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Introducing Fireworks 8

An Integrated Solution for Web Graphics

Top Dreamweaver 8 integration features include:

  1. CSS pop-up menus
    Fireworks 8 uses CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) format to create interactive pop-up menus. The result is clean and easily customizable code that integrates well with sites built in Dreamweaver. Once integrated, use the powerful new CSS panel in Dreamweaver to quickly modify the presentation of the CSS.
  2. Integrated Dreamweaver graphics editor
    Leverage Fireworks technology to provide basic image manipulation and editing directly within Dreamweaver. Crop, resize, and resample images without leaving the Dreamweaver environment.
  3. Roundtrip table editing with Dreamweaver
    A designer can output a set of nested tables containing sliced graphics from Fireworks and pass it to a developer, who can edit the tables in Dreamweaver. The developer can then pass the tables back to the designer, who can edit the graphics files and update the tables without overwriting the developer's custom code.
  4. Launch and optimize/edit
    Double-click on a graphic in Dreamweaver to instantly launch Fireworks for fast editing; single-click to make simple edits without leaving Dreamweaver. Post edits to the web graphic (JPEG or GIF) or to the source image. To optimize site graphics for fastest download, choose optimize image to launch the Fireworks optimization engine.
  5. Export as Dreamweaver library from Fireworks
    Create a set of common graphics elements such as pieces of a navigation bar, and save them as library items. When exported from Fireworks, these items will automatically appear in the Dreamweaver library. To edit a Fireworks-originated library item, edit the original PNG and re-export it to the Dreamweaver site folder. Dreamweaver will prompt with an option to update the library item and propagate the changes site-wide.
  6. Export layers, slices, or frames as absolute positioned Dreamweaver CSS layers
    Create Fireworks graphics and place them on a page comp, then export the layout, including the graphics, to Dreamweaver using CSS layers. Keep the existing Fireworks layout in Dreamweaver, and easily reposition the CSS layers.
  7. Integrate native behaviors
    In Fireworks, create rollovers and JavaScript effects. Then, import the graphics and code into Dreamweaver where the behaviors are recognized and editable as native Dreamweaver code.
  8. Auto-insert HTML and graphics
    Import graphics, JavaScript, and HTML created in Fireworks directly into Dreamweaver with the one-step insert Fireworks object operation. Dreamweaver will import code created by Fireworks while maintaining precise placement, links, and other image properties.
Fireworks 8 and Flash 8 Integration
Fireworks offers Macromedia Flash developers a roundtrip workflow between their bitmap production environments and Macromedia Flash. Fireworks is ideal for combining optimized bitmap graphics with vector-based Macromedia Flash websites.

You can easily import, copy and paste, or export Fireworks vectors, bitmaps, animations, and multistate button graphics for use in Flash. A button symbol made in Fireworks can be dragged to Flash and it becomes a Flash button! Launch-and-edit functionality also makes it easy to edit Fireworks graphics from within Flash.

Top Flash 6 integration features include:

  1. Import Fireworks PNG files to Macromedia Flash
    Directly import native Fireworks PNG files into Flash. Vectors, shapes, lines, layers, and guides remain editable. Maintain and take advantage of existing creative assets when importing Photoshop PSD files into Fireworks and save them as layered PNG files for importing into Flash.
  2. Export Macromedia Flash SWF files from Fireworks
    Create animated GIF ad banners and export them as compact SWF files. Copy and paste Fireworks vectors, and quickly repurpose graphics by copying and pasting their paths directly into Flash.
  3. Launch and edit in Fireworks
    Click the edit button in the property inspector to launch the original Fireworks file or bitmap image; changes will automatically update in Flash.
  4. Create custom commands and panels for Fireworks in Flash
    Use Flash to create SWF movies in JavaScript and then reuse them as Fireworks commands or panels of commands.
  5. Mobile interface development
    Mock up mobile interfaces quickly with bitmap interface components in Fireworks then export to Flash to add interactivity. Use Flash Professional 8 to design, build, and test content using its advanced authoring environment and interactive mobile emulator for deploying content to mobile phones.
  6. Preserve graphical elements and color consistency
    Vector attributes, such as fills, strokes, filters, and blend modes are preserved when moving objects between Flash and Fireworks. Fireworks recognizes ActionScript color values when copied from Flash and pasted into Fireworks color value fields.
Fireworks 8 and Adobe Photoshop
Fireworks provides excellent support for importing native Photoshop (PSD) files, with options for retaining many aspects of the imported files, including layers, masks, and editable text.

Bring Photoshop images into Fireworks for further editing and web optimization without losing the ability to export the images back into Photoshop.

Maintain and take advantage of existing creative assets when importing Photoshop PSD files into Fireworks and save them as layered PNG files for importing into Flash

More Stories By Joyce Evans

Joyce J. Evans is a training veteran with over 10 years of experience in educational teaching, tutuorial development, and Web design. She has presented at conferences such as Macromedia MAX 2003 and TODCON. Joyce has authored books including Macromedia Studio MX 2004 Bible, Dreamweaver MX 2004 Complete Course, and others. Joyce is a Team Macromedia volunteer and her work is also featured in the Macromedia Design/Developer center. Her Web site is www.JoyceJEvans.com.

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