ptg 198 Chapter 6 Setting Photoshop Import Preferences Set Photoshop File Import Preferences Click the Flash (Mac) or Edit (Win) menu, and then click Preferences. Click the PSD File Importer category. Select from the following options: ◆ Import Image Layers As. ◆ Bitmap Images With Editable Layer Styles. Create a movie clip with a bitmap clipped inside. ◆ Flatten Bitmap Images. Convert an image into a bitmap; not editable. ◆ Create Movie Clips. Imports an image into a movie clip symbol in Flash. ◆ Import Text Layers As. ◆ Editable Text. Imports Photoshop text from the text layer as editable text in Flash. ◆ Vector Outlines. Converts text to vector paths; the object is also converted to a movie clip. ◆ Flattened Bitmap Images. Converts text into a bitmap; not editable. 3 2 1 Flash allows you to set preferences to customize the way you import Adobe Photoshop (.psd) files. You can set options for specific element layer types you want to import, such as images, text, paths, shapes, and groups. You can also set compression and quality publishing options for the imported Photoshop files. The options you set are applied to all Photoshop files when you import them into Flash. However, you can change options in the Photoshop import dialog box. 2 3 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Importing Graphics 199 ◆ Create Movie Clips. Imports the text layer into a movie clip symbol. ◆ Import Shape Layers As. ◆ Editable Paths And Layer Styles. Creates an editable vector shape with a bitmap clipped inside the vector shape. ◆ Flatten Bitmap Images. Converts an image into a bitmap; not editable. ◆ Create Movie Clips. Imports an image into a movie clip symbol in Flash. ◆ Layer Groups. Select the Create Move Clips check box to convert all groups into a movie clip in Flash. ◆ Merged Bitmaps. Select the Create Movie Clips check box to convert the shape layers into a movie clip in Flash. ◆ Movie Clip Registration. Select the global registration point for movies and all other object types. ◆ Publish Settings. ◆ Compression. Select the Lossy (JPEG) or Lossless (PNG/GIF) compression mode you want. ◆ Quality. For the Lossy compression, select the Use Publish Setting or Custom option; select the quality 1 to 100; the higher the setting, the greater quality, yet the larger the file size. Click OK. 4 4 3 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 200 Chapter 6 Flash includes support for importing Adobe Photoshop (.psd) files and Adobe Illustrator files created in versions 6 through 10. When these files are imported, there are a number of options you can choose from. Before you import Photoshop and Illustrator files, you need to set import options in the Preferences dialog box. For Illustrator files, you can also specify whether you want to show an import dialog box where you can set import settings for specific parts of an Illustrator file. The options you set are applied to all Illustrator and Photoshop files when you import them into Flash. However, you can change options in the import dialog box. Some options in the Import dialog box are context- sensitive; that is, they only appear if they are relevant to the imported file. The import options are similar between Illustrator and Photoshop; when they differ, the options are noted. Importing Photoshop and Illustrator Files Import a Photoshop or Illustrator File Click the File menu, point to Import, and then click Import To Stage or Import To Library. ◆ Open and select the library where you want to import files. Click the Show popup (Mac) or Files Of Type (Win), and then select Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator or All Image Formats. Navigate to the drive or folder where the file is located. Select the Photoshop or Illustrator file you want to import. Click Import (Mac) or Open (Win). Flash inserts the image file or displays an import dialog box for files, where you can specify options for the specific files. If the Import dialog box opens, continue. 5 4 3 2 1 5 3 2 4 Did You Know? You can import an Illustrator EPS or PDF using Illustrator CS4 or later. Open the file in Adobe Illustrator CS4 or later, save it as a CS4-compatible AI file, and then import into Flash as an AI file. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Importing Graphics 201 To generate a list of items from Illustrator now compatible with Flash, click Incompatibility Report. Select the check boxes with the elements you want to import, select each element and set the related options you want; you may need to ungroup elements. Click the Convert Layers To list arrow, and then click. ◆ Flash Layers. Click this option to convert the layers in the imported file into corresponding layers in the Flash Timeline. ◆ Keyframes. Click this option to convert the layers in the imported file into consecutive keyframes. ◆ Single Flash Layer. Click this option to flatten the layers in the imported file onto a single layer in Flash. Select from the following options: ◆ Place At Original Position. Select to maintain the same positions from Illustrator or Photoshop to Flash. ◆ Set Stage Size To Same Size As. Select to set the Flash Stage to the same size as the Illustrator artboard or Photoshop canvas. ◆ Import As Unused Symbols (AI). Select to import AI symbols not used as instances as unused symbols in Flash. ◆ Import As A Single Bitmap Image (AI). Select to convert into a bitmap. Specify the compression and quality settings you want (PSD). Click OK. 11 10 9 8 7 6 11 7 9 8 10 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 202 Chapter 6 You can import bitmaps of several file types directly into Flash to use in your Flash movie. It is important to remember that even though you can edit and resize bitmaps in Flash, the original bitmap will always be embedded in the exported Flash file. If file size is an issue, it is best to bring your bitmapped art in at the size you want to export it. For exam- ple, if your image is going to be 160 pixels by 160 pixels in the final movie, it is best to import it at this size and not resize it up or down in Flash. You will end up with higher-quality images and smaller files if you do this. You can import files using the Import To Stage or Import To Library methods. The Import To Stage method stores the bitmap in the Library and places a copy on the Stage, while the Import To Library method stores the bitmap in the Library and doesn't place a copy on the Stage. Importing Bitmaps Import a Bitmap to the Stage Click the File menu, point to Import, and then click Import To Stage. Click the Show popup (Mac) or Files Of Types list arrow (Win), and then select the format of the file you want to import. Navigate to the drive or folder where the file is located. Select the file you want to import. Click Import (Mac) or Open (Win). 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 Did You Know? You may not be able to see the images you've imported to the Stage at certain magnification levels. Flash aligns the top left-hand corner of the image at the 0,0 coordinate. If you are zoomed in, the image may have appeared outside the viewable area. Use the Hand tool to navigate around, zoom out, or press Shift+ A +W (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+W (Win) to toggle the Work Area off. This sets the zoom level to 100% and hides the Work Area. Scaling Image Before Importing Scaling bitmaps reduces the quality of the image, so it’s best to import an image into Flash at the size you want it to be. If you need to scale an image in Flash, it’s a good idea to import the image at a slightly larger size, so when you scale it down, loss of quality is mini- mized. For Your Information From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Importing Graphics 203 Import to the Library Click the File menu, point to Import, and then click Import To Library. Click the Show popup (Mac) or Files Of Types list arrow (Win), and then select the format of the file you want to import. Navigate to the drive or folder where the file is located. Select the file you want to import. Click Import To Library (Mac) or Open (Win). 5 4 3 2 1 Image is placed in the Library. 54 3 2 Did You Know? You can quickly swap bitmaps. You can exchange an image on the Stage with another one from the Library. To swap one bitmap with another on the Stage, select the bitmap image on the Stage, open the Property Inspector, click Swap, select the image you want from the list of currently stored images in your document library, and then click OK. From the Library of Wow! eBook . types directly into Flash to use in your Flash movie. It is important to remember that even though you can edit and resize bitmaps in Flash, the original. a movie clip symbol in Flash. ◆ Layer Groups. Select the Create Move Clips check box to convert all groups into a movie clip in Flash. ◆ Merged Bitmaps.