19. Designing for the Web and Devices

Introduction

If you need to manipulate a photographic image to place it on the Web, there’s not a better program on the market than Adobe Photoshop that will do the job for you. You can prepare images for the Internet all right from Photoshop.

Photoshop uses various document formats such as JPEG, GIF, PNG, and WBMP (Wireless BMP), to save images for the Web. For example, the JPEG format is used primarily for compressing photographic images, while the GIF format is used for compressing clip art and text. Each format is designed to serve a purpose, and knowing when to use a specific format will help you design fast-loading, dynamic web documents.

However, saving files in a specific file format is not the only way Photoshop helps you create web-friendly images; you can also slice images. When you slice an image, you’re cutting the image into several pieces. Since the Internet handles smaller packets of information more efficiently than one large piece, slicing an image makes the whole graphic load faster, and Photoshop helps you slice images with ease.

Saving for the Web

Saving for the Web

PS 1.5, 12.1, 12.2

Photoshop’s Save For Web & Devices command is a dream come true for preparing images for the Internet, or even for saving images in a quick-loading format for Microsoft PowerPoint slide presentations, and you don’t even have to leave Photoshop. The Save For Web & Devices command lets you open any Photoshop document, and convert it into a web-friendly format using the GIF, JPEG, PNG, or WBMP formats. You can even try different optimization settings or compare different optimizations using the 2-Up or 4-Up panes. In addition, the dialog area below each image provides optimization information on the size and download time of the file.

Save for the Web

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click the Original, Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up tabs to view the document using different layouts.

Image Click one of the sample images to change its default format.

Important

If you’re viewing the document using 2-Up or 4-Up, the first image is the original. You can’t change the original; you can only edit one of the sample images.

Image Click the Optimized File Format list arrow, and then select from the following options:

Image  GIF.The Graphics Interchange Format is useful for clip art, text, or images that contain a large amount of solid color. GIF uses lossless compression.

Image  JPEG.The Joint Photographic Experts Group format is useful for images that contain a lot of continuous tones, like photographs. JPEG uses lossy compression.

Image  PNG-8.The Portable Network Graphics 8-bit format functions like the GIF format. PNG uses lossless compression.

Image

Image  PNG-24.The Portable Network Graphics 24-bit format functions like the JPEG format. PNG-24 uses lossless compression.

Image  WBMP.The Wireless Bitmap format converts an image into black and white dots, for use on output devices like cell phones and PDAs.

Image Click the Preset list arrow. Select a template from the available options, if you want to use some timesaving default options.

Image Select from the various options that will change based on your File Format selection. Select Convert to sRGB if you want the image converted, and choose your preferred viewing style and amount of metadata to be included in the file. (New!)

Image Click the Color Table section (available for the GIF and PNG-8 formats), and add, subtract, or edit colors in the selected document.

Image To change the selected image’s width and height, make desired adjustments from the Image Size section.

Image To move the selected image directly into the Device Central application, click the Device Central button.

Image Click Save.

Image

Image Enter a name, and then select a location in which to save the image file.

Image Click OK.

Photoshop saves the modified file and returns you to the original image.

Working with Save For Web Options

Working with Save For Web Options

PS 12.1, 12.2

When you choose Save For Web & Devices, you are able to save your image in one of four web formats: GIF, JPEG, PNG, or WBMP. The Save For Web & Devices dialog box comes with options that will help you through the process. For example, if you choose the JPEG format, you can select the amount of compression applied to the image or, if you select the GIF format, you can choose how many colors are preserved with the image. The PNG format lets you save images in an 8-bit (256 colors) or a 24-bit (millions of colors) format. The options available with Save For Web & Devices give you the control you need to produce small image files with high quality.

Work with Save For Web Options

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Select from the various Save For Web & Devices tools:

Image  Hand Tool.Drag the image to change the view of a document.

Image  Slice Selection Tool.Select a predefined image slice.

Image  Zoom Tool.Click on the image to expand the view size.

Image  Eyedropper Tool.Drag within the image to perform a live sampling of the colors.

Image Click the Thumbnail Options button, and then select bandwidth options for the selected document.

Image Click the Zoom list arrow, and then select a view size for the sample images.

Image Click the Toggle Slices Visibility button to show or hide the image slices.

Image Click the Preview button to choose from browser options or view in the default browser, and then select the image.

Image Click Save.

