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Fireworks Learning Guide

Design Learning Guide for Fireworks CS4

Adobe Fireworks CS4 is a powerful web design and prototyping tool that provides robust features to create, edit, and optimize your artwork for delivery in a wide variety of file formats. This Design Learning Guide for Fireworks CS4 covers everything you need to know to import, scale, align, edit, slice, and export high-quality graphic files.

Read how the new integration features allow you to work seamlessly with the other tools in Adobe Creative Suite 4, facilitating a smooth workflow with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Dreamweaver, and Adobe Flash. Learn how Live Filters make it easy to add graphic effects to vector and bitmap objects. Find out how to design web layouts faster than ever before using specialized tools, such as 9-slice scaling, tooltips, and Smart Guides. Use the updated Path panel's vector manipulation tools to combine, alter, extrude, and blend paths.

Explore the sections below to dive into whatever topic interests you.

Opening and importing bitmap images
Bring in bitmap images from other programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator.

Saving and exporting files
Use best practices to archive and generate assets for your projects.

Selecting and editing bitmap images
Select, scale, crop, and apply Live Filters to bitmap images.

Smart Guides and tooltips
Precisely and accurately control the placement of objects in a Fireworks document.

Scaling objects without distortion
Resize vector content intelligently while maintaining its proportions with 9-slice scaling.

Working with layers
Organize your assets, change the stacking order, and set the visibility, opacity, and blending modes with the Layers panel.

Using the Path panel
Create complex, creative shapes using the new vector manipulation tools.

Optimizing files for multiple exports
Compare the built-in preset options and learn strategies for outputting image files with the Optimize panel.

Requirements

In order to make the most of this learning guide, you'll need the following software and files:

Fireworks CS4

Prerequisite knowledge

You should have a basic knowledge of the Fireworks workspace.


Printable version

Where to go from here

There are many different ways you can use Fireworks CS4 in your design projects: create the initial design; generate PDF files for review; add JavaScript interactivity; make animations; create assets for desktop, mobile, or web applications; and develop iterative prototypes. Here are some resources to help you learn more:

About the authors

Tommi West is a freelance web designer and creative director at tommiland.com. Prior to starting her own business in 2004, Tommi worked at Macromedia for six years as a technical editor and web producer.