[update: 19/6/09. This seems to help quite a bit, just did it and Fireworks is working much better, for now.]
I use Fireworks CS4 every day at work. Many days I feel like we should have bought CS3 as CS4 is a buggy mess.
Searching for remedies, I found some possible Fireworks fixes online (also check out the Sarthak’s fireworks blog to the right in my blogroll; he’s on the Fireworks development team).
In particular, I’m eyeing up the preference recreation suggestion because this has worked for Illustrator and Photoshop in the past, here’s an excerpt:
“5. Re-create the Fireworks CS4 preferences files.
Re-create the Fireworks CS4 preferences file to eliminate problems that a damaged preferences file might cause. Note: Re-creating the Fireworks CS4 preferences file restores settings to their defaults.To re-create the Fireworks CS4 preferences file:
Quit Fireworks CS4
Rename the Users[username]LibraryPreferencesAdobe Fireworks CS4 SettingsAdobe
Fireworks CS4 Prefs folder to Adobe Fireworks CS4 Prefs.oldStart Fireworks CS4. Fireworks creates a new Adobe Fireworks CS4 Prefs file
If the problem continues, then the Fireworks preferences file isn’t the cause. To restore custom settings, quit Fireworks, then delete the new Adobe Fireworks CS4 Prefs file and restore the original name of the previous Adobe Fireworks CS4 Prefs file”
In all fairness, Adobe hasn’t created any original software except for Postscript and Acrobat so they’ve inherited some seriously bad code with this one. Here’s to hoping CS5 is much improved.
Go to getsatisfaction.com to see more Fireworks issues, possible fixes, and actual replies from the Adobe Fireworks development team:
If all else fails, wipe any trace of CS4 and start over
Run the Adobe Clean Script for CS4 that, “will help resolve installation problems experienced by users of Adobe Creative Suite 4 software. The script can clean up install records for any beta and pre-release installations of Adobe Creative Suite 4 or Point Products.”
