > a
> >> >> photo. Each method I have tried still has a "solid" image that
> > blocks
> >> > out
> >> >> the original photo. Thanks in advance.
> >> >>
> >> >> Gene
> >> >>
> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> Gimp-user mailing list
> >> >> Gimp-user@lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU
> >> >> https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Nathan Lane
> >> > Home, http://www.nathandelane.com
> >> > Blog, http://nathandelane.blogspot.com
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Nathan Lane
> > Home, http://www.nathandelane.com
> > Blog, http://nathandelane.blogspot.com
>
>

If you were asking whether .JPG (also JPEG) files have the problem of being
indexed or having a colormap, then the answer to that question is also "no",
however if you have a JPEG image that you would like to work on, then copy
the entire image and paste it into a new image (Edit > Paste As > New Image)
to work on it (also save it as GIMP's native XCF to maintain the quality of
the image, then export it to JPEG when you're done editing), because
generally the more you save over a JPEG image, the more it tries to
re-compress the image, and you're image quality will slowly degrade, at
least in theory.

Nathan

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 8:44 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:

> I will check them all out. Thanks, Nathan. Does it work the same with a
> .jpg file?
>
> On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:41:51 -0700, "Nathan Lane" <nathamberlane@gmail.com
> >
> wrote:
> > Attached I have included several screenshots, using the latest and
> greatest
> > GIMP on Windows XP. No doubt it is better on other operating systems, but
> > it
> > should function the same. In the first image
> > (gif_indexed_showingcolormap.jpeg), you'll see that a normal GIF image is
> > indexed. This makes it difficult to introduce new colors or even
> > transparency if it doesn't already exist. The second image
> > (gif_indexed_selectingcolornotinindex.jpeg) I show selecting a color that
> > is
> > not in the colormap. In the third image
> > (gif_indexed_paintedusingorangebutgotpink.jpeg) I show the result of
> using
> > a
> > color that is not in the colormap -- basically it is defined as
> > "unexpected". In the fourth image (gi_indexed_getcolorusingdropper.jpeg)
> I
> > use the dropper tool to get tha actual color that was used instead of
> > orange, which is based on the colormap. In the fifth image
> > (gif_indexed_showingpastedimageonlyindexedimageshavecolormap.jpeg), I
> show
> > you that only indexed images have a colormap, and once you copy the GIF
> > image and paste it onto a new image, you are no longer restrained by the
> > colormap as to what you can do with the image -- you'll need to resave it
> > later to keep it, my advice is save it as XCF, which is GIMP's native
> > format. This native format retains all of the image data and doesn't
> > restrict any operations on the image. In the sixth image
> > (gif_indexed_paintingonpastedimage.jpeg) I show you the result of
> painting
> > orange on the pasted image. And finally in the seventh image
> > (gif_indexed_delselectedareaofimagewithtransparentbg.jpeg), I show you
> > that
> > I can select an area, press the delete (Del) key, and now I have a
> > transparent area in the image. This however relies on the image have a
> > transparent background by default, which you can set in Edit >
> Preferences
> >>
> > Default Image, and in the "Fill With" select box, select "Transparency",
> > click on OK and now the default image will have a transparent background.
> >
> > I hope this helps you understand why the operation you were trying to do
> > did
> > no work originally.
> >
> > Nathan
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 8:01 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:
> >
> >> Nathan,
> >>
> >> It's an image we created for our website to protect photos sent to us
> > for
> >> display by watermarking them and I've tried layering and adding an alpha
> >> layer to no avail. I am clueless as to the ins and outs of imaging
> >> software and GIMP is the program we use. I've searched the tutorials to
> > no
> >> avail.
> >>
> >> Gene
> >>
> >>
> >> On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:36:41 -0700, "Nathan Lane"
> > <nathamberlane@gmail.com
> >> >
> >> wrote:
> >> > Hi Gene, maybe you could help us out by telling us the steps you took
> >> > previously to create transparent areas on the GIF image you are
> > talking
> >> > about. Also, are you using a GIF image that you created or that you
> >> > downloaded from somewhere?
> >> >
> >> > Nathan
> >> >
> >> > On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 7:05 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Just beginning to use GIMP and I am baffled about how to properly
> >> > transform
> >> >> a .gif file to make it appear transparent when I subsequently add it
> > to
> >> > a
> >> >> photo. Each method I have tried still has a "solid" image that
> > blocks
> >> > out
> >> >> the original photo. Thanks in advance.
> >> >>
> >> >> Gene
> >> >>
> >> >> _______________________________________________
> >> >> Gimp-user mailing list
> >> >> Gimp-user@lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU
> >> >> https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Nathan Lane
> >> > Home, http://www.nathandelane.com
> >> > Blog, http://nathandelane.blogspot.com
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Nathan Lane
> > Home, http://www.nathandelane.com
> > Blog, http://nathandelane.blogspot.com
>
>

Just beginning to use GIMP and I am baffled about how to properly transform
a .gif file to make it appear transparent when I subsequently add it to a
photo. Each method I have tried still has a "solid" image that blocks out
the original photo. Thanks in advance.

Gene

Hi Gene, maybe you could help us out by telling us the steps you took
previously to create transparent areas on the GIF image you are talking
about. Also, are you using a GIF image that you created or that you
downloaded from somewhere?

Nathan

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 7:05 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:

> Just beginning to use GIMP and I am baffled about how to properly transform
> a .gif file to make it appear transparent when I subsequently add it to a
> photo. Each method I have tried still has a "solid" image that blocks out
> the original photo. Thanks in advance.
>
> Gene
>
> _______________________________________________
> Gimp-user mailing list
> Gimp-user@lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU
> https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user
>

Nathan,

It's an image we created for our website to protect photos sent to us for
display by watermarking them and I've tried layering and adding an alpha
layer to no avail. I am clueless as to the ins and outs of imaging
software and GIMP is the program we use. I've searched the tutorials to no
avail.

