PBase

I'm about to delve into CSS for my galleries, and I've been reading here about templates that provide an "opacity" effect. I've looked at galleries with both Safari and IE (Mac), and I just cannot see what this opacity effect is.

Rather than point me to a gallery that uses it (or in addition, if you like :-) Could someone please explain in words what is happening when a gallery uses the opacity effect?

(BTW, I'm a fairly heavy Photoshop user, and I understand the concept of layer opacity, if this helps.)

Thanks Much!

-- Jim

A noobee myself, so my explanation may not cut it with an experienced CSS guys. First of all Opacity is one of the CSS3 spec requirements. So, not all standard compliant browsers may render it well, at least now. IE and NS 6 are supposed to do a good job at this though.

One way of adding the opacity is using the Alpha extension to the RGB format, as discussed in http://www.webreference.com/programming ... index.html

Another simpler way is to use
filter:alpha(opacity=50); /* (in IE) */
or
-moz-opacity:0.5; /* (in NS/Mozilla) */

The effects are supposed to be similar. The way it is usually used in Pbase sheet is using different opacity levels for normal and hover events.

There have been a couple of threads before that discusses the good, bad and ugly of using opacity from a visual point of view. You might want to browse through that also.

jwarthman wrote:I'm about to delve into CSS for my galleries, and I've been reading here about templates that provide an "opacity" effect. I've looked at galleries with both Safari and IE (Mac), and I just cannot see what this opacity effect is.

Rather than point me to a gallery that uses it (or in addition, if you like Could someone please explain in words what is happening when a gallery uses the opacity effect?

(BTW, I'm a fairly heavy Photoshop user, and I understand the concept of layer opacity, if this helps.)

Thanks Much!

-- Jim

I had the same reaction as you when I first read that people did not like Webdev, because of its opacity filter : I was using the same webdev on my galleries and I could not see anything wrong with it, because the opacity effect does not appear on MAC IE or Safari .

I found out later on, when I looked at the same galleries on a PC : my thumbnails were completely dark , and would only return to their normal brightness when the pointer was on them, nice effect but really a nuisance when you want to appreciate the value of a whole page of thumbnails.

I suggest you borrow someone else PC and look at one of your own galleries configured with webdev, That way, you will be able to decide if you like the opacity effect or not...[/i]

on a related note, can someone explain (in idiots terms please) how to get rid of this effect? i've seen some galleries using webdev (or versions of) that don't do the light up deal. is there an easy way to change that?

bigbad wrote:on a related note, can someone explain (in idiots terms please) how to get rid of this effect? i've seen some galleries using webdev (or versions of) that don't do the light up deal. is there an easy way to change that?

I don't think you can, unless you use Opera.

srijith wrote:

bigbad wrote:on a related note, can someone explain (in idiots terms please) how to get rid of this effect? i've seen some galleries using webdev (or versions of) that don't do the light up deal. is there an easy way to change that?

I don't think you can, unless you use Opera.

On second though, if all you need is to turn it off in your style sheet, just go through your CSS and remove any reference to either "filter:alpha(opacity=xx)" or "-moz-opacity:0.xx". Ofcourse, keep a backup copy incase things screw up and you need to revert back to the original

thanks, but hurrah for me, i figured it out on my own! a big accomplishment where i am concerned as i know nothing of all that html stuff i love the look of webdev and now i can have it without that dimming effect. yay! thanks for your help though.