It would be virtually impossible to work with page layout, illustration and digital imaging software without the capability of importing and exporting files. Any artist or designer wishing to work in the digital area, must learn the basics of moving files between programs. Review the following material to gain a better understanding of these important skills. Importing and Exporting Files Simply defined, importing a file is bringing an image into a page layout. It can be as simple as placing a photo or graphic on a page. Importing is necessary, since certain programs can only "open" their own files, but utilize filters that allow them to read and place images from another program. This is necessary since most page layout programs create vector graphics. It is usually necessary to place photos into page layouts, and photos are bitmap images. Bitmap and Vector Graphics You have already reviewed the difference between bitmap and vector graphics. Vector graphics are usually created in illustration programs like CorelDRAW and Adobe Illustrator. Vector graphics are based on algebraic formulas that plot out points on a line. This results in a very clean-edged graphic that may be reduced or enlarged without any noticeable loss of quality. However, there are limitations to these programs. Certain effects can only be acheived by bringing these graphics into a bitmap program like Adobe Photoshop. In order to be able to accomplish that, the files must be exported in a different format. Exporting Files It is really quite easy to export a file from a program. It can be accomplished in one of two ways. The first way is to simply do use the file menu to do a "Save as.." and save the file in a different format. The second way is to use the "Export..." command under the file menu. This will usually give you several options and different formats under which you may save the file. However, be certain that the program that you wish to import the file into supports the file format and filename extension that you choose. "Drag and Drop" Possibly the simplest way to import a file into another program is to select the image, click and hold the mouse and drag the cursor to the desired window and release the mouse button. This technology was originated on the Apple platform and later adopted for Windows. When this action is done, the file is automatically converted to a file format that the program will understand. The major drawback to this is that the file may not be converted to the type of file that you want. Another drawback to this is that you do not control the resolution of the object. "Cut and Paste" The oldest tried and true method of importing images into another program is to use the "cut and paste" method. The image is simply selected and the "Cut" or "Copy" command is selected from the "Edit" menu. (A keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+X or Ctrl+C). Then paste the image into the new program by selecting "Paste" from the "Edit" menu. ( A keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+V).
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©1999 Thomas M. Vassallo - May Not Be Reproduced Without Permission |