Layers and Frames


When you create a new object, it appears on its own sublayer within a layer. As you continue to create your masterpiece, more layers and sublayers are added to the composition.

Let's say you're making an animation and start incorporating frames. Now you have several layers and will be adding several frames. How do layers and frames interact with each other?

Shared Versus Unshared Layers

The relationship between layers and frames is based on whether or not the layer is shared. Shared layers are the same in every frame. Unshared layers may be different in each frame.

When you add a new frame, Fireworks copies all the unshared layers into the new frame. If you decide to add a new unshared layer in any frame when you're halfway through the project, Fireworks automatically adds that unshared layer to every other frame. Unshared Layers is the default setting for layers. If you want a new layer to be shared, you need to double-click on the layer name in the Layers panel and check the box to indicate that it should be shared.

To share a layer, select the layer. In the Layers panel options menu, select Share This Layer (see Figure 4.6). A check appears beside the option and a Shared Layer icon next to the layer name.

Figure 4.6. You decide whether a layer is shared or unshared.


Web Layer

A web layer is always shared. You don't have a say in that. On top of every layer stack in Fireworks is the web layer. You cannot delete it, rename it, or do anything unsavory with it. The web layer is where all web objects, such as slices and hotspots, are stored.

To the right of the web layer's name is the Shared Layer icon. This icon indicates that the web layer's contents are available and identical for all frames in your document.



Special Edition Using Macromedia Studio 8
Special Edition Using Macromedia Studio 8
ISBN: 0789733854
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 337

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net