Adobe 38039927 Extended User Guide - Page 5

1 Chapter 1: Extending Fireworks Overview To extend Adobe® Fireworks® CS3, you must write JavaScript code. You can use JavaScript to write your own objects and commands that affect Fireworks documents and the elements within them. To accomplish these tasks, you must be proficient in JavaScript and in Fireworks. This guide introduces the Fireworks Object Model, explains how to write cross-product extensions (extensions written in, or for, other Adobe applications), and discusses the JavaScript Auto Shape construction. The final chapter is a reference to the Fireworks JavaScript application programming interface (API)-the custom JavaScript functions that are built into Fireworks. Prerequisites Because Fireworks extensions must be written in JavaScript, this guide assumes that readers are familiar with JavaScript syntax and with basic programming concepts such as functions, arguments, and data types. It also assumes that readers understand the concept of working with objects and properties. This guide does not attempt to teach programming in general or JavaScript in particular. Anyone who wants to extend Fireworks should have a good JavaScript reference to help with syntax questions (for example, is it substring() or subString()?). Useful JavaScript references include JavaScript Bible by Danny Goodman (IDG), JavaScript: The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan (O'Reilly), and Pure JavaScript by R. Allen Wyke, Jason D. Gilliam, and Charlton Ting (Sams). Installing an extension As you start learning the process of writing extensions, you might want to explore the extensions and resources already available through the Adobe Exchange website (www.adobe.com/go/exchange). By installing an existing extension, you will become familiar with some of the tools that you need to work with your own extensions. To install an extension: 1 Download and install the Extension Manager, which is available on the Adobe Downloads website (www.adobe.com/exchange/em_download/). 2 Log on to the Adobe Exchange website (www.adobe.com/go/exchange). 3 Click the Fireworks Exchange link. 4 From the available extensions, choose one that you want to use. Click the Download link to download the extension package. 5 Save the extension package in a directory on your machine. 6 In Fireworks, choose Commands > Manage Extensions to start the Extension Manager (or you can start Extension Manager, located in the Adobe program group, independently from Fireworks). 7 In the Extension Manager, choose File > Install Extension, and choose the extension package you just saved. The Extension Manager automatically installs the extension into Fireworks.