Remove transparency in images with C#

Question

does anyone know a smooth / fast way of removing transparency from e.g. pngs/tiffs etc and replacing it with a white background?

Basically what I need this for is I need to create PDF/A compatible images, which may, according to the spec, have -no- transparency (and therefore a fixed white background is fine).

Any ideas / suggestions?

Cheers & thanks, -Jörg

Answer 1

You have to remove the alpha channel. Otherwise you'll still have a transparent image - just without transparent areas.

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        //this also works for different file formats
        ReplaceTransparency(@"C:\Y\transparent.png", System.Drawing.Color.White).Save(@"C:\Y\no_transparency.png");
        ReplaceTransparency(@"C:\Y\transparent.gif", System.Drawing.Color.White).Save(@"C:\Y\no_transparency.gif");
    }

    public static System.Drawing.Bitmap ReplaceTransparency(string file, System.Drawing.Color background)
    {
        return ReplaceTransparency(System.Drawing.Image.FromFile(file), background);
    }

    public static System.Drawing.Bitmap ReplaceTransparency(System.Drawing.Image image, System.Drawing.Color background)
    {
        return ReplaceTransparency((System.Drawing.Bitmap)image, background);
    }

    public static System.Drawing.Bitmap ReplaceTransparency(System.Drawing.Bitmap bitmap, System.Drawing.Color background)
    {
        /* Important: you have to set the PixelFormat to remove the alpha channel.
         * Otherwise you'll still have a transparent image - just without transparent areas */
        var result = new System.Drawing.Bitmap(bitmap.Size.Width, bitmap.Size.Height, System.Drawing.Imaging.PixelFormat.Format24bppRgb);
        var g = System.Drawing.Graphics.FromImage(result);

        g.Clear(background);
        g.CompositingMode = System.Drawing.Drawing2D.CompositingMode.SourceOver;
        g.DrawImage(bitmap, 0, 0);

        return result;
    }
}