Importing, Grouping, and Layers

1
Importing, Grouping, and Layers

• Lesson 3

2
Objectives

• Import objects.
• Adjust import settings.
• Group and ungroup objects.
• Change the order of objects within a layer.
• Use the Info panel.
• Create and use layers.

3
Import objects into Fireworks MX

• Although Fireworks MX can be used to create
  images, you can also import existing images into
  your document.
• Fireworks supports these image formats
• PNG, GIF, JPEG, PICT, BMP, TIFF, xRes LRG, ASCII,
  RTF
• Fireworks can also import images from the
  following software products
• Adobe PhotoShop 3, 4, and 5 Adobe Illustrator 7
  FreeHand 7, 8, 9, and 10 CorelDraw 7
  (uncompressed)

4
How to import an image

• Open an existing document or create a new
  Fireworks MX document.
• Click the File menu, then click the Import option
  to open the Import dialog box.
• Locate the drive/folder/file and double-click the
  file name.
• The pointer will change to a corner angle. Move
  the pointer into the canvas and click to place
  the imported image.
• It will be placed on the currently selected
  layer.
• You can move the image to any area of the canvas.

5
Importing a vector file
When you choose to import a vector file from the
Import dialog box, the Vector File Options dialog
box shown here will open when you double-click
the file name. You can select numerous options in
this box that affect the imported file.
Options for scale, dimensions, and resolution are
set in the upper area of the box.
The File conversion area is for options on
handling multi-page documents.
6
Grouping objects

• You can create complex graphics in Fireworks MX
  that are actually several small objects grouped
  together.
• Grouping an object makes it easier to move or
  resize than having to work with each individual
  object separately.
• Two or more grouped objects can then be grouped
  together to form a nested object.

7
Group all objects on the canvas

• You can create one large grouped object by
  selecting everything on the canvas as part of the
  group. To do so
• Click the Pointer tool.
• Click in one corner of the canvas and then drag
  to the opposite corner. All objects will be
  selected and have selection handles around them.
• Click the Modify menu, then click Group. There
  will now be one set of selection handles that
  represents the entire group.
• Objects can also be ungrouped from the Modify
  menu if you want to edit the individual pieces.

8
Arrange the stacking order of objects on a layer

• When multiple objects reside on the same layer,
  they are stacked.
• You can see and change the stacking order in the
  Layers panel.
• You can drag objects in front of or behind other
  objects in the stacking order.
• You can also use the Arrange commands to change
  the stacking order.

9
Using the Arrange commands

• You can use the Subselection tool to select one
  object in a grouped object.
• You can then use the Arrange commands to move the
  object forward or backward in the stacking order.
• With the object selected, click the Modify menu,
  then Arrange. You can then choose from the
  following options
• Send to Back Sends the object to the back of
  the layer.
• Bring to Front Brings it to the front of the
  layer.
• Send Backward Sends it back one level on the
  same layer.
• Bring Forward Brings it forward one level on
  the layer.

10
Use the Info panel

• The Info panel provides information about the
  dimensions of a selected object.
• It shows the exact coordinates of the pointer as
  you drag it across the canvas.
• It can be used to resize an object by changing
  the width and height dimensions shown in the
  panel.

11
The Info panel
This figure shows the Info panel. If it is not
visible in your document window, click the Window
menu and then Info to open it.
When you select an object, this panel will show
its current dimensions. You can change them in
this panel if you so desire.
If the bottom half of the panel is not visible,
you can click and drag the bottom border of the
panel down to display the lower half of the box.
12
Work with Fireworks MX layers

• A layer can be thought of as a transparent plane
  where you can create and place objects.
• Placing an object on a layer in front of or
  behind an object on a different layer can affect
  how the object is seen.
• Layers can be turned on or off, collapsed to get
  them out of view, or locked to prevent them from
  being updated accidentally.

13
Manipulating layers

• You can collapse or expand a layer by clicking on
  the plus sign (to expand it) or the minus sign
  (to collapse it).
• You can hide a layer by clicking the eye icon
  next to the name, or you can show an invisible
  layer by clicking the empty spot where the eye
  icon used to be.
• You can lock a layer by clicking in the blank
  space between the eye icon and the layer name (a
  padlock will appear), or click the padlock icon
  to unlock a locked layer.

14
The Layers panel
This figure shows the Layers panel for a layer
named Layer 1 and also shows two objects on that
layer. The layer itself can be collapsed or
expanded, locked or unlocked, shown or hidden, or
those same actions can be performed for any
object on the layer.
Click here to collapse or expand. Or here to
show or hide. Or here to lock or unlock.
15
Add and arrange layers

• You can add new layers at any time by clicking
  the New/Duplicate layer button and assigning a
  new name to the layer.
• You can then import a new object to the layer or
  drag an object from an existing layer to the new
  layer.
• You can rearrange the layers by dragging them up
  or down in the Layers panel.
• Click the thumbnail image of the layer to be
  moved and drag it up or down in the panel.
• As you drag, a black line will appear above or
  below the layer it is being dragged over.
• The layer will be placed according to where the
  black line is located when you release the mouse
  button.

16
Summary

• In this lesson, you learned
• How to import objects.
• How to adjust import settings.
• How to group and ungroup objects.
• How to change the order of objects within a
  layer.
• How to use the Info panel.
• How to create and use layers.