A glance at Photoshop integration with Fireworks
Table of Contents
Hierarchical layers
When imported into older versions of Fireworks, Photoshop files with layer groups are converted to a single layer containing multiple objects, which is a structural nightmare. In Fireworks CS3, layer structures are preserved, both when opening a PSD file in Fireworks and when saving a PNG file as a PSD file. You can create new sublayers as needed, and move items into them, or move elements from one layer to another at any time. You can also create multiple sublayers and group them.
Hierarchical layers is an important integration feature, because of the Layer model Photoshop is based on. In Fireworks, we’ve been able to create pseudo-sublayers since the application’s first release; each layer in Fireworks can support multiple objects—bitmap or vector. In essence, we have a form of sublayer structure. In Photoshop, there are no objects, only layers. Instead, Photoshop supports hierarchical layers, so that related layers can be grouped or arranged within a main layer. Until now, though, Fireworks would not retain the groups—and Photoshop never understood this whole object concept that Fireworks operated on. Before Fireworks CS3, layer grouping in a PSD file would be lost and each layer would become a single object within one main layer. Similarly, if you had a Fireworks file with multiple layers and objects, saving the file as a PSD file would force each object into its own layer. In both scenarios, design structure could be lost and you would have to reorder or regroup the layers and objects. Believe me, I’ve done enough PNG-to-PSD file conversions to know how much fun this is.
With the support of hierarchical layers in Fireworks, the two applications are on much better speaking terms!
Figure 1: The Layers panels in Photoshop CS3 (left) and Fireworks CS3 (right).
Creating a sub-layer
To create a sublayer and add objects to it:
- Select the layer and click the Create New Sub Layer button on the layer panel.
- To drag an object into a sublayer, make sure the folder icon is highlighted on that sublayer before releasing the mouse button.
Reorganizing layers and objects
To move an object to another layer, drag the object and release the mouse button when black insertion marks appear between two items in the panel. When you drag and drop a layer or object inside a layer, the parent layer is highlighted.
