Thursday, March 26, 2015

Transparent background PNG with Google Map

I used to have this problem with using PNG icons on Google Map. It just refused to honor the PNG setting for transparency. This applies to GIF too.

Recently, I have accidentally deleted "New PCN on Bike" map so I had to create a new one from the SHP files which I exported. Again I faced with the issue of icon transparency. Some how I downloaded PNGs from the internet and they all have transparency background enabled. Why then my own creation cannot work?

I tried using graphic editors to see what is the difference between my own PNG and internet ones. Since the PNG are actually icons, I start to search for icon editors instead. No point using a graphic editor that could edit large bitmap files for such a small picture.

One of the icon editor is a shareware but its earlier version is free. This app is called IconFX 1.6. When I open my PNG and compare with other PNG, I noticed that my background is solid color whereas other PNG is "checkered". There is actually no color on the "checkered" area. It is then I realize that I don't even have to set transparency for the PNG files. Just delete the unwanted part and I have transparency. It is as simple as that.

With the recent Google change of heart on the Google Map, icon are now available and more than 5 layers are allowed. The map now looks nicer with many layers.



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