Saving and Exporting Files > Exporting bitmap images > Working with alpha channels

 

Working with alpha channels

Using alpha channels, you can export bitmap images with complex masking and transparency for use in Web page graphics, multimedia, video images, and image-editing applications. An alpha channel is a graphic layer that defines transparent and opaque areas, and quickly defines an outline or edge of an object.

An alpha channel masks, or outlines, all objects on a page, and reveals a background graphic through an image. FreeHand can export an alpha channel in the BMP, PNG, Targa, and TIFF, formats.

When the image is opened in an application that supports alpha channels, the edges of objects in the image can be easily defined.

Original (left) and exported alpha channel (right)
 

To include an alpha channel for transparency:

1

Choose File > Export.

2

Choose the TIFF, Targa, PNG, or BMP bitmap file type, and click Setup.

3

Select Include Alpha Channel to create an alpha channel automatically on export.

4

To include transparency, select Alpha Includes Background. For more information, see Defining transparency.

5

Do one of the following:

In Windows, click More. For Color Depth, select the 32-bit With Alpha (for PNG, choose 32-bit or 64-bit With Alpha). Click OK.

On the Macintosh, for Color Depth, select the 32-bit With Alpha (for PNG, choose 32-bit or 64-bit With Alpha).

6

Click OK to return to the Export dialog box.

7

Click Export to export the document.