saving psd & tif images as a PNG file (Portable Network Graphic)

You can import a drawing or photograph into Flash, whether you have scanned the image or created the file in Photoshop or Painter. However, in order to do further work with the image, you should save it as a PNG file.

Quite simply, you can use Photoshop to convert a document to a PNG file. If, for example, if you are working from a PSD or TIF, you can go to File > Save for Web.

From the the Save for Web window, refer to the right-hand side of the program's layout and check the "Preset" options. Using the pull-down menu, choose "PNG-24." If the image has transparent regions, make sure that "Transparency" is selected, and deselect “Interlaced.”

Then, press Save and give the file a short name.

As an alternative, if you need to do more work with a file, you can work with it using ImageReady and then save the document as a PNG. To do this, launch ImageReady and open the PSD or TIF.

To carefully view the document and consider the adjustments that you make to the image,you can select the "2-Up" tab in the main window, to assess the original image, side by side with the web optimizations that you do.

With ImageReady, you can make changes, such as adjust levels, resize the image, rotate the canvas, etc.

Then, using the Optimize palette (Window > Optimize) you should change the Settings to "PNG-24." If the image has transparent regions, make sure that "Transparency" is selected, and deselect “Interlaced.”

Finally, go to the main menu and select File > Save Optimized As... Make sure that file format is a Portable Network Graphic and that “.png” is the extension on the file name.

To import a PNG image into Flash

Using Flash, go to the File menu and choose either “Import to Stage” or “Import to Library.” Importing to the Stage will add an image to both the Stage and Library, importing to the Library will add a file to the Library only. Not to worry, you can subsequently drag the image to the stage from the Library.

Choose the folder where the PNG image resides, select the file, and press “Import.”

You can also import SWF files into Flash (SWF files are typically exported from Flash). However, you won't have to convert the image, as an SWF is already a vector image. A PNG is a bitmap, so you will have to convert the image to a vector in order to work with it in Flash.

To break apart a Bitmap image

When you import a bitmap image into Flash, and then add the image to the Stage, you will find that you will not be able to erase it or draw on top of it. In order to do so, you must "break apart" the image. To do so, make sure that you drag the bitmap from the Library onto the Stage (the image then becomes an "instance"). Select the instance and then, referring to the main menu, go to Modify > Break Apart. After this, you will then be able to erase and draw on parts of the instance/image.

To convert a bitmap image to a vector image

In order to edit an image (i.e., draw on it, erase parts, add colour, etc.), you must convert the file so that bitmap elements become vector images. To do this, you should use the Selection Tool to highlight the imported bitmap image. While the file is selected, choose Modify > Bitmap > Trace Bitmap and adjust the following settings:

• Colour Threshold: 100
• Minimum Area: 1 pixel
• Curve Fit: Very Tight
• Corner Threshold: Normal

If you wish, you can experiment and enter different values for the above categories. Doing so will change your original image in a variety of different ways, from something that closely resembles the original drawing to something that looks quite painterly and impressionistic.

When you press OK, Flash will then convert the selection into a vector image, highlighting it with a "grey dot" pattern. You should then convert the newly traced bit map to a Symbol.

To convert a traced bitmap to a Symbol

Use the Selection tool to drag an area around the image. Once selected, go to Modify > Covert to Symbol:

• Enter a Name
• Behavior: Graphic

By doing this step, Flash will add a symbol of the image to the Library (along with the original PNG bit map format of the file). It is now possible to make adjustments to the symbol, such as shifting the object’s scale, rotating it, etc.

You can then make changes to the image by finding the symbol’s icon in the Library window and double-clicking the icon to open the image in its own stage. Alternatively, you can go to Edit > Edit Symbols.

Remember to save your Flash project periodically!