FW CS3 - how to export multiple panel headers?

Question

Hi,
I have typical web diesign issue but it seems that it is
difficult or even
imposible to achieve with FW CS3. Maybe somebody can help me.
I have to create 2 sets of headers (title + background) for 2
graphic
panels. First set of headers (for first panel) cosist of 6
variants. Second
set contains only 2 variants. It is important to keep
position of both
groups of headers becouse background underneath them is
different and
headers are semi-transparent. Each of variant of headers is
kept on separate
frame. In this case, if 6 frames is created then 6*2=12 files
will be
exported but I need only 8. Of course I could remove
unexpected files by
hand but real project is large and number of unexpected files
is about
100!!! It is almost impossible to keep in mind what files
should be
removed.
Is any way to create as many files as I need?
Regards,
Marek

Answer 1

Hi Marek:
As I said in solution one, you must create a WEB sub layer.
You cannot
share a main web layer to other pages, but you can share a
web sub layer
to other pages. Select the web layer on a page and then
create a new
sublayer OF the web layer. Then choose Share Layer to Pages
from the
Layer options menu. Add your slices to that web sub layer.
Then the one
set of slices become common to all pages you choose to share
the web sub
layer with.
If you need different slice dimensions on each page, that
won't work,
and you will have to have independent slices on each page, as
you
probably do now.
As for the other risk, well, you will just have to be careful
of what
you do. Sounds a bit trite, I know, but that's all I can
think of, other
than using a new folder for those exports.
If you do accidentally export to many graphics, yuo can
always sort by
time and delete them, then re export and ensure the proper
options are
selected or deselected.
Marek wrote:
>> 1) you want to resize a slice across multiple pages
>
> Not necessarily - generarlly I would like to have access
to slice editing.
> It is hard to fit slices across pages because I can't
show on one page
> posiotion of slices placed on another one (excluding
master page slices
> which are unusefull because produces files on each page
- even on those
> which don't contain graphics for use on web page).
>
>> 2) You want to have a different number of
frames/states for certain slices
>> on different pages.
>
> The only thing I would like to achieve is to have
possibility of creation of
> unpredictable number of panel headers (customers can
request more headers in
> later time). I can't use separate slices for each
version of panel header
> because all headers looks good only particular place in
graphic design. Note
> that I want to avoid producing unusefull files which
would be generated when
> frames are used.
>
>> Solution for # 1: Put your slices on a web SUB LAYER
and share that layer
>> across the pages you want to have common slicing
for. This layer only
>> needs to be created once. Then, when you resize the
slice, it will resize
>> on all pages sharing the web sublayer.
>
> It could be solution but I can't see any option allowing
to share or not
> sublayer. Do you mean to use master page to share
slice(s) among pages?
>
>> Solution for # 2: Add your frames/states to the
pages you need them.
>> Select a slice and right-click on the slice. Choose
Export Selected Slice.
>> Deselect Current Frame only (and possibly Current
page)in the export menu.
>> Export your slices.
>
> Hmmm... this is also solution but very risky. Notice
that state of option
> "current frame only" is not remembered and I'm afraid
that one careless
> export can produce hundreds of files hard to select and
remove, especially
> when destination folder contains many other files.
>
>> This works fine in CS4 and CS3 with one notable
exception; in both
>> applications, the original slice name is ignored,
and Fireworks exports
>> the frames/states based on the page name.
>>
>> Example:
>>
>> original slice name: panel_top
>> final graphic name(s): page 1.gif, page 1_f2.gif,
page 1_f3.gif etc . ..
>>
>> I have not had time yet to try out exporting
multiple selected slices to
>> see what happens to the file names. Will try to make
time to do that
>> tonight.
>
> No no ... it works fine. The slice names are used.
>
>
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