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FREEHAND MX-USING FREEHAND MX
User Manual
412 pgs6.49 Mb3
Table of contents
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Macromedia FREEHAND MX-USING FREEHAND MX User Manual

Using FreeHand MX
Macromedia FreeHand MX
Copyright © 1988 - 2003 Macromedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
This manual, as well as the software described in it, is furnished under a license and may not be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or converted to any electronic or machine-readable form in whole or in part without prior written approval of Macromedia, Inc. Macromedia, Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this manual.
Trademarks
This guide contains information related to third-party products and services that are not under the control of Macromedia. Macromedia provides this information only as a convenience, and the inclusion of such information does not imply that Macromedia endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content or performance of such third-party products and services.
Apple Disclaimer
APPLE COMPUTER, INC. MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THE ENCLOSED COMPUTER SOFTWARE PACKAGE, ITS MERCHANTABILITY OR ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES IS NOT PERMITTED BY SOME STATES. THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY PROVIDES YOU WITH SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. THERE MAY BE OTHER RIGHTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE WHICH VARY FROM STAT E TO S TAT E .
Part Number ZFH11M100
Acknowledgments
Writers: Dale Crawford and Tonya Estes Editors: Mary Ferguson, Rosana Francescato, Rebecca Godbois, and Anne Szabla Managing Editor: Rosana Francescato Documentation Manager: Gary White Production: Chris Basmajian, Aaron Begley, Caroline Branch, and Benjamin Salles Production Manager: Patrice O’Neill Special thanks to Melana Orton, Delores Highsmith, David Spells, David Morris, and David Halpin.
Macromedia, Inc. 600 Townsend St. San Francisco, CA 94103

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
Getting Started
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Installing and starting FreeHand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Uninstalling FreeHand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Resources for learning FreeHand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
What’s new in FreeHand MX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
CHAPTER 1
FreeHand Basics
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
About vector graphics and bitmap images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The Macromedia Studio MX interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The Document window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Using panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Using toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Using preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Using tooltips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Using and managing Xtras. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Setting the document view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Using the right mouse button (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Printing a shortcut quick-reference card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Customizing your environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
CHAPTER 2
Setting Up Your Document
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Using the Document panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Working with pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Working with master pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Using the rulers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Using the grid and guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Creating and opening documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Linking and embedding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Handling font substitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Sending mail (Windows). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Using AppleScript to automate FreeHand (Macintosh) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Working with wizards (Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
3
CHAPTER 3
Drawing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
About vector graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Drawing rectangles, ellipses, and lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Drawing polygons and stars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Drawing spirals and arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Drawing freeform paths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Drawing with the Pen tool and Bezigon tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Editing paths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Creating charts and pictographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Dynamically linking objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Drawing with the Graphic Hose tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
CHAPTER 4
Working with Objects
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Using the Object panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Selecting objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Moving objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Copying objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Grouping objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Arranging objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Adding names and notes to objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Making global changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Combining paths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Working with clipping paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Expanding a path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Insetting a path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Transforming objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Undoing actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Changing default attributes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
CHAPTER 5
Working with Color
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Applying color to objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Spot and process colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Color spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Using the Color Mixer panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Using the Tints panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Using the Swatches panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Editing colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Exporting colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
CHAPTER 6
Using Strokes and Fills
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Adding strokes and fills to objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Applying attributes to strokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Applying attributes to fills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Contents4
CHAPTER 7
Special Effects
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Adding live special effects to objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Extruding objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Working with blends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Adding points to objects or paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Roughening objects or paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Applying a fisheye lens effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Bending or bloating objects or paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Creating perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
CHAPTER 8
Using Type
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Creating text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Working with text blocks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Importing text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Selecting text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
About text appearance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Linking text blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Editing text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Working with the type adjustment tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Setting precise type specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Setting tabs, indents, and margins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Aligning paragraphs and adding paragraph rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Applying color to text and text blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Copying type attributes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Working with columns, rows, and tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Using text styles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Applying text effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Converting text to paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
CHAPTER 9
Using Layers, Symbols, and Styles
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Using layers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Using the Library panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Using styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
CHAPTER 10
Using Imported Artwork
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Importing a graphic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Import file formats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Working with bitmap images in FreeHand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
Launching Fireworks to edit imported bitmap images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Editing bitmap images using other external editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Tracing bitmaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Converting vector graphics to bitmap images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Cropping a bitmap image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
Contents 5
CHAPTER 11
Creating Web Graphics and Animation
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Attaching URLs to objects and text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
About compressing artwork for the web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Publishing FreeHand documents as HTML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Animating objects and text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Assigning Flash actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
Using the Action tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Using Flash movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Controlling SWF files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
CHAPTER 12
Saving and Exporting Files
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Saving files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Adding IPTC file information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
About export file formats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
Exporting files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Exporting vector artwork. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Exporting bitmap images. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Exporting PDF files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Exporting text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
CHAPTER 13
Color Management
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Color management strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364
Calibrating monitor colors visually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
Using Kodak Digital Science and Apple ColorSync CMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
Managing RGB image color for selected images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Using color tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
CHAPTER 14
Printing
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Printing a document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Using print preview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Defining an output area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
About printing fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Applying halftone settings to selected objects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
About choosing an output device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Guidelines for faster printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
INDEX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
Contents6
INTRODUCTION