Image

Optimizing an Image to File Size

Optimizing an Image to File Size

PS 12.1, 12.2

The Save For Web & Devices dialog box has many options to help you create the exact image you need—including helping you compress an image down to a specific file size. For example, you’ve just created an image you want to display on the Web, but the maximum file size you can use is 35 KB. You could experiment with compression options in the Save For Web & Devices settings, or you could use the Optimize to File Size option.

Optimize an Image to File Size

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click the 2-Up tab, and then select the sample image to the right.

Image Click the Optimize menu, and then click Optimize To File Size.

Image

Image Enter a file size in the Desired File Size data box.

Image Click the Current Settings option or the Auto Select GIF/JPEG option to let Photoshop choose between the JPEG or GIF format.

Image Click the following Use options:

Image  Current Slice

Image  Each Slice

Image  Total of All Slices

Image Click OK.

Photoshop compresses the selected sample.

Image

Image Click Save to save the compressed image.

Working with Web File Formats

Working with Web File Formats

PS 12.1, 12.2

If you design web documents, you know that the size of your images is very important. Photoshop gives you the option of compressing images in one of four formats appropriate for use on the Web: GIF, JPEG, PNG, and WBMP. The GIF format compresses images that contain solid colors with sharp, definable edges, such as clip art and text. The JPEG format reduces the size of image files that contain a lot of soft transitional colors, such as photographs. The PNG format is a hybrid format designed to take the place of the GIF and JPEG format. Finally, the WBMP format was created to display images on low-resolution devices like cell phones and PDAs by converting the image into dots of black and white. Photoshop will help you transform your images into whatever format you need in order to create stunning web images.

Work with Web File Formats

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click the Original, Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up tabs to view the document using different layouts.

Image Select one of the samples.

Image Click the Optimized File Format list arrow, and then select a format from the available options.

Image Select the options you want to use to change the image compression, and specify your desired color profile options.

Image Click Save.

The Save Optimized As dialog box appears.

Image
Image

Image Enter a file name in the Save As box.

Image Click the Save as Type (Win) or Format (Mac) list arrow, and then select to save the image in HTML and Images, Images Only, or HTML Only.

Image Click the Save As list arrow, and then select the location in which to save the file.

Image Click the Settings and Slices list arrows to further define the output files (if you save a single image without slices, you can leave these settings at their default values).

Image Click Save.

Work with Web File Formats

Optimizing a JPEG Document

Optimizing a JPEG Document

PS 1.5, 12.1, 12.2

Photoshop comes complete with everything you will need to properly compress any JPEG Document. The Internet can generally be slow to navigate, and your visitors typically do not have much patience. When you compress a JPEG image, you’re essentially removing information from the image to reduce its file size and speed up the loading time. The unfortunate result of that reduction is loss of image quality. Internet graphics are not always the best quality; however, reducing file size is a necessary evil to keep visitors from clicking off your site and moving to another. To keep visitors happy, your JPEG images must load fast, and Photoshop is just the application to help you accomplish that goal.

Optimize a JPEG Document

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click the Original, Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up tabs to view the document using different layouts.

Image Click one of the sample images to change its default format.

Image Click the Optimized File Format list arrow, and then click JPEG.

Image Select from the following Quality options:

Image  Compression Quality.Click the list arrow, and then select a preset JPEG quality from Low (poor quality) to Maximum (best quality).

Image
Image

Image  Quality Amount.Enter a JPEG quality compression value (0 to 100). The lower the value, the more information (color) is sacrificed for image size.

Image  Blur.JPEG images compress better when the image has soft edges. Apply the Blur option to increase the softness of the image (at a sacrifice of image quality).

Image Click the Matte list arrow, and then select from the available options.

JPEG images do not support transparency. If your image contains transparent areas, use the Matte option to fill them in using a specific color.

Image Select the Optimized check box to further compress the image. Choose from two additional options:

Image  Progressive.Select the check box to load a JPEG in three progressive scans. Not supported by all browsers.

Image  Embed Color Profile.Select the check box to embed an ICC color profile into the JPEG image. This increases file size but helps maintain color consistency between monitors and operating systems.

Image Choose from three new options to apply to your saved file:

Image  Convert to sRGB.You can choose to have image colors converted to sRGB in the Save process.

Image  Preview.Select from four preview options: Monitor Color (default), Macintosh or Windows with no color management, or Use Document Profile.

Image  Metadata.Select from five options to include no metadata, copyright only, copyright and contact info, all metadata except camera info, or all metadata.

