7. Importing Photoshop images
You are getting lots
of practice importing images. You will import two more images now, but
there’s a twist. These images are Photoshop (PSD) files. Fireworks has
some special features for importing such files, even if the file is only
a single image.
1. | Choose File > Import.
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2. | Open
the mark_actor06.psd file. The Photoshop File Import Options dialog box
appears. This dialog box contains many settings, but you are only
concerned about image size at this time.
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3. | Set the width to 340 pixels. The height adjusts automatically. Click OK.
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4. | When the import icon appears, click on the canvas once to load the image at the dimensions you set.
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5. | Reposition the image to X: 97, Y: −45 pixels.
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6. | Rename the image in the Layers panel to Mark.
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7. | Lock and hide the Mark object.
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8. | Choose File > Import again.
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9. | Open the wendy.psd file.
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10. | Set the width to 290 pixels, and click OK.
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11. | When the import icon appears, click near the middle of the canvas once to load the image at the dimensions you set.
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12. | Rename the object in the Layers panel to Wendy.
Tip
Remember, importing files into an open document saves you the time of opening, copying, and pasting one image into another.
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Opening layered Photoshop files within Fireworks is
as simple as choosing File > Open or File > Import and browsing
for the native Photoshop PSD file. Fireworks CS5 supports hierarchical
Photoshop layers, layer groups, layer styles, layer comps, vector
layers, and common blend modes, making it easy to handle files you
receive from another designer.
Exceptions to this integration include adjustment
layers and clipping groups. These features can either be flattened into
bitmaps or ignored when you import or open a PSD file within Fireworks.
Flattening retains the appearance, but editability is lost.
To globally customize how Fireworks opens or imports
PSD files, change the preferences. Choose Edit > Preferences
(Windows) or Fireworks > Preferences (Mac), and then select Photoshop
Import/Open from the list on the left.
The General Photoshop import options include:
Show import dialog box/show open dialog box. These identical windows give you document-level import/open control.
Share layer between frames. This option is important for animation or “page state” effects.
The custom file conversion settings area includes the following options:
Image layers:
Bitmap images with editable effects. This
option is the default setting that gives you the most flexibility. Layer
styles remain editable.
Flattened bitmap
images. This option flattens layer effects and blend modes to maintain
the exact appearance. Photoshop layer styles are no longer editable.
Text layers:
Editable text. This option is the default.
Flattened bitmap images. This option preserves the look and style of text, but the text is no longer editable.
Shape layers as:
Editable paths and effects. This is the
default option with the most flexibility, but vectors may not render
exactly as in Photoshop.
Flattened bitmap images. When this option is enabled, vectors and effects are rasterized to bitmaps.
Flattened
bitmap images with editable effects. When this option is enabled,
vectors are rasterized but layer effects and blend modes remain
editable.
Layer effects:
Clipping path masks:
Adjustment Layers:
Maintain appearance of adjusted layers. This
option flattens adjustment layers to retain the image’s appearance, but
you can no longer edit the image. If this option is not selected,
adjustment layers are discarded completely.
With the defaults left as they are, opening or
importing a PSD file displays the Photoshop File Open Options or File
Import Options dialog box. This gives you the opportunity to set options
for opening a specific PSD file, overriding any options set in the
Preferences panel.
Note
A Photoshop layer comp is essentially an editable
snapshot of the current state of the design. It’s similar to pages in
Fireworks in that each layer comp can show a different set of visible
elements or different positions for those elements.
