Gif Animator: reducing white artifacts on dark backgrounds

[Engela]

I'm using Gif Animator 5.05 that came with PhotoImpact XL.

I'm making the animation using UFO files from PhotoImpact XL.

I can successful create animated gifs with transparent backgrounds, but all of them have white artifacts around the animation when viewed later on a dark background.

I've tried changing the background color to black in Gif Animator before making it transparent, but that didn't help.

I've tried making the original UFO background black, but that didn't help.

I've searched the help file, this message board, and Ulead's site.

In PhotoImpact I know how to change a transparent background on a fixed gif so that will blend well. But changing an animated gif on a transparent background, so that it blends well when placed on a dark page, has me stumped.

If anyone knows how to make the artifacts around the animation appear dark in GIF ANIMATOR I'd appreciate it.

Thank you,
Engela

[Gray]

Engela, Those little pixels are a pain. When you create you animation create a blank frame and object first and fill it with a colour that is as close to the colour of the background you are going to place the animation on when completed. Don't place anything else on that frame other than the colour. When you have finished your animation goto the object window on the right side of your screen and click the SHOW/HIDE box ( a little eyeball) of that first object with just the colour fill in it. That first frame background will now not show. Now save your animation as usual. Those little white pixels around the edge will now be the colour of the background you are going to place it on and you won't see them. Hope that helps.

Gray.

[Engela]

Thank you for your response. I just tried various permutations of what you suggested.

Including:
Starting with a new animation with a dark solid background and then turning off the background.

Starting with a transparent background, adding a new object and filling that object with a dark color, then adding a new foreground object and turning off the dark background color.

Starting with a completely empty frame except for filled object which has been turned off.

I also tried making the dark background 99% transparent instead of just making it invisable. (This was by far the worst results. The entire background in the final gif appeared white.)

I save all the attempts with the optimization wizard, with file "save", and with file save as gif (and I check the box that says "Open in Index Editor" and changed both the foreground and background boxes to black in the palette. And none of these things worked for me.

Under the Preferences General Tab I have "color line around object:" set to black also. Still has white artifacts in the final animated gif.

I tried installing the program on another computer, but it performed the same way.

I was tempted to download the trial version of Gif Animator and see if that worked, but since my Gif Animator is working well with non-transparent backgrounds and when ever I don't mind white artifacts, then I hate to mess with the a trial version.

I'm working in Windows XP using Gif Animator 5.05. Gray, are you using another version of Gif Animator?

[Gray]

Sorry Engela, that works OK for some software. Its the smoothing of the pixels on the edge that is the problem. Turn off the ant-aliasing by unchecking the boxes. When you start your GIF software click the ELLIPSE TOOL and uncheck the anti-aliasing box. Then click your FILL TOOL and uncheck that anti-aliasing box as well. That should hopefully give you less trouble. If its a solid colour can you not match up the background colour number on your animation to match the background you want to place it on. It will produce a better looking animation if you can do that. I know sometimes its not possible, depending on where you place it. I hope that helps. Let me know if it doesn't.

Gray.

[VikingAnimations]

In the Optimization tab of the workspace, there is a tool called "Matte." By default that is "white." Click on the white area and a menu will pop up. You can then change the matte color to black to go on a dark background, or pick an image file. Or set it to "None" and it will display on any color background. One side effect of none is that the outer edges of the animation may appear a little jagged.

Give that a whirl.