Gene


On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:36:41 -0700, "Nathan Lane" <nathamberlane@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Hi Gene, maybe you could help us out by telling us the steps you took
> previously to create transparent areas on the GIF image you are talking
> about. Also, are you using a GIF image that you created or that you
> downloaded from somewhere?
>
> Nathan
>
> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 7:05 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:
>
>> Just beginning to use GIMP and I am baffled about how to properly
> transform
>> a .gif file to make it appear transparent when I subsequently add it to
> a
>> photo. Each method I have tried still has a "solid" image that blocks
> out
>> the original photo. Thanks in advance.
>>
>> Gene
>>
>>

Why don't you

1. Open the GIF image
2. Select the entire image (Ctrl+A)
3. Copy it (Ctrl+C)
4. Right-click on the image, then click on Edit > Paste as New Image Now
you'll have a non-indexed image which will allow you to add transparency,
after you're done,
5. Select the entire image (Ctrl+A)
6. Copy it (Ctrl+C)
7. Paste it onto the image you want to "watermark" (Ctrl+V), then you can
move it around to where you want and then click off of the selection to set
it

One thin about the image you're pasting it onto is that if it is a GIF, then
you might experience transparency problems there also. Two things a) I never
use GIF images where I can use PNG images, and 2) GIF images are always
indexed, which means you're limited to whatever colors are in the index, so
you can't really paste another image onto a GIF image and expect it to work

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 8:01 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:

> Nathan,
>
> It's an image we created for our website to protect photos sent to us for
> display by watermarking them and I've tried layering and adding an alpha
> layer to no avail. I am clueless as to the ins and outs of imaging
> software and GIMP is the program we use. I've searched the tutorials to no
> avail.
>
> Gene
>
>
> On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:36:41 -0700, "Nathan Lane" <nathamberlane@gmail.com
> >
> wrote:
> > Hi Gene, maybe you could help us out by telling us the steps you took
> > previously to create transparent areas on the GIF image you are talking
> > about. Also, are you using a GIF image that you created or that you
> > downloaded from somewhere?
> >
> > Nathan
> >
> > On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 7:05 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:
> >
> >> Just beginning to use GIMP and I am baffled about how to properly
> > transform
> >> a .gif file to make it appear transparent when I subsequently add it to
> > a
> >> photo. Each method I have tried still has a "solid" image that blocks
> > out
> >> the original photo. Thanks in advance.
> >>
> >> Gene
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Gimp-user mailing list
> >> Gimp-user@lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU
> >> https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Nathan Lane
> > Home, http://www.nathandelane.com
> > Blog, http://nathandelane.blogspot.com
>
>

Hi,

On Wed, 2008-11-12 at 08:08 -0700, Nathan Lane wrote:
> Why don't you
> 1. Open the GIF image
> 2. Select the entire image (Ctrl+A)
> 3. Copy it (Ctrl+C)
> 4. Right-click on the image, then click on Edit > Paste as New
> Image Now you'll have a non-indexed image which will allow you
> to add transparency, after you're done,
> 5. Select the entire image (Ctrl+A)
> 6. Copy it (Ctrl+C)

You can do all this in three steps:

1. Open the GIF image
2. Convert to RGB colors (Image->Mode->RGB)
3. Copy the image (Ctrl+C) (no need to select it beforehand)


Sven

Hi,

On Thu, 2008-11-13 at 08:49 +0100, Sven Neumann wrote:

> You can do all this in three steps:
>
> 1. Open the GIF image
> 2. Convert to RGB colors (Image->Mode->RGB)
> 3. Copy the image (Ctrl+C) (no need to select it beforehand)

Actually, you can also skip step 2 as pasted content is automatically
converted to the colorspace of the target image.

You could even do it all in a single step by simply dragging the GIF
file from your file manager to the RGB file that is already opened in
GIMP.


Sven

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 9:05 AM, <sablade08@a4skyhawk.org> wrote:
> Just beginning to use GIMP and I am baffled about how to properly transform
> a .gif file to make it appear transparent when I subsequently add it to a
> photo. Each method I have tried still has a "solid" image that blocks out
> the original photo. Thanks in advance.
>
> Gene
>
> _______________________________________________
> Gimp-user mailing list
> Gimp-user@lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU
> https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user
>

I'm just learning how to do this myself, using the tutorial at the end of
Chapter 3 in Akkana Peck's excellent book "Beginning GIMP" ISBN 1590595874.
I'm using The Gimp 2.2 in Debian 4.0r3 Etch.

Make the background of the image transparent:
Layer > Transparency > Add Alpha Channel
Tools > Selection Tools > By Color Select
Click on background color.
Ctrl-X to delete the background color.
File > Save

For the image you pointed to (roll.gif), I highlighted Frame 9
(in the Layers window)
which had a white background, The Add Alpha Channel was
already gray, so I did the By Color Select, then clicked on
the white Background and pressed Ctrl-X, then saved the
GIF image. (Save as Animation!)

Do this for each frame that has a white background.
I tested it by creating a simple HTML page with a black background
that displayed the modified animated GIF image. You may have to
click on several places in the background to get isolated spots
of white.

<html>
<!-- roll.html: test transparency of white background -->
<body bgcolor="black">
<img src="roll.gif">
</body>
</html>

I think I've covered all the details?
Happy Happy Joy Joy