[scw1217]

I saw the tutorial on de-cracking and downloaded and installed it into the "photoshop actions" folder. However, I can't find it on my actions list. How do I access it so that I can give it a try? The tutorial just says "run de-cracking". I guess my question is, how do you run it?

Suzanne

[DJ Dubovsky]

Actions are not like Plug ins that just seem to show up in the list after putting them in the folder. You need to load them first. Go to the little triangle in the Actions palette corner and in the drop down list you will see a listing that says Load Actions. Click on that and then browse your actions folder where you put it and select it. It will then appear on you actions list in Photoshop. To run it from there you click on the arrow and go to the first line down and hit the play button.
Hope that helps.

Here's a quote from another thead on the subject that will help you also.

The default action is set to clear up light cracks on a dark background, I believe. If you have the oposite case (dark cracks on a light back ground) You will need to open up your action so all the steps are showing in the actions pallete. Look at the last four or five steps to where you see minimum and maximum listed. You will see a check mark in the box on the left of the listed items. The first step (minimum) will be checked but not the other (maximum). To switch setting all you do is uncheck one box and check the other.

Here's some links to other De-Crack threads that might help you
Decrack Download
DJHelp! Photo with a zillion little cracks
Quick De-cracking Tutorial & Action
Decrack action and PS5.0
Quick De-cracking Action results
DJ

[scw1217]

Thanks for the advice. I tried it on 2 photos, and though it worked great on the cracks - I lost a lot of detail in the person's face. Is there a way to run it on just selected areas of a photo and not the entire photo itself?

[DJ Dubovsky]

Yes, you could duplicate the layer and run it on that layer then apply a layer mask to the layer and choose reveal all or hide all depending on which way is easier and just paint out the scratches or the areas you don't want detail loss in such as faces etc. That will allow you to apply the de-crack to only certain parts of the image and if you change your mind you can always change it.
DJ