STEP 04 moving from FreeHand TO FLASH


One of the key advantages of sketching your initial designs in FreeHand is its capability to export to Flash with remarkable f idelity. The vast majority of your objects in FreeHand become identical assets in Flash, especially since the release of FreeHand 8.01. This version of the program offers increasedalmost intelligent SWF export control. By adhering to a few simple rules, you can easily adapt your static images in FreeHand into Flash animated ones.

With FreeHand 8.01, you can export to Flash an entire image or selected objects only. I'll typically perform an export in two stages, one for objects with text as paths and one for text blocks to retain the leading and other text features. TIFF imageswhich we often integrate in our vector graphicsare automatically converted to RGB format during export.

Perhaps best of all, each separate object, whether used for the background or the foreground, is brought in as a separate object positioned exactly as in FreeHand. This translation allows ultimate flexibility for animation possibilities in Flash. Background objects can remain static and foreground objects can animate into place; or, if I choose, some background objects can also move into position over time.

To better understand the FreeHand-to-Flash export connection, follow these steps:

  1. In FreeHand, select all the elements on the first page you want to export, and copy them.

  2. Open a new page by choosing File > New.

  3. Paste the elements onto the new page, snapping them into the upper-left corner.

    With the page isolatedand the original design safewe can separate the text to be converted to paths from the text to be exported as text blocks.

  4. Create a new layer.

  5. Select all the text elements that you wish to retain as text blocks and cut them.

  6. Select the new layer and lock all others.

  7. Paste the cut text blocks into the new layer.

  8. Hide the text block layer and unlock the other layers .

  9. Select File > Export and change the file type on the Export Document dialog to Flash (*.swf).

  10. Select Setup.

    The Flash Export dialog, shown in figure 09:08, is displayed.


    Figure 09:08.

    graphics/09fig08.gif


  11. Set both Path Compression and Image Compression to None.

    You want the highest fidelity for your paths and images.

  12. In the Text list, choose Convert to Paths.

  13. Unless you are animating layers or pages, deselect those options and click OK when you're ready.

  14. Enter a filename and path for the Flash file in the Export Document dialog.

  15. In the Layers inspector, display the text block layer and hide all others.

  16. Repeat steps 915, with one exception: Change the Text option to Maintain Blocks (see figure 09:09).


    Figure 09:09.

    graphics/09fig09.gif


  17. Enter a new name for the text block file to complete the export.



Flash Web Design The Art Of Motion Graphics
Flash Web Design oder: the art of motion graphics
ISBN: 3827256623
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 192

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