Why aren't png files transparent for me??

[KimberlyinMN]

I'm trying to get back into working with digital elements... I have PSE 6 on my laptop and PSE 7 on my desktop computer. I haven't done anything with digital kits since at least PSE 5, possibly maybe PSE 4.

Brief explanation: I recently re-downloaded all of my previous purchased kits because my DH wiped my desktop computer (to be helpful) and I lost all of my digital kits. It's been awhile since I've actually done anything.

On my laptop, I opened a background paper from the "I Thee Wed" kit available here. When I open any of the elements from the kit, they are 1) not showing as having a transparent background and when I move them onto the paper, they 2) all have the white background that moves with them. I'm attaching a screenshot of what I am talking about.

I also am not able to use the "Magic Wand" tool to manually remove the white background.

What in the world is going on? :confused: Please tell me this is simply a setting that I need to adjust in Photoshop Elements.

Thanks for any help...

Kimberly

[guitargirl]

In PSE6, you can't drag pngs UP from the photo bin onto the layout. You have to drag them DOWN from the main window onto the thumbnail of your layout. I am not sure why they are showing up with a white background in the photo bin. I'm sure someone will be along shortly who knows a little more about version 6.

[Lauren]

Either drag down or double click on your item in the photo bin to open the file and drag across to your layout

[KimberlyinMN]

Ah.... at 4:12 am a thought occurred to me.... I had used PSE 6 to do a mass "rename" of the files in each of the kit folders a week or so ago. I think that messed up the transparencies. Actually, I guess I can say that I KNOW it did. (Plus I was dragging up from the bin to the page.) I unzipped a smaller kit again to get new images that hadn't been renamed. Dragging up from the bin did give me the background color but dragging from a layer to the appropriate window DID give me the transparent background. WHEW! Granted, what a bummer that I can't do a mass rename to my different kits, but at least the .png files will work correctly for me. (I had renamed each element within each kit so that the filenames started with the designers' initials, kit name, and then the element name.)

Thanks for your help!!

Kimberly