FW MX Batch Process Transparent GIF BUG

[idiscmedia webforumsuser@macromedia.com]

I have a folder of Transparent PNG files that I am attempting to batch process. I select the images, choose Export and Size, set the export setting for Web Adaptive GIF, transparency is set to Alpha, and Matte to black. I set the size to a percentage, RUN the batch and then when I add the gifs to the web page (which has a black background) there is a white edge around the image instead of a black one.

However, if I export the same image from within FWMX and not as a batch the black matte edge is there and the image works perfectly. There are over a 100 images that need optimizing and I don't want to process each one individually. Has anyone else experience this bug in the batch process where the matte doesn't actually work as it should. Any assistance on this is much appreciated.

[Chester Harold]

I am interested in having the use of the matte color specified. Often,
transparent gif issues are raised on this forum. Sometimes, the answer is
given to set the matte color and that works. Other times, people insist
that the background color must be set. If the latter is true, then you
can't really create a gif with transparent background and use the matte to
indicate the intended background color. This question is complicated
further because usually the matte color works as I need, but I have a
transparent gif file where the matte did not apply itself. It seems to me
that the matte is either unspecified or buggy. Anyone have the full story?

Thanks,
Chet

"Kim Cavanaugh" <REMOVEkim@dw-fw-beginners.com> wrote in message
news:bj3c2f$mf1$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> idis--
>
> Actually I think it's doing what it should if you have a transparent
> canvas. Change the canvas color to black and the anit-aliasing will be
> done correctly. You could do this be creating a custom command that
> changes the canvas color, run that as a batch, then run your batch on
> the images as you've done before.
>
> The key is to get that canvas color changed though.
>
> --
> Kim Cavanaugh
> author, Beginner's Guides to Dreamweaver and Fireworks
> [url]http://www.dw-fw-beginners.com[/url]
> -----
> Extending Knowledge, Daily
> [url]http://www.communityMX.com/[/url]
> -------
> Team Macromedia Volunteer for Fireworks: [url]http://www.macromedia.com/go/team[/url]
>

[Chester Harold]

This was helpful, at least for this situation. It still doesn't answer a
bigger question on matte, but I think your tip will save folks who need this
a lot of work.

Thanks, Chet

"idiscmedia" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:bj3o0p$7lp$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Hi Kim and Chet,
> I believe I have found the solution to the Transparent GIF problem. I went

into the PNG file and executed the Export preview, set the paramaters (gif
256, index transparency, matte black) and then clicked ok. I then selected
the HISTORY palette, and selected the EXPORT OPTIONS it recorded and created
a COMMAND out of it. I then closed the file and did not save the changes.

>
> I then selected the batch process, added the images to the list, and then

selected my options. I chose the export option set to GIF 256 palette , the
COMMAND option from the drop down list I chose the command I had created
previously ( I named it transgifblk which shows up in the list of commands
from FWMX), and the SIZE options, then processed the batch into a new
folder. This added the BLACK MATTE I needed to the file and all my gifs were
still transparent.

>
> I tried Kim's suggestion of changing the background color of the file but

that eliminated the transparency of the gif completly. I did not test the
process excluding the adding of the export options during the batch. You can
try some variations on this, but I the secret is in the command. Utelizing
the history palette to snatch the settings and save it as a command in the
COMMAND menu list, and then adding it to the batch process seems to be the
winnign ticket. I Hope this solution saves someone else alot of headaches.

>
> Thanks for everyone's input and help to steer me in the right direction to

finding a solution that works. Now onto batching my life away....

>
> Keith
>
>

[Issie Dee]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you coming back to the site to post the solution. Thankyou so much for being so thoughtful. This worked a treat for me. I did one gif manually, saved the command from the history panel in fireworks and then batch processed off the back of that tailor- made command. I was very skeptical but it actually worked! This allowed me to do hundreds of pic backgrounds in a few minutes. I know if I hadn't stumbled across your post it would have taken me HOURS of time (and that's just looking for the answer) and I probably would not have found a solution- thanks!