Container Transparency in HTML

As a beginner in web design, I’ve recently found out two ways to apply transparency to a container. First one makes the container and all its contents like image or text transparent.

<div style="filter:alpha(opacity=0.8); opacity:0.8;">
<p>Some contents here!</p>
</div> 

The filter:alpha(opacity=0.8) enables Internet Explorer 8 and Opera 9.x to make transparency.

While this certainly should work across well known browsers, there are times when you only need the actual container transparent but not its content. Accomplishing such requirement is easy. You only need to use a CSS property rgba which stands for RED-GREEN-BLUE-ALPHA spectrum. ALPHA value is where you would put your transparency value.

To use:

< div style="background-color: rgba ( 255, 0, 0, 0.5 )" >
<p>Some contents here!</p>
</div>

Notice the text in this demo does not appear transparent but rather opaque against it's background.

How Do You Extract Image from a Flash File Library?

Even with the Adobe Flash CS3 Professional, a tool to extract images into image files is not provided. But, this is how you can do just that – so easy!

• Open the flash project file aka the .fla source file in Adobe Flash editor.
• Press "CTRL+L" to access a flash library window
• Locate the desired image and select.
• Create a new flash document (File>>New)
• Drag'N'drop the bitmap symbol to the new flash library
• Drag'n'drop the chosen symbol from the new library window to the stage (The white canvas area).
• Export the flash file as image. Go to "File>>Export Image" and save the picture as a JPG or PNG file.

There is no way you can export multiple selections. Whatever is placed inside the stage will be exported. This should work for you without problem.

Error When Trying to Attach an Existing Database

When trying to attach a SQL 2008 database today, I encountered this error:

CREATE FILE encountered operating system error 5 (error not found) while attempting to open or create the physical file 'D:\Databases\<filename>.mdf'. (.Net SqlClient Data Provider)

I’ve come across this issue every once in a while but somehow there’s this habit of forgetting the work around. So here, I post this bagger so I wouldn’t have to Google every time.

The error has something to do with SQL Server’s improved security for permissions.

Because I was logged in via SQL Server Authentication, it did not allow me to attach the database that way so that, I had to disconnect from the server and re-logon my Enterprise Manager thru Windows Authentication. Then, retried attaching my existing SQL database. And it worked!