Getting Started

Macromedia FreeHand MX is a vector-based drawing application. With FreeHand, you can create vector graphics that can be scaled and printed at any resolution, without losing detail or clarity.
You can use FreeHand to create print and web illustrations such as logos and advertising banners. You can also use FreeHand to turn your artwork into Macromedia Flash animations.
The FreeHand user interface contains a workspace and Tools panel that are consistent with other Macromedia products such as Macromedia Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Flash, to give you a true integrated print and web solution. In addition, now you can view and test your FreeHand documents in a Macromedia Flash Player window without ever leaving the FreeHand environment.

System requirements

FreeHand runs on both Microsoft Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Their installers are found on separate CDs. To install FreeHand and begin using the application, you will need the following hardware and software:
• For Windows: An Intel Pentium II processor (300 MHz or faster), or the equivalent, running
Windows 98SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows NT version 4 (Service Pack 6), or Windows XP; enough random-access memory (RAM) to meet your operating system’s requirements, plus 64 MB of application memory (128 MB recommended); 70 MB of available hard disk space; a CD-ROM drive; a color monitor capable of 1024 x 768 pixel resolution and 16-bit display (thousands of colors, millions of colors recommended); Adobe Type Manager version 4 or later with Type 1 fonts; and a PostScript Level 2–compatible printer or later (recommended).
• For the Macintosh: a Power Macintosh G3 (or faster) computer running Mac OS 9.1 or later,
or Mac OS 10.1 or later; enough RAM to meet your operating system’s requirements, plus 64 MB of application memory; 70 MB of available hard disk space; a CD-ROM drive; a color monitor capable of 1024 x 768 pixel resolution and 16-bit display (thousands of colors, millions of colors recommended); Adobe Type Manager version 4 or later with Type 1 fonts (Mac OS 9.x); a PostScript Level 2–compatible printer or later (recommended); and QuickTime 6 (Mac OS 9.x).
7

Installing and starting FreeHand

This section describes how to install FreeHand on your hard disk and start the application. Before you begin, make sure your computer meets the requirements listed under “System
requirements” on page 7. Read the Read Me document on the FreeHand CD for late-breaking information.
To install and start FreeHand in Windows:
1 Disable any virus-protection software. 2 Insert the FreeHand CD into the computer’s CD-ROM drive. 3 Follow the onscreen instructions. The FreeHand installer prompts you to enter the serial
number found on your registration card.
4 Select Start > Programs > Macromedia FreeHand MX > FreeHand MX to launch FreeHand.
To install and start FreeHand on the Macintosh:
1 Insert the FreeHand CD into the computer’s CD-ROM drive. 2 From the Apple menu, select Control Panels > Extensions Manager. 3 Disable virus-protection extensions and restart your computer.
The CD folder appears on your desktop.
4 Open the FreeHand MX folder. 5 Double-click the FreeHand MX Installer icon to launch the FreeHand installer. 6 Follow the onscreen instructions. The FreeHand installer prompts you to enter the serial
number found on your registration card. When the installation is complete, the FreeHand folder opens on your desktop.
7 If prompted, restart your computer.

Uninstalling FreeHand

To uninstall FreeHand, you use Add/Remove Programs (Windows) or the installer (Macintosh) to ensure that all FreeHand files are removed from your system.
To uninstall FreeHand in Windows:
1 Select Start > Settings > Control Panel. 2 Double-click Add/Remove Programs. 3 Select Macromedia FreeHand MX from the list of programs that can be removed. 4 Click the Add/Remove button. 5 Follow the onscreen instructions.
All FreeHand MX program files are removed from your system.
Introduction8
To uninstall FreeHand on the Macintosh:
1 Insert the FreeHand CD into the computer’s CD-ROM drive and launch the installer. 2 A pop-up menu prompts you to select an option. Select Uninstall. 3 Follow the onscreen instructions.
Note: If you used custom installation to install FreeHand in a folder other than the default folder, you must specify the same folder when uninstalling.
The installer removes all FreeHand application files from your computer.

