VERDICT The new interface and PDF and AIR export see Fireworks CS4 fully integrated into the Creative Suite.

Fireworks CS4, Adobe’s dedicated web graphics application, finally becomes a fully-paid-up member of the Creative Suite with a complete interface overhaul that adds document tabs, iconisable panels and customisable workspaces. Throw in faster load and save times and Fireworks feels more responsive all round (though reliability still looks an issue: the late press beta didn’t even load on one test system).
It’s not just the interface, Fireworks CS4’s whole working approach has been streamlined. Improved guide handling and the introduction of interactive Smart Guides for on-canvas feedback makes positioning and sizing objects far easier. To hep ensure consistent object appearance, you can now choose from multiple in-built style sets and from styles in any open document, while the Redefine Style command lets you easily update object formatting globally. To ensure total consistency between objects, you need to use symbols and here Fireworks CS4 offers simple in-place editing, support for nesting and automatic updating. Smart guide alignment, style updating and advanced symbol handling are so central to efficient web page production, it’s pretty embarrassing that Fireworks didn’t offer them before – but they are here now.

Cs4fireworks.png: Fireworks CS4 now looks, feels and acts like a
full member of the Creative Suite.

Fireworks CS4 also goes back to basics when it comes to new design power. The core Rectangle tool has been reworked to enable 9-slice scaling of rounded corners. The Text tool has also been re-engineered and is now based on the core Adobe text engine offering state-of-the-art typographic handling while the new Attach in Path command lets you create text block shapes and runaround effects. In addition, Fireworks CS4 sees path filleting and real-time previewing of vector-based fade effects.
For those users who still prefer to work up their original design ideas in Photoshop the new Photoshop File Open dialog and support for editable text and image slicing make a big difference. In fact, as soon as you’ve imported your PSD, you’re immediately ready to export the image slices and HTML/CSS necessary to recreate your graphical layout as a fully-functioning web-optimised page. Thanks to improved CSS handling including support for background image, repeats and external CSS, the resulting web page is also more efficient.
Before such final output, you’re likely to need to try out multiple alternatives – and seek feedback and approval. Here Fireworks CS4 offers the ability to output multi-page prototypes as interactive PDFs. Alternatively, you can now output your fully functioning prototype to a cross-platform desktop-based AIR package. That makes Fireworks CS4 ideal for rapid prototyping but there’s one major disappointment. Although you can now output individual images to the new FXG format there’s no support for the new XFL format which would allow you to open your prototype directly into Flash Professional.
A few years ago Fireworks’ development had effectively stalled. Fireworks CS4 sees the program pushing forward strongly on all fronts and its future looking brighter still.

Tom Arah

EASE OF USE 4/6
FEATURES 5/6
VALUE FOR MONEY 4/6
OVERALL 4/6

Requirements: Windows XP (SP2), Vista