I have a cpt image that has a single object with transparency applied as a gradient from 100 to 0 via the interactive transparency tool. I would like to export this as a transparent png for web use. However, photopaint x4 doesn't seem to allow me to do this - I get a message that object(s) will be merged, and then no option to maintain the transparency.

My workaround is to save it as a psd from photopaint, open in photoshop, and then use photoshop's export for the web. But there must be a direct way to do it in x4, right?

Island:

I have a cpt image that has a single object with transparency applied as a gradient from 100 to 0 via the interactive transparency tool. I would like to export this as a transparent png for web use. However, photopaint x4 doesn't seem to allow me to do this - I get a message that object(s) will be merged, and then no option to maintain the transparency.

It's a semi-false warning. :-) See attached. note that in some ver of PP you need to "save as" instead of export for masked button option to appear in dialog. The reality is that PNG's support a flattened image with one 8-bit alpha channel. So the file IS being merged to a single background in a technical sense.

Island:

My workaround is to save it as a psd from photopaint, open in photoshop, and then use photoshop's export for the web. But there must be a direct way to do it in x4, right?

The best way is to use CorelDRAW, for the reason that PP influences the final content upon export during the flattening process. It's odd and it took time to wrap my own head around it. see my upcoming post...

FYI the PNG exported below from PP is a linear transparency, there is no "background" in the file, and it can be unmasked or masked (same exported result).

Bottom line: Draw exports are pure. I always recommend Draw for exports of this nature. Esp. for creating web components. I get perfection, including outside edges without antialising which I covered 4 years ago here:

notice the barfy white color in the PP export. Draw doesn't create this in it's PNG's.

From my experience, merging with background is not necessary, but either way, the quality of the export is poor.  If I feather the edges of a square, create mask from layer, then export to transparent png, it works, but  there's an ugly white haze in the feathered area which makes this unusable in Photopaint.  The result is the same flattened or left as layer before export.