PPT2002: Transparent Regions Appear Black When Picture Is Inserted into a Presentation (285491)

SYMPTOMS

If you use the Group command to save as a JPEG a collection of shapes that have been grouped together, or you save a single non-square shape with or without a transparent fill as a JPEG, when you view the image, the regions of the image that you expect to be transparent are filled with the color black.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because the JPEG file format does not support image transparency. When you save a grouped collection of AutoShapes, text, or individual objects as a JPEG, Microsoft PowerPoint applies a black fill to the transparent regions between and around the shapes.

RESOLUTION

To save a grouped collection of shapes so that they maintain a transparent region, follow these steps:

Right-click the group of shapes that you want to save as a picture.
Click Save as Picture.
In the Save as type list, click one of the following options:
- GIF Graphics Interchange Format
  
  Supports a single channel of transparency.
- PNG Portable Network Graphics Format
  
  Supports Alpha channel transparency (256 levels of transparency).
- TIFF Tag Image File Format
  
  Supports Alpha channel transparency (256 levels of transparency).
- Enhanced Windows Metafile
  
  Supports vector-based transparency.
- Windows Metafile
  
  Supports vector-based transparency.
Click Save.