Using Rollover Buttons & Images is one of the most common web design ideas adapted by designers the world over because of its simplicity. Creating Rollover buttons or images using Adobe Fireworks or Adobe Dreamweaver is very easy. Read on!

Tool(s) Required:

Graphics Editor: Fireworks 4 or above (Adobe Fireworks CS4 recommended)
(or)
HTML Editor: Dreamweaver 4 or above (Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 recommended )

Prerequisite Knowledge

This tutorial teaches you how to create rollover images or buttons using Fireworks and thus assumes you are familiar with some design software, even if you are new to Adobe Fireworks. However be assured that our detailed instructions can be followed by even a total novice.

In the below images place your mouse over the images that will show how the rollover images works

Example 2: This example uses Rollover Images, Vector Shapes, Paste Inside, Drop Shadow

Example 1: This example uses Swap Images, Rollover Buttons, Curves, Vector Shapes, Paste Inside, Drop Shadow. View/Buy complete site using this design: Template 7 - Food

What it does

In Rollovers, a button or image changes (swaps) itself on rolling over it (onMouseOver event) and reverts back to the original image on rolling out of the web object (onMouseOut event). The on-rollover images are preloaded into the page when it is loading, this ensures that the rollovers are displayed quickly. Place your mouse over the Buttons in Example 1 and the Images in Example 2 to see their rollover effect.

How it works

The whole functionality is controlled by the JavaScript functions automatically generated by Fireworks or Dreamweaver. These functions are very optimized and you can always trust the code generated by Adobe Software :-) If you are a programmer-cum-designer it is good to know what the code does: There are 4 functions generated MM_preloadImages, MM_swapImage, MM_swapImgRestore and MM_findObj. Their names are self explanatory to what they do.

Create your own attractive Rollover Buttons and Images using Fireworks or Dreamweaver

Rollovers using Fireworks

After creating your design in Fireworks, follow these steps:

Step 1: If your design is all in one layer (say "layout" in Frame 1) you need to first seperate the buttons or images to be given effects to another layer and lock the underlying design layer "layout" so it isn't disturbed.
Step 2: Position the initial buttons/image to be displayed correctly and move them to a seperate layer named "buttons" or "links" in Frame 1.
Step 3: Duplicate the buttons/images layer once. Double click the new layer name and rename it to "rollovers". Tick the "share across frames" option which is seen while naming the layer and then click outside. Lock and make invisible the buttons/images layer. Also "share across frames" the "layout" layer so the rollovers work correctly.
Step 4: In layer "rollovers", change the color/effect of the rollover buttons or rollover images.
Step 5: Open the Frames panel, you will see just one frame called "Frame 1". Duplicate the frame once. Go back to Layers Panel (make sure that you are in frame 1 and not frame 2 before going back to the layers panel)
Step 6: Open the "Web Layer" and insert separate slices for all the buttons/images. Open the Behaviors Panel. Now, select all the rollover buttons/images slices and click the (+) button in the behaviors panel, select Simple Rollover from the list. Another way to do it is, select individual slices, right click and select Add Simple Rollover Behavior from the list.
Step 7: View how they work in the preview window and then export your PNG file. Fireworks will automatically create your html file and images in the directory specified. While exporting just check if the HTML and images option is selected in the 'Save as Type' list box and the export slices option is selected in the 'Slices' list box. Test your HTML file in your browser.

You have just learnt to create your very own rollover buttons and rollover images using Fireworks!

Rollovers using Dreamweaver

Design your buttons/images and their rollovers in any graphic editor. Export them to your site's images folder.
Now in your web page, click Insert > Image Objects > Rollover Image. In the pop-up window that appears give your rollover a name, alt tag, link and browse to locate the Original Image and Rollover Image. Click on OK.

That's it, you have just learnt to create your very own rollover buttons and rollover images using Dreamweaver!

Learn how to use advanced Rollovers (Rollover Swap Images) in Fireworks.

Learn how to make Text Links Rollovers in our Cool Text Effects using CSS Styles tutorial.

We would love to hear your comments and any suggestions on future tutorials we can add to this section. Thanks!

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