Resources for learning FreeHand

FreeHand MX includes a variety of media to help you learn the program quickly and become proficient in creating your own FreeHand illustrations. These resources include Using FreeHand, a user’s guide that comes in two formats: the help system, and in book form as a PDF file on the application CD.
In addition, Macromedia presents helpful information via the Answers panel. The Answers panel gives you easy access to the latest information on the Macromedia website. On the website, the FreeHand Support Center (www.macromedia.com/support/freehand) offers support and problem-solving information. The Designer & Developer Center (www.macromedia.com/ desdev) presents information to help you improve your skills and learn new ones.

FreeHand lessons

If you are new to FreeHand, or if you have used only some of its features, start with the lessons. The lessons introduce you to the main features of FreeHand, letting you practice on isolated examples.
To view the lessons:
1 With a working Internet connection, do one of the following:
• Select Help > Learning FreeHand.
• Select Window > Answers. In the Answers panel, select the Tutorials link.
A browser window displays the “Learning FreeHand MX” web page.
2 Select one of the lessons in the list.

FreeHand tutorial

The FreeHand tutorial presents a hands-on introduction to the FreeHand workflow by leading you through the creation of a FreeHand illustration. Included in the tutorial are steps involving many features that are new to FreeHand MX. The tutorial assumes that you already understand the topics covered in the FreeHand lessons.
To view the tutorial:
1 With a working Internet connection, do one of the following:
• Select Help > Learning FreeHand.
• Select Window > Answers. In the Answers panel, select the Tutorials link.
A browser window displays the “Learning FreeHand MX” web page.
2 Select the link to the tutorial.
Getting Started 9

What’s new in FreeHand MX

Whether you design illustrations for print media, the web, or a combination of both, FreeHand MX offers new features that enhance the approachability, creativity, and power of FreeHand.

Standards and interactivity

FreeHand MX has a new user interface that simplifies workflow and organizes the workspace better. The new interface makes FreeHand easier to learn if you already know other Macromedia Studio MX products, including Dreamweaver MX, Flash MX, and Fireworks MX.
Panel grouping/tabs Panels are now conveniently docked together at the right edge of the
application window. You can move, separate, or combine these customizable panel groups. For more information, see “Using panels” on page 15.
Object panel The Object panel is a context-sensitive panel that lets you view and change
properties for selected objects and text. It is extremely useful in performing practically any drawing task. For more information, see “Using the Object panel” on page 107.
Launching and editing Flash FreeHand can now launch Flash to edit imported Flash movies.
For more information, see “Editing imported Flash movies” on page 336.
Launching and editing Fireworks When you’re editing a bitmap file, FreeHand can
automatically launch Macromedia Fireworks, letting you use Fireworks bitmap editing tools to modify the image or to make quick optimization changes. Together, the two applications give you a more streamlined workflow for editing and designing graphics. For more information, see “Launching Fireworks to edit imported bitmap images” on page 320 and “Launching Fireworks to optimize bitmap images” on page 321.
Answers panel The Answers panel helps you work more effectively by giving you quick access
to Macromedia website content such as tutorials, lessons, TechNotes, and other useful information. To learn more, see “The Answers panel” on page 21.

