Import FreeHand MX files

You can import FreeHand files in version 7 or later directly into Flash. FreeHand is a good choice for creating vector graphics for import into Flash, because you can preserve FreeHand layers, text blocks, library symbols, and pages, and choose a page range to import. If the imported FreeHand file is in CMYK color mode, Flash converts the file to RGB.

Keep the following guidelines in mind when importing FreeHand files:

  • When importing a file with overlapping objects to preserve as separate objects, place the objects on separate layers in FreeHand, and select Layers in the FreeHand Import dialog box in Flash. (If overlapping objects on a single layer are imported into Flash, the overlapping shapes are divided at intersection points, just as with overlapping objects that you create in Flash.)

  • Flash can support up to eight colors in a gradient fill. If a FreeHand file contains a gradient fill with more than eight colors, Flash creates clipping paths to simulate the appearance of a gradient fill. Clipping paths can increase file size. To minimize file size, use gradient fills with eight colors or fewer in FreeHand.

  • Flash imports each step in a blend as a separate path. Thus, the more steps a blend has in a FreeHand file, the larger the imported file size is in Flash.

  • When you import files with strokes that have square caps, Flash converts the caps to round caps.

  • Flash converts placed grayscale images to RGB images. This conversion can increase the imported file’s size.

  • When you import files with placed EPS images, select the Convert Editable EPS When Imported option in FreeHand Import Preferences before you place the EPS into FreeHand. If you do not select this option, the EPS image is not viewable when imported into Flash. In addition, Flash does not display information for an imported EPS image (regardless of the Preferences settings used in FreeHand).

  1. Select File > Import > Import To Stage or File > Import To Library.
  2. Select FreeHand from the Files Of Type (Windows) or Show (Macintosh) pop-up menu.
  3. Navigate to a FreeHand file and select it.
  4. Click Open.
  5. For Mapping Pages, select a setting:
    Scenes

    Converts each page in the FreeHand document to a scene in the Flash document.
    Keyframes

    Converts each page in the FreeHand document to a keyframe in the Flash document.
  6. For Mapping Layers, select one of the following:
    Layers

    Converts each layer in the FreeHand document to a layer in the Flash document.
    Keyframes

    Converts each layer in the FreeHand document to a keyframe in the Flash document.
    Flatten

    Converts all layers in the FreeHand document to a single flattened layer in the Flash document.
  7. For Pages, do one of the following:

    • To import all pages from the FreeHand document, select All.

    • To import a page range from the FreeHand document, enter page numbers for From and To.

  8. For Options, select any of the following options:
    Include Invisible Layers

    Imports all layers (visible and hidden) from the FreeHand document.
    Include Background Layer

    Imports the background layer with the FreeHand document.
    Maintain Text Blocks

    Preserves text in the FreeHand document as editable text in the Flash document.
  9. Click OK.

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