how to open png file in PSE 6.0?

[xteen]

Total newbie here. I'm trying to make a scrapbook page using a .png file. I downloaded the free trial of Photoshop Elements 6.0 (to my PC) but can't open the .png file. Photoshop only seems to allow me to open it as a photo? :(

Thanks for any help!

~christine

[cats4jan]

a png should open in Elements without a problem.

In PSE6 - There's something about dragging from the photo bin (or whatever it's called now - maybe "project bin") - up into your project that can cause a white background.

Try using File> open

If there is still a white box around the png - it wasn't originally saved properly. Just saving something in the png format doesn't make the background transparent.

If there is a clearly defined white background - you can erase that background.

Follow these steps

Double alt click on the THUMBNAIL on the layer in ther layers palette to change the "background" to a "layer" (this step is necessary whenever you have a layer labeled "background" and wish to cut/erase anything from that layer - otherwise your cut/erase results in the area you cut being filled with the background color instead of going transparent.)

To erase the white background

click on the white background with the magic wand and

edit> cut to erase the selected area
control d to deselect the marching ants

then resave it as a png.

[xteen]

Thank you for your help! I don't see any white background.

I looked for File>Open, but in PSE 6 the closest I can find are:
File > Get Photos and Videos or
File > New > Blank File or
File > Open Recently Edited File in Editor

My husband has PSE 2.0 and I can open the same .png file there using File > Open

Thanks for any other suggestions.

[xteen]

Hey, I just tried dragging the page into the PSE 6.0 page and it looks like it worked! I'll keep working on this. Thanks again!

[cats4jan]

Glad it worked for you. I never use the photo bin to drag items

I use window> images> cascade - my open files are stacked on top of each other.

I move them sideways - and drag from one file to another using the move tool.

My project/photo bin is where I minimize them to until I want to use them.

[xteen]

Well, I'm still trying to understand your last post, but I'll figure it out! :o I think I just need to play around with this for a while.

Thanks again for your help!

[JonE]

See this thread re pasting in a png image without the white background around it (assuming it was saved correctly without a background or I should say with a transparent background):

http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37539

BTW, you can't do this with a jpg file - even if you delete all the bkgd it will be filled with white for a jpg.