Adobe 38039927 User Guide - Page 170

About bitmap masks

Page 170 highlights

ADOBE FIREWORKS CS3 165 User Guide When a vector mask is selected, the Property inspector displays information about how the mask is applied. The bottom half of the Property inspector displays additional properties that allow you to edit the mask object's stroke and fill. Vector mask properties in the Property inspector By default, vector masks are applied using their path outline, but you can also apply them in other ways. For more information, see "Changing the way masks are applied" on page 176. About bitmap masks If you're a Photoshop user, you may be familiar with layer masks. Fireworks bitmap masks are similar to layer masks in that the pixels of a mask object affect the visibility of underlying objects. However, Fireworks bitmap masks are much more versatile: you can easily change how they are applied, whether using their grayscale appearance or their own transparency. In addition, the Fireworks Property inspector makes mask properties and bitmap tool options more readily available, greatly simplifying the mask-editing process. When a mask is selected, the Property inspector displays a variety of properties not only for a selected mask but also for any bitmap tools you might use to edit the mask. Original objects and a bitmap mask applied using its grayscale appearance You can apply bitmap masks in two ways: • Using an existing object to mask other objects. This technique is similar to applying a vector mask. • Creating what's known as an empty mask. Empty masks start out as either totally transparent or totally opaque. A transparent (or white) mask shows the masked object in its entirety, and an opaque (or black) mask hides the masked object completely. You can use the bitmap tools to draw on or modify the mask object, revealing or hiding the underlying masked objects. When you create a bitmap mask, the Property inspector displays information about how the mask is applied. If you select a bitmap tool when a bitmap mask is selected, the Property inspector displays the mask's properties and options for the selected tool, simplifying the mask-editing process.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • 94
  • 95
  • 96
  • 97
  • 98
  • 99
  • 100
  • 101
  • 102
  • 103
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • 109
  • 110
  • 111
  • 112
  • 113
  • 114
  • 115
  • 116
  • 117
  • 118
  • 119
  • 120
  • 121
  • 122
  • 123
  • 124
  • 125
  • 126
  • 127
  • 128
  • 129
  • 130
  • 131
  • 132
  • 133
  • 134
  • 135
  • 136
  • 137
  • 138
  • 139
  • 140
  • 141
  • 142
  • 143
  • 144
  • 145
  • 146
  • 147
  • 148
  • 149
  • 150
  • 151
  • 152
  • 153
  • 154
  • 155
  • 156
  • 157
  • 158
  • 159
  • 160
  • 161
  • 162
  • 163
  • 164
  • 165
  • 166
  • 167
  • 168
  • 169
  • 170
  • 171
  • 172
  • 173
  • 174
  • 175
  • 176
  • 177
  • 178
  • 179
  • 180
  • 181
  • 182
  • 183
  • 184
  • 185
  • 186
  • 187
  • 188
  • 189
  • 190
  • 191
  • 192
  • 193
  • 194
  • 195
  • 196
  • 197
  • 198
  • 199
  • 200
  • 201
  • 202
  • 203
  • 204
  • 205
  • 206
  • 207
  • 208
  • 209
  • 210
  • 211
  • 212
  • 213
  • 214
  • 215
  • 216
  • 217
  • 218
  • 219
  • 220
  • 221
  • 222
  • 223
  • 224
  • 225
  • 226
  • 227
  • 228
  • 229
  • 230
  • 231
  • 232
  • 233
  • 234
  • 235
  • 236
  • 237
  • 238
  • 239
  • 240
  • 241
  • 242
  • 243
  • 244
  • 245
  • 246
  • 247
  • 248
  • 249
  • 250
  • 251
  • 252
  • 253
  • 254
  • 255
  • 256
  • 257
  • 258
  • 259
  • 260
  • 261
  • 262
  • 263
  • 264
  • 265
  • 266
  • 267
  • 268
  • 269
  • 270
  • 271
  • 272
  • 273
  • 274
  • 275
  • 276
  • 277
  • 278
  • 279
  • 280
  • 281
  • 282
  • 283
  • 284
  • 285
  • 286
  • 287
  • 288
  • 289
  • 290
  • 291
  • 292
  • 293
  • 294
  • 295
  • 296
  • 297
  • 298
  • 299
  • 300
  • 301
  • 302
  • 303
  • 304
  • 305
  • 306
  • 307
  • 308
  • 309
  • 310
  • 311
  • 312
  • 313
  • 314
  • 315
  • 316
  • 317
  • 318
  • 319
  • 320
  • 321
  • 322
  • 323
  • 324
  • 325
  • 326
  • 327
  • 328
  • 329
  • 330
  • 331
  • 332
  • 333
  • 334
  • 335
  • 336
  • 337
  • 338
  • 339
  • 340
  • 341
  • 342
  • 343
  • 344
  • 345
  • 346
  • 347
  • 348
  • 349
  • 350
  • 351
  • 352
  • 353
  • 354
  • 355
  • 356
  • 357
  • 358
  • 359
  • 360
  • 361
  • 362
  • 363
  • 364
  • 365
  • 366
  • 367
  • 368
  • 369

ADOBE FIREWORKS CS3
User Guide
165
When a vector mask is selected, the Property inspector displays information about how the mask is applied. The
bottom half of the Property inspector displays additional properties that allow you to edit the mask object’s stroke
and fill.
Vector mask properties in the Property inspector
By default, vector masks are applied using their path outline, but you can also apply them in other ways. For more
information, see “Changing the way masks are applied” on page 176.
About bitmap masks
If you’re a Photoshop user, you may be familiar with layer masks. Fireworks bitmap masks are similar to layer masks
in that the pixels of a mask object affect the visibility of underlying objects. However, Fireworks bitmap masks are
much more versatile: you can easily change how they are applied, whether using their grayscale appearance or their
own transparency. In addition, the Fireworks Property inspector makes mask properties and bitmap tool options
more readily available, greatly simplifying the mask-editing process. When a mask is selected, the Property
inspector displays a variety of properties not only for a selected mask but also for any bitmap tools you might use to
edit the mask.
Original objects and a bitmap mask applied using its grayscale appearance
You can apply bitmap masks in two ways:
Using an existing object to mask other objects. This technique is similar to applying a vector mask.
Creating what’s known as an empty mask. Empty masks start out as either totally transparent or totally opaque. A
transparent (or white) mask shows the masked object in its entirety, and an opaque (or black) mask hides the
masked object completely. You can use the bitmap tools to draw on or modify the mask object, revealing or hiding
the underlying masked objects.
When you create a bitmap mask, the Property inspector displays information about how the mask is applied. If you
select a bitmap tool when a bitmap mask is selected, the Property inspector displays the mask’s properties and
options for the selected tool, simplifying the mask-editing process.