Actions???

[Cinthia]

I'v been cruising through the forums and see a lot of folks using actions, with fantastic results!
Now, how do I incorporate these "Actions" into PS? Keep in mind that once I download it, I'll have to go find the bugger in the great mysterious labyrinth that is my computer. I tend to lose things that way

Also, Danny you wrote about dissecting actions as a learning tool. Could you recommend a rather simple action with which to start with?

Thanks,
Cinthia

[palms]

Hi Cinthia
The way i load Actions is yes find it on your computer and drag it into opened ps and just let go, it goes straight to the action Pallette (you should already have some there) ready to be used, hope this is of some use to you until someone comes along with more knowledge than me ! ! ! ! ! !
Using Actions is great fun and does help you learn. If you do not know already there is a great site to get actions from at
http://www.atncentral.com/

Palms

[Cinthia]

Thank you Palms! That is reassuring. I can do drag-n-drop

Cinthia

[DannyRaphael]

Danny you wrote about dissecting actions as a learning tool. Could you recommend a rather simple action with which to start with?

Let me suggest this...
* Experiment a bit with a few different actions
* When you find one that you like, open the Actions Palette flyout menu (arrow, top/right of palette), chose command "Playback options..." and select option "Pause for" and enter (say) "3" in the 'seconds' box.
* Be sure the Layers Palette is visible. When you play the action, you will be able to see it execute one step at a time and watch changes to the Layers Palette as they are being made.
* When the action completes go back and look over the individual action steps, examining the order of execution and their individual settings.

Another good way to learn about writing actions is to start creating some yourself.

Here are a couple good tutorials:
* http://www.chainstyle.com/tutorials/actions.html
* (near the bottom) http://www.soniacoleman.com/Tutorials/tutorials.htm

I hope this gets you started. E-mail me (click my name above) if you ever have action questions.

~Danny~

[ydelle]

Is there a way to delete actions if they come in a set? Danny I have your 6-7b and I dont use them all for what I do.

[ydelle]

forgot to ask I know in one of your sets there was one that was like coming out of the shadows, and I can't find it. I used it - then I replace the actions and now I don't know what it was.

[DannyRaphael]

Originally Posted by ydelle

Is there a way to delete actions if they come in a set?

Yes. Drag/drop the actions you do not want onto the Actions Palette Trash Can icon at the bottom of the Actions Palette. You can do the same for an Action Set (folder) if you want to trash all of them.

Originally Posted by ydelle

Danny I have your 6-7b and I dont use them all for what I do.

That makes sense... Actions are like cooking spices: some you use, some you don't.

forgot to ask I know in one of your sets there was one that was like coming out of the shadows, and I can't find it. I used it - then I replace the actions and now I don't know what it was.

I wish I could help you here. Those actions are a few years old and I just don't recall that one in particular. You'll need to reload the action set(s) and hunt around until you find it.