Adobe Fireworks: Interface and Tools Explained

Understanding the Adobe Fireworks Interface

Before getting started, let's define Object as any element within Fireworks, such as a circle, line, picture, or text.

The Fireworks Interface is simple. It's essential to identify each element, as you'll be using them throughout this course.

Start Page

Upon launching Fireworks, and before opening any document, the Start page appears. Here, you can open an existing document, create a new one, access recent documents, or visit Fireworks Exchange to enhance certain Fireworks functions.

Workspace

Workspace refers to the arrangement of elements like the Tools panel, Property Inspector, menus, and windows. The following image illustrates its layout.

Title Bar or Application Bar

Located at the top, it displays the application name and the name of the currently open graphic.

Menu Bar

Similar to other software, the Menu Bar includes:

• File: Enables basic document actions like open, close, save, export, import, preview, and exit.
• Edit: Allows actions such as cut, paste, undo, and duplicate.
• View: Controls zoom, and the display of rulers, grids, and guides.
• Select: Enables selection of all or part of a graphic, with options to contract and expand.
• Modify: Allows modification of image properties, canvas, layers, merging, and grouping.
• Text: Sets text properties, including spell check.
• Commands: Executes commands for text, image rotation, adding shadows, etc.
• Filters: Adjusts image color or contrast.
• Windows: Determines which tools are visible in the workspace.
• Help: Provides a program tutorial for easier comprehension and use.

Property Inspector

Found at the bottom of the screen, it can be activated via the Window menu (Properties) or with Ctrl + F3. It displays options relevant to the currently selected tool or element.

Panels

Panels aid in controlling and modifying your work. They are grouped on the right side of the screen and can be hidden or shown as needed.

Canvas

The Canvas is the central work area where image design takes place.

Floating Menus

These menus, such as Align and Behavior, offer easy access for editing objects. They can be found in the Windows menu and can be dragged and added to the Panels.

Fireworks Toolbar Explained

The Toolbar, or Tools Panel, is crucial for image design and manipulation. It's usually on the left of the interface but can be made visible via the Window menu (Tools) or Ctrl + F2.

Related tools are grouped into six categories:

Select Tool Group

These tools allow selection and sub-selection of objects, as well as modification and distortion.

Bitmap Tool Group

These tools enable regular or irregular selection of object parts, drawing with a pencil or brush, erasing, fading, brightening, darkening, blurring, smudging, filling with colors, and sampling colors.

Vector Tool Group

These tools facilitate freehand drawing and adding text as vectors.

Web Tool Group

This group helps apply interactive areas to images for web use, like hyperlinks to web pages or email addresses.

Color Tool Group

These tools allow adding or changing colors of selected objects.

View Tool Group

These tools change object appearance, move the document, and zoom in or out.