Text in Fireworks

Text
Select the Text tool and type in some sample text.  The text box can then be toggled between Fixed width (wrap) or automatically extend. This is done by double clicking on the small hollow square thumb top left of the text box.

Lorum Ipsum Sample Text
To use sample text select – Commands/Text/Lorem Ipsum

Importing Text
Select the text file to import using  File/Import. Then select the text file and  drop it on the canvas using click and drag.

Making Text follow a path

1. Type in your text
2. Select the Pen tool and click and drag a path out (double click to end the path)
3. Select the Pointer tool then select text and Path line. Select Text/Attach To Path
4. The text can be edited and the path can be reprofiled using the sub selection tool.
5. To re profile text then select the text then Text / Orientation / …

Wrapping Text within a container

1.  Create your paragraph of text on the canvas.
2. Create your container shape. Maybe by drawing a number of shapes. Then Modify/Combine PAths/Union to form a single shape.
3. Select your text and drag it over the container. Then shift click to select the container as well
4. Select Text/Attach in Paths.
5. Use the sub selection tool to drag container points to a new shape.

Wrapping Text around a Picture.

1. On your canvas you should have a few paragraphs of text and your image placed over it to the right.
2. We first need to create a container representing the text box to go around the image :-
3. - Draw a rectangle (box 1) covering the text and image.
4. -Position your image on the top layer so that you can see it
5. - Now create another rectangle (box 2 ) slightly bigger than the image. This represents the text no go area.
6. - Select box 1 and box2. Then select “punch paths” in the Paths panel or Modify/Combine Paths/Punch.  Box 1 now represents the text container
7. To now put the text into this container we select it and the text. Then Text/Attach in Path.
8. The text now wraps around the image and is still editable. With the Sub Selection tool the wrap shape can be edited.

Using Text as a Mask

1. Starting condition is Text on top layer. Image 1 on middle layer and Image 2 on bottom layer. Image 1 is used as fill in for the text. (text is a mask for image 1) and sits on Image 2
2. Select the text then Edit/Cut
3. Select Image 1 Edit/Paste as Mask.
4. Select the text to apply filters like drop shadows etc. To make fills and strokes visible make sure the “Show and Fill” Selection box is ticked
5. To move the masked image (1) around on the text drag the centre thumb with the text selected.

Keeping Crisp Text when Optimising
When you optimise an image with text in it make sure you check the “Selective Quality” panel.  In the optimise panel enable it in the pop up and set a value of 80. Also check the “Preserve Quality” box.

How to Create Blurred Effect Text
Blur your text using the properties Filter/Blur. Then copy the text and remove the blur effect from one copy.

How to apply Styles to text
Select your text. then in the styles panel in the drop down box select your style. Or use “Photoshop live Filters” in the properties filter selection.  If you create your own style (combination of filters) you can save it in the style panel options.

Slicing in Fireworks for Web export

 

Image Slicing
This cuts up a design into small images for use in a Dreamweaver table layout.

1. Use the slice tool to drag out slice elements.
2. Rename the slice layers.
3. In the slice properties set the file Type, Link, Alt Tag and  Target.
4. Set the optimise panel for the prefered export file type.
5. Select File/Export and fill out the properties for export. (html and images). In the Options/Tables/Space With : select “single table no spaces”
6. For creating dummy html/code/text slice areas, repeat as above but select type as html. You then get an option button to add code/text.
7. To export a single image, select slice then right mouse click and select “Export selected slice”
8. If using the Polygon slice tool keep the number of points small.
9. To automatically slice an image. Select it then Edit/Insert/Rectangle Slices (use shift key for multiple images).

GIF Animating in Fireworks

Animating with a Gif
This creates a simple animation by changing states.

1. Create a simple image.
2. Go to the “States” panel and from the options at the top right select “Duplicate State”
3. Select State 2 then the Layers Tab and change something ie a colour.
4. Now with button State 1/State 2 under the layers panel you can see both states.
5. You can play the animation by selecting the Play icon just above the properties panel.
6. To change the time interval. Go to the states panel and select both states. Then double click one to get the delay panel up.
7. To export the animated gif go to the Optimise tab and select “Animated gif” (no transparency, images only, Html=none, slices=none)
8. To save as a Flash animation select File/Save as (select adobe flash on drop down)

Animating with Twist and Fade

1. Create a design to animate and select it.
2. select Commands/Creative/Twist and Fade. Click animation check box and adjust settings for required animation or select a preset from bottom left.
3. Click on the Run button to view the animation.

