page design in fireworks

[nino2300]

I`m new to web designing and wondered how to design a page in fireworks. Do you design the whole page in fireworks then slice it up and export it to dreamweaver, or is it bes to design the page in fireworks and make up the tables manualy in dreamweaver then insert each individual image as it should look?

[Ian424]

fireworks is more a tool for optimizing, minor edits, and png work, not really for designing whole pages, i say make / optimize / whatever images in fireworks, use fireworks's html stuff, but put the page together in Dreamweaver or notepad or your html editor of choice.

[Black_phoenix]

Originally posted by Ian424
fireworks is more a tool for optimizing, minor edits, and png work, not really for designing whole pages

Mb you are using it wrong ian, yes u can use fireworks to design a whole page (but look for speed, fireworks will export even the unsliced bits so delete them (from the html)pages are speed and good looks (my rules)

i'm sure macromedia did nt make it for minor edits and png work...

i do agree its better than photoshop for optimising though

[nino2300]

So what you are saying is that it is best to design the whole page with fireworks and export it to dreamweaver as a whole then delete the unwanted areas? What about the areas which are text? If the page is basicly one image, how do you put html text and stuff on the page?
Thyanx for your reply`s

[Black_phoenix]

ok u design the site u know the size of the text field so u make a slice that size then u delete it from the html and u have a blank table u can type in, simple as that

there are factors u need to consider but u will find these out (when it goes wrong)

i would tell u, but u need to make mistakes to learn

hope this helps

[ablair]

Actually Fireworks is extremely powerful, moreso than it first appears.

For HTML text areas make a rectangular slice. In the object palette look for the "Type" option, set it to "text".

To stop Fireworks from exporting solid colour areas that you don't want as images, uncheck "Include Areas without Slices" in the export dialog. This wil cause a single pixel transparent GIF to be placed in the cell and scaled to fill the area.

Fireworks doesn't have the image manipulation power of Photoshop but it is certainly powerful at creating sliced web pages or components.

Read the help files and tutorials on Macromedias site.

Regards,
Alan

[Black_phoenix]

top man!!! (ablair)

yes its a bit lacking compare to photoshop for making pretty pictures but (u can open a psd file or cut and paste it)

its has lots of good features

animated gifs

the only rule, which i run with is a page should not be more than 50k, mb as broadband creeps in this will change but there are still lots of 56ks out there, dont slice to hearts content

its also ace for making backgrounds, big and small