Image Click Save to open the Save Optimized As dialog box where you can choose a location for your saved file.

Image

Optimizing a GIF Document

Optimizing a GIF Document

PS 12.1, 12.2

The GIF file format is used primarily for images that contain solid colors with sharp edges, such as clip art, text, line art, and logos. Since the Internet can generally be slow to navigate, using the GIF format for images significantly reduces their file size, and will create fast-loading graphics. The GIF format supports 8-bit color, and creates a document with a maximum of 256 colors (the fewer colors, the smaller the file size). The GIF format has been around long enough for it to be considered a “native” Internet format. A native format is one that does not require a specific plug-in for the browser to display the file.

Optimize a GIF Document

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click the Original, Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up tabs to view the document using different layouts.

Image Click one of the sample images to change its default format.

Image Click the Optimized File Format list arrow, and then click GIF.

Image Select from the following options:

Color Options:

Image  Reduction.Click to select a visual reduction method for the image’s colors. (Selective is the default)

Image  Colors.Enter or select a value from 2 to 256 maximum colors.

Image  Web Snap.Enter or select a value from 0% to 100% to instruct the GIF compression utility how many of the image colors should be web-safe.

Image
Image

Dither Options:

Image  Method.Click the list arrow, and then select from the available dithering schemes (No Dither, Diffusion, Pattern, or Noise). Dithering refers to how the GIF format mixes the available colors in the image.

Image  Amount.Enter or select a value from 0% to 100% to instruct the GIF compression utility how many of the image’s colors should be dithered.

Transparency Options:

Image  Transparency.Check to keep the transparent areas of a GIF image transparent and choose type of transparency dither (None, Diffusion, Pattern, or Noise) (New!).

Image  Matte.Click to fill the transparent areas of a GIF image.

Image  Dither.Click to select a dithering scheme (None, Diffusion, Pattern, Noise) and enter an amount for the mixing of the matte color.

Other Options:

Image  Interlaced.Check to have the GIF image load in three scans.

Image  Lossy.Enter or select a value from 0 to 100 to instruct the GIF compression utility how much image loss is allowed.

Image Click Save to save the current image using the Save Optimized As dialog box.

Image

Optimizing a PNG-8 Document

Optimizing a PNG-8 Document

PS 12.1, 12.2

The PNG-8 file format is used primarily for images that contain solid colors with sharp edges—clip art, text, line art, and logos—and was designed as an alternative to the GIF file format. Since the PNG-8 format generates an image with a maximum of 256 colors, it significantly reduces an image’s file size. While similar to the GIF file format, the PNG-8 format is not completely supported by older browsers. However, it is considered a native format for the creation of Flash animation movies.

Optimize a PNG-8 Document

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click the Original, Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up tabs to view the document using different layouts.

Image Click one of the sample images to change its default format.

Image Click the Optimized File Format list arrow, and then click PNG-8.

Image
Image

Image Select from the following options:

Color Options:

Image  Reduction.Click to select a visual reduction method for the colors in the image (Selective is the default).

Image  Colors.Enter or select a value from 2 to 256 maximum colors.

Image  Web Snap.Enter or select a value from 0% to 100% to instruct the PNG-8 compression utility how many of the image’s colors should be web-safe.

Dither Options:

Image  Method.Click the list arrow, and then select from the available dithering schemes (None, Diffusion, Pattern, or Noise). Dithering is how the PNG-8 format mixes the available image’s colors.

Image  Amount.Enter or select a value from 0% to 100% to instruct the PNG-8 compression utility how many of the image’s colors should be dithered.

Transparency Options:

Image  Transparency.Check to keep the transparent areas of a PNG-8 image transparent.

Image  Matte.Click to fill the transparent areas of a PNG-8 image.

Image  Dither.Click to select a dithering scheme (None, Diffusion, Pattern, or Noise) and enter an amount for the mixing of the matte color.

Other Options:

Image  Interlaced.Check to have the PNG image load in three scans.

Image Click Save to save the current image using the Save Optimized As dialog box.

Image

Optimizing a PNG-24 Document

Optimizing a PNG-24 Document

PS 12.1, 12.2

The PNG-24 file format is used primarily for images that contain lots of colors with soft transitional edges, such as photographs, and was designed as an alternative to the JPEG file format. The PNG-24 format generates an image with millions of colors, and still manages to reduce the size of a file. While similar to the JPEG file format, the PNG-24 uses lossless compression, and does not compress files as small as the JPEG format. So for the time being, most designers are still using the JPEG format for creating faster-loading web graphics.

