After you've done all appropriate changes to your web design template in Adobe Photoshop you
should update those changes to your HTML documents.
First of all you must know some basics about slices in Adobe Photoshop. Each slice in PSD file
represents image or background in HTML document. Slices in PSD file marked by blue rectangles. If
you can't see slices for any reasons you should choose
"View/Show/Slices..." from the top menu. To manage slices
you should use slice tool from the tools panel (hotkey
"K"). Actually there is two slice tools in this toolset:
"Slice Tool"
and
"Select
Slice Tool"
. Use
"Shift+K" hotkey to switch between those
tools. All appropriate slices already placed in PSD file included in your web design template
package. So you'll need only Select Slice Tool.
Before updating images using save for web you should make sure that slices you want to save
don't overlapping with other slices. For example big background image slice can contain smaller
slice for button image. So before saving this slice you should bring it on top. To do it you
should select this slice using Select Slice Tool. Then go to the options panel at the
top of the screen. If you can't see this panel for any reason you should show it selecting
"Window/Options" from the top menu. At the left of the
panel you'll see four slice order buttons: Bring to Front, Bring Forward, Send Backward and Send to
Back. Click Bring to Front button to bring this slice to front. If you'll need to update small
button image slice in future you should “Send” to “Back” this big slice to see that smaller
slice.
Slice Order Buttons
As you know some of text represented as plain text in HTML, so before saving images
containing such text you should hide it. To do it you should select layer containing that text.
The easiest way to do that - is to control click it, just click on this image holding
"Ctrl" button. But if some transparent layers exist over
this image layer you'll have some troubles with it. Top layer will be selected instead of your
image layer.
To check content of current selected layer do the following. Go to layers panel, choose
"Window/Layers" if you cant see it for any reasons. Find
out highlighted layer in layer list - this is the current selected layer. At the left of the layer
name you can see
"eye" icon. Click it some times to
"hide/unhide layer" and see which text disappears in whole
picture. If this is text you want to hide - you are one the right way. If selection is wrong use
alternative way to select layer with appropriate image.
Right click with mouse on image. List of layers will appear. Try to choose different layers from
that list, note that text layers have same name that it's content. Use procedure described above to
make sure that you have selected right layer.
If you've selected needed type layer hide it by clicking
"eye" icon at the left of layer name in layers list.
Now it's time to update your images using Save For Web procedure.
Choose
"File/Save for Web..." from the top menu or use
"Ctrl + Alt + Shift + s" hotkey. Save for web window will
appear.
In this window you can change optimization options of images. Actually our designer already set
optimization options for best quality/size balance. But if you want your site to load faster you
can decrease image quality. Select slice using select slice tool. At the right you'll see panel
with image options. You can change value of quality input box for .Jpeg image or colors for .GIF
and .PNG images.
Now select slice that you want to update by clicking on it with Select Slice Tool. If you want
to update several slices at once you should select them holding
"Shift" button.
Image Options
When you have selected all slices you want to update click
“Save” button at the right top corner of save for web
window. Save Optimized As window will appear.
Browse to the HTML folder of your web design template. Change File Type option to Images only
and Slices option to Selected Slices. Other options may damage original HTML structure.
Save Optimized Window
If everything goes in right way you'll see pop-up window asking for image replacement
confirmation. Confirm that request.
Replace Confirmation
If such window doesn't appear make sure that you're saving images to appropriate folder. Also
check slice name by double clicking on it. Name and image type must be same as image in HTML
have.
Now it's time to check modifications you've made. Go to the HTML folder of your web design
template and launch HTML file to see changes.
