Assigning transparency

You can make the canvas color and other colors in your file appear transparent when exported as a PNG or GIF. When doing so, a Web page's background image or color can be seen through a portion of the graphic. This can make the graphic appear to be a part of the Web page, rather than resting on top.

In Fireworks, a gray-and-white checkerboard denotes transparent areas in both the Original and Preview windows.

You can also set the canvas color to be transparent. For information, see Changing document size, color, and resolution.

Use the Transparency eyedropper buttons in the Optimize panel to make a color appear transparent when viewed in a Web browser.

Note: Setting optimized colors to transparent does not affect the actual image, only the exported version of the image. You can see what the exported image will look like in the Preview window. For information on exporting, see Optimizing and previewing during export.

To select a color for transparency:

1 Click Preview, 2-Up, or 4-Up. In 2-Up or 4-Up, click a view other than the original.
2 In the Optimize panel, choose Index Transparency from the Transparency pop-up menu at the bottom of the panel.
The canvas color is made transparent in the preview.
3 To choose a different color, click the Set Transparency button.
The pointer changes to an eyedropper.
4 Choose a color to make transparent:
Click a color swatch in the Color Table panel.
Click a color in the document.

For more information on Preview windows, the Optimize panel, and Color Table panel, see Optimizing and previewing during export.

To add colors to the transparency:

1 Click Preview, 2-Up, or 4-Up. In 2-Up or 4-Up, click a view other than the original.
2 In the Optimize panel, click the Add to Transparency button.
The pointer changes to an eyedropper.
3 Choose another color to make transparent:
Click a color swatch in the Color Table panel.
Click a color in the preview.

To remove colors from the transparency:

1 Click Preview, 2-Up, or 4-Up. In 2-Up or 4-Up, click a view other than the original.
2 Click the Remove from Transparency button
3 Choose a color to remove from the transparency:
Click a color swatch in the Color Table panel.
Click a color in the preview.