Fireworks MX 20,040 features Focus

Original: Matt Lerner
Original source: http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/fireworks/articles/top_ten.html

We continue to receive requests from users who want to Macromedia fireworks to add new features. It is gratifying to note that many new features have appeared in this new product. I conducted a poll of our technical support team and sorted out the following list of features that did not attract attention. If these features are familiar, you can make sure that many things are handled more easily. Although these features are not new to MX 2004, they still reflect the key theme of this version's quest for a multiplier.
　　 1. Selective jpg compression
There is a deeper choice to reduce the size of a picture by making different and other compression for the specified regions. When a secondary area, such as a background, is compressed, the image of the main scene becomes clearer and brighter. Select an area of the picture and choose modify-->selective jpeg to do different compression levels relative to the other areas not selected.

　　 2. Choose behind Tools
If you do not know this feature, it is a painful experience to select components that are located behind other components. When you need to select such a component, you can press the V button to switch the selection tool to the back of the selection tool.

　　 3. Output Area tool
Output comparison page to Dreamweaver reorganization in different regions, using the output area tool under the pruning tool in the selection tool group. You can specify different compression settings for the control file, or even different image formats, without the need for actual slicing.

　　 4. Cross-platform tonal contrast preview
Compared to the Apple machine, the window's video device has a darker contrast. So the color will be darker under the PC. To see how your graphics are displayed on other platforms, choose View-->windows Gamma or View-->macintosh gamma on your existing platform.

　　 5. Store the optimal preset value
In order to facilitate reuse, it is necessary to store your most satisfactory image optimization settings. Select the Save Settings from the pop-up menu in the upper right corner of the optimization palette ..., and your new settings will appear in the Drop-down menu at the top of the optimized surface.

　　 6. Automatic control function
Fireworks provides some handy options for automating repetitive jobs. Batch processing is a large number of images ideal for automatic creation of thumbnails, graphics optimization or filter application processing means. To create a batch program, select the File-->batch process, and then follow the wizard instructions to complete your steps. For fast and automated processing, the history face version provides a simple solution.
All you need to do is select the complete set of steps in the history mask and replay or save it as a reusable command.

　　 7. Form Reconstruction
If you have an entire HTML table filled with slices, but you don't have a PNG source file, the form Rebuild command will help you solve the problem. Select File-->reconstitute tables to specify any HTML file that contains a slice of the picture, and fireworks will import it and consolidate it into a PNG file. Macromedia defined JavaScript behavior commands, such as flipping images and pop-up menus, are imported and anchored in the appropriate slices.

　　 8. Advanced text and path operation
To create text that wraps around a complex path, simply draw the path, finish the word, and select the Text-->attach to path dependency path command. To rebuild a partial free path, you can use the Redraw path feature (under the Pen tool). Six other useful path commands can be found under Modify-->alter path. If you are a serious graphic worker, you should study it.

　　 9. Customized HTML output
Users often complain about the quality of fireworks generated code. Some people need to have spacer images (spacer) in empty table cells, others need uninterrupted space, some need standard-compatible XHTML tables, and some don't want any tables at all, preferring a relatively positioned CSS layer. Fireworks can accommodate all of these code styles, and more! Use the dialog options for exporting fireworks to control the output of your code.

　　 10. Bi-directional mapping work with Macromedia Freehand
Fireworks are known to coincide with Flash and Dreamweaver. However, the same as the FW integration of MM Company's another set of studio product freehand. You can import freehand design and choreography files to fireworks and edit files, objects, and real-time effects. Then add the interactive collaboration to the fireworks file and optimize it to save space. When you output files back to freehand, they remain editable.

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About the original author
Matt Lerner is the product manager of fireworks. Since 1998, he has been working in Macromedia, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, various plug-ins and devnet Resource kits and other products market position management and marketing positions. In his spare time, he likes hiking, playing basketball, reading, writing, traveling and drinking milkshakes. Matt now lives in San Francisco.