Tweened Animation
A Tween is a frame between starting and stopping of an animation sequence.

1. Select your image and change it to a symbol by Modify/Symbol/Convert to symbol (select graphic option.
2. Hold down the Alt key and drag another copy out. position it away from first symbol. repeat for a third copy.
3. Select all symbols then Modify/Symbol/Tween Instance (select 10 steps and distribute to states)
4. Run and test it
5. In the states panel you can select states within animation and use Modify/Transform/Free Transform to alter instances of the shape.
6. To change the animation speed select all the states in the State Panel. Then right mouse click to set speed.

Exporting Web Site Mock ups

HTML Export
This creates an html prototype for displaying as a web site.
- Slice the images only
- Make sure all pages are named and button links entered (home.html)
- Select File/Export/Html and images (export slices, include areas without slices, put images in subfolder, all others unticked).
Default HTML settings can be set in File/HTML Setup

CSS Export
This creates an CSS prototype for displaying as a web site.
- Slice the images only (Right click on image and select insert rectangle splice)
- Foreground slices are images which dictates layout flow.
- Background slices are images for background.
- File/Export/CSS and Images (set up options)

PDF Export
This creates a PDF document of your design.
- Name each page.
- File/Export (adobe pdf).
- Setup the options like allowing commentating

Exporting an area
- Select the export area tool from the side panel
- Select your area by dragging and then double clicking inside.
- Adjust the export properties
Another method is File/Image Profile. This brings up the export pop up dialogue.

Choosing Export Settings
- Open your image or Photo
- Zoom out and select 4 up
- Change settings in each view to show comparisons for different export settings.

Editing Photos in Fireworks

How to Make Parts of your Photo’s appear Moving
- Using the lasso tool select the part of the image you want the effect applied to.
- Select from the top Menu Filters/Motion Blur

How to Apply Blends to photo’s like HDR Effects
- Create a duplicate copy of your photo on a new layer. This can be done by dragging the photo in the layers panel down to the “new bitmap image” button.

- select the top image in the layers panel and apply the blend “multiply” by either the drop down in the layers panel or in the bottom properties panel.

- These methods can be repeated using “overlay” for a different effect. Or Use drawing tools with blend modes.

Selecting and Editing Parts of a Photo
- Use the lasso tool to click points around the image. Click on the first point to close the shape.
- To expand the selection use the Select/Feather feature or Select/Deselect to remove.
-  You can the click and drag the selection or save it Select/Save Bitmap selection for reloading later.

Altering Exposure and Colour
Images can be colour or exposure adjusted by selecting it the Filters/Adjust colour.

The Fireworks Workspace

Guide Lines
Turn the rulers on
Click and drag from the vertical ruler to create a vertical guide.
View/Guides/Snap to Guides.
To measure distance between the guides use the Select tool and hold the Shift key.

Workspace
To undock a panel drag from the gripper away.
To re-dock properties pane drag from the side bar to the bottom of page.
To hide the panels press F4

Capture a Screenshot
Select Commands/Take Screenshot
Select region
Open a new canvas then paste the captured image in.

Master Page
Create a page with your common content on it. ie banners, navigation and titles.  In properties set this as your Master Page.  When ever you create another page it will contain the master Page content. Its like a template.  Only one Master Page per project.

Sharing Layers across Pages
To share a layer, first select the layer then click options. Select Share Layers and pick the pages.

More coming……

Rain mStand for MacBook Review

The Rain Design mStand will fit all laptops up to 15”. The specification says 17” but personally I wouldn’t put a 17” laptop on it. The stand perfectly matches the unibody Macbook. It is made of the same aluminium, and has a good thick solid appearance. The mStand provides a very secure platform for your Macbook. It also passes the lid non topple lift test.