Power illustration

Many new features make FreeHand MX an even more powerful illustration tool.
Extrude tool The new Extrude tool lets you apply 3D extrusion effects to an object. To learn
more, see “Extruding objects” on page 205.
Multiple strokes and fills With FreeHand MX, you can now apply more than one stroke or fill
to an object, opening up fascinating new potentials for your illustrations. See “Adding strokes and fills to objects” on page 165.
Live raster effects and transparency Live raster effects work similarly to some of the image
manipulation tools found in photo editing software such as Fireworks. These effects act as properties of the object they are applied to, and do not modify the object itself. For more information, see “Applying live raster effects” on page 198.
Transparency effects allow a fill or stroke (or parts of a fill or stoke) to appear clear or semi­opaque. To learn more, see “Using a Transparency effect attribute” on page 204.
Live vector effects Live vector effects work similarly to some of the other object manipulation
capabilities of FreeHand, except that they act as properties of the object they are applied to, and do not modify the object itself. For more information, see “Applying live vector effects” on page 194.
Introduction10
Blend tool
Blends are now easier to apply. The Blend tool lets you drag a line between two
blend shapes to create the blend. See “Using the Blend tool” on page 213.
Calligraphic stroke This new feature lets you create beautiful calligraphic strokes as part of your
vector objects. For more information, see “Using calligraphic stroke attributes” on page 173.
Eraser tool The new Eraser tool lets you erase parts of vector objects. To learn more, see
“Erasing paths” on page 95.
Image alpha channels FreeHand MX provides full import and display support for the alpha
channels of common bitmap image files. See “Working with bitmap images in FreeHand” on page 318.
New gradient fills Two new gradient fills have been added to FreeHand MX: rectangular and
cone gradients. Also, gradient fills now have new options. For more information, see “Using gradient fill attributes” on page 179.
Brush enhancements The Rounded Corners attribute gives brushed paths a more fluid and
natural look as they wrap around corners and sharp angles. To learn about brushes, see “Using brush stroke attributes” on page 169.

Web-related features

Many new and enhanced FreeHand MX features help you plan, mock up, and develop website components. With these additions, FreeHand MX becomes the tool of choice for the beginning stages of web development, and the first step in the Macromedia Studio MX workflow.
Connector tool The Connector tool lets you draw connector lines that dynamically link objects
together. Connector lines automatically adjust when you move connected objects in the Document window. For more information on the Connector tool, see “Dynamically linking objects” on page 102.
Action tool The Action tool lets you assign Flash actions to an object. For more information, see
“Using the Action tool” on page 334.
Output area You can now print or export an area of the Document window by using the
Output Area tool. To learn more, see “Exporting an area of a document” on page 348.
Simplified movie settings It’s now easier to control the settings of a Flash movie inside
FreeHand. For more information, see “Using Flash movies” on page 335.
SWF import, placement, and export Flash SWF files can be directly imported and placed in
FreeHand MX, and then exported. See “Editing imported Flash movies” on page 336 and “Exporting FreeHand documents as Flash movies” on page 336.
Getting Started 11

Ease of use

Finally, many new FreeHand MX features are dedicated to making your workflow easier than ever.
Tools panel changes The Tools panel has been reorganized to make finding and using your
tools easier. To find out more, see “Using the Tools panel” on page 24.
Gradient fill handles Gradient fill handles increase your control in manipulating gradient fills.
See “Using gradient fill attributes” on page 179.
Add page button Adding a new page to your document is now as easy as clicking the Add Page
button at the bottom of the application window. See “Working with pages” on page 44.
Style behavior changes You can control what types of object attributes a style will apply to. See
“Applying styles” on page 302.
Introduction12
CHAPTER 1

FreeHand Basics

To get the most out of working in Macromedia FreeHand MX, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with the FreeHand workspace, which includes the Document window, command menus at the top of your screen, tools and panels for editing and adding objects, and the pasteboard in which you create your artwork.
You can add more commands to the menus by installing software applications called plug-ins, and you can add and rearrange tools in toolbars by customizing your work environment.

About vector graphics and bitmap images

FreeHand is a vector-graphic drawing application. A vector-graphic image is resolution­independent—it can be scaled to any size and printed on any output device at any resolution, without losing detail or clarity. In contrast, bitmap graphics—commonly used in image-editing applications—are composed of pixels. Their display depends on the resolution of the monitor or printer. Bitmap graphics can appear jagged and lose detail when they’re scaled onscreen or printed at a low resolution. For more details on vector graphics, see “About vector graphics” on page 69.
Although vector graphics always appear at your computer’s maximum screen resolution, you can specify a lower resolution for preparing draft documents. For more information, see Chapter 14, “Printing,” on page 375.
13

The Macromedia Studio MX interface

FreeHand is part of the Macromedia MX product family, so it utilizes the Macromedia MX workspace, an interface that is shared by the other Macromedia MX products. Consistency among products allows users of one product to easily learn and use the others.
The first time you open FreeHand, the workspace consists of the Document window and a set of docked panels. In Windows, the workspace is integrated, so you can dock all panels and toolbars to the single, larger application window. This helps to eliminate the clutter associated with having many panels and toolbars open at the same time.
Panels
Units pop-up menu
Drawing Mode pop-up menu
Add Page button
Go to Page pop-up menu
Page selector buttons
Magnification pop-up menu
The integrated workspace is not supported on the Macintosh. However, panels and toolbars are docked together by default in a configuration that resembles the integrated workspace in Windows.
On all operating systems, FreeHand panels, toolbars, and windows can be rearranged, repositioned, and docked to one another.
For more details about the FreeHand workspace, see the sections that follow.
Chapter 114

