Fireworks MX
Macintosh and Windows

• convert image files to different file format by exporting (see Beginning with Fireworks at left)
• change image dimensions by re-sizing or cropping
• straighten a crooked image
• add text or objects that you draw to imported images
• batch process groups of images to change file format or scale
• work with screen shots
• rotate,flip or change the shape of images (See Editing tools menu at left)
• Fireworks MX also includes many tools for re-touching images and filtering colors. You may prefer to use Photoshop for this type of work, but if you choose to try it in Fireworks, the Help files can guide you.

Straighten a crooked image

Before you straighten a crooked image you may need to add extra canvas space around your image to allow room for rotation (Modify > Canvas size). You may also want to use guides or grid lines to help you see when your image is straight. (Guides and grids are in the View menu.)

Then select the image and Modify > Transform > Scale. A bounding rectangle will appear. Position the cursor outside of the rectangle so that it changes to a curved line with an arrow on one end. Drag in a circular motion around the image so that it rotates

1. Open your image in Fireworks MX (File > Open).
2. Using the image as a background, use any of the drawing tools or the text tool. Instructions for using these tools can be found by clicking Drawing tools and Editing tools on the menu at the left margin of this page.
3. Export your file as you would any other, being sure to select the appropriate format for your image. (See Beginning with Fireworks in the menu at the left margin of this page.)
4. When you are done, save your file (File > Save) in PNG format so that you can edit the objects separately later if you need to.

Screen shot files exported as JPG or GIF can be inserted into web pages.

Screen shot files exported as JPG or PNG can be pasted into FirstClass messages.

Macintosh

1. With the screen open that you want to capture, use the method appropriate for your operating system:

   OS X Instructions for capturing a screen shot

   OS 9: Entire screen: APPLE+SHIFT+3; Selected area: APPLE+SHIFT+4: Active window:APPLE+SHIFT+CAPS LOCK+4

2. The screen shot file will be saved on the Macintosh HD and named as Picture followed by a sequential number.
3. Launch Fireworks and open the screen shot file
4. Crop, trim and edit according to your needs
5. If you plan to paste the screen shot into a FirstClass message or elsewhere, select it then Edit > Copy.
6. Export and name the file.

Windows

1. With the screen open that you want to capture, type the PRINT SCREEN key on the top row of your keyboard. A shot of the full screen will be taken and saved onto the clipboard. If you want to capture the active window only, hold down the ALT key while you type the PRINT SCREEN key.
2. Launch Fireworks and open a new document. Do not change the canvas size in the New Document window as it will already be the correct size for the file in the clipboard.
3. Edit > Paste
4. Crop, trim and edit according to your needs
5. If you plan to paste the screen shot into a FirstClass message or elsewhere, select it then Edit > Copy.
6. Export and name the file.

If you have a number of image files that you would like to save in a certain file format or scale to a certain size, you can process them together to save time. This is useful, for example if you have pictures taken with a digital camera that you want to convert or if you want to make images for a web page be a consistent size. You can also rename files and perform other commands by using batch processing, however be sure you are very careful and have backups of your files before you attempt this.

1. Place all of the images that you want to convert together in one folder.
2. File > Batch Process.
   
3. In the Look in field navigate to the location of the folder containing your images so that their names appear in the top box.
4. Copy file names that you want to process into the bottom box by selecting them and clicking Add . You can process them all by clicking Add All. (You can remove file names from the bottom box by selecting them and clicking Remove.)
5. Click Next. the following dialog will appear:
   
   
6. Select the function(s) you need in the Batch Options box an click the Add button to move each to the box labeled Include in Batch. If you choose more than one option, they will be performed in the order they appear in the right box, with the exception of Export which is always performed last. You can change the order by selecting an option then clicking the up or down arrows.
7. Each option that you select will give you particular choices in the bottom box. For example the Export option lets you choose the format for your files. The Scale option gives the choices in the illustration above.
8. When you are doing setting up your options, click Next. The final Batch Process dialog box lets you choose a location for the resulting set of files. You can save these processed files in a different location so that the originals are retained, if you like.
   
   
   Same Location as Original File - the processed files will overwrite the source file if the filenames are the same and in the same format.
   
   Custom Location - choose a location in which to save the processed files by navigating to the location. Then click the Select "Location" button.
   
   Check the Backups box if you would like to chose backup options for your original files. (If Backup is not checked, batch processing in the same file format overwrites the original file if the name is the same. However, batch processing in a different file format creates a new file and does not move or delete the original file.)
   
   Overwrite Existing Backups - overwrites the previous backup file.
   
   Incremental Backups - saves copies of all the backup files. When you run a new batch process, a number is appended to the end of the filename of the new backup copy.
   
9. Click Batch when you are done.
10. A dialog will tell you when the process is complete. Click OK.