The design and angle of the mStand lifts your Macbook off the table by 6”. It gives much better ventilation and acts as a heat sink. The mStand angles the keyboard and screen make use much more comfortable. It also looks very cool on your desktop and allows for better use of a remote keyboard and mouse. The thick rubber feet and laptop pads gives a solid stick to the desktop and makes your Macbook stick to the mStand. The front support has a cut out to allow lifting of the lid and a rear hole for cable routing.

Concerns have been expressed about the Macbook lid lifting limits when on the mStand. I tested this and as shown in the picture later, it has more than enough opening capacity. I retested with my Speck case on, and even though the Speck case does limit the Macbook lid lift limit, I could still just about lift the lid to my preferred angle. Using the speck case is my preferred configuration and I have had no issues.

The mStand is competitively priced and is excellent when used with a remote monitor, keyboard and mouse. It is perfectly poised when using your laptop built in screen and keyboard. It looks very professional when on your desktop.

I found the angle perfect and very little give in the stand when you apply downward pressure on it. Its thick construction makes it solid and a compliment to your Macbook.  I have now had it 6 weeks and its not toppled or slipped.

The Laptop support size is about 240mm wide by 260mm high. It lifts the rear by 150mm and the front by 80mm. The rubber feet prevents it slipping on the desktop and the top pads protect the base of the laptop from scratches and keeps it stuck to the mstand.

The attached pictures show a 15” apple Macbook Pro on a Rain mStand. Some of the pictures are with a speck case on the MacBook.  The video at the bottom shows my unboxing and tests with the screen angle limits with the Speck case on and off

For full screen video visit my You Tube account HERE

Visit their homepage at raindesign

 

WATCH THE VIDEO

MacBook Pro Antiglare Review

I see many questions on the web asking about the Apple Macbook Pro antiglare laptop. Sometimes its referred to as the MacBook matte finish Laptop.  Having both I am able to see first hand the differences between the two.  This article concentrates on the MacBook Pro antiglare showing photo’s and a Video at the end

I also have a gloss 13′ MacBook Pro to hand, so have experienced both in all conditions.  I will try to give a fare comparison but my preference is the matte version

The first thing you notice with the antiglare MacBook is the silver bezel it has. The gloss MacBook has a black border.  I find this silver bezel gives the MacBook a more professional and expensive look.  Prior to buying I read a few comment saying it looked cheap.  However it looks fantastic and some of my close up photos will show this.  It does however make the matte screen slightly more difficult to clean rather than wiping over a continuous sheet of glass as on the MacBook gloss.

Out of the box and side by side I did feel that the colours on the MacBook gloss looked a little richer.  I did then calibrate the matte screen and that brought the colours to as good as the gloss screen.  I wouldn’t say they looked identical but both acceptable.  On the phone Apple tells me that their professional graphic designers use the gloss screen version in rooms which are correctly lit to prevent reflections.  Any differences seen when side by side are indistinguishable when you use either on its own.

The biggest issue with the gloss is that its very reflective. Almost like a mirror at times.  I found that in a well lit room the reflections gave me eye strain and couldn’t be used for extended periods.  Many times through the summer I used the gloss version on the patio. Although usable it was very difficult and would be used in this situation only when absolutely necessary.  The MacBook Pro Antiglare was flawless in any condition. The reflections were unnoticeable and is why this version is the one of choice.  The one situation where I felt the gloss was better was when using it in a dimly lit room where the light source was directly above the screen. I had a swan neck lamp which I placed above the laptop and it this environment it was a joy to use.

Finally.. On the MacBook’s there is a brightness control.  I do believe that the MacBook gloss version is slightly brighter.  I would say about one notch brighter.  Its a point to note, but not one to worry about.  Indoors you never use either at full, and outdoors a one notch difference isn’t distinguishable.

 Hope this article helps you make your mind up and if you still have doubts visit the Apple store and compare for your self.  To round up I would say the graphical and colour quality of both is very good it just about if you can put up with the reflections and the environment you will use it in.

Here is a video of the MacBook Pro antiglare version.  In my next post I will video some examples of its performance so keep checking back.

 

MacBook Pro Close up from Carlo Saltalamacchia on Vimeo.

