Quick Tip: Working With the FXG Format in Flash CS5
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Quick Tip: Working With the FXG Format in Flash CS5

on May 6th 2010 with 10 comments
Tutorial Details
  • Program: Flash CS5

I’m here to talk to you about the new FXG format that’s being introduced with Flash CS5. This format allows you to create objects on the Flash stage, export them out to applications such as Illustrator, Photoshop, Fireworks, Catalyst etc. and work on them there.

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  • http://fry.li cziko

    What’s the difference between exporting to (and importing from) the FXG format and exporting to .ai format? I thought the FXG is more like Intelligent Object in Photoshop. But apparently it is not.

    • http://snaptin.com Ian Yates
      Staff

      One essential difference is that FXG follows the XML-based trend. This makes it potentially easier for a wider base of applications to share the data, including Adobe products, 3rd party tools and anything Flex/MXML related.

      This wasn’t the primary motive for developing the format however; go and check out Mark Anders’ Blog to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

      • http://fry.li cziko

        Well, there is one essential problem – I’ve tried a Flash CS5, the only possibility to export your work in a vector format is now .FXG or .swf format. If I need to send my work to a designer – he must have a new version of Illustrator CS5 (Illustrator CS3 for instance is trying to open .fxg file as a text file).

        I don’t know any other vector graphic program than Illustrator that will be able to open .fxg files… and now this becomes more serious problem..

  • Judson

    Not really usefull, it´s exactly the same thing of importing an illustrator .ai file

    • Tom Green
      Author

      No it isn’t., Judson. Not even close. No layers.No movieclips, just the graphic. The full Open Souce spec is here: http://opensource.adobe.com/wiki/display/flexsdk/FXG+1.0+Specification.

      This is new stuff and FXG graphics can be traded- freely- among the Adobe CS5 apps. The question about backwards compatibility has been raised several times and Adonbe is really clear they are kicking things off with the CS5 apps.

      • Judson

        I said, not about the FXG format, but about the integration, it´s the same thing of the .ai file, when it´s on flash you have no difference between importing one or other format.

  • Tobias

    Why am I not really thrilled by this. Thanks for explaining the format Tom. I guess I have to just try it out and see if it suits me. Does it maintain the layers when exporting from Flash to ? I saw it the other way around here but does it?

  • Tobias

    something went wrong, up here,

    Does it maintain the layers when exporting from Flash to other CS5 apps?

  • http://flexincubator.com FLEX Incubator

    The one nice thing about this format is that you can share the complex graphics created in Ai or Ps with Flash Professional and Flash Catalyst after running “Simplify Layers for FXG” script in Ps or Ai. The thing is that these two programs have much more extensive graphics editing features, then Flash can recognize. And this is the time when you use Simplify Layers for FXG script.

  • http://flexincubator.com FLEX Incubator

    To be able to use the script i have mentioned above, go to this page and install PS extension

    http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/photoshopcs5_fxg.html