Using Adobe GoLive CS, Part 3

Select the target version of the file on your page and look at the Inspector palette (see Figure 9.66). There are a few more options than those that were available when you placed a normal GIF or JPEG file. The first field indicates the location of the source file, and the second shows the path to the target file. Next are two important buttons called Settings and Variables. The Settings button opens the Save for Web dialog box so that you can edit your compression settings. The Variables button opens the Variable Settings dialog box, where you can assign a value to a variable, which is discussed in greater detail in the next section. Below those two buttons are some very nifty tools called Matte, Crop, and Scale, whose usage is also discussed in the next section.

Figure 9.66 The Smart Object Inspector.

In the next section we'll take a look at what special integration features may exist between the various apps.

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Tip - In the Extras Tab of the site window is a folder called SmartObjects. This is a convenient place to house your native Photoshop, Illustrator, and PDF files; however, it's not mandatory that they be placed there. You can add a Smart Object to your Web page from anywhere. As long as the original document does not move to a different location, GoLive will keep the connection between the Web version of the image and its original.

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There are several ways to place a Smart Object onto a GoLive page:

• Drag and drop the source file from your drive onto the GoLive page.

• Drag and drop the source file from the SmartObjects folder onto the GoLive page.

• Drag and drop a Smart Object placeholder from the Smart set of the Objects palette onto the page, and then use the Inspector palette to link to the source file.

• Place your mouse pointer on the page where you want the Smart Object placeholder to go, and then double-click the Smart Object placeholder in the Smart set of the Objects palette. Use the Inspector palette to link to the source file.

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Tip - Note that there are several Smart Object types in the Smart set of the Objects palette: Smart Photoshop, Smart Illustrator, Smart PDF, and one named Smart Generic. In my experience any one of them will do. I've used the Smart Photoshop object to load an Illustrator document, and the Smart Illustrator object to load a PDF. You get the idea. Mainly I prefer to drag a Photoshop, Illustrator, or PDF file right onto the GoLive page and forgo placing the Smart Object placeholder altogether.

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