Many of these new features make generating Web content easier. One of the most significant additions to Director 7 is the inclusion of Macromedia's Fireworks, which adds powerful tools for image editing. Using Fireworks, designers can create animations and rollover buttons, and optimize files for Internet use. Fireworks uses a combination of vector and bitmap drawing tools, as well as many canned effects to design Web content. Fireworks' export tools optimize files for use on the Web by automatically reducing color palettes and optimizing image sizes per user-defined settings.
Users can also compare several output schemes with the export preview feature.
The Shockwave 7 Web browser plug-in introduces a playback engine that has been redesigned as a smaller and more efficient system component. Shockwave 7 is a system component and is auto-updating, eliminating version compatibility worries. Of course it wouldn't be an upgrade if Director didn't see its own share of improvements. One of the most important upgrades is Director 7's optimized playback engine that now supports playing up to 999 frames per second and can control up to 1,000 sprites using its channels. A new graphics tool allows designers to create simple vector shapes.