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PDF Image Extractors and Transparent Backgrounds

Discussion in 'User Created Content' started by ChrisRevocateur, Oct 25, 2011.

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  1. ChrisRevocateur

    ChrisRevocateur Member

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    Are there any PDF image extractors that set the background to be transparent?

    More over, what is an image manipulation software that can set the base background to be transparent?
     
    #1 ChrisRevocateur, Oct 25, 2011
  2. Golkiwu

    Golkiwu Member

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    GIMP can. It is called the ALPhA Layer. I have only been just using it, and used it to create a PC avitar from a picture/drawing I made. Set an background ALPHA Layer and erased all around my pic. Voila! PC Avatar with transparent background.

    GIMP is free.
     
    #2 Golkiwu, Oct 25, 2011
  3. Wesley Gorby

    Wesley Gorby Production/Community Manager
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    GIMP is pretty awesome!
    You can also 'Select+Copy' in your PDF and then in GIMP do 'Create New Image From Clipboard'
    Then wrangle your image as you like..

    Very handy indeed..
     
    #3 Wesley Gorby, Oct 25, 2011
  4. ChrisRevocateur

    ChrisRevocateur Member

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    I can't exactly seem to get the layer thing on GIMP to work to make a transparent background....
     
    #4 ChrisRevocateur, Oct 26, 2011
  5. Golkiwu

    Golkiwu Member

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    You have to select it under the dropdown for Layers. I believe (not in front of it atm) you will select "add alpha layer". This will not give you an automaticly transparent background on what you have imported. You will be able to erase the forground parts you don't want to see in the final, and it will be transparent on the final product. When you erase the forground, it will look like you are revealing a layer pf checkerboard. Checkerboard=transparent.
     
    #5 Golkiwu, Oct 26, 2011
  6. ChrisRevocateur

    ChrisRevocateur Member

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    Yeah, I did that, but I can't get the "eraser" to go through to the alpha layer. It just turns either black or white,
     
    #6 ChrisRevocateur, Oct 26, 2011
  7. Golkiwu

    Golkiwu Member

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    I will fiddle with it tonight and try to post a better tutorial. Look to see if there is a setting/selection for the eraser. I seem to remember someting that affects that, in the bar under the tools selection box after you choose the eraser.
     
    #7 Golkiwu, Oct 26, 2011
  8. ChrisRevocateur

    ChrisRevocateur Member

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    Yeah, it's there, but it's grayed out and stuck on "normal"
     
    #8 ChrisRevocateur, Oct 26, 2011
  9. Golkiwu

    Golkiwu Member

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    OK, here you go:

    Open the file you are going to use, PDF, PNG, whatever. Just be sure to open it with layers.
    Then, choose the eraser tool.
    Go to the top toolbar and select Layer--->Transparency---->Add Alpha channel
    You should now be able to erase, leaving a checkerboard pattern in its wake.
    Anything checkerboard = Transparent.

    Hope that works for you, It just worked for me. :D
     
    #9 Golkiwu, Oct 26, 2011
  10. scienceboyroy

    scienceboyroy New Member

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    I like Paint.NET, too, but I can't give you as good a walkthrough with it as Golkiwu just gave for GIMP.
    It's not the same as regular Paint (the kind that comes with Windows). I like to use it for images, but I haven't really explored its PDF compatibility (if any).
    I formerly used Inkscape to save a PDF as an image and then edit with Paint.NET; however, I now have access to Adobe Pro through my employer, so it's easier just to use that most of the time. It is made for PDF manipulation, after all.

    I guess my point is this:
    You're probably best off using GIMP, but if for some reason that doesn't work out, try Paint.NET or Inkscape. If you run into problems, try a PDF program as well.
     
    #10 scienceboyroy, Oct 27, 2011
  11. ChrisRevocateur

    ChrisRevocateur Member

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    See, the thing is that I want to have to avoid the erasing and such in the first place. What would be really nice is a PDF image extractor program that preserves the alpha channel in the image in the first place.
     
    #11 ChrisRevocateur, Oct 27, 2011
  12. Golkiwu

    Golkiwu Member

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    Good luck finding that for free.
     
    #12 Golkiwu, Oct 27, 2011
  13. scienceboyroy

    scienceboyroy New Member

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    See this thread.
     
    #13 scienceboyroy, Oct 27, 2011
  14. ChrisRevocateur

    ChrisRevocateur Member

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    I have that program. It doesn't preserve the alpha channel though.
     
    #14 ChrisRevocateur, Oct 27, 2011
  15. edwardcd

    edwardcd Administrator
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    While my solution isn't free, it does the job...

    Adobe Acrobat X Pro.

    I just right-click the image and either copy to the clipboard or save the image.
     
    #15 edwardcd, Oct 28, 2011
  16. ChrisRevocateur

    ChrisRevocateur Member

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    How much is X Pro?
     
    #16 ChrisRevocateur, Oct 28, 2011
  17. Golkiwu

    Golkiwu Member

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    ONE MILLION DOLLARS!!!!
     
    #17 Golkiwu, Oct 28, 2011
  18. edwardcd

    edwardcd Administrator
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    199 depending if you are upgrading are a student or get another kind of discount. Otherwise it's more.

    Acrobat X does come in multiple editions, Product Comparison Though, I'm not certain the Standard version has the same feature.
     
    #18 edwardcd, Oct 28, 2011
  19. neofax

    neofax New Member

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    You can probably find a GIMP script that removes the black turning it into a alpha channel.
     
    #19 neofax, Nov 7, 2011
  20. ChrisRevocateur

    ChrisRevocateur Member

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    And where would I find a script like this?
     
    #20 ChrisRevocateur, Nov 8, 2011
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