The Document window

In addition to panels, when you launch FreeHand you’ll also see the Document window and the pasteboard—the area that contains the pages of your document.
The Document window contains all your documents’ objects. Objects must be placed on a page in order to be printed with the Print command; if they are placed on the pasteboard outside of page boundaries, you can print them using the Output Area feature. For more information, see “Defining an output area” on page 382.
The pasteboard measures up to 222 x 222 inches and can hold 520 letter-sized pages. You can customize the buttons, panels, and toolbars. For more information on panels and toolbars, see “Using panels” on page 15 and “Customizing toolbars” on page 38.
If you modify a document, an asterisk appears next to the document name in the Document window until you save it again. For more information, see “Saving files” on page 341.

Using panels

When you first launch FreeHand, visible panels (excluding the Tools panel) are docked together at the right edge of the application window. You can move, separate, or combine these customizable panel groups. Panels and panel groups can be opened, closed, docked, expanded, and collapsed.
The following panels are grouped together by default:
• The Object and Document panels reside in a panel group called Properties.
• The Swatches, Styles, and Library panels reside in a panel group called Assets.
• The Color Mixer and Tints panels reside in a panel group called Mixer and Tints.
• The Align and Transform panels reside in a panel group called Align and Transform.
• The Find & Replace panel and the Select panel reside in a panel group called Find & Replace
and Select.
FreeHand Basics 15
• The Halftones, Layers, Answers, and Navigation panels are not grouped with other panels by
default, but you can group them if you want. With the exception of the Properties and Assets panel groups, when you group panels together, all panel group names appear in the panel group title bar. You can, however, name panel groups anything you like; see “Grouping panels” on page 19.
The Layers panel, the Answers panel, and the Properties, Assets, and Mixer and Tints panel groups appear onscreen by default when you first open FreeHand, although some may be collapsed.
To open a panel:
Select its name from the Window menu. If a panel was already open, choosing its name from the Window menu closes it or collapses it,
depending on whether the panel is docked.
Note: The Find & Replace and Select panels are available in the Edit menu.
To expand or collapse a panel:
Click the panel group name or the expander arrow beside it.
Tip: If a panel is open but collapsed, you can select the panel’s name from the Window menu to expand it.
To close a panel:
Click the Close button at the top of a floating panel or floating panel group.
To activate a panel in a panel group:
Click the panel’s name or icon.
To move an undocked panel or panel group to another location:
Drag the panel group by its title bar (the area above the panel group name).
Tip: Be careful not to drag a panel group’s gripper, or you might inadvertently dock it to another panel group.
To switch between open, floating panel groups (Windows):
Press Control+Tab.
To show or hide all open panels:
Select View > Panels.
Chapter 116
To show or hide panels docked to the application window (Windows only):
Click the small arrow that separates the docked panel area from the rest of the application window.
Click to show or hide docked panel area
To return panels to their default positions:
1 Exit FreeHand. 2 Locate the Macromedia/FreeHand/11/English/Settings folder within your user-specific
Application Data (Windows) or Application Support (Macintosh) folder.
Note: The exact location of your user-specific Application Data or Application Support folder varies depending on your operating system. For more information, see your operating system’s documentation.
3 Delete the fhprefs.txt (Windows) or Preferences (Macintosh) file.
To define the appearance of panel labels:
1 Display panels preferences by doing one of the following:
• In Windows, press Control+U, then click the Panels tab.
• On the Macintosh, press Command+U, then click the Panels category.
2 From the Label Panel Tabs With pop-up menu, choose to label panels with text only, icon only,
or a text and icon combination.
3 Click OK.
FreeHand Basics 17

Docking panels

You can dock individual panels and panel groups to one another. In Windows, you can also dock panels to the integrated application window. Panels and panel
groups in Windows can be docked on the right side, left side, or both sides of the screen.
To dock a panel or panel group:
Drag the panel or panel group by its gripper to the desired location.
Panel gripper
When a panel or panel group is about to dock to another panel or panel group, a highlight indicates where the panel or panel group will be dropped if you release the mouse button.
In Windows, when a panel or panel group is about to dock with the integrated application window and there are no other panels or panel groups currently docked in that location, an outline indicates the docking position.
Chapter 118
To undock a panel or panel group:
Drag the panel or panel group by its gripper to the desired location.

