Text box background problem

[abbeymill]

I've just started with SC but have a problem with text box inner colour - whatever colour/transparency/blend mode I select it remains transparent - border colours are fine.  I'm using v4.8 on Windows 7.

I realise I'm probably doing something silly but what?

Many thanks

[mouser]

Hi Abbey.

You aren't doing anything silly, it's probably the "Blend Mode" setting for the box (should be a setting down at the bottom of the panel) -- try choosing "Normal" for that (the first value under Blend Mode).

Let me know if that works.

[abbeymill]

Afraid not, I've tried all the blend modes but they don't seem to make much difference, although average seems to have some effect on the text.

[abbeymill]

If the border colour is set blank it seems to take the inner colour, although the inner colour is rendered transparent!

[mouser]

I'm not sure I understand.

Can you take a screenshot of the screenshot captor window itself, showing the text box editing that you are having trouble with.
You'll find this option under the Capture menu, labeled "Capture image of Screenshot Capture Window"

And then attach it to this post (or email to: [email protected])

[abbeymill]

This is really weird, it now appears to work fine, in and out of object select mode, but as soon as I try to save it it loses the inner colour

[mouser]

I need to see the text box side panel that shows when you are in object editing mode, with the text box selected.

[abbeymill]

Here it is.

[mouser]

Hmm I see what you mean -- looks fine in editing mode, but transparent when you save it huh?

As a test, can you go into the box and edit the text a bit and then save?  Just to make sure it's not keeping an old copy of the text.

Another thing that would be useful is if you open up Options dialog, go to "Drawing Object Options" tab, and then take a screenshot, so I can see what that options tab settings are.

[abbeymill]

Not easy to find, unless one knows where to look!

[abbeymill]

Was that what you wanted, was it of any use?

I saw something about merging background transparency in the Objects menu, is that relevant?

[mouser]

open up Options dialog, go to "Drawing Object Options" tab, and then take a screenshot, so I can see what that options tab settings are.

in particular, i'm interested in the "Use GDI+ library" option.

[abbeymill]

Sorry it took a while to find Options (would it be worth a main menu place?) and then a way to capture the current screen without the Quick Bar but I hope this is what is wanted.

[mouser]

Thanks, abbey, that's what i was looking for.

What a strange bug.. I'm at a loss to explain it.

Can you see what happens if you check that box in the options to "Use GDI+ Library", and then edit the text box text.  See if that cures the transparency problem.

[abbeymill]

It seems to be worse with "Use GDI+ Lib":  the text boxes only appear when I hold down the mouse left button with the cursor over a scroll bar!

[mouser]

yuck.

ok turn that back off.

ok i have another idea -- try changing the transparency setting of the text box to 255 (maximum).
Then edit the text in the box, and resize it a little.  I keep asking you to edit the text box (and let's resize too for good measure) after you make a change because I want to make sure that it isn't holding onto an old image.

See if that helps.  If not, can you experiment with other options for the text box and see if change any colors or anything make a difference.

Oh and can you email me ([email protected]) a copy of the image file AND IT'S ASSOCIATED .objects file, so i can see if i can reproduce?  To see the .objects file associated with this image file you may have to go to the main menu under "GoTo" and choose "Explore at Screenshot Directory".

[IainB]

@mouser: Was this problem ever resolved - and if so, then how?
I've "bumped" it because I have what seems to be the exact same problem. Actually, I've had the problem for quite a while now, and have only now set myself the task of fixing it - I felt sure that it was a settings/options problem, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I have been unable to make the problem go away.

The problem is: that the background in any text box that I create (whether coloured or not) remains transparent, regardless of what I do to make it opaque. The box's border is unaffected - it is opaque. I've fiddled with the settings as per the thread above, but all to no avail.

I've been using a workaround on this for some time - I just place the text box over an area of the image being edited where the background is plain (i.e., no pattern, text or image behind it). I've been doing quite a bit of editing lately though and this workaround is becoming a PITA.

Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong?
(Thanks in advance.)

By the way, I am using Win10 Pro-64bit, and usually am wanting to edit images stored in the CHS database. SC works just fine otherwise.

Here are 2 screenshots of what it's doing.
For the first screenshot, I've put the shadow on the box border to demonstrate that is working OK.
Setting the box transparency to 0 or 255 seems to make no difference, but whilst I am editing the text box it becomes temporarily opaque-white - as per the 2nd screenshot (note the shadow has disappeared whilst I am doing that).

Text box background problem

Text box background problem

[ralfs]

I think your problem is the blend mode "muliply". Switch to blend mode "normal" and your transparancy will work.
Blend modes are used to defgine how two layers are blended into each other.

[IainB]

@ralfs: Well b#gg#r me, you are spot-on. Thankyou,
I had adjusted the blend mode (by default it was on "multiply") but to no avail. Evidently I didn't try "Normal". I wonder what changed it? (Not me.)