Problems exporting

[Karl]

Studio MX 2004

I would like to export to a GIF file.

I've defined an 'output area' but the Export dialog has 'area' grayed out
(same with page boundary). These never become active regardless of the
output file type. How do I make 'area' selectable?

Also, I would like the grouped object to have a specific height of 90
pixels. Can I set the height during export? (I seem to recall reading that I
could in Help, but I don't see when/where I set the height.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

As an aside, I have export the Freehand files as a PNG file for opening in
Fireworks, but the quality of the text when I scale and save the image is
just plain awful. Any tips for using this technique? (the fonts are truetype
fonts so I assume they should scale just fine.)


TIA

[Ron Rockwell]

in article bv6r94$o6r$1@forums.macromedia.com, Karl at
[email]kthompson@pine-grove.com.nosp[/email]am wrote on 1/27/04 18:12:

> I've defined an 'output area' but the Export dialog has 'area' grayed out
> (same with page boundary). These never become active regardless of the
> output file type. How do I make 'area' selectable?

If you're using the Output Area tool, you should be seeing a red dashed
rectangle around the area you want to export. Considering that you do, it's
unfortunate, but the Output Area only works for certain file types: EPS,
Photoshop, SWF and PDF. GIF, JPEG, Illustrator, FreeHand, BMP, and so on
aren't available.

>
> Also, I would like the grouped object to have a specific height of 90
> pixels. Can I set the height during export?

It isn't handled in Exporting. Instead, an easy way is to size the graphic
to 90 pixels and export that. One way is to draw a rectangle the size you
want, and place the graphic in it and scale it until it fits. If you have
the Info toolbar showing in your main menu, you can watch the size as you
scale. To say it isn't handled in exporting is a little misleading - you can
change the resolution in the Option window. Web-bound bitmaps are usually
set at a default of 72-dpi, but if you change that to 300-dpi, you've just
enlarged the graphic by around 400% (if my math is right). You have to do an
awful lot of work to pull that method off, though. Sizing it accurately in
the first place is my preferred method.

I have export the Freehand files as a PNG file for opening in

> Fireworks, but the quality of the text when I scale and save the image is
> just plain awful.

When the graphic is converted to PNG, GIF, JPEG, TIFF, or other raster
formats, it becomes a bitmap by definition. It's made up of pixels - the
resolution can be changed in the Options menu of the export window. Any
scaling of the image will give you the jaggies. It's best to set your text
in Fireworks, or copy the image from FreeHand and paste it into Fireworks.
That way you have live text to work with (you can even open a FreeHand doc
in Fireworks).

Ron

[Karl]

Thanks for all of these tips. They are appreciated!


"Ron Rockwell" <ron@nidus-corp.com> wrote in message
news:BC3CB318.12F64%ron@nidus-corp.com...

> in article bv6r94$o6r$1@forums.macromedia.com, Karl at
> [email]kthompson@pine-grove.com.nosp[/email]am wrote on 1/27/04 18:12:
>

> > I've defined an 'output area' but the Export dialog has 'area' grayed

out

> > (same with page boundary). These never become active regardless of the
> > output file type. How do I make 'area' selectable?

>
> If you're using the Output Area tool, you should be seeing a red dashed
> rectangle around the area you want to export. Considering that you do,

it's

> unfortunate, but the Output Area only works for certain file types: EPS,
> Photoshop, SWF and PDF. GIF, JPEG, Illustrator, FreeHand, BMP, and so on
> aren't available.

> >
> > Also, I would like the grouped object to have a specific height of 90
> > pixels. Can I set the height during export?

>
> It isn't handled in Exporting. Instead, an easy way is to size the graphic
> to 90 pixels and export that. One way is to draw a rectangle the size you
> want, and place the graphic in it and scale it until it fits. If you have
> the Info toolbar showing in your main menu, you can watch the size as you
> scale. To say it isn't handled in exporting is a little misleading - you

can

> change the resolution in the Option window. Web-bound bitmaps are usually
> set at a default of 72-dpi, but if you change that to 300-dpi, you've just
> enlarged the graphic by around 400% (if my math is right). You have to do

an

> awful lot of work to pull that method off, though. Sizing it accurately in
> the first place is my preferred method.
>
> I have export the Freehand files as a PNG file for opening in

> > Fireworks, but the quality of the text when I scale and save the image

is

> > just plain awful.

>
> When the graphic is converted to PNG, GIF, JPEG, TIFF, or other raster
> formats, it becomes a bitmap by definition. It's made up of pixels - the
> resolution can be changed in the Options menu of the export window. Any
> scaling of the image will give you the jaggies. It's best to set your text
> in Fireworks, or copy the image from FreeHand and paste it into Fireworks.
> That way you have live text to work with (you can even open a FreeHand doc
> in Fireworks).
>
> Ron
>