Using a panel’s Options menu

Each panel has an Options menu listing a range of choices specific to the active panel.
To open a panel’s Options menu:
Click the Options menu control in the upper right corner of the panel group.
Options menu control

Grouping panels

You can group panels with other panels, add them to existing panel groups, or remove them from panel groups.
When you combine panels into a group, the panel group title reflects the names of each of the panels. If a panel group title becomes too long, you can rename it.
To group panels:
1 Open or expand the panel that you want to add to a group. 2 Select Group [Panel Name] With from the panel’s Options menu, and select a panel or panel
group from the pop-up menu.
FreeHand Basics 19
To remove a panel from a group:
1 Activate the panel you want to remove from the group. 2 Select Group [Panel Name] With from the panel’s Options menu, and select New Panel
Group. The panel becomes its own panel group.
To rename a panel group:
1 With any panel active in the panel group, select Rename Panel Group from the panel’s Options
menu.
2 Type a new name. 3 Click anywhere outside the panel group, or press Enter (Windows) or Return (Macintosh).

The Properties panel group

The Properties panel group contains two panels that allow you to display and alter the properties of objects and pages.
The Object panel displays properties for a selected object or objects. The top half of the panel displays a list of properties, such as stroke, fill, and effect, applied to a selected object. The bottom half of the panel is context-sensitive; it displays options for the selected property in the list above it.
The Object panel is used in almost all drawing tasks. For more information about the Object panel, see “Using the Object panel” on page 107; “Applying attributes to strokes” on page 166; “Applying attributes to fills” on page 177; “Displaying type attributes in the Object panel” on page 248; and Chapter 7, “Special Effects,” on page 193.
Chapter 120
The Document panel displays thumbnail icons for each page in your document. Using the Pointer tool, you can move the thumbnails in the panel to move the corresponding pages on the pasteboard. You can choose from three magnified views. The Document panel also has options for adding, duplicating, and removing pages, plus options to set page size, orientation, bleed, and printer resolution. For more information, see “Using the Document panel” on page 43.

The Answers panel

The Answers panel helps you work more effectively in FreeHand by providing quick access to Macromedia website content such as tutorials, TechNotes, and other useful information.
To get the latest FreeHand information from macromedia.com, with an active Internet connection, click the Update button.
FreeHand Basics 21

Using toolbars

FreeHand has several toolbars that can either float or be docked along the top, left, and bottom of the Document window. You can customize toolbars; for more information, see “Customizing toolbars” on page 38.
You can display information about each tool as the pointer passes over it (see “Using tooltips” on page 27).
FreeHand has the following toolbars:
• The Tools panel is actually a toolbar. Like other toolbars, it can be docked to the top or bottom
of the application window. For more information, see “Using the Tools panel” on page 24.
• The Main toolbar replicates many of the menu commands and lets you create, open, or save
documents; import files; find and replace graphics; lock and unlock objects; and display commonly used panels. For more information, see “The Main toolbar” on page 23.
• The Text toolbar contains common text commands and lets you choose a font, font size, font
style, leading, and alignment as well as other text-related functions. For more information, see “The Text toolbar” on page 249.
• The Envelope toolbar has tools for applying envelope transformations to objects or groups. For
more information, see “Creating perspective” on page 227.
• The Info toolbar gives information on selected objects, depending on the object type and
current action. Possible items included in this toolbar are the object type, the pointer position, the change in an object’s position, the object’s angle, the center of rotation, the radius, and the number of sides the object has.
• The Status toolbar (Windows) appears along the bottom of the Document window. For more
information, see “The Status toolbar” on page 25.
• The Xtra Tools toolbar contains plug-in drawing and transformation tools, which can be
added and removed from the application. For more information, see “Using and managing Xtras” on page 27.
• The Xtra Operations toolbar contains buttons for applying path operations. For more
information, see “Combining paths” on page 127.
To dock and undock toolbars:
Drag the toolbar to the desired location. An outline appears indicating where the toolbar will be dropped if you release the mouse button.
To show or hide toolbars, do one of the following:
• To show or hide individual toolbars, select Window > Toolbars and select the toolbar name.
• To show or hide all active toolbars, select View > Toolbars.
• To show or hide the Tools panel, select Window > Tools.
Chapter 122

The Main toolbar

The Main toolbar contains the basic commands you use when beginning your FreeHand project. You use the Main toolbar to open document files and to manage the appearance of your document. The Main toolbar also provides quick access to many common panels. The following buttons are available on the Main toolbar by default, but you can add other buttons if you want. For more information, see “Customizing toolbars” on page 38.
Creates a new document
Opens an existing document Opens the Transform panel
Saves the active document Opens the Library panel
Imports a file or object Opens the Object panel
Prints the active document Opens the Color Mixer panel
Locks the selected objects Opens the Swatches panel
Unlocks the selected objects Opens the Layers panel
Opens the Find & Replace panel
Opens the Align panel
FreeHand Basics 23

