The release of both Fireworks 3 and Dreamweaver 3 should capture an even greater share of the Web tools market for Macromedia. Both programs were introduced in 1997 and since then they've seen a meteoric rise in popularity, especially amongst professional Web site designers. These latest releases reveal enhancements to both programs and greater compatibility between the two.
January 20, 2000
Enhancements to Dreamweaver 3
Much has been done to improve the flexibility of Style sheets and HTML handling from within the visual workspace. There's now a QuickTagEditor for accessing specific code without having to open up the code page. There's also an HTML source code editor for fine tuning the design, as well as a third-party tag editor. Third-party non-HTML content, based in ASP for example, can be manipulated or excluded in this adaptable editing tool. There's more support for XML content than before. Dreamweaver 3 now contains its own XML parser. And code brought into Dreamweaver, such as Javascript, is accepted as native code by the program.
There are now more palettes available in the workspace, including an innovative CSS Styles palette along with an HTML Styles editor. Text design and layout is now comparable to software like QuarkXpress.
A very powerful history palette is included in both Macromedia programs. Not only can steps be retraced, but the sequence can then be saved as a Javascript function for later use. Another palette, this one borrowed from Flash, is the Library. Repetitively used items can now be held in the workspace for easy page insertion. Other useful additions include a templates and a layers palette.
The Object palette, which contains all the useful functions in a number of graphical menus, has had a complete makeover. There are now additional menus containing predefined frames and special characters such as copyright and trademark symbols. All the other menus remain, although these have been updated with useful additions or simple rearrangements - the backspace button is now situated on the 'common' tools menu.
Subtle changes and enhancements are too numerous to all get a mention, but here's a few: an improved tracing image tool for using composite images in page design, support for all the latest rich-media plug-ins, and the means to manage and update URLs stored in Flash swf movies.
To support this ever-growing program and the mass of designers using it, Macromedia has a developer's website where tips, advice and Javascript functions can be found or sent.
Enhancements to Fireworks 3
Fireworks 2 was only released last summer, so many of the latest alterations fine tune the vast number of tools already available. Significantly, there is now an export preview window attached to the workspace window, providing single, double and quadruple outputs of your images. Exporting images is now a more flexible process through this and other changes including file saving options in Lotus Domino, Illustrator 7 and even Flash formats. PNGs get more support than ever before for various bit-sized images, and bitmaps can now be used either as images or as textures for graphic fills.
New design features include paths that are fully compatible with most current design software, and an improved Slice tool that now handles overlaps and image swapping of non-regular polygon slices. A Button Editor takes all the effort out of producing button behaviours - the grind when alterations are made is fully automated and the whole process is supported by plenty of tips to see you through. Substantial support for third-party filters (like Photoshop and Alien Skin) means that effects remain fully editable within the effects palette in Fireworks itself. The compatibility with Photoshop files has been refined, and layers can be retained on import, along with the applied effects and any text inserts.
The workspace remains largely the same. Improvements include a gamma preview for viewing the output in a Mac format. Also navigation bar behaviours can be designed and programmed, images can at last be scaled and rotated, and there are vast improvements for editing text elements.
Some of the enhancements found in Dreamweaver are also available in Fireworks - the history palette and symbols library for example. And naturally any HTML or Javascript produced in Fireworks will be accepted as native code within Dreamweaver, and, for that matter, in both GoLive and FrontPage too.
An added advantage of running both Fireworks and Dreamweaver is that Fireworks exported images can be launched into an editing window from within Dreamweaver. And authoring teams can customise both packages using standard Javascript.
As with Dreamweaver, Macromedia has established a support area for Fireworks users. And again as with Dreamweaver, there's substantial support within software bundle. Without doubt, the interactive tutorials remain some of the best available.
The logical progression towards combining graphic design and Web layout packages is well underway with the release of Studio 3. Enhanced cross-compatibility makes life easy while still respecting the needs of diehard supporters of other popular design programs. In their own right, these are two powerful and popular packages. By using them together, designers have access to probably the most homogenous and articulate design bundle currently available.
Charlie Young is a graphics and web designer at ft.com in London. He has a glamorous yet redundant background as a rocket engineer in South America. He lacks tone and rhythm, so avoids playing instruments, instead spending his time in freelance web design and reviewing web-related software.
Fireworks 2 was only released last summer, so many of the latest alterations fine tune the vast number of tools already available. Significantly, there is now an export preview window attached to the workspace window, providing single, double and quadruple outputs of your images. Exporting images is now a more flexible process through this and other changes including file saving options in Lotus Domino, Illustrator 7 and even Flash formats. PNGs get more support than ever before for various bit-sized images, and bitmaps can now be used either as images or as textures for graphic fills.