The first of 2 videos I created to show of the MacBook Pro antiglare.
For a large screen version of the video click HERE

Kuler Colour Scheme Picker

Fantastic colour scheme picker for programs like Photoshop and Dreamweaver. Allows users to upload and download schemes and select from a huge database.

Reinstalling OSX to Factory Condition

This procedure has four parts:

1. Erasing the hard drive
2. Completing the Mac OS X Setup Assistant.
3. Restoring the bundled applications using the Applications Install Disc.

Important: This procedure will completely erase your hard drive.

Part One: Erasing the hard drive

1. Turn on the computer.
2. Insert the Mac OS X Install DVD into the optical drive.
3. Press and hold the “C” key while the computer starts up. The computer will start up using the Mac OS X Install DVD.
4. If your are using a wireless mouse, a mouse icon should appear asking you to turn the mouse on so that the computer can discover it.
5. Select a language, then press the right arrow key.
6. Click the Utilities menu, the choose Disk Utility.
7. Select a the hard disk to erase (select top level item).
8. Click the Erase tab.
9. Select Security options and choose “7-Pass Erase” for a secure delete (6hrs) or the derfault “Zeros” for a quick erase.  Then click OK.
10. Back in the Erase dialogue Select Volume Format as “Mac OS Extended”
11. Name the disk as “Macintosh HD”
12. Select the Erase button.
13. This takes about 5 hours.
14. When done Quit the Disk Utility and install OSX.

Part Two: Completing the Mac OS X Setup Assistant

1. When the restart has completed, a welcome video plays, then country/region selection screen appears.
2. Select your country or region and click Continue.
3. Select a keyboard layout and click Continue.
4. A migration screen appears. If you wish to migrate your data from another Macintosh then select. If you do not wish to migrate, or want to migrate later, select “Do not transfer my information now” and click Continue.
5. A Wireless Service screen appears if you have wireless services available within range of your computer. Select “On” and click Continue.
6. If the network is password protected, you be asked for a password when you select it. Type the password and click Continue.
7. An Apple ID screen appears. This is used to purchase content from the iTunes store. You can use MobileMe or .Mac usernames here as well. When complete, click Continue.
8. If you do not have an Apple ID or MobileMe account, click Continue to move to the next screen.
9. A Registration Information screen appears. You are not required to fill this out, but it is helpful if you do. When complete, click Continue and your product registration will be sent immediately.
10. If Mac OS X servers are available on your network, you’ll be asked if you’d like to log on to them. If not, click Continue.
11. A Create Your Account screen appears. This will be used to create a User Account with Login ID and Password for you computer. You should remember this password. You’ll be asked for it when you install new software or perform other administrative tasks on your computer. When complete, click Continue and your account will be created immediately.
    The Full Name will be used as your “User Log in”. The short name will be used to name your documents folder (This cannot be changed without a fresh install)
12. A screen to select your user picture appears. Take a snapshot with the built-in camera or select a picture from your Library. When complete, click Continue.
13. A MobileMe screen appears. Select an option and click Continue.
14. A Thank You screen appears. Click Go to complete the Mac OS X Setup Assistant.
15. Eject the Mac OS X Install DVD by dragging its icon to the Trash.

Part Three: Installing the bundled applications

1. To install the bundled applications, locate the Applications Install Disc that came with your computer.
   Note: You may see a Software Update icon bouncing up and down in your dock. You can quit this for now.
2. Insert the Applications Install Disc into the optical drive.
3. The disc will mount and an Applications Install Disk dialog appears. Double-click on Install Bundled Software to install your iLife applications.
4. A dialog appears asking if you want to run the package. Click Continue.
5. The Bundled Software Applications Installer screen appears. Click Continue.
6. A software license screen appears. Click Continue, then click Agree to accept the terms.
7. A select destination dialog appears. Make sure the partition with the green arrow is the correct destination, then click Continue.
8. To install all the bundled applications, click Install.
9. To select individual applications, click Customize. Click the disclosure triangle next to Bundled Applications to select individual applications, then click Install. Clicking Standard Install on the Customize screen installs all the applications.
10. Type the password you created to start the installation.
11. A restart dialog appears. Click Continue Installation.
12. An Install was Successful screen appears. Click Restart.

The restore process is now complete.

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