Optimize a PNG-24 Document

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click the Original, Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up tabs to view the document using different layouts.

Image Click one of the sample images to change its default format.

Image Click the Optimized File Format list arrow, and then click PNG-24.

Image Select from the following options:

Transparency Options:

Image  Transparency.Check to keep the transparent areas of a PNG-24 image transparent.

Image  Matte.Click to fill the transparent areas of a PNG-24 image.

Other Options:

Image  Interlaced.Check to have the PNG-24 image load in three scans.

Image Click Save to save the current image using the Save Optimized As dialog box.

Image
Image

Optimizing a WBMP Document

Optimizing a WBMP Document

PS 12.1, 12.2

The WBMP file format is used for images that are displayed on small hand-held devices such as PDAs and cell phones. The WBMP format generates an image with only 2 pixel colors (black and white), which significantly reduces the file size of the image. The WBMP format is new to the world of wireless devices, and while it creates small images, using only black and white pixels results in very low-quality images.

Optimize a WBMP Document

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click the Original, Optimized, 2-Up, or 4-Up tabs to view the document using different layouts.

Image Click one of the sample images to change its default format.

Image Click the Optimized File Format list arrow, and then click WBMP.

Image Select from the following options:

Image  Method.Click the list arrow, and then select from the available dithering schemes (None, Diffusion, Pattern, or Noise). Dithering is how the WBMP format mixes the available colors in the image.

Image  Amount.Enter or select a value from 0% to 100% to instruct the WBMP compression utility how many of the image’s colors should be dithered.

Image Click Save to save the current image using the Save Optimized As dialog box.

Image
Image

Creating an Animated GIF

Creating an Animated GIF

PS 12.3

An animation is a sequence of images, or frames, that vary slightly to create the illusion of movement over time. One of the most Internetcompatible animation formats is the animated GIF. The original designation, GIF89a, gives you an idea of how long this format has been around. The GIF file format (Graphics Interchange Format) is used primarily for clip art, text, and line art, or for images that contain areas of solid color. Once the image is created, you can open and use it in any application that supports the GIF file format.

Create an Animated GIF from Scratch

Image Open Photoshop.

Image Click the File menu, and then click New.

Image Enter a name in the Name box.

Image Click the Preset list arrow, and then select from the available presets, or enter in a customized Width, Height, and Resolution.

Image Click the Color Mode list arrow, and then select a color mode for the image.

Image Click the Bit Size list arrow, and then choose a bit depth for the image (8 bit recommended).

Image Click the Background Contents list arrow, and then click White, Background Color, or Transparent (animated GIF files look best using transparency).

Image Click OK.

Image

Image Create the first image for the animated GIF.

Create an Animated GIF from Scratch

Image Press Ctrl+J (Win) or Image (Mac) to create a copy of your first animation in a separate layer.

Image Modify the second image (animations are essentially the same image, modified slightly between each animation frame or, in this case each layer).

Image Repeat steps 10 and 11 until you have enough layers for the animation.

Image

Image Click the Window menu, and then click Animation.

Image Click the Animation Options button on the Animation panel, and then click Make Frames From Layers.

Image Click the Play button to view your animation in the document window.

Create an Animated GIF from Scratch

Image Click the File button, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Fine-tune the image using the available options.

Image Click Save to save the current image using the Save Optimized As dialog box.

Image

See Also

See Chapter 9, “Using the Paint, Shape Drawing, and Eraser Tools,”; on page 205 for more information on using the various drawing tools.

Working with Animation

After you create an animation using the Animation panel, you can use controls at the bottom of the panel to work with the animation. You can use controls to select frames, play back the animation, and specify how many times you want to play it back. If you need to quickly copy or remove frames, you can use the Duplicate Selected Frames or Delete Selected Frames buttons. Animation is all about creating motion, which can be time intensive to do on a frame-by-frame basis. In Photoshop, it’s not necessary to create every frame. You can use the Tweens Animation Frames button to help you create frames between one frame and another. Tweening allows you to quickly animate objects. The animation appears by default in the Frames view; however, you can also display it in Timeline view (Extended). In Timeline view, you can see how each layer within the animation plays. In this view, you can also use Onion Skin mode, which allows you to view multiple frames simultaneously.

