MACROMEDIA FIREWORKS MX 2004-EXTENDING FIREWORKS Manual page 101

Supporting functions and methods
Since the Auto Shape file is written in JavaScript, your functions can use global variables,
common functions, and the Fireworks JavaScript API. The Auto Shape JavaScript file contains
the definition of the shape's points, and a series of functions to handle the Fireworks messages as
the user interacts with the shape. The file also includes a series of commands and functions
defining the shape's properties and other functionality. These functions are often separate from
the message handling functions so they can be used by multiple message handling functions. For
example, the Cog Auto Shape JavaScript file (Configuration/Auto Shapes/Cog.jsf ) contains user-
defined functions near the bottom of the file. These functions perform calculations and create
shapes that are useful for the message handling functions. The top of the file contains a series of
variable statements that define useful values for tooltips, global variables, and constants used
throughout the Auto Shape JavaScript file.
You can use the Fireworks JavaScript API and the Fireworks Object Model, along with efficient
JavaScript coding practices, to create effective Auto Shapes (and continue to reuse the most useful
functions from each Auto Shape JavaScript file). For more information, see "Fireworks JavaScript
API" on page 103 and the "The Fireworks Object Model" on page 9.
Creating an Auto Shape 101