[IxDA Discuss] Illustrator vs Fireworks

[Peter Bagnall]

On 8 Aug 2006, at 20:25, Wilson, Russell wrote:
> How?  I can't see how to do this... (but I'm
> no FW expert either)

Ok, I'll walk you through a trivial example... (I'm using FW MX 2004  
btw, so I think I'm a version or two behind, but this has been in FW  
since at least version 3, probably from day one)

Create a new fireworks doc, and create two layers. Double click on  
the layer names, and you'll get to rename them, but more importantly  
there's a checkbox there "share across frames". Make sure it's  
ticked. You'll see a filmstrip icon appear next to the layer name  
telling you it is now shared. Be careful here, when you share a layer  
it takes the content of that layer from the current frame, and  
content in any other frame for that layer is destroyed, so it's best  
to share immediately when you create the layer.

Now put some content into those layers...

Then create a few frames. Switch to frame one, and switch on layers  
as needed. Switch to frame 2, switch on/off layers as needed. Go back  
to frame 1, and it will have retained the layer visibility state for  
frame 1 independently of frame 2. And that's how you can create a  
very simple interface walkthrough pretty fast. Add frames as needed  
to get the complete sequence.

But the real beauty of this, Dave alluded to too, is that you can  
have common UI elements in layers, and just show them in the relevant  
frames by making those layers visible only where needed.

Cheers
--Pete

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A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade
they know they shall never sit in.
      - Greek proverb

Peter Bagnall - http://people.surfaceeffect.com/pete/