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Fireworks MX - Find and Replace

This is a beginner's Fireworks MX tutorial. Basic knowledge of Fireworks interface is assumed. This tutorial was written using Windows O/S.

Find and Replace Panel

Fireworks MX can automate changes to objects (like colors or fonts) in just one file or in several files. Finding and Replacing an object's properties is easy using the Find and Replace panel.

I am going to work with the animation file created using the Animation tutorial. If you did not complete the tutorial but would like to follow along, please download the zipped png file. If you would like to work with your own file, make sure to use a Fireworks (original) .png, not an exported graphic like .jpg, .gif, or .png.

1. Open (as untitled) the sun-ani.png file in Fireworks MX. It is a simple animated file using 4 frames. There should be text along with a shining sun on each frame.

Special note: if you are using your own file from the tutorial, you might want to change the layer for "Text" and "Sun Circle" - on the options menu for each layer, uncheck the setting for "Share This Layer."

Find and Replace Text

2. Choose Window>Find & Replace (or press Ctrl+F) to view the Find and Replace panel.

• From the first menu, choose "Search Document" - this searches the full document for the set options.
• The next menu, choose "Find Text"
• Type the text "Sunny" in the "Find" text block.
• Type the text "Sun Fun" in the "Change to" text block.
• Check the box next to Whole Word
• Click the "Replace All" button.

3. A message box appears announcing the search is complete and shows you how many instances were changed. Take a look at the canvas. The "Sunny" text has been replaced with "Sun Fun". Now check all the frames - all instances of the text "Sunny" were changed.

Hmm, but now the new text is out of range on the canvas. Let's fix it with another Find & Replace.

Find and Replace Fonts

4. Still using the Find & Replace panel,

• "Search Document"
• "Find Font"
• Choose the font used for the "Sun Fun" text. On my file, it is "Arial"
• Choose "Any Style"
• Keep the default for min and max.
• Now "Change to" a different font on the fonts menu. And change the Font size to a smaller size. You can also change the "style" to bold, italic, etc.
• Click the "Replace All" button.

The text should hopefully fit on the canvas now. If not, use the F&R panel to change the font size again. Check all the frames, all text should be changed.

Find and Replace Colors

5. Okay, let's work with color changes.

• First menu: "Search Frame" - this will only search in the active frame.
• 2nd menu: "Find Color"
• Click the color box next to "Find" and use the eye dropper to sample the color from an object on the canvas. If you are working with the sun animation file, sample the color of the sun.
• Click the color box for "Change to" and choose a new color.
• Apply to "All Properties".
• Click "Replace All" button.

See the results? Only the sun object on the active frame was changed. The other frames stayed unchanged.

6. Let's try another color change.

• Change the first menu to "Search Document"
• "Find Color"
• Keep the same colors chosen as before.
• Apply to "All Properties"
• This time, click the "Find" button (instead of "Replace All") This button gives you more control over choosing which particular objects you would like to change.

The first instance of the color you want to find is selected. The first path on the 2nd frame should be selected. If you choose to replace the color on the selected object, click the "Replace" button.

If you choose to keep the color unchanged, click the "Find" button again. It will select the next path/object filled with the set color.

Using the "Find" and "Replace" buttons gives you better control when you do not want every instance to be changed. It can be used for color, text, font - all the settings for Find and Replace.

Other Experiments: Urls, Non-Web Colors, Effects

Experiment with the other settings on this panel - such as Replacing an url in your document. This would be very handy to change urls or email addresses used with buttons and other web objects.

Even better, if you have a folder full of files using an incorrect url, on the first menu, choose "Search Files" and browse to select one or more files to search.

There is also a setting to find any Non-Web safe colors - very good for those times when you need to convert a file to only those 216 web colors.

One more setting to mention. When finding/replacing colors, you may opt to change specific properties of an object. In example, if you have many drop shadows using the color black, you may want to replace all shadow colors with a dark gray instead. Or maybe you have several color fills using blue that needs to be replaced with green.

Keep experimenting!

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.

Thanks!
debbieT

Page updated on July 7, 2003

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