Disappearing Help

[jazzfisher]

Hi,
I have PC with XP, PSE 4.0----I went to use Help today---nothing happens. Open & closed several times--then deleted the prefernce file---still nothing?? Any ideas???:confused:

[GaryK]

Hye Sherry

Did you have help before? For some reason I tohught you had to load something separate or use your browser or somethng. I could me mixing it up with something else though. :confused:

[jazzfisher]

Hi Gary,
Yes, it worked before.
I went to Adobe site--tried to load a new help file (you download one) then put in your "help" folder in PSE. Just tried to do that---there is no help folder in my PSE folder that I can find. I did a "search" of my computer for adobe help file & it found none.....:confused:

Also I went to my Internet & re made Internet explorer my default---as they also suggested--nothing.

[GaryK]

Sherry

Sorry, I'm still not using 4 :rolleyes: . What type of file do you download? zip, exe, pdf?

[Daviskw]

Hi Sherry

Your help files should be here...
Program Files/Adobe/Adobe Help Center

The exact file is ahc.exe

You should be able to start it directly from there to see if it is working.

Butch

[MikeH]

Sherry,

The Help folder is located in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Help Center

What is the name of the file - I will get the exact location for you.

Mike

[jazzfisher]

Thanks guys---I did know the file is that name,but it's not there. I will do a re-search with ache.exe.

Also I'm not getting email notiifcations again--so I didn't know anyone had anwsered.

[jazzfisher]

Gary,
Also it's a zip file Adobe tells to put in, & specific instructions not to unzip.

[Daviskw]

Sherry

Instaed of ache.exe search for ach.exe

And I saw that adobe help as well i will look again myself for the instructions

Butch

[jazzfisher]

Butch,
I just searched my c drive/hard drive for ahc.exe--it found nothing.???

[MikeH]

Gary,
Also it's a zip file Adobe tells to put in, & specific instructions not to unzip.

Sherry,

What is the exact, full name of the file that you downloaded?

Mike

[Daviskw]

Sherry you did download the zip file to the package directory did you not?

[jazzfisher]

Mike, Butch,
the file I download is a zip file PhotoshopElements_4_0_en-us from Abode Website. It says to put it into: Program Files\Adobe\Adobehelp center\Adobehelpdata\packages folder
This folder I can not find--so the zip file is just sitting on my desktop--I have not put it anywhere...

[Daviskw]

I don't want to confuse you ...Mike is good at this suff... but now i am wondering if you have a

Program Files/Adobe/Adobe help Center

Directory?... you should check because that is where all the help files are located and in a sub of that is where the zip file needs to go

[MikeH]

Sherry,

I have that file on my PC... it is a zip file. It is in:

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Help Center\AdobeHelpData\Packages

Mike

[MikeH]

Sherry,

If the Packages folder doesn't exist then just re-create it in:

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Help Center\AdobeHelpData

then add the file... the other files I have in the Packages Folder are just Help files for other languages...

Mike

[jazzfisher]

Mike,
When I put that in search--it says that location is unavailable, etc etc

[MikeH]

Sherry,

Can you browse to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Help Center\AdobeHelpData ??

Mike

[jazzfisher]

Mike,
No, it's not there----And I do understand how & where to look (at least I'm that savvy)

[MikeH]

Sherry,

OK...

Go to Start, My Computer > C Drive > Adobe > and tell me what folders are showing there.

Mike

[jazzfisher]

mike,
here's my file
http://img468.imageshack.us/img468/3217/untitled11gy.th.jpg (http://img468.imageshack.us/my.php?image=untitled11gy.jpg)

[MikeH]

Sherry,

Ahh that's the Photoshop Elements 4.0 Folder... the Adobe Help Center folder isn't in that. It's in the Adobe Folder:

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1OyTBoZ9qpBQLx6yJafpWQh1OT3jkI0

Mike

[jazzfisher]

Mike

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1CimmdbrMlNkBvRBvGT14QGEEBU

[GaryK]

Sherry

Sorry had to go out for a minute:rolleyes:

I don't wan't to get in the middle, but yu might have to create new folders in the Adobe folder and just drop the file in there.

[Daviskw]

This may sound dumb.... if you have erased your directory by mistake... check your trash if you have not emptied it lately and see if the directory is there.... just incase before re installing

[jazzfisher]

Gary, any help is good.
Butch, No I haven't, but will double check that

[jazzfisher]

Butch,
Not there....

