Saving and Exporting Files > Exporting bitmap images > GIF

 

GIF

GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is a bitmap format developed by CompuServe to easily transfer graphic files online. GIF is an 8-bit (256 color) format that uses lossless LZW compression to reduce image file size, by as much as one-half the original size.

The GIF export format is the best choice for images with large areas of solid color, such as cartoon-like graphics, logos, graphics with transparent areas, or animation. Its small size, high quality, and ability to include transparency, makes GIF an ideal format for Web pages.

You can dither colors in a GIF to simulate colors that aren't in the 256-color Web palette. Dithering simulates colors through the placement of adjacent pixels of different colors. For example, a red color and a yellow color may dither to create an orange color. Dithering creates the appearance of a greater range of colors, but also increases file size.

A GIF image can have one color defined as transparent so that placing the GIF over another image in a Web browser reveals the bottom image through the transparency. The GIF format supports full transparency; you cannot have partial transparency.

To create smaller GIF files when exporting: Choose a reduced color palette (such as 16 colors, 32 colors, or 64 colors); select the Optimize Palette option, to remove colors not used in the image from the file and for high-quality photographic images, use the WebSnap Adaptive 256 or 128 palettes.

To set GIF format options:

1

Choose File > Export and choose GIF from the Format menu.

2

Click Setup to view secondary options.

3

Click More.

4

For Image, select Interlaced to create an image that displays in intermittent bands while the full image is downloading.

5

For Dither, select an option to simulate colors not in the current palette. A higher dither setting simulates more colors but can increase file size.

6

For Palette, choose an option from the pop-up menu:

Exact Palette to create a color palette for the exported GIF with only the colors used in the selected object.

Note: The Exact and WebSnap Adaptive palettes do not support Transparency.

WebSafe 216 palette to include the standard, 216 Web-safe colors common to Windows and the Macintosh and used by Web browsers.

WebSnap Adaptive 256, 128, or 16 to create an adaptive palette of colors that are converted (adapted) to the closest Web-safe color equivalent. WebSnap Adaptive 256 is the default palette.

64 colors, 32 colors, or 16 colors to select a preset color palettes to quickly export smaller GIFs by constraining the number of colors to a minimum.

Note: If the original colors differ from those in the preset palettes, FreeHand approximates the colors and may produce inconsistent results.

3-3-2 to use the palette of the original FreeHand GIF Import Export Xtra.

Other if you have installed a Photoshop palette in your copy of FreeHand 10. Navigate to the installed palette to select it.

Note: To install a Photoshop palette file (with the extension .aco), place it in the Palettes folder within the FreeHand 10/Common Files/Macromedia folder.

7

Select Optimized Palette to create the smallest file with the least number of colors, and remove unused colors from the image's palette.

8

To create transparency in a GIF based on objects' outlines, select Transparent GIF. The Index color palette appears, with the selected color highlighted and its Index Number in the Index text box. Boxes with X's indicate unused colors.

9

Define the transparency color by clicking a color swatch in the Index Color palette or entering its Index number.

10

Click OK.

11

If you selected Transparent GIF in step 8, select Include Alpha Channel in the Bitmap Export Defaults dialog box.

12

Click OK. Click Export to export the GIF image.