Hidden Power Actions II Rumor or Truth?

[Xairbusdriver]

First, thanks for finding and starting this place! Hopefully, we can mention your product(s) without getting 'censored!'

Second, a few days ago, in an e-mail, you mentioned a 'new tool' and asked if I would like to try it out. Is this the place for those tools? I see that 'Susan' mentions in another thread about a new tool. Is there someplace on your threads that list tools that are available?

[Susan S.]

Xairbusdriver - if you go to the book's home page and follow the links to the reader area, you will find Richard has updated the actions player and added some new tools - for both book and non-book owners - including layer mask, channel mixer, quick mask mode and a couple of others. I've been trying to think of a way to mention it in passing in the Adobe forum without getting my fingers slapped...... !
Susan S.

[Richard_Lynch]

As far as the tools, Susan is correct. There is a new actions tool that allows you to juggle an infinite number of Photoshop actions in Elements by just changing folder names. The package also includes:

• true Layer Masks
• Selective Color
• Channel Mixer layers
• Quick Mask
• Action speed playback controls
• text Annotations

These replace the earlier, somewhat primitive installer with a mature package that looks and feels more like the Hidden Power found in the book, but which adds functionality for both readers and non. Works with Elements 1 and 2, and on Mac or PC. I was holding off waiting for response from several testers and people whose actions are involved.

Get the tools from the Hidden Power website:

• http://hiddenelements.com

Or from Adobe(!):

• Hidden Power Actions II for PC
  Hidden Power Actions II for Mac

Spread the word about the tools to people who can use them...Apparently I can't -- at least on the Adobe forum. However, Adobe's is only one forum. There are lots more.

At the risk of creating a tangent in my own forum...The Adobe forum has regretfully gone to the side of editing so seriously that they are deleting people's posts that have the word "Hidden" or "power" in them. It is a sorry state considering there are posts just from today (2/26) that mention Classroom in a Book, the Wow books, and 50 Fast. Nothing against the authors (in fact i know some of them), but I don't get the logic. I am about to give up on the forum as they delete posts where I mention nothing at all to do with the book, tools or forum. I've noted member posts disappearing, and one poor fellow who attempted posting a second time today -- but has no idea about Bob's new rule about banning Hidden Power.

Let people know, somehow, that this area exists. We can have better, more open discussion.

[john_opitz]

Hello Mr. Lynch,
I wonder if this has anything to do with making P.S.E., like P.S. Big difference in price,I guess? (As I don't have elements. Just P.S.) I wonder, if one is allowed to do that kind of thing, since Adobe holds copyrights on the program. Maybe your opening a "can of worms" for them(Adobe)..... Someone is looking it up at Adobe...... Nevertheless, I feel this is a good thing your doing(for the elements crowd) and you have a good insight on making this work. I mentioned this on another list, on how there are "hidden" things in elements. And have mentioned your web site and book to the Elements crowd.
Now, watch. Adobe will discontinue Elements (radom guess, joking of course) or they will come up with something that you can't use these tools for it.

John

[Richard_Lynch]

I wonder, if one is allowed to do that kind of thing...

Adobe built it right into the program, so of course you can. There is absolutely nothing I do in the book or files that hacks adobe code. I am not a programmer, so I wouldn't know how. I know HTML, and a few things about peripheral stuff -- and a whole lot about editing images. That all came together here.

Proof is in the pudding: The Elements Curve dialogue which is Adobe's own, is different than the one in Photoshop. In other words, they had to create a new or different one for Elements -- so THEY put it in the program. Just like adobe hides 'Easter Eggs' in Photoshop they hid other tools in Elements, just waiting for someone to find them. It wasn't hard to find them all once I found one. Adobe programmers are far too good at what they do to allow something they don't want in their programs. Funny thing, you don't need a whole bunch of things Elements already doesn't have to apply Hidden Power. It is 99% technique. Most of the tools are automations of the steps you'll find in the book. These are techniques I worked out using existing Elements features.