Work with an Animation

Image Open a document with an animation.

Image Click the Window menu, and then click Animation.

Image Select any of the following options to play and select frames in the animation:

Image  First Frame.Selects the first frame.

Image  Previous Frame.Selects the previous frame.

Image  Play.Plays the animation.

Image  Next Frame.Selects the next frame.

Image Click the Loop Count list arrow, and then select the option you want.

Image  Once/3 Times.Plays the animation one time or three times.

Image  Forever.Plays the animation over and over again in a continuous loop.

Image  Other.Opens the Loop Count dialog box where you can select a specific number of times to loop the animation.

Other.
Other.

Image Select any of the following options to work with frames:

Image  Tween Frames.Creates motion tween between frames.

Image  Duplicate Frames.Duplicates the selected frames.

Image  Delete Frames.Deletes the selected frames.

Image To switch to Timeline view (Extended), click the Convert to Timeline Animation button.

Image  This is a toggle button that switches back and forth between Timeline and Frames animation view.

Image Select any of the following options to play and select frames in the animation:

Image  Zoom In and Zoom Out.Changes the Timeline view to see more or less of the animation window.

Image  Onion Skinning.Displays multiple frames simultaneously.

Image To display other commands and options, click the Animation Options button.

Image To switch to Frames view, click the Convert to Frame Animation button.

Image
Image
Image

Slicing Images the Easy Way

Slicing Images the Easy Way

PS 12.5

Photoshop allows you to slice a document into smaller pieces. You might want to slice an image to create interactive links; however, the best reason is speed. You gain speed by compressing individual slices to reduce the image size. There are two types of slices: user-defined and layer-based. You can draw directly on an image to create a user slice using the Slice tool, or create a layer and then change it into a layer-based slice. When you create a slice, Photoshop also creates auto slices, which fill the space in the image that is not defined by a user-defined slice. User-defined and layer-based slices are identified by a solid line with blue symbols, while auto slices are identified by a dotted line with gray symbols. The slices also are numbered from left to right and top to bottom. A layer-based slice uses all the data in the layer to make up the slice. If you want to make changes to the slice, you need to edit the layer, which makes it a little more difficult to use than a user slice. When you edit or move the layer contents, the slice is automatically changed too.

Create a User Slice

Image Open a document.

Image Select the Slice tool on the toolbox.

Important

To make slicing a little easier, drag a few guides from the Ruler bar to help guide your slicing tool.

Image

Image Click the Style Setting list arrow on the Options bar, and then select the style you want:

Image  Normal.Specifies the slice size as you drag.

Image  Fixed Aspect Ratio.Specifies a ratio for the slice height and width.

Image  Fixed Size.Specifies the slice height and width in pixels.

Image Drag and release the slice tool in the document to create a rectangular or square slice.

Image  To constrain the slice to a square, hold down Shift as you drag. To create a circle, hold down Alt (Win) or Option (Mac).

Image Continue to drag and release until you have the image correctly sliced.

Image

Create a Layer-based Slice

Image Open a document.

Image Select the layer you want in the Layers panel.

Image

Image Click the Layer menu, and then click New Layer Based Slice.

Image

Did You Know?

You can convert an auto or layer-based slice to a user slice.Select the slice using the Slice Select tool, and then click Promote on the Options bar.

You can create slices from guides.Add guides to the image, select the Slice tool on the toolbox, and then click Slices From Guides in the Options bar. To create a new guide, click the View menu, click New Guide, click the Horizontal or Vertical option, specify the position in inches, and then click OK.

You can lock guides.To keep a guide from being moved, click the View menu, and then click Lock Guides.

You can remove guides.To remove guides, click the View menu, and then click Clear Guides.

You can show and hide guides.Click the View menu, point to Show, and then click Guides. The command toggles the guides’ visibility on and off.

Working with Slices

After you create slices within an image, you can use the Options bar or the Save For Web & Devices dialog box to work with slices. You can select options to show or hide slices, select one or more slices, delete or duplicate slices, and view or change slice settings. If you have an image with more than one slice, you need to optimize the slices in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box. You can use the Optimize menu to link multiple slices together. For linked slices in the GIF and PNG-8 format, Photoshop uses the same color panel and a dithering pattern to hide the seams between slices.

Work with Slices in the Photoshop Window

Image Open a document with slices.

Image Use any of the following:

Image  Show or Hide Slices.Click the View menu, point to Show, and then click Slices.

