Decrease file size!

[natedeia]

I have created my site in Fireworks 4, then exporting to Dreamweaver 4. For the background i have created a large rectangle, w/outer bevel, and it almost takes up the whole page. Then on top of it i have one other one that is a bit smaller that has an inner bevel to it. so that is two objects, one on top of the other. Now my file size is getting rather big, what is the best way to decrease the file size? I just dont want a solid color as the background, that is why i have this.
Is it actually reading both rectangles or when it cuts up the page it just takes it for what it is in each slice?
Anybody? Anybody?

http://members.home.net/renart3/library/newrenart.htm

 

[TulsaJeff]

I'm not sure what you are trying to do exactly but I have written a FAQ especially focused on optimization and reduction in file size. You might give it a read before going any further.

faq726-621 Ya' Gotta Love It!

 

[WillieT]

A couple tricks I use, because what looks really great is nearly always too large... Not sure how much size you need to trim, if a little then first trick should be fine, if you need to trim a lot, then probably the second.

1. Define slices over your 'white space': bottom of your side bar, between top pictures, on the sides of your copyright. Then after importing into DW, delete the images defined by the slices and set the background color of that cell to match your deleted images. This really only works if you used web safe colors in your design, but I have even used in small areas of white space like between your buttons, successfully. Hopefully you will be suprise by how much this decreases your load time.

2. Much more drastic, and will make your page a bit less pretty, but if you need to cut a lot of size, you have to do what you have to do. I would suggest cutting your center text, an bullet points out. Define each of those areas as slices, and export to DW. In DW note the name of each of those slices, delete them and then set them as background images for those cells. Insert tables into these two cells and enter your text as HTML. Won't be as pretty, but much smaller. If you create your bullets as seperate files you can still insert them as an image in DW. I just had to do this with a marketing Email. It was painful, but didn't turn out half bad.

If that doesn't cut enough space better do both. Hope this helps
T.W.

 

[natedeia]

Thanks for the input.
I will look forward to more input and put suggested ones to work!