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When importing an image with transparent background into Enterprise Architect, it displays with transparency in the designer, but when exporting or copying the image, ex. into Word, then the image has a black background.

This is how it looks in the SPARKS Enterprise Architect Designer: Viewing a diagram, the transparency is there

And here how it looks, when copy and pasted into Word. enter image description here

An alternative Solution, if it's not possible to import images with transparent background, would be to just copy the diagram using a tool like Greenspan, but the problem here is that this wouldn't create the border with title which we need. I couldn't find out how to display the border in the designer.

Has anyone come across a similar problem and found a solution, either to make the image transparent or to display the border with title in the designer?

JohnCambell
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  • I don't have EA available for tests at the moment so just hint in the comment since I can't verify myself correctness. Have you tried exporting the diagram as picture? Does it still have the black background? I've noticed strange behaviors when copy-pasting to Word. Exporting to pictures was always more reliable in my opinion. – Ister Feb 22 '18 at 10:47
  • I printed it as PDF and it shows the same black background on the image. I didn't see an option to export as picture. – JohnCambell Feb 22 '18 at 11:13
  • I found how to export it as an image. It's now under Publish/Save Image. Background is transparent. Can you post this as an Answer so I can mark it as an accepted workaround. Thanks. – JohnCambell Feb 22 '18 at 11:24
  • Support for transparent images has only been added in one of the last versions (don't remember which exactly). I'd suggest to report a bug to Sparx about the export issue in this case. – qwerty_so Feb 22 '18 at 11:44

2 Answers2

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If you need to preserve the transparent image in clipboard Go to Preferences -> General -> Clipboard Format and change it into Bitmap. And now if you save an image to clipboard it will preserve the transparency.

enter image description here or

Try Cntrl + T ( Shotrcut for saving diagram ) and save as bmp or png . Use saved diagram and it will preserve the transparency.

But if you need the diagram frame or border with title in clipboard or copied images you need to enable Diagram frame option .

Go to Preferences -> Diagram Tab -> Diagram Frames Secion

enter image description here

And Inside EA Diagram GUI you can enable that frame.Alternatively if you can enable diagram details if needed.

qwerty_so
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Dah Sra
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  • @JohnCambell Updated the answer . – Dah Sra Feb 23 '18 at 04:08
  • There's no "Clipboard Format" on the General Tab in my version of EA (13.5.1351). I think we must have different versions. – JohnCambell Feb 23 '18 at 09:19
  • Hi @JohnCambell I am using the same version . Check my updated answer i have updated the screen shot of it . you can find it in the upper right corner – Dah Sra Feb 23 '18 at 09:21
  • Oops, now I see it. I went over it looking for it from top to bottom and never saw it until now. My eyes must be failing me in my old age ;-) – JohnCambell Feb 23 '18 at 09:29
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    I marked this as the accepted answer now, because it's more complete and actually fixed it to copy and paste the diagram with images remaining transparent. – JohnCambell Feb 23 '18 at 09:32
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Export a diagram as an image and use that image in Word.

Exporting as image should preserve the transparent background.

I've noticed strange behaviors when copy-pasting to Word. Exporting to pictures was always more reliable in my opinion.

Ister
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  • Sorry, I marked this one originally as the accepted answer but the answer below was more complete and I therefore had to change it. – JohnCambell Feb 23 '18 at 09:33
  • Don't be sorry. I actually upvoted it myself. Eager to test it since I expect it will solve also other problems I had. Unfortunately it'll have to wait until I get my hands again on EA. – Ister Feb 24 '18 at 09:15