Image

Image  Show or Hide Auto Slices.Select the Slice Select tool, and then click Show Auto Slices or Hide Auto Slices in the Options bar.

Show or Hide Auto Slices.

Image  Select Slices.Click the Slice Select tool, and then click the slice you want. Use Shift+click or drag to select multiple slices.

Image  Delete Slices.Select the slices, and then press Delete.

Image  Duplicate Slices.Select the slices, and then Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) and drag the selection.

Image  View Slice Options.Click the Slice Select tool, and then double-click the slice you want.

See Also

See “Working with Guides, Grid & Slices” on page 64 for information on setting preferences to show or hide slice numbers and change the slice border color.

See Also

Work with Slices in the Save For Web & Devices Dialog Box

Image Open a document with slices.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Select the file type you want, select any options, and then make any adjustments you want.

Image  Show or Hide Slices.Click the Toggle Slices Visibility button.

Image  Select Slices.Click the Slice Select tool, and then click the slice you want. Use Shift+click or drag to select multiple slices.

Image  View Slice Options.Click the Slice Select tool, and then double-click the slice you want.

Image  Link Slices.Select the slices you want to link, click the Optimize menu double-arrow (Win) or arrow (Mac) button, and then click Link Slices.

A link icon appears on the slices.

Image  Unlink Slices.Select the slice, click the Optimize menu double-arrow (Win) or arrow (Mac) button, and then click Unlink Slice or Unlink All Slices.

Image When you’re done, click Save to save the image or click Done to save your settings.

Timesaver

Hold down Ctrl (Win) or Command (Mac) to switch between the Slice tool and the Slice Select tool.

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Image

Arranging Slices

Moving and resizing objects in Photoshop is a common task. You can move or resize slices in the same basic way you do other objects. In addition to moving slices, you can also align them along an edge or to the middle, and evenly distribute them horizontally or vertically. When you align and distribute slices, you can reduce the amount of unnecessary auto slices, thereby creating smaller files and faster load times. When you have slices overlapping each other, you can change the stacking order to move them up or down in the order. For example, if you have one slice behind another, you can bring the slice forward one level at a time or to the top (front).

Move or Resize Slices

Image Open a document with slices.

Image Select the slices you want to move or resize.

Image To move a slice selection, drag the slice to a new location. You can press Shift to constrain movement up, down, or diagonally.

Image To resize a slice, drag the side or corner handle of the slice. When you select adjacent slices with common edges, the slices resize together.

Image

Image  You can also click Options in the Options bar to set exact slice position or size.

Move or Resize Slices

Did You Know?

You can copy and paste a slice.You can copy and paste a slice like any other object using the Copy and Paste commands. If you copy a slice from Dreamweaver, it retains information from the original file in Photoshop.

You can snap slices to a guide, user slice, or other object.Click the View menu, point to Snap To, and then select the elements you want. Click the View menu, and then click Snap to display a check mark. When you move a slice toward an element, the slice snaps to the elements within 4 pixels.

Align, Distribute, or Stack Slices

Image Open a document with slices.

Image Select the slices you want to arrange.

Align, Distribute, or Stack Slices

Image To align slices, select the alignment button on the Options bar you want: Top, Vertical Centers, Bottom, Left, Horizontal Centers, or Right.

Image To evenly distribute slices, select the distribute button on the Options bar you want: Top, Vertical Centers, Bottom, Left, Horizontal Centers, or Right.

Image To change the slice stacking order, select the stack button on the Options bar you want: Bring To Front, Bring Forward, Send Backward, or Send To Back.

Align, Distribute, or Stack Slices

Did You Know?

You can combine user and auto slices.Right-click the selected slices, and then click Combine Slices.

You can divide user and auto slices.Select the slice using the Slice Select tool, and then click Divide on the Options bar. In the Divide Slice dialog box, select options to divide the slice horizontally or vertically, up or down in equal parts, or enter an exact size in pixels, and then click OK.

Saving a Sliced Image for the Web

Saving a Sliced Image for the Web

PS 12.5

After you create slices within an image, you can export and optimize each slice using the Save For Web & Devices command, which saves each slice as a separate file and creates the code to display them on a web page. After you click Save in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box, the Save Optimized As dialog box appears. You can use this dialog box to access the Output Settings dialog box and set output options to control the format of HTML files, the names of files and slices, and the way Photoshop saves background images.

