Apply and organize swatches

In the Swatches panel you can view, change, create, and edit swatch groups, as well as select stroke and fill colors.

Apply a swatch color to the stroke or fill of a selected object

  1. Click the icon next to the Stroke Color or Fill Color box in the Tools panel or Property inspector to make it active.

  2. Select Window > Swatches.

  3. Click a swatch to apply the color to the stroke or fill of the selected object.

Select, change, or add swatch groups

You can easily switch to another default swatch group or create your own. You can also import custom swatches from color palette files saved in ACT or GIF format.

 To select a swatch group, select the group from the Swatches panel Options menu.

Note: Selecting Color Cubes returns you to the default swatch group.

  • To select a custom swatch group, select Replace Swatches from the Swatches panel Options menu, navigate to the folder, and select the file.

  • To add swatches from an external color palette, select Add Swatches from the Swatches panel Options menu, navigate to the folder, and select an ACT or GIF color palette file.

Add or replace a color in the Swatches panel

Note: Selecting Edit > Undo does not undo swatch additions or deletions.

  1. Select the Eyedropper tool from the Tools panel.

  2. Select the number of pixels to sample from the Sample pop-up menu in the Property inspector: 1 pixel, 3x3 Average, or 5x5 Average.

  3. Click anywhere inside any open Fireworks document window to sample a color.

    • To add a color, move the tip of the eyedropper pointer to the open space after the last swatch in the Swatches panel.

    • To replace a swatch color, hold down Shift and place the pointer over a swatch in the Swatches panel.

  4. Click to add or replace the swatch.

    When you select Snap To Web Safe in the Options menu of the color pop-up window, any non-websafe color you pick up with the eyedropper pointer is changed to the nearest websafe color.

Delete a swatch

 To delete a swatch, hold down Control (Windows) or Command (Mac OS), place the pointer over a swatch, and click.

Clear or sort swatches

  • To clear the entire swatch panel, select Clear Swatches from the Swatches panel Options menu.

  • To sort the swatches by color value, select Sort By Color from the Swatches panel Options menu.

Save a swatch group

 To save a selection of sampled colors, add the colors, select Save Swatches from the Swatches panel Options menu, and select a filename and directory.