[Daviskw]

Sherry

Time to break out a lot of the good wine you are stockpiling:p

I'll let mike carry on but i do know adobe says Re-install if the help files are not there..:(

Butch

[jazzfisher]

Butch,
Will be doing that wine soon (only 3:30 pm here).
This is my computer at work--so if Mike doesn't come back with an anwswer I will bring CD in on Monday & deal with it then.

I went to Help file because all I wanted was to know more about the dodge & burn tools--& how to use them effictively in fixing up my photos-especially the photos on stage where the lighting is uneven.

[Daviskw]

While we are waiting for Mike... do you know how to use levels?... and make selections?

[jazzfisher]

Butch,
Oh yes!--I use levels, selections, layers etc.... sort of advanced--sorta not.
I've done the online portait course & the first course that was offered.

[GaryK]

Sherry

I would just try recreating the folder location posted earlier, and drop the help file (downloaded one) in there.

[jazzfisher]

Ok this is really strange I was going to refer you to a photo in my gallery & it says I have no photos at this time????:confused: Am I in the Twlight Zone or what???

[GaryK]

Sherry

What have you done???!!!! :eek: :eek:

When you go in are the photos there?

[Daviskw]

You said it was stage lighting and that could mean large areas. You can make a selection of the poorly lighted area... give it a large feather. Then with the selection active open a levels adjustment layer or just use levels... move the center slider around and watch the light in the picture... does a good job on large areas

Butch

[jazzfisher]

Gary,
As in---make a new folder by that name (adobe help center etc) & then just put that downloaded file into it?

[Daviskw]

hmmm maybe your work computer has network drives and your administrator is playing games with you

[GaryK]

Sherry

I would try that.. if it doesn't work you can always delete it.

[jazzfisher]

Butch,
Be there, done that---it's mostly on peoples faces/or skin tone. Tonight or tomorrow I will post a sample (start a new thread) & you'll see what I mean.

[jazzfisher]

Gary,
Dummy me, I don't think I had a main image selected.

[jazzfisher]

Butch,
pretty much I am the adminstrator here--scary isn't it???

[GaryK]

I was going to ask you, but you seemed to be on another thought. :D

[GaryK]

I hope you aren't messing with the one of Peter?

It's great.. the lighting is fantastic.

[Daviskw]

I'll look forward to it sherry... but just a note the levels works on faces and small areas too... you just make a small selection then open an adjustment layer….. when you get the luminance correct, you click on the mask then paint with black or white where needed and you apply that same amount to areas you did not have selected anywhere in the photo... Just change brush opacity to lower light... OK I know you have more important things I'll shut up ...good luck

Butch

[jazzfisher]

Gary, no not that one, but ones from that concert I'm haveing trouble with.

Butch, hold that thought---I will start a new thread when I get home with examples of my problems.....

[GaryK]

Sherry

Go home.. you have my permission. :D

[jazzfisher]

Gary,
As soon as I back up the company file, I'm outta here--wine bar tonight!!!

[BettyC]

Sherry--maybe sounds simplistic, but when I installed 4.0 I was freaking out because I had no Help Center! Just clickin' around frantically, I found that when in the regular Editor mode & I clicked on 'Help" at the top, I'd have a choice of PSE 2.0 or 4.0. in a drop-down. Go figure. So sometimes I still have to choose 4.0 to get it, but I'm not going to mess with it further. If it ain't broke.... Oh! But I guess it is!!! Hope you work it all out!

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1LLVzefdwRCfGuRnvELOROPv6Jkgy

[jazzfisher]

Betty,
That's what I had ---now it doesn't do anything...
Thanks for the thought....

[BettyC]

Sorry, Sherry....

[jazzfisher]

Update:
I reinstalled 4.0 on work computer--I now have Help!:)

[kayser]

I'm glad it's working for you now. My help keeps giving me an error, so I have to do the same thing. :( I've just been ignoring it and relying on books (and you guys).

And Sherry, the topic of this thread keeps throwing me. When I see the title, I keep thinking you need help with disappearing:D

[jazzfisher]

Kay,
I guess I have disappearring email notifications too---because I never knew you had replied to me !!!
After re install here at work--it's working fine.

I wouldn't mind disappearring for a while Kay--as long as it's warm with a beach & a pool boy!:D

[GaryK]

Ok Sherry

I'll be right down with my skimmer and thong :D :D

[jazzfisher]

Gary,
Oh Pool boy, hurry up with those frozen daiquiris, would you !!!;)