Using the Tools panel

The Tools panel contains tools that allow you to select, draw, and edit objects; apply color to objects; and create text. It is divided into four sections: Tools, View, Colors, and Snap. You can customize the panel by adding and removing buttons.
Some tools in the Tools panel have a down arrow in the lower right corner. The down arrow indicates the presence of a tool pop-up menu. You can select the other members of a tool pop-up menu by clicking and holding on any tool that has a down arrow, then selecting from the pop-up menu that appears.
To select a tool from a tool pop-up menu:
1 In the Tools panel, click and hold on a tool that is part of a tool pop-up menu. 2 Select a tool from the pop-up menu that appears.
To add a tool to the Tools panel, do one of the following:
• Select Window > Toolbars > Customize. Expand the desired category in the Commands list,
and drag a tool from the right side of the dialog box into the Tools panel.
• Alt-drag (Windows) or Command-drag (Macintosh) a tool from another toolbar into the
Too ls pa ne l.
Chapter 124
To remove a tool from the Tools panel, do one of the following:
• Select Window > Toolbars > Customize, and drag the desired button from the Tools panel.
• Alt-drag (Windows) or Command-drag (Macintosh) a tool from the Tools panel.
Once you remove a tool from the Tools panel, you cannot move the tool back onto the panel without using the Customize dialog box. For more information on customizing toolbars, see “Customizing toolbars” on page 38.

The Status toolbar

The Status toolbar appears along the bottom of the Document window. It contains a page addition button and page selector buttons as well as pop-up menus for magnification, page view, drawing mode, and units of measure.
In Windows, the Status toolbar displays messages about the task in progress or the menu command highlighted. To cancel an operation in progress in Windows, you can click the toolbar’s Cancel button.
On the Macintosh, the Status toolbar is permanently docked to the Document window; you can’t undock it or move it to another location.

Using preferences

FreeHand preferences let you customize your work environment. Settings stored in the Preferences file include the following:
• Number of undo operations
• Path-editing behavior, path fills, and path behavior
• Default line widths and graphic styles
• Text behavior
• Document views and window location
• Active page settings
• Settings for reviewing documents when closing them
• Attributes of imported and exported files
• Settings for embedding graphics in Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) and other Clipboard
formats
• Spelling preferences
• Guide and grid colors and color management options
• Panel display options
• Text effects, small text size (“greeked” type), image screen resolution, and objects set to
overprint
• Snap sounds (Macintosh only)
FreeHand Basics 25
To find an explanation of a particular preference option or set of options, refer to the index.
To display preference options:
1 Press Control+U (Windows) or Command+U (Macintosh). 2 In Windows, click a tab; on the Macintosh, click an item in the Category list.
Windows preference tabs and Macintosh preference categories
Chapter 126
To restore all preferences to their default settings:
1 Press Control+U (Windows) or Command+U (Macintosh).
The Preferences dialog box appears.
2 Click Defaults at the bottom of the Preferences dialog box, and click OK.

Using tooltips

Tooltips give you information about a tool name or toolbar button. In FreeHand, tooltips appear by default; you can turn them off if you want.
To display a tooltip:
Pause the pointer over a button on a toolbar.
To turn off tooltips:
1 Display panels preferences by doing one of the following:
• In Windows, press Control+U, then click the Panels tab.
• On the Macintosh, press Command+U, then click the Panels category.
2 Deselect Show ToolTips and click OK.

Using and managing Xtras

Xtras are plug-in software extensions that expand FreeHand capabilities. FreeHand Xtras are developed by Macromedia and third-party companies.
Xtras with similar features are grouped in submenus. A third-party Xtra may appear in the Xtras menu, the Xtra Tools toolbar, the Xtra Operations toolbar, or a custom panel, depending on its design and the customizations made within the user interface.
Xtras included with FreeHand are automatically installed with FreeHand. You can install additional Xtras and remove Xtras.
To install an Xtra:
1 Drag the Xtra file into the Xtras folder, which is located in your FreeHand MX application
folder.
Note: On some operating systems, this folder may be located in the English subfolder within the FreeHand MX application folder.
2 Restart FreeHand.
To remove an Xtra:
Drag the Xtra file out of the Xtras folder. (See the previous procedure for folder location.)
To use an Xtra, do one of the following:
• Select the Xtra from the Xtras menu.
• Select Window > Toolbars > Xtra Tools to display the toolbar, and click the Xtra.
• Select Window > Toolbars > Xtra Operations to display the toolbar, and click the Xtra.
FreeHand Basics 27