Save a Slice for the Web

Image Open a document with the slice you want to save.

Image

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Select the file type you want, select any options, and then make any adjustments you want.

Image Click Save.

Image Click the Save as Type (Win) or Format (Mac) list arrow, and then select whether to save the images in HTML and Images, Images Only, or HTML Only.

Image Click the Settings list arrow, and then select the output settings you want. Default Settings is recommended for normal use.

See the next page for details about selecting output settings.

Image Click the Slices list arrow, and then click All Slices, All User Slices, or Selected Slices.

Image Click Save.

Save a Slice for the Web

Set Output Options for Slices

Image Open a document with the slice you want to save.

Image Click the File menu, and then click Save For Web & Devices.

Image Click Save.

Image Click the Save as Type (Win) or Format list arrow, and then select the format you want.

Image Click the Settings list arrow, and then click Other.

Image Click the Output Type list arrow, and then click Slices.

Image Select the following options:

Image  Generate Table.Uses an HTML table to display slices.

Image  Empty Cells.Specifies the way to convert empty slices to table cells.

Image  TD W&H.Specifies whether to include width and height for table data.

Image  Spacer Cells.Specifies when to add empty spacer cells.

Image  Generate CSS.Creates a Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) to display the slices.

Image  Referenced.Specifies how to reference slice positions using CSS.

Image  Default Slice Naming.From the list menus, select the options to specify a slice naming scheme.

Image Click OK.

Image

Image Click the Slices list arrow, and then select the slices option you want.

Image Click Save.

Adding HTML Text or an URL Link to a Slice

Adding HTML Text or an URL Link to a Slice

PS 12.5

If you want to include text within a slice for use on the Web, you can enter plain or formatted text with standard HTML tags directly on a slice with the type No Image. The text doesn’t show up in Photoshop; you need to use a web browser to see it. Don’t enter too much text as it might affect the exported layout. You can add text using the Slice Select tool on the toolbox, or in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box. If you want to create a hyperlink out of a slice for use on the Web, you can add an URL to a slice with the type Image.

Add HTML Text to a Slice

Image Open a document with the slice.

Image Open the Slice dialog box to add text using one of the following:

Image  Toolbox.Select the Slice Select tool on the toolbox, and then double-click the slice to which you want to add text.

Image

Image  Save For Web & Devices dialog box.Click the File menu, click Save For Web & Devices, and then double-click the slice to which you want to add text.

Image Click the Slice Type list arrow, and then click No Image.

Image Enter the text you want.

Image Click the Background Color or Slice Background Type list arrow, and then select a color: None, Matte, White, Black, or Other.

Image  Eyedropper.Only in the Save For Web & Devices dialog box.

Image For Save For Web & Devices, select the Text is HTML check box to include HTML formatted tags.

Image For Save For Web & Devices, select the horizontal and vertical cell alignment options you want.

Image  To line up text in cells in the same row, set a common baseline for all cells in the row.

Image Click OK.

Image

Add an URL Link to a Slice

Image Open a document.

Image Select the Slice Select tool on the toolbox.

Image Double-click the slice to which you want to add an URL link.

Image Click the Slice Type list arrow, and then click Image.

Image Enter an URL address or select a previously created one from the list. Be sure to use the complete URL address, such as http://www.perspection.com.

Image If you want to enter a target frame:

Image  _blank.Displays the linked file in a new window.

Image  _self.Displays the linked file in the same frame as the original file.

Image  _parent.Displays the linked file in its own original parent frameset.

Image  _top.Replaces the entire browser window with the linked file, removing all current frames.

Image Click OK.

Image

Defining and Editing Web Data Variables

Defining and Editing Web Data Variables

PS 8.6

When you work with images in Photoshop, you can define variables to drive the graphics in your web document. Data-driven graphics make it possible to create multiple versions of an image quickly and precisely. For example, you need to produce several web banners using the same template. Instead of creating each banner, one at a time, you can use data-driven graphics to generate web banners using variables and data sets. Any image can be converted into a template for data-driven graphics by defining variables for layers in the image. A data set is a collection of variables and associated data. You can switch between data sets to upload different data into your template. When you combine a Defined layer with a data set, you can use the information to swap images based on input variables.

Define a Data-Driven Graphic

Image Open a document.

Image

Image Select the layer in which you want to define variables.

Image

Image Click the Image menu, point to Variables, and then click Define.

