Fireworks MX Bible [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Joseph W. Lowery (Author), Derren Whiteman (Author), David Morris (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764536621 | ISBN-13: 978-0764536625 | Publication Date: August 15, 2002

* Covers all Fireworks features, including new interface elements, the Properties Inspector, on-screen text editing, vector tools, new transparency and object layer tools, and more!
* Provides amazing tips for rollovers, layers, frames and slices.
* Shows how to take advantage of Fireworks' excellent image compression, export options, and image tweening, plus its easy-to-use GIF animation engine.
Includes "Fireworks Technique" ideas such as Incorporating Rollovers in Image Maps and Mastering Creative Edges provide real-world examples throughout the book.
Shows how to work more effectively by taking advantage of Fireworks' special integration with Dreamweaver and Flash.

ABOUT THE CD-ROM
The Windows/Mac CD-ROM is loaded with Fireworks commands, templates, textures, gradients, strokes, and images, plus Fireworks training lessons and tryouts of other Macromedia products.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Joseph Lowery and Derren Whiteman provide details and examples essential for the Web graphics professional." -- David Morris, Fireworks Product Manager, Macromedia

From the Back Cover

"Joseph Lowery and Derren Whiteman provide details and examples essential for the Web graphics professional."
-David Morris, Fireworks Product Manager, Macromedia
* Create traffic-stopping vector or bitmap Web graphics and animations
* Build eye-catching effects using layers, rollovers, frames, and slices
* Master the new interface and improved graphics and Web connectivity tools

If Fireworks MX can do it, you can do it too . . .

From vector drawing and bitmap editing to animations and JavaScript output, Fireworks MX puts all the Web graphics tools you need into a single cohesive package. Packed with time-saving tips and real-world examples - including 16 pages of color illustrations - this comprehensive guide shows you how to make the most of Fireworks, whether you're looking for an in-depth tutorial on program fundamentals or the lowdown on the new interface or new options for transparent gradients, text editing, and pop-up menus.

Inside, you'll find complete coverage of Fireworks MX
* Master the basics, from object creation to full-blown photo manipulation
* Enhance your images with sophisticated fills, filters, xtras, layers, and Live Effects
* Build in interactivity using hotspots, slices, and JavaScript behaviors - no coding required
* Speed up production with styles, libraries, and round-trip workflow features
* Make the most of sliced file auto-checkout, XHTML support, and other new tools for Dreamweaver integration
* Get up to speed fast on GIF animation and create state-of-the-art banner ads

Bonus CD-ROM
* Fireworks commands, templates, textures, gradients, strokes, and images
* Macromedia Flash MX, Dreamweaver MX, Fireworks MX, and FreeHand trial versions
* Splat!, Eye Candy 4000, and Xenofex demo versions by Alien Skin Software

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 963 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (August 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764536621
• ISBN-13: 978-0764536625
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,548,061 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Computers & Technology > Graphic Design > Web Design > Fireworks

More About the Author

Joseph Lowery's books about the web and web-building tools are international bestsellers, having sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide in nine different languages. His most recent book is the Dreamweaver 8 Bible. Joseph is the author of the recently published CSS Hacks and Filters as well as the Dreamweaver Bible and Fireworks Bible series from Wiley Publishing. He also wrote Design and Deploy Web Sites with Dreamweaver MX 2004 and Contribute 3 from Macromedia Press. In addition to co-authoring Dreamweaver 8 Recipes and Dreamweaver MX 2004 Web Application Recipes with Eric Ott as well as the Dreamweaver MX Killer Tips series with Angela Buraglia.

As a programmer, Joseph contributed two extensions to the latest release of Fireworks and many extensions available for Dreamweaver. He has presented at Seybold in both Boston and San Francisco, Macromedia conferences in the U.S. and Europe, ThunderLizard's Web World, and KW Media Group's Mac Design Conference. Joseph is currently the Director of Marketing for WebAssist.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Definitely not for the beginner, May 28, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fireworks MX Bible (Paperback)

If you're new to web design, but are eager to get started with hands-on learning, find another text. This book is intended for the Fireworks scientist who enjoys extremely wordy and granular discussions of specific topics. The author obviously loves writing, because to learn anything with this book, you'll need to do a lot of reading. There are no tutorials,very little practical advice, and the author expects you to already be proficient with computer-graphics terms. He'll extemporate ad-nauseum on a particular subject, and hidden at the end of the last paragraph will be directions on how to access the setting he's discussing. He explains everything, and ties nothing together into a cohesive lesson. At the end of this book you'll ask yourself "okay, how do I use all of these tools to create something?". The author might respond, "hey pal, that's up to you".

4.0 out of 5 stars Seriously "Must Have" For the Fireworks User, July 14, 2006

By 

Lori Smart "Amazon Queen" (Eugene, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fireworks MX Bible (Paperback)

Just about every time I need a technical manual, especially software based, I head for the 'Bible' series. I've yet to be disappointed. I'm sure every web developer knows that Macromedia is "the" software to use. I know enough about Fireworks to get by without this book, but it helped me to learn a few new things about this version (MX) and it also acts as a wonderful reference tool that I've marked with those little post-it flags in the places I need to regularly reference.

3.0 out of 5 stars Where's the editor?, July 11, 2006

By 

Terran McCanna (Winter Park, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fireworks MX Bible (Paperback)

This book has a personality crisis because it doesn't know who its audience is. It is far too long and in-depth to be a book for beginners, yet it is too wordy and "cute" to be a particularly useful reference book. I am about halfway through it and I am now skipping over every bit of prose and just reading the tips and figures because I am tired of reading things like, "Until Fireworks, you could never do X!" when "X" is something that we've been able to do in Photoshop (or Corel Draw or Illustrator or whatnot) for years. Fireworks seems to do a nice job of pulling together the main features and functions of a lot of different established programs, but it didn't actually invent these things. All in all, the book does seem to be complete if you are willing to slog through it, but the examples could have been a lot better. The color insert was pretty useless, and a few of the images actually made me cringe - the publisher really should have shelled out a few extra bucks for a professional graphic designer.