Setting the document view

You can set your document view to help you work more efficiently. You can use multiple views to see several pages or documents at once, and you can create custom views.
Commands in the View menu let you choose different ways to view and preview your work. You can set preferences to determine the view and page placement when opening a document.
To set document view and placement preferences:
1 Display document preferences by doing one of the following:
• In Windows, press Control+U, then click the Document tab.
• On the Macintosh, press Command+U, then click the Document category.
2 Select an option to define how documents will appear when opened:
Restore View When Opening Document opens documents at the same magnification as when
they were last saved.
Remember Window Size and Location opens documents in the same window size and at the
same location as the last saved document.
3 Click OK.
For more information on preferences, see “Using preferences” on page 25.

Anti-aliasing artwork

Anti-aliasing removes jagged edges in onscreen artwork, so it appears smooth even when magnified. Vector objects and text are anti-aliased by default in all drawing modes. You can turn this option off if you want.
Note: On the Macintosh, anti-aliasing is available only if you’re running Mac OS X or later.
To turn off anti-aliasing:
1 Display redraw preferences by doing one of the following:
• In Windows, press Control+U, then click the Redraw tab.
• On the Macintosh, press Command+U, then click the Redraw category.
2 Deselect Enable Anti-Aliasing and click OK.

Optimizing document redrawing

You can choose how to view a document onscreen using drawing modes. Drawing modes don’t affect object data or print quality. You can also set preferences to control screen redrawing.
The fast drawing modes, Fast Preview and Fast Keyline, optimize redrawing by reducing blend steps to 10 and greeking (dimming) text for onscreen point sizes of 50 and below.
Chapter 128
To choose a drawing mode:
Select an option from the Drawing Mode pop-up menu in the Status toolbar (Windows) or at the bottom of the Document window (Macintosh):
Preview displays the document as it will print. (You can’t preview custom, PostScript, or textured
strokes and fills.)
Fast Preview displays blends with reduced steps and greeked (dimmed) text. Keyline displays only a black hairline stroke, no fill for objects, and X-boxes for EPS images and
bitmap images.
Fast Keyline displays blends with reduced steps and greeked (dimmed) text.
From left to right: Preview, Fast Preview, Keyline, Fast Keyline
To switch between Preview mode and Keyline mode:
Select View > Keyline. This command is a toggle. A checkmark beside Keyline indicates that the document is in one of
the Keyline modes. When no checkmark is displayed, the document is in one of the Preview modes.
To switch between fast modes and other modes:
Select View > Fast Mode or press Control+Shift+K (Windows) or Command+Shift+K (Macintosh).
These commands toggle between fast modes and other modes. A checkmark beside Fast Mode indicates the document is either in Fast Preview or Fast Keyline mode.
FreeHand Basics 29
To set how scrolling affects redrawing:
1 Display redraw preferences by doing one of the following:
• In Windows, press Control+U, then click the Redraw tab.
• On the Macintosh, press Command+U, then click the Redraw category.
2 Select Redraw While Scrolling to redraw the document when you click a scroll arrow or
scroll bar. When this option is deselected, the document is redrawn when scrolling stops.
3 Click OK.
To enable object previews while dragging:
1 Display object preferences by doing one of the following:
• In Windows, press Control+U, then click the Object tab.
• On the Macintosh, press Command+U, then click the Object category.
2 Deselect the Alt-Drag Copies Paths option (Windows) or the Option-Drag Copies Paths
option (Macintosh), if it is selected.
3 Click OK.
To preview an object while dragging it:
1 Press and hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Macintosh). 2 Drag the object.
Note: Before dragging the object, ensure that the Alt-Drag Copies Paths option (Windows) or the Option-Drag Copies Paths option (Macintosh) is deselected in object preferences. See the previous procedure.
To set the maximum number of objects to preview while dragging:
1 Display redraw preferences by doing one of the following:
• In Windows, press Control+U, then click the Redraw tab.
• On the Macintosh, press Command+U, then click the Redraw category.
2 Enter a value in the Preview Drag text box.
Note: Previewing a large number of objects can slow redrawing.
3 Click OK.
To drag an object without previewing it:
Drag the object within the Document window. The object’s path displays the object’s movement, similar to the way in which objects appear in
Keyline mode.
Chapter 130
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