Image Select from the available options:

Image  Visibility.Select to show or hide the content of the layer.

Image  Pixel Replacement.Select to replace the pixels in the layer with pixels from another image file.

Image  Text Replacement.Select to replace a string of text in a type layer (available when a text layer is selected).

Image  Name.Enter names for the variables. Variable names must begin with a letter, underscore, or colon.

Image To define variables for an additional layer, choose a layer from the Layer list arrow.

Image Prepare a .txt document from your word editing program with names of your variables and a list of the variable text and names/locations of variable images.

Image Click OK.

Image

Create a Data Set

Image Open a document.

Image Select the layer in which you want to define variables (fruitpicture, in this example).

Image

Image Click the Image menu, point to Variables, and then click Data Sets.

Image Click Import to choose the .txt file you just made or choose a predefined data set from the list arrow.

Image Select a variable from the available listed objects.

Image Edit the following variable data (each available when selected as the definition for the file):

Image  Visibility.Select Visible or Invisible to show or hide the layer’s content.

Image  Value.Click Select File, and then select a replacement image file or choose Do Not Replace if you do not want the original pixels replaced.

Image  Text Replacement.Enter a text string in the Value box.

Image Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for each variable in the template.

Image visibility, the text in a type layer, or exchanging one image for another, can now be controlled through changing variables.

Image Click OK.

Image

Image Click the Image menu, point to Apply Data Set, and you will be provided with a dialog box from which you can choose the data you want to replace the existing data.

Image

Exporting Directly to Video

Photoshop lets you export a document with animation as a QuickTime movie or an image sequence. The video formats include: 3G, FLC (also known as FLI), iPod (on the 320 × 240 screen), QuickTime movie, AVI (for Windows), DV Stream, Image Sequence, or MPEG-4 (Extended). If you have FLV QuickTime encoder installed on your computer, you can export to the Adobe Flash Video format (FLV). You can also export an animation to separate image files. The file formats include: BMP, Cineon, Dicom, JPEG, OpenEXR, Photoshop, PNG, Targa, and TIFF.

Export Directly to Video

Image Open a document.

If the document is an animation, the frames will be visible in the Animation panel.

Image Click the File menu, point to Export, and then click Render Video.

Image Type a name for the video or use the one provided.

Image Click Select Folder, select the folder where you want to store the file, and then click OK.

Image Click the QuickTime Export option.

Image Click the QuickTime Export list arrow, and then click the video format you want.

Image To select options related to the format you selected, click Settings, make your selections, and then click OK; options vary depending on the format.

Image Select the option with the range of frames you want to include.

Image If available, select the alpha channel option and specify the frames per second (fps) you want.

Image Click Render.

Image
Image

Export Directly to an Image Sequence

Image Open a document.

If the document is an animation, the frames will be visible in the Animation panel.

Image Click the File menu, point to Export, and then click Render Video.

Image Type a name for the video or use the one provided.

Image Click Select Folder, select the folder where you want to store the file, and then click OK.

Image Click the Image Sequence option.

Image Click the Image Sequence list arrow, and then click the video format you want.

Image Specify the start number and number of digits you want in the file name, and then select the size you want.

Image To select options related to the format you selected, click Settings, make your selections, and then click OK; options vary depending on the format.

Image Select the option with the range of frames you want to include.

Image If you want, specify the frames per second (fps) you want.

Image Click Render.

Image
Export Directly to an Image Sequence

Exporting an Image to Zoomify

Exporting an Image to Zoomify

PS 1.3

Exporting an image to Zoomify allows you to display high-resolution images on the Web that users can zoom into and pan around in order to view more detail. When you export to Zoomify, Photoshop exports JPEG files and HTML that you can put on your web server. An image exported to Zoomify downloads in the same time as a regular image, yet you get the added magnification benefits. During the export process, you can select the background and navigation for the image using a template, specify the output location, specify image quality, set the base image width and height for web browsers, and open the image in your browser.

Export an Image to Zoomify

Image Open a document.

Image Click the File menu, point to Export, and then click Zoomify.

Image Click the Template list arrow, and then select the background and Zoomify Viewer template you want.

Image Click Folder, select the output location you want, and then click OK.

Image Specify the Image Tile Options you want; drag the slider to adjust the quality settings.

Image Specify the desired base image width and height in pixels.

Image To open the image in your web browser, select the Open In Web Browser check box.

Image Click OK.

Image
Image
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