Macromedia Fireworks is the best tool I own for creating web graphics and other such design projects. The fact that it is so extendable, in that you can create your own custom fills, textures, and commands, makes it even more appealing.
One thing that Fireworks in definitely missing is the dashed/dotted line. Freehand has it. Flash has it. But Fireworks, the premier web graphics tool does not have it. Fear not young designers, for there is a solution to your dashed line woes, with Fireworks Commands.
Creating a Dotted Line
Open a new document in Fireworks 4.
Draw a straight line on the canvas.
Select the line and go to the Stroke Panel.
Apply the Random/Squares stroke to your line.
Now click on the > at the top right hand corner of the stroke panel, and choose to Edit Stroke.
Once in the edit stroke panel, change the values accordingly:
Options
Ink Amount: 100%
Spacing: 300%
Flow Rate: 0
Build-up should be checked
Texture: 0%
Edge Texture:0%
Edge Effect: None
Tips: 1
Shape
Square should be checked
Size: 1
Edge: 0
Aspect: 100
Angle: 360
Sensitivity
Put all settings in all of the drop down menus to zero
To save this dotted line for use in the future, which is a good idea, go to the History Panel and click on Stroke.
(it should be the last item in the history list) With the last stroke selected, click on the > in the upper right hand corner of the panel, and select Save as Command. Give the command a name like “DottedLine”. To reuse the line in the future, draw a line, go to commands in the menubar and select the command you just saved!
Create a Dashed Line
Open a new document in Fireworks 4.
Draw a straight line on the canvas.
Select the line and go to the Stroke Panel.
Apply the Random/Squares stroke to your line.
Now click on the > at the top right hand corner of the stroke panel, and choose to Edit Stroke.
Once in the edit stroke panel, change the values accordingly:
Options
Ink Amount: 100%
Spacing: 125%
Flow Rate: 0
Build-up should be checked
Texture: 0%
Edge Texture:0%
Edge Effect: None
Tips: 1
Shape
Square should be checked
Size: 1
Edge: 0
Aspect: 100
Angle: 360
Sensitivity
Put all settings in all of the drop down menus to zero
Follow the steps above for saving commands and reusing them!
Hopefully, this gives you a taste of the flexibility that Fireworks has to offer. Now go create some of your own lines!
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