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Editing tools
This
page describes use of the Fireworks MX tools and panels
for editing objects and text, including methods for
selecting, moving, changing shape, changing color and texture and
adding effects.
| Selecting,
deleting and moving objects |
- To
select an object - click it with the Pointer tool
(black arrow) or by clicking the object's thumbnail in the Layers panel. The path of a selected vector object is visible as a light
blue line with points marked by solid squares. To select more
than one object at a time, hold down the SHIFT key and click on
each object.
- To
select a region of pixels in a bitmap object by drawing -
use
either the Marquee tool
 or
the Lasso
tool  to define the area. A moving black and white line will
surround the selected area.
This will allow you to delete, Edit > Cut or Edit > Copy the
area. After selecting this way you will need to Edit > Deselect in
order to continue.
- To
select pixels in of similar color in
a bitmap object -
choose the Magic Wand tool then click the color you want
to select. An area of adjacent similar color will be selected.
The tolerance level that you have chosen
in the Properties panel determines the range of color. With the pixels selected
you can delete, Edit > Cut or Edit > Copy the
area. After selecting this way you will need to Edit > Deselect in
order to continue.
- To
deselect all objects - use the Pointer tool and click on the
canvas away from any object, or Edit > Deselect.
- To
delete an object - select it and type the DELETE key.
- To
move an object -
select it then drag it to another position or move the
object one pixel at a time by using the arrow keys. SHIFT-arrow
moves
10 pixels at a time. You
can move an object by selecting it and editing the X and Y
coordinate values in the Properties panel. These values pertain
to the topmost and leftmost points of the selected object.
-
Using
coordinates -
You can use a grid, ruler or guideline to place objects accurately.
These tools
are found in the View menu.
The properties panel will also tell you the X and Y coordinates
of the topmost and leftmost point of selected objects.
-
To
align objects
in relation to one another - select the objects and Modify > Align then
choose the type of alignment you want.
-
To
arrange the
stacking order of objects -
select an object and Modify > Arrange or
drag the thumbnails of objects into the
correct stacking order in the Layers panel.
| Changing
the shape of objects |
- To
change the shape of a vector or bitmap object by dragging -
select the object and Modify > Transform.
You can choose between various types of modification called Scale,
Skew and Distort.
A bounding rectangle will appear with handles that can be dragged
in different directions. As you move the
pointer around the selected
object, the pointer will change among various arrow shapes and
the effect of clicking and dragging depends on the type of arrow.
Another transform option is Numeric
Transform that allows you to apply
numeric percentage values to the
scale, rotate and resize functions.
- To
modify the points of a vector object so that the object has a
new shape or angle -
choose the Subselection tool
(white arrow pointer) in the Select group of the Tools panel then click the object. The object's points will appear
as hollow
squares
along
the path
of the object.
You can now select each point individually; when you select
a hollow point it becomes filled. Any point
can be dragged to a new location. To remove a point (changing
a rectangle to a triangle, for example) select it and
type the DELETE key. To add a point, click the Pen tool
then click the location for the new point along the object's
path. When
a point is selected you can change its width and height values
in the Properties panel to move the point.
| Note:
If you use the Subselection tool to select a point on
a rectangle or a rounded rectangle, you will see a message
asking whether
you first want to "ungroup" the rectangle's
points. Click Yes if you want to delete
or move the point. |
| Rotating
and flipping objects |
- To rotate
an object by dragging - select the object and Modify >
Transform > Free Transform. Move
the pointer outside the object until the rotation pointer (which
looks like an incomplete circle with an arrow) appears. Click
and drag the pointer to rotate the object.
- To
rotate an object 90 or 180 degrees -
select the object and Modify > Transform then choose
a rotation option.
- To
flip an object along its horizontal or vertical axis -
select the object and Modify > Transform then
choose either Flip Horizontal or Flip
Vertical.
| Color,pattern,
texture, opacity, transparency |
-
To
change the color and texture properties of a vector object -
select the object and use the Properties panel to choose
the new color properties. To select a pattern or gradient
rather than solid color, use the pull down menu next to the color
well. The Texture
pull-down menu is associated with a percentage that you can select.
Choosing 0 in this field produces no texture.
Most vector objects (except for Line) have both fill properties
for the interior and stroke properties that follow the perimeter
or path. Fill properties are in the section with the bucket icon
and stroke properties are in the section with the pencil icon.
 To
change the color and texture properties of text - select
the text box and use the color wells to choose a color. The top color
well applies to the text itself and the bottom color well next to the
pencil applies to the outline of the letters. If you would like to choose
a pattern or texture for the text, click the color well then click the
Fill Options button for more choices.
| If
you want to change the color of only part of the text in
a box, double-click the text so that an insertion
point appears. Then drag to highlight the text you want to
change. |
- To
change the color properties of a bitmap object - choose
the paint bucket tool in the Bitmap section of the Tools panel,
choose color and texture in the Properties panel for the tool, then click
the color area that you want to change in the bitmap object. Note that
the Properties panel offers a tolerance level that lets you choose colors
that are more or less similar. (If you have selected pixels in
your bitmap object using the Magic Wand tool you can use the bucket tool
to
change the pixels.)
- Transparency
- To
remove color from an object so that the canvas and other objects
will show
through, choose this symbol in any color well
 .
| Note:
If you want to export the transparency the format of the exported
file must be GIF. |
To
make a particular color transparent in a file that will be exported
in GIF format, use the eyedropper tools  (select,
add and delete) that can be found on the Optimize panel to click-select
the colors that will be transparent. To preview the transparency,
click the Preview tab on the document window. Transparent areas
will be filled with a gray/white checkerboard. You can also choose
transparency in the Export Preview window.
To make the canvas transparent, Modify > Canvas > Canvas
Color and choose
Transparent
- Opacity - Opacity
is adjustable by percentage; a setting of 100% is opaque an 0%
is transparent over other objects and the canvas. Select the object
and in the Effects section of the Properties panel move the percentage
slider.
| Adding
effects to objects |
Effects
can be added to vector objects, bitmap
objects and text using the Properties panel. Some popular effects are:
 To
add an effect, select the object then click the plus sign in the Effects
section of the Properties panel. Choose an effect from the menu and
sub-menus. A pop-up menu will appear with various settings such as
color, angle and softness. Change these if you like and type the ENTER
key.
 The
effects you
have chosen will appear in a list in the Properties panel when the object is selected.
- To
turn off an effect, click the checkmark next to its name so that
it turns into a red X.
- To
delete an effect, select it and click the minus sign above the
list of effects.
- To
edit an effect, click the blue circle "info" button
next to it.
The
list of effects includes several for adjusting color - brightness,
contrast, hue etc.
- Rebecca
Atwood, ratwood@wellesley.edu
- Information
Services
- Date
Created: June 3, 2003
- Last
Modified: September 24, 2003
- Expires:
September 1, 2004
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