ptg 204 Chapter 6 You can import Adobe Fireworks PNG files into Flash as editable objects or bitmap images. When you import a PNG file as a bitmap image, the file, including any vector data, is flattened, or rasterized, and converted to a bitmap. When you import a PNG file as an editable image, the file retains any vector data, bitmaps, text (with default anti- alias settings), filters (called effects in Fireworks) and guides. In Flash, you can retain Fireworks filters, blend modes, and text, and continue to modify them using Flash. When you import Fireworks files into Flash, PNG file graphic properties remain intact. You can also select multiple PNG files to import in a batch. When you batch PNG files, you select import settings one time. When you import a PNG as a flattened image, you can also edit the image in Fireworks directly from Flash. Flash updates the image with your changes from Fireworks creating easy round-trip edits. Importing Fireworks PNG Files Import and Edit Fireworks PNG Files Click the File menu, point to Import, and then click Import To Stage or Import To Library. Click the Show popup (Mac) or Files Of Types list arrow (Win), and then click PNG File or All Formats. Navigate to the Fireworks PNG files you want to import, and then select one or more. Click Import or Import To Library (Mac) or Open (Win). To flatten the PNG file into a bitmap, select the Import as a Single Flattened Bitmap check box. IMPORTANT To use round-trip editing, you need to flatten the PNG file into a bitmap. You cannot edit bitmaps from Fireworks PNG files imported as editable objects. Click the Import popup, and then click Page or other available options. Click the Into popup, and then click Current Frame As Movie Clip, New Layer or other available options. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 3 5 4 2 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Importing Graphics 205 For objects and text, select one of the following: ◆ Import As Bitmaps To Maintain Appearance. Retains Fireworks fills, strokes, and effects in Flash. ◆ Keep All Paths Editable. Retains vector properties; however, some Fireworks fills, strokes, and effects are lost; places file and related files in a Fireworks Objects folder in the Library. Click OK. To edit a flattened PNG bitmap, right-click (Win) or control-click (Mac) the PNG/bitmap’s icon in the Library, and then click Edit with and select an image editing program or click Edit with Fireworks. ◆ In the Edit Image dialog box, specify whether the PNG file or the bitmap file is to be opened. ◆ In Fireworks, edit the image, click Done or click the File menu, and then click Update. 10 9 8 9 10 PNG file from Fireworks 6 7 8 Did You Know? You can optimize PNG images in Fireworks for Flash. Images can increase the size of a movie so you want to optimize images to be as small as possible while still maintaining high quality. You can optimize bitmap and PNG images in Fireworks using round- trip editing from Flash. In Fireworks, specify options on the Optimize panel to optimize and compress images. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 206 Chapter 6 Flash allows you to import multiple files simultaneously to save time. This is useful if you have many files to import. You can select multiple, non-sequential files in the Import dialog box. Choose to import to the Library or to the Stage directly. When you import to the Stage, the file is stored in the Library and a copy is placed on the Stage so you can begin editing it immediately. If you attempt to import a series of files that are numbered sequentially, Flash detects this and produces a dia- log box to handle this. When sequential images are imported, they will appear in separate frames by order of the number in their file name. This is extremely useful for image sequences where a series of images forms an animation. Importing Multiple Files Import Multiple Files or a Sequence of Files Click the File menu, point to Import, and then click Import To Stage or Import To Library. Click the Show popup (Mac) or Files Of Types list arrow (Win), and then select the format of the file you want to import. Navigate to the drive or folder where the file is located. Select the first file you want to import. To import multiple files, hold down the A (Mac) or Ctrl (Win) key and click additional files to select them. Click Import (Mac) or Open (Win). For a sequence of files, Flash detects that this image is part of a sequence and asks whether you want to import all of them at once. Click Yes. The numbered files are imported and placed on separate sequential keyframes on the selected layer in the Timeline. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 5 Multiple files imported appear stacked on top of each other. Press down and drag with your mouse to reveal images underneath. 4 Each imported image appears on a separate frame sequentially. 6 3 2 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Importing Graphics 207 You can paste a bitmap image from other image editing programs, such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Fireworks. Simply use the standard copying procedure in the program of your choice to place the bitmap into the clipboard, which is where the operating system dynamically stores information you copy, and then paste it into Flash directly on the Stage. Copying images from other programs works well for bitmaps. However, results are unpredictable when pasting vector graphics from other programs. Often they become corrupted when they are copied to the clipboard, depending upon the origin program or the operating sys- tem. It is best to use the Import command to import vector graphics into Flash. Copying Images from Other Programs Paste from the Clipboard Copy the image to the clipboard in an image-editing program. Launch or switch to Flash, and then open the Flash document in which you want to paste an image from the clipboard. Select an unlocked layer or keyframe. Click the Edit menu, and then click Paste in Center or Paste in Place. TIMESAVER Press A +V (Mac) or Ctrl+V (Win) to quickly paste in center from the clipboard; press A +Shift+V (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift V (Win) to quickly paste in place from the clipboard. 4 3 2 1 3 Image is pasted onto the Stage and placed in the Library. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 208 Chapter 6 You can edit a bitmap in its native program, such as Photoshop CS5 or Fireworks 3, or some other image editing tool. Once it is re-saved or updated to the hard drive, Flash automatically updates the bitmap back when you return to Flash ( New! ). If an image is moved to another loca- tion, you can manually update it. In addition, you can import another image to replace the bitmap in the Library. In either case, every copy of the bitmap used in the Flash movie (including bitmap fills) will update with these changes. This is a convenient way to make global changes to bitmap art included in your project. Editing Bitmaps in an Outside Editor Update an Image Edited Outside of Flash Import a bitmap into Flash. Open the Library panel. Right-click (Win) or Control-click (Mac) the bitmap’s icon, and then click Edit with Photoshop CS5 or Edit with Fireworks 3. ◆ For other imaging programs, click Edit With, select an image-editing program, and then click OK. In the image-editing program, modify the bitmap, click the File menu, and then click Save or Update, and then return to Flash. The bitmap is automatically updated in Flash. To manually update an image or relink to a different location, right- click (Win) or Control-click the icon in the Library panel, click the Properties, click Update, and then click OK. 5 4 3 2 1 5 Larger preview of the bitmap 3 2 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Importing Graphics 209 Replace a Bitmap Open the Library panel, and then select the bitmap from the item list. Click the Properties icon in the bottom of the panel or double-click the bitmap file in the list. Click Import. Navigate to the replacement file on your hard drive. Select the replacement file. Click Import (Mac) or Open (Win). Change the name and any other options you want. Click OK. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 3 6 Image is replaced with new imported image. All copies used in the Flash movie update to this new image. 5 8 4 Did You Know? Flash preserves the path when you import a bitmap. When you import a bitmap into Flash, the path to that image is preserved in the Bitmap Properties. If you have moved the image to another directory on your hard drive and you want to update the file in the Library with the new changes, navigate to it by using the Import button in the Bitmap Properties window. From the Library of Wow! eBook . guides. In Flash, you can retain Fireworks filters, blend modes, and text, and continue to modify them using Flash. When you import Fireworks files into Flash, . in the Flash movie update to this new image. 5 8 4 Did You Know? Flash preserves the path when you import a bitmap. When you import a bitmap into Flash,