How to make a report with overlapping images print nicely?

[wcglorioso]

I would like to use a photo image, a signature image, and a main background image in my report.
The main background image will be overlapped with both the photo image and the signature image.
For the photo image, it is alright to eclipse the main background image but for the signature image which is black and white, I would like it white background eliminated so that the signature image will appear to be in the main background image (sort of making the signature image transparent).
I could also opt to overlap the picture image with the signature image.
In that case, I would like the signature image to appear as part of both the main background image and the picture image.
Note that when used in form, I can do the image effect I want but in report, transparency is ignored (as per Mike Lewis's observation).

I would like to use GDI solution here to blend the images on the fly.
The ReportListener can be used if I am not mistaken but I only have luck manipulating text with it (not images).

 

[ChrisRChamberlain]

wcglorioso

A possible alternative would be to use the ImageMagick object to create a single image for your report.

FAQ184-2483 - answering getting answered.​

Chris
PDFcommander.com
PDFcommander.co.uk

 

[wcglorioso]

I guess there is no way of doing the image composition on the fly.
I might as well do a "print form" (make the design in the form and print it using the techniques I have learned in this forum).
Tried tweaking the report by use of ReportListener but only text if affected by the fillAlpha property (not even shapes are affected by it).
Please let me know if you have come up with a cleaner solution in the future.
My thanks for your suggestions.
Looked into ImageMagick before, looking more closely to it now (may be useful in other projects - thanks Chris) but the "print form" techniques are much easier and cleaner to implement for now.

 

[wcglorioso]

Chris, I think I solved my problem with the help of your suggestion.
I was able to produce transparent images with ImageMagick.
I did not bother to compose all my images into one image.
I just do the usual report designing but using gif images with transparency defined
However, a plain call to preview the report will no do (REPORT FORM (GETFILE("frx")) PREVIEW).
In order to activate the transparency, we do need to use ReportListener.
We just declare a ReportListener object and use it in the report preview. (REPORT FORM (GETFILE("frx")) PREVIEW OBJECT oReportListener)
We do not need to override any method of ReportListener.
I guess its case closed.