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Text wrapping using alpha channels


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With the help of the "text wrap" it is only possible to adjust a path manually. In InDesign, I often use the transparency information of the image (alpha channels) to let the text flow directly around an extracted object. This doesn't seem to be possible in APub.
Do the developers plan to implement this functionality for psd- and afphoto-files?

U p d a t e  -  an example (use of an alpha channel):
image.png.bc099af42abd4dc753a3700770c773d8.png

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I don't understand how alpha channel information is being used in that example. I initially thought that you meant that the text flow was being affected by the drop shadow, but it doesn't seem to be that, as the text is sometimes outside the shadow and sometimes within it.

Can you explain further?

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1 hour ago, walt.farrell said:

I don't understand how alpha channel information is being used in that example. I initially thought that you meant that the text flow was being affected by the drop shadow, but it doesn't seem to be that, as the text is sometimes outside the shadow and sometimes within it.
Can you explain further?

This is an example from InDesign. There I placed a psd file. InDesign can interpret the transparency of the cut sheet (clipping path options). In addition, I have defined an offset. The shadows have no influence.

You shouldn't look at this too mathematically. Many things influence the result, such as word lengths and hyphenation rules. In addition, the paragraph orientation (here justification) has an influence on the result.

The concrete example was also not important for me. What is important is that this possibility exists in InDesign. I think that would be a very useful functionality in APub. Often transparency and channels have already been created during image processing. It would be nice if you could also use them during layout.

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2 hours ago, Michail said:

Often transparency and channels have already been created during image processing. It would be nice if you could also use them during layout.

I think this would be a nice addition to the text wrap capabilities of APub and a big time saver :)

d.

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Sorry - I'm missing something!

In APub I have a text box. I put an image with a transparent background on top of it. I hit "Edit wrap outline", the text flows around the shape of the image. I can then adjust the offset etc in the wrap settings. - How is this different?

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43 minutes ago, PaulEC said:

Sorry - I'm missing something!
In APub I have a text box. I put an image on a transparent background on top of it. I hit "Edit wrap outline", the text flows around the shape of the image. I can then adjust the offset etc in the wrap settings. - How is this different?

Of course, that's the way to go. It's about the following things:

  • If you already have selections and/or transparent areas in an image editing program, you don't have to do that again in APub.
  • In an image editing program you usually have better possibilities to cut out objects.
  • The transparency information is part of the image. They are available after each placement in the layout. However, if you make the path directly in the layout, this path is unique, and you may have to repeat the work several times.
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Thanks for the explanation. I'm afraid I still can't really see what APub isn't doing that you can do in InDesign!

Here I've just dropped a picture with a transparent background (done in AP) on top of a text box and hit the "Edit wrap outline" button. The text then wraps itself around the image.

Isn't that all you're doing in InDesign?

Capture.PNG

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On 4/17/2019 at 5:11 PM, Michail said:
  • The transparency information is part of the image. They are available after each placement in the layout. 

Hi @Michail,

I came across something that might be of interest for you. Place an image with some transparency in it and and an outline e.g. like in your image above (the leave). Then go to 'Text Wrap Settings' and select 'Tight'. This wraps text around the pixels leaving out transparent areas. I thinks this is what you are looking for. I myself had missed that.
You can even adjust spacing around the image in the lower part of that settings dialogue.

Cheers :)
d.

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2 hours ago, dominik said:

I came across something that might be of interest for you. Place an image with some transparency in it and and an outline e.g. like in your image above (the leave). Then go to 'Text Wrap Settings' and select 'Tight'. This wraps text around the pixels leaving out transparent areas. I thinks this is what you are looking for. I myself had missed that.
You can even adjust spacing around the image in the lower part of that settings dialogue.

No @dominik, that doesn't work with me unfortunately. Are you sure that you have not already created a break contour in APub? If necessary, press the "Reset break contour" button image.png.ed8c44d96c6f0558d9d517dc3d41e3f7.png beforehand.

Kannst Du das visualisieren oder das Dokument posten?

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39 minutes ago, Michail said:

Kannst Du das visualisieren oder das Dokument posten?

Hi @Michail,

this is what I did (sorry for the stupid rotated image. I was quickly looking for something with a pronounced contour and this does it nicely):

  1. In APh I open the image and select the sky with the Selection Brush Tool. Invert selection and add a mask. (I append the APh file).
  2. Export to PNG > 'Whole document' no other settings.
  3. In APub create a new file, add a text frame, add filler text and expand filler text to real text.
  4. Place above PNG and resize.
  5. Go to 'Text Wrap' and select 'Tight'. That does it, see appended files.
d.

P1034610.afphoto

P1034610.png

text-wrap-test.afpub

P1034610.png

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17 minutes ago, dominik said:

 

  1. In APh I open the image and select the sky with the Selection Brush Tool. Invert selection and add a mask. (I append the APh file).
  2. Export to PNG > 'Whole document' no other settings.
  3. In APub create a new file, add a text frame, add filler text and expand filler text to real text.
  4. Place above PNG and resize.
  5. Go to 'Text Wrap' and select 'Tight'. That does it, see appended files.

 

Thank you @dominik. I think I know now what's wrong here.
APub apparently only recognizes transparency if there is only one layer. You unconsciously make sure of that by exporting the image to PNG. In multi-layer images, transparencies are not recognized. This is bad!

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4 minutes ago, Michail said:

Thank you @dominik. I think I know now what's wrong here.
APub apparently only recognizes transparency if there is only one layer. You unconsciously make sure of that by exporting the image to PNG. In multi-layer images, transparencies are not recognized. This is bad!

I did an additional test and placed the original APh file. This indeed does not work.

I assume this is something that can be improved.

I think to work with a PNG that contains transparency is already better than editing the text wrap path manually, though :)

d.

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47 minutes ago, dominik said:

I think to work with a PNG that contains transparency is already better than editing the text wrap path manually, though :)

I agree with you, especially since it's not limited to PNG. I am glad that it works at all.
But if I hide all layers (except one) of a placed psd- or afphoto file in APub, I expect that the transparencies of this one layer will be recognized.

Even better would be a popup menu in the Text Wrap dialog box, where you can select the appropriate alpha channel or a path. Finally, there may also be several transparent layers and/or several alpha channels.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/21/2019 at 6:49 AM, Michail said:

Even better would be a popup menu in the Text Wrap dialog box, where you can select the appropriate alpha channel or a path. Finally, there may also be several transparent layers and/or several alpha channels.

Recognizing multiple saved channel something Apub and Aphoto does not recognize. Ive ask about this fix on multiple occasions. Apparently it on the bug list, but have not seen any progress. Hopefully this will be fixed.

We same our extra channels on Tiff formatted images.

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  • 1 year later...

This is a critical issue ! How can this not be a top priority ???

I thought that having all 3 applications working seamlessly together was the all point. Recognizing transparency is quite important for a lot of us. What is the point of being able to switch between the 3 applications if you can't work with the native file formats 😭

Having to open the Photos files to export them as TIFF isn't what I had in mind when they announced the benefits of having a shared file format 😅

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