MACROMEDIA DIRECTOR MX 2004-USING DIRECTOR, Use Manual, Page: 99 / 500

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CHAPTER 5
Bitmaps
Bitmaps and vector shapes are the two main types of graphics used with Macromedia Director
MX 2004. A bitmap defines an image as a grid of colored pixels, and it stores the color for each
pixel in the image. A vector shape is a mathematical description of a geometric form that includes
the thickness of the line, the fill color, and additional features of the line that can be expressed
mathematically.
Bitmaps are suited for continuous tone images such as photographs. You can easily make minute
changes to a bitmap by editing single pixels, but resizing the image can cause distortion as pixels
are redistributed. Anti-aliasing is a Director feature that blends the bitmap’s colors with
background colors around the edges to make the edge appear smooth instead of jagged. A vector
shape is most appropriate for a simple, smooth, clean-looking image. It typically includes less
detail than a bitmap, but you can resize it without distortion.
Vector image (top) and bitmap image (bottom)