Using a Batch Process

A lot of tasks required to develop a Web site are repetitious and tedious. Have you ever had a folder full of images that you needed to add a border to? Or perhaps you want to reduce the size of every image. You'll probably even need to optimize each image as well. Well you can do all these tasks and more by running one batch process in Fireworks! What a timesaver, and it's so easy to do!

To run a batch process, follow these steps:

1. Select File @> Batch Process. You do not need to have a document open to use batch process.
2. The Batch dialog box opens. Navigate to the folder containing the images you want to use in the batch process.
3. Select each image you want in the batch and click the Add button. If you want all the images, simply click Add All. You can also navigate to other folders and add images as well (see Figure 1).
4. Once the images are added, click on Next.
5. If you want to export the images and choose optimization settings, click Export in the Batch Options window on the left. Click the Add button and it will appear on the right in the Include in Batch area.
6. The Export settings field becomes available. Choose JPEG smaller file (or whatever you'd like). If you want to customize the settings, click the Edit button and choose your settings. Note: The image shown here shows the Scale options. This is the same area in which you'll see the export options appear.

   6.  If you want to scale the images, select Scale then click Add. Once you add the Scale option there will be a drop-down menu with options to scale to a specific size, area, or percentage. Fill in your specifics.

   Tip: If your images are not all the same size you may want to use a percentage scale. A specific size works great for thumbnails and other images only if all the images are the same size.

7. If you want to run a command in the batch, then click the plus (+) sign next to Commands and select the command you want to use. The commands shown are the same as the commands in the Command menu. Even your custom commands will be shown here and available to use (see Figure 2).

   Tip: One command I use frequently for photo galleries is a border command. I simply open a photo, and add a glow effect. Select the image, Click the plus sign in the Effects panel area of the Property inspector and select Shadow and Glow|Glow. The settings used are 1 (or whatever border size you want), softness of 0, and opacity of 100%. Open the History panel, select ?Set Effect?, then from the History options popup menu select Save Command and name it. It will be available immediately in the Commands menu.

8. Click the Add button.
9. After you finish setting the batch options, click Next.
10. The last Export Options dialog box lets you pick how and where to save the processed files. The options are as follows:
    - Save in the same location as the originals. (If you do, a new folder is generated.)
    - Choose Custom location so that you can then browse to select.
    - Backups, if selected, give you the options of overwriting existing or making incremental backups.
    - Save Script enables you to save the batch configuration you just set up. The script will be saved in the Fireworks /Commands folder.
11. Once your settings are complete, click on Batch. When it's complete, click OK.
12. Check out your changes by opening one of your batched images from the location in which you saved it.

Now wasn't that easy? And you just saved a ton of time.