There are still things you can't do (um, yet...), and still things a professional will need Photoshop for (high-volume CMYK, 16 bit editing, recording actions). However, most users -- and I include myself -- generally don't need Photoshop for every-day stuff. I've exchanged email with a bunch of people who are switching from Paint Shop Pro and other image editors to Adobe Elements because of the advantages. These same users would not have spent a dime on Adobe stuff before. This can open a whole new group of users.

At the same time, it is a clever move by Adobe. It could, in the future, remove tools that Elements never had that I found behind the scenes...and they'd both keep the product and not forsake it by losing official features. At the same time, there are many techniques in Hidden Power that do not at all require tools that Adobe can remove...and there are work-arounds for the others. But what this would amount to is taking away the curves dialogue. Well, there are work-arounds for using Curves too.

So it is fair, legal, fine, ok, swell and not deviant...in fact I'd say profitable for adobe, interesting, smart programming, cool possibilities and powerful. The water's safe, lets go for a swim...

[Xairbusdriver]

Thanks (Susan and Richard) for reminding me to look at the books web site. I just quit looking there too soon! Spending too much time at Adobe's U-2-U site (and getting frustrated with the inconsistentcies which Richard mentioned!). I have now got the new tools and will check them out. Assuming I can understand how/when I should/could use them!

Frankly, that is really my problem. I am coming from a complete 'no-skills' graphics background. I am planning on re-writing Richards exercise instructions in a very generic form, if possible. Hopefully, this will add to my understanding of what is happening at each step and allow me to better know when I can make use of them in the future. After all, if I don't know when to use a tool, it is as much as non-exisistent. I am usually dealing with much less 'artistic' images (general snapshot type stuff, actually) so I may never be able to use all the different masking methods, much less sending CMYK files to a printer! But the theory will still help, and I hope to be able to make better images both on the web and on my inkjet!

Thanks again for getting this forum space 'cooking!' I've also mentioned it to others!

Jim C.

[Richard_Lynch]

Jim,
If you have ANY trouble clarifying steps or how to use a tool, ask specific questions in the Using Hidden Tools area of this forum. The whole idea is to get you the help you need!

[Mike Needham]

Sadly no use for the product myself, but it seems a boon to the the 'Element's" user. Good Luck on it's development and production.

[Jeff Bellune]

but has no idea about Bob's new rule about banning Hidden Power.

I didn't realize HP was now totally banned. I tried to start a thread a few days back that pointed out some glaring advertising that was going on in some posts that had nothing to do with HP.

I was gently sarcastic. Someone whined about how their nice, friendly little forum was going away. Then Bob chimed in with a veiled insult and said that I didn't know the difference between a reference and an ad.

I would have liked to respond that that was exactly my point , but Bob cut off any more discussion on the matter and referred me (again) to the published forum rules.

I have since emailed Bob to let him know that although I will abide by the forum rules as best I can, I still don't know for sure what is allowed and what isn't. To date, I haven't heard back from him.

I have participated in the Adobe Premiere forum for 2 years now, and have yet to run into anything like what Bob is doing in the Elements forum.

And those posts that I thought contained advertising? They still have not been deleted or addressed in any way.

Is it personal now with Bob, or what?

Jeff

[Richard_Lynch]

<<is it personal?>>

All I'll say is, I got some pretty odd messages from him. Then the same day he let about 3 other product mentions go. There was a recent post about Alienskin products which ASKS for 150$ for an upgrade on the linking page under a massage title of FREE, FREE, FREE on the Adobe forum. This was more of an ad than I ever posted. I am not allowed to tell people about free tools (which are, um, free...)...I can't even post a direct link to a download. Forgive me, I cannot reconcile the logic. I have no idea what the rules are. One completely innocent post of mine was deleted -- nothing at all referring to the book or tools. You'll see I've pretty much given up.

On the other hand, there have been a few mentions of Hidden Power since that were not cut. I don't know if that is because they were missed, or met some unusual criteria. I can't fathom what that criteria is.

If you have other questions, this would seem like an off-line topic as to particulars. Please contact me ( rl@ps6.com ).