Manual for symbols for Freehand

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Symbols for use in Adobe 速 Freehand 速 / Macromedia 速 Freehand 速 Introduction Thanks for the purchase (and / or interest) in the symbols set Andrew

Install symbols Install the symbols (*.FH9 files) in C:\Program Files\Macromedia\FreeHand 10\English\Symbols folder or C:\Program Files\Macromedia\FreeHand 9\English\Symbols or MX or the equivalent symbols folder on the mac. or with MX, please place in the 'english \ first run' symbols folder [depends, perhaps on your language..? perhaps /German or /French? folder) Anyway, please place in the symbols folder

The actual installation folder for the symbols varies from version to version, you might have to search for the symbols folder


Import symbols into Freehand 速

Use the libraries palette in Freehand to import symbols, select as required. Select only the symbols you require

Once the symbols have been imported, drag and drop from the symbols palette as required.


Once added to the FH document, you will notice the count is incremented to 1 or more. The symbol is then an instance and you will need to release the symbol instance via the modify > symbol menu.

FH9 etc format Also it should be noted that these files are in FH9 format and when loading into Freehand ® 10 11 MX using import, the symbols will not be seen unless all files is set for the import, as the default is set to FH10. One solution perhaps is to open all the FH9 files and save as FH10 (or later) and then use to import symbols or just always use 'all files' option. All the symbols were created in FH9

Import into other applications The symbols can also be imported into Fireworks and other applications that support FH format.

Issues It is also recommended that you check that the symbols print, some of the symbols can be fairly complex and may cause printer problems (or not) or at least slow things down.

Serial numbers Please store any serial numbers for future reference, updates, and replacement CDs

Symbols sets Many of the files are marked as GX_01.FH9 etc. They were originally sold as separate volumes, the volumes categories are as follows: •

Mixed /3D (volume 1)

Mixed (volume 2)

Mixed (volume 3)

Mixed (volume 4)


Zigzag and patterns (volume 5)

Circular (volume 6)

Stars (volume 7)

Stars (volume 8)

3D (volume 9)

Borders (volume 10)

Rings (volume 11)

Mixed (volume 12)

Mixed (volume 13)

Mixed (volume 14)

Mixed (volume 15)

Additional updates

Installation issues If you have problems installing or using this product, please e-mail our tech support at support@graphicxtras.com

Comments If you have any suggestions to how we can improve our products or manual, or if there is something that is hard to understand or badly stated, please contact us and we will try to update it in the next update of the manual.

Requirements Applications supported - Adobe ® Freehand ® 9 10 11 MX. Mac OSX, 98, ME, XP, 2000 and NT (the symbols also work in various Fireworks setups)

Minimum requirements At least 128 MB of memory, though some operations might require a lot more.

Trademarks The symbols were designed and developed by Andrew Buckle, and copyright 1999-2007 Andrew Buckle and Abneil Software Ltd. All products mentioned in this manual are trademarked or probably trademarked by their respective owners. Illustrator and Photoshop and Adobe and in Design are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Freehand, Flash, and Fireworks are registered trademark or trademark of Macromedia. inc (now Adobe) We have no connection whatsoever with Macromedia (or Adobe)


Company contact details Telephone/FAX: UK 01622 688 375 http://www.graphicxtras.com support@graphicxtras.com

Other items We have a number of other items that might be of interest such as plugins and symbols for Flash ™ as well as texture and pattern sets If this is the demo / sampler set or you have just downloaded the documentation and would like to purchase the symbols collection, please check out the symbols page for more details. Updates and additional material is regularly being added to the site. To keep track of the latest material, I would suggest using our RSS feed

Hints and tips The symbols can be used in a variety of ways in Freehand. Either as symbols or paths.

Releasing symbols To modify the symbols in a variety of ways you will firs need to release the symbol (you can leave it as a symbol if you wish but you will be able to scale etc the symbol and a few other commands but many of the commands will just be ignored or indicate an error) Go to the modify meny > symbol and 'release instance'

The symbol can always be re-converted back to a symbol at a future point via the same menu or by pressing CTRL + F8

Mirror and symbols You can use the symbols in the mirror xtra without releasing the symbol


To use as a standard path you will need to break the link with the symbol library. Once this has been done, the path can be colored, distorted, effects can be applied to the paths or you can drag the paths using the pointer tool to distort and much more.

Symbols and hose The symbols are great as hose items, copy them into the hose palette and create creative hose effects. The symbols can be used as symbols in the hose but you might like to initially release the symbol and then re-color and create variants of the symbol before pasting into the hose palette


Export to SWF The symbols can be exported to SWF Flash ™ format

Envelope and symbols The released symbol can also be modified by envelopes, distorting the shape of the original symbol

Color The released symbols can be re-colored using the color control or dragging colors to the path or using the color mixer tool. If a multiple path, you can also re-color individual parts of the released symbol


The released path can also be re-colored via Xtras menu and 'color'. Various functions such as convert to grayscale, lighten, saturate etc are available.


Emboss The released symbol can be embossed using the emboss xtra

Fill and symbols Use the fill inspector palette and fill the path (released symbol) with a gradient / texture etc

Freeform tool and symbols Once released from the symbol palette (via the modify > symbol > release), the freeform tool can be used to manipulate the path and modify the shape


Fisheye xtra Once released, the path can be modified by the fisheye xtra. Apply the fisheye lens at various points across the path. The lens perspective can be concave or convex and inbetween. The lens can be re-applied multiple times or once. The path can be distorted in many different ways. The fisheye xtra is second in the xtra tools palette.

Roughen xtra Once released, the path can be roughened using the roughen xtra


Skew / transform Modify the symbol (release if required) using the rotation or skew etc tool

Smudge xtra Use the smudge xtra to apply a smudge or trail to the released symbol


Stroke Use the stroke inspector to add a stroke to the released path

Text Ungroup the path and use the text > Attach command to add text to the released path


Ungroup Some operations might also require un-grouping of the released symbol.


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