#63 Converting Paths to Bitmap Selections

If you need to create a selection around a complex bitmap or one without a uniform background color, using the Pen tool may be faster (and definitely more controllable) than using the Lasso or Polygon Lasso tool. Once a path is created it’s a snap to convert it to a bitmap selection so that you can edit it with any of the bitmap tools.

Don’t Lose Your Path! Converting a path to a marquee deletes the selected path by default. You can change this setting by selecting Edit > Preferences > Edit (Adobe Fireworks > Preferences > Edit), and then deselecting the check box for Delete paths when converting to marquee. This way, you will always have the original vector available.