Installing Third Party actions in PSE 7

[Pfredd]

I have figured out a way to add third party actions to PSE 7.

It is similar to PSE 6, but now all the files are in one directory, and they have changed the format of the XML files.

Any suggestions or comments on how to improve the process would be greatly appreciated!

To add third party Actions to Adobe's Photoshop Elements 7, you need four files:
The Action file, which ends with a .atn
A PNG icon for the action
A JPG icon for the action
A xml file for the action

Assume we have the following files:
sampleaction.atn
sampleaction.png
sampleaction.thumbnail.jpg
sampleaction.metadata.xml

The xml file has the following format:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<PSEContent xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/PSEContent/2.0/">
<subscription value="free" />
<name value="$$$/content/photoeffects/FILE-NAME=DISPLAY-NAME" />
<type value="effect" />
<category value="$$$/content/category/type/CATEGORY-NO-SPACE=CATEGORY" />
</PSEContent>

Where:
FILE-NAME is the name of the .atn file, without the .atn
DISPLAY-NAME is the name you want displayed in the PSE 7 Effects Palette
CATEGORY-NO-SPACE is the category name for the effect without spaces
CATEGORY is the Category name you want the effect listed under

So, if we wanted our sample action to be in a category called "3rd Party Actions", we
would have a xml files that looks like the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<PSEContent xmlns="http://ns.adobe.com/PSEContent/2.0/">
<subscription value="free" />
<name value="$$$/content/photoeffects/sampleaction=Sample Action" />
<type value="effect" />
<category value="$$$/content/category/type/3rdPartyActions=3rd Party Actions" />
</PSEContent>

Copy all four files to the following directory

XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Photo Creations\photo effects
Vista: C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Photo Creations\photo effects
MAC: [system drive]:Library:Application Support:Adobe:Photoshop Elements:7.0:Photo Creationshoto effects

NOTE: I have not tested the Vista and MAC systems, so the directories MAY be different there

You now need to force PSE to rebuild it's database of effects. You do this by deleting
or renaming the following files:

XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\ThumbDatabase.db3
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US\MediaDatabase.db3

Vista:
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\ThumbDatabase.db3
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\7.0\Locale\en_US\MediaDatabase.db3

MAC:
[system drive]:Library:Application Support:Adobe:Photoshop Elements:7.0:ThumbDatabase.db3
[system drive]:Library:Application Support:Adobe:Photoshop Elements:7.0:Locale:en_US:MediaDatabase.db3

NOTE: I have not tested the Vista and MAC systems, so the directories MAY be different there

Start up the PSE 7 Editor. You sill see a progress bar as the effects databases are rebuilt.

Once the databases have been rebuilt, you will find your new category in the Effects pallette under Photo Effects, or under
the "All" section.

[Pfredd]

Just a FYI to let you know that I am not sure if the jpg file is really necessary.

I just had the action file, the png file and the xml file and everything appears to work OK.

However, all the actions that come with PSE 7 have both a jpg and a png of the icon, so it's probably best to have both.

[graficalicus]

Take a quick look at Add-O-Matic; it might make it even easier.

[Pfredd]

I have figured out that you do not have to create the thumbnail.jpg file.

When PSE 7 rebuilds it's database, it creates the thumbnail.jpg file from the .png file.

[TonyW]

Originally Posted by graficalicus

Take a quick look at this blog post; it might make it even easier.

Graffi: Thanks. Don't have PSE7 yet but did take advantage of your generous limited time offer. Sounds like PSE7 works much the same as PSE6.

Tony

[Sepiana]

Originally Posted by graficalicus

Take a quick look at this blog post; it might make it even easier.

Graffi, thanks so much! I've just downloaded Add-O-Matic 7. Thanks to you, my panic attack is gone. Now I can enjoy PE7.

[Inspeqtor]

Graffi,

Like Tony, I do not yet have PSE7, but I also took advantage of your very generous offer

[Diana]

Thanks, Graffi.

Diana

[winclk]

don't have pse7 yet but i took advantage of your generousity.

thank you so much.

[GCTech]

I have just installed PSE 7 and immediately started searching for how to install my actions. When I installed 6, I had found an XML generator (called pse6xmlgenerator) that batch created the needed XML files for actions and layer styles. After navigating to the folder that contains the actions or layer styles, you choose the type of file (action or layer style), enter a category name, then click Create All Files. Does anyone know if anyone is working on something like this for 7? The XML file for 6 is different than the XML file for 7, so I don't think just renaming the current file to .metadata.xml will work. I would do it by hand, but I have a ton of actions I use. I downloaded Add-O-Matic, but I want to use my own category names. If I knew how to write my own program, I would. Any help in my searching would be greatly appreciated!