Photoshop Actions in Elements

[swalkr]

I have been reading a lot on the web about Photoshop actions that some work in PSE. I have PSE 4. I downloaded one, put it in the correct spot (C:/Programs>Adobe>Photoshop Elements 4>Previews>Effects). One worked and another one didn't. How can I tell if they will work with Elements? Or is it a trial by fire type thing? The one I downloaded from "Hidden Elements" website, worked, but the one that didn't work was from atncentral.com. From what I have read, the one I downloaded from Hidden Elements already had a preview. I had to make a preview for the one I downloaded from atncentral, but now I don't know where to put the preview and the new download. In looking into the Preview folder and the Effects folder, I see no other preview file other than the one I just made. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[GaryK]

Hi Suzanne

Unless it specifically says it will work with your version of Elements, it is a bit hit and miss.
What happens is, the actions (more or less macros) are made in the full version of Photoshop. If they use a command or some setting not available in Elements they won't work.
Elements does have a lot of the Photoshop underpinning, and there are things that are unofficially supported that we can not get to in Elements, so even some of the Photoshop ones will work.

[swalkr]

Hi Suzanne

Unless it specifically says it will work with your version of Elements, it is a bit hit and miss.
What happens is, the actions (more or less macros) are made in the full version of Photoshop. If they use a command or some setting not available in Elements they won't work.
Elements does have a lot of the Photoshop underpinning, and there are things that are unofficially supported that we can not get to in Elements, so even some of the Photoshop ones will work.

None of the ones I've looked at on atncentral say one way or another if they work or not. So to try them out, I've followed the directions on "Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements", which said I had to make a preview file, which I did, but none of the other files in the effect folder (.atn) had previews for them. So I'm stumped about where I need to put the preview file and the downloaded file to see if that particular action will work.

[GaryK]

Suzanne

I'm not sure what the preview file is.
My best guess is a thumbnail to represent the action. I can't say for sure for 4, but in 5 it is not necessary for the action to run, but you just get a blank box in the section that has that action.

[Wendy]

hi Suzanne ...

If you go to their downloads page then look in the column on the far left ... any that are intended for Elements show it below the name. There are a few but not very many :)

Wendy

[swalkr]

hi Suzanne ...

If you go to their downloads page then look in the column on the far left ... any that are intended for Elements show it below the name. There are a few but not very many :)

Wendy

If it is intended for Elements, do I still have to make the preview file?

[TonyW]

Just check to see if there's a psd file in the download - that's the preview file that's needed. You might find some that don't now that PSE5 doesn't need them.

Tony

[swalkr]

This has gotten to be way too much trouble for PSE4 and me. Maybe when 6 comes out, there will be a way to do Photoshop actions. For now, I will have to do the end result of those actions the old fashioned way - step by step. Oh, well. It's called "learning". :D

[Wendy]

Hi Suzanne ...

If the actions are intended for Elements they should come complete with the preview file ... but as the last versions have used different methods then it can be pretty difficult to work it out :(

Wendy