5 Replies Latest reply on Jun 24, 2016 9:21 AM by Bill Lyons

    Custom Shapes - PNG Files still show white backgrounds

    Orlando Suarez
    Orlando Suarez May 25, 2016 10:31 AM

      So I'm using some PNG photos in custom shapes. But I will need those shapes to be able to float with a transparent background when I use them in a dashboard. Despite the fact that my PNG files are transparent, every time I try to float them in a dashboard it applies a white background to the image. How do I get around this?

       

      I did a search on this and I didn't see an answer, so your help is greatly appreciated.

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        • 1. Re: Custom Shapes - PNG Files still show white backgrounds
          Bill Lyons
          Bill Lyons Jun 19, 2016 5:33 PM (in response to Orlando Suarez)

          Can you attach one of the PNG files? If the alpha channel of the PNG file is set to transparent, it should be transparent in the dashboard.

          • 2. Re: Custom Shapes - PNG Files still show white backgrounds
            Orlando Suarez
            Orlando Suarez Jun 20, 2016 4:53 AM (in response to Bill Lyons)

            Thanks for checking in on this Bill Lyons. Yes the alpha channel of the PNG was set to transparent but when you float views on a dashboard Tableau still defaults to a white background. I was finally able to find a work around for this and it is listed in the link attached. But this is something Tableau definitely needs to correct in future versions. Getting a transparent background on floating views with images should not be this difficult. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSnLTWs4BPY

            • 3. Re: Custom Shapes - PNG Files still show white backgrounds
              Bill Lyons
              Bill Lyons Jun 23, 2016 6:57 PM (in response to Orlando Suarez)

              I am glad you got it working as you wanted.

               

              I'd like to be sure that other people who are searching regarding transparency problems correctly understand the problem and the solution. I am a bit puzzled how that video helped with your transparency issues, since there is nothing in the video about transparency. It is all about placing custom shapes, which happen to be images with a portion transparent. In your last post, you made a reference to "floating views on a dashboard." In using custom shapes, there are no "floating views." If the term "view" is a Tableau "sheet," then I suspect that was your problem, since custom shapes are not "floating views." Can you confirm or clarify?

              • 4. Re: Custom Shapes - PNG Files still show white backgrounds
                Orlando Suarez
                Orlando Suarez Jun 24, 2016 6:18 AM (in response to Bill Lyons)

                Yes, by floating view I meant a "sheet" that I was trying to float in a dashboard over a background that was also floating. So the "sheet" was set up to show a logo (shape) for each brand in my parameter filter.... Change a name in the parameter and you get a corresponding logo. Those logos were transparent PNG files so their backgrounds would be see-through. When I take that "sheet" over to the dashboard and set it to floating, Tableau automatically defaults the background of those PNG images (Shapes) back to white. It was driving me bananas and I don't understand why Tableau hasn't addressed this with one of their updates since I know users have been asking for this for years. Setting up the X/Y coordinates on the sheet with the overall background image there plus annotating where we want the logo shapes (PNG) to appear solved the issue. That is how the video helped. I hope that explains it better. Thanks for asking for the clarification!

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                • 5. Re: Custom Shapes - PNG Files still show white backgrounds
                  Bill Lyons
                  Bill Lyons Jun 24, 2016 9:21 AM (in response to Orlando Suarez)

                  Thank you so much for clarifying! So what I understand is that you were using the "pop and swap" technique (Sheet Swap and Pop in Tableau on Vimeo) that many of us use for logos and other things. And, while images with a transparent alpha channel can be floated directly over other things, or used as marks, sheets do not have a transparency property (you might want to vote-up https://community.tableau.com/ideas/5466 and/or https://community.tableau.com/ideas/1692 ).

                   

                  Your concept of using custom shape marks to accomplish that is very intriguing. I did not pick that up from that video, but by dynamically changing coordinates for custom on a fixed axis can accomplish the same thing. Very nice! Thanks for that!