Move the slice to its proper location in Java

Printing Code 128 Code Set B in Java Move the slice to its proper location

In order to understand the process of optimization, you need to know about image compression When you compress an image, you reduce its file size by reducing the amount of data in the file The two main types of image compression are Lossy: Some data is discarded from the image to make the file smaller Lossless: The data in the image is described in a more efficient way, which makes the file smaller The two main compression methods used to format images for the Web are JPEG: A lossy method, best used for photographs, gradients, and other complex, variegated images GIF: A generally lossless method, best used for images with large areas of flat color, like company logos It also allows for images with transparent backgrounds Not sure which compression method to use for a particular slice That s where the Preview panes come in You can use a Preview pane any time you

have slices They show you what the image will look like at your chosen compression setting (or settings) See the section, Previewing Slices, later in this chapter, for the details One way to deal with compression is to make a setting when you first make the slice and make the fine adjustments later It doesn t really matter, though You can just leave each slice at the default setting until you re ready to export

By default, the Optimize panel resides at the top right of the Fireworks window If it s not visible onscreen, choose Windows Optimize or press F6 to open it Figure 6-4 shows the Optimize panel as it appears when it is expanded and a slice is selected

The top drop-down list displays a saved setting A saved setting is a group of optimization options that includes the export file format and options appropriate to the selected export file format (read on to discover more about the main export file formats JPEG and GIF and the options specific to each) Under the Saved Settings drop-down list is the Export File Format dropdown list If you use a default setting from the Saved Settings drop-down list above, Fireworks automatically shows the file format in the lower list Otherwise, you have to select the export file format We only look at JPEGs and GIFs, because they are by far the most common Web formats, but the full list of file formats that Fireworks can export is noted in the sidebar, Other export file types We discuss the options displayed in the Optimize panel in the following sections, Making a JPEG and Making a GIF The Options button (the bulleted list icon) at the top right of the Optimize panel provides access to the Options menu, which offers its own set of choices The items in the Options

menu vary, depending on the file type you have selected in the Export File Format drop-down list When you have JPEG selected, the Options menu offers the following: Save Settings: This option allows you to preserve your current compression setting as a preset, which you can then select from the Saved Settings drop-down list in the Optimize panel Presets (custom or not) can be useful for batch processing images (automating the export of multiple images that use the same settings) Delete Settings: This option does what you would expect it deletes your custom compression settings This option deletes all the settings Optimize to Size: This handy option allows you to set a target file size for your slice Fireworks then makes the appropriate compression settings to produce a file of your specified size Export Wizard: The Export Wizard walks you through the steps of exporting an image with a series of dialog boxes Progressive JPEG: If you have this option selected when you export a slice, your JPEG will contain two versions of your image The first is a low-resolution version of the image that loads relatively quickly to a browser The second, which fills in over the first, is a higher-resolution version Although the time it takes for this type of image to become visible is shorter, the overall download time is longer If your JPEG needs to be large (in terms of width and height) and highquality, you should consider exporting it as a progressive JPEG Macromedia Flash cannot dynamically import progressive JPEGs Sharpen JPEG Edges: Select this option if image clarity is a priority (if, for example, you have small text in the image) Note that clarity makes for larger file sizes Show Swatch Feedback, Load Palette, Save Palette: These options apply to 8-bit graphics (including GIFs; JPEGs are a 24-bit format) Custom palettes are sets of colors to which you can limit images See your documentation for further details Help, Group Optimize With, Close Panel Group: These options don t relate to JPEGs per se See Book III, 1 for more information about general panel options When you have GIF selected from the Export File Format drop-down list, the Options menu makes some JPEG-specific options unavailable but offers the following GIF-specific (8-bit graphic specific) options: