Help with installation of 'Actions' in PSE7.

[NLAlston]

Hello all.

I am a very recent purchaser of PSE7, and just downloaded two free 'Smart Object' actions. Following, is a portion of the instructions for installation:
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To place them into Photoshop Elements 7, put the .atn file (& a .png thumbnail to represent it, named exactly the same as the action, and an .xml file to describe to Elements where to place the action in menus & palettes - also named exactly the same as the action).
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Now, after extraction from the zipped file folder, the only contents were the two .atn files (Smart Objects/convert & open) to be gained. There was no .png thumbnails, nor any .xml files to be associated with them. I downloaded the file package from www.graficalicus.com, and wondered how other successful installers/users went about the process.

Advanced thanks.

Blessings,
Nathan

[TonyW]

Nathan - welcome to the forum - it's a great place the learn and get answers to questions. I think you'll find that those actions don't have png and xml files included. They were just something that Graffi was playing with and giving them away free for the more advanced users to try. Not sure how useful you'd find them anyway if you are new to Photoshop/Elements because you need to understand Smart Objects to get any use from them. You can use atn files without png and xml files - it's just that they then won't have thumbnails or categories. It's actually easier in PSE7 to test new actions because it now has an action player that accepts action sets - but you need full Photoshop to create an action set.

Tony

[NLAlston]

Thanks Tony.

Along with PSE7, I also have Photoshop7 - which was given to me some years ago - but never really started playing with it until last year. I am just now grasping an understanding on the power of 'Layers', so (as you can see, by this) I have a mighty long way to go. My anxiety level is running very high, and I know that I need to quit jumping the gun, on things. But I am so glad that I found this forum.

Blessings,
Nathan

[Wendy]

Hi Nathan ...

... and welcome to the Village :)

Photoshop & Elements have quite a steep learning curve but after a while things just seem to fall in place and it gets a whole lot easier.

Wendy

[NLAlston]

Hi Nathan ...

... and welcome to the Village :)

Photoshop & Elements have quite a steep learning curve but after a while things just seem to fall in place and it gets a whole lot easier.

Wendy

Thanks Wendy ~ and you are so right about that: the Photoshop family does indeed warrant quite a bit of elbow-grease from the brain :), but I feel (with the very little I DO know) that it is truly worth it for one to learn how to effectively navigate through the program, and utilize its powerful tools & features. I don't pick up on these things quite as quickly as some others, but I am not timid either. With some more reading/instructional material that I plan to get (I already purchased 'How To Cheat In Photoshop Elements 7', and plan to pick up Barbara's 'The Missing Manual') I should have (of course, with this forum also) a pretty good enough footing to get me up and on my way.

Again, I thank you.

Blessings,
Nathan

[graficalicus]

Hi, Nathan - I posted two articles over the weekend in my blog about adding actions (http://www.graficalicus.com/wp/archives/1329)& repairing databases (http://www.graficalicus.com/wp/archives/1355), both PSE 7-specific. Hope they help a bit!

(For the stuff in my blog, I generally don't create thumbs or .xml files for them, since I just let the AOM to do it for me. Generally, I simply throw stuff out there and let folks have at it - :o )

[NLAlston]

Thanks Graf.

I will journey there just as soon as I get back.

Blessings,
Nathan