technical question on actions (CS3)

[mikoe]

Perhaps this is very obvious and I'm just missing it, but I'm having issues with my CS3 Photoshop program remembering actions. I have to remake the actions every time my wife switches users (Mac Dual 2.3 G5, non-Intel). I'm not even sure where the actions go when I make the new ones. I have about 5 that remain constantly and I can go into the folder to see where they are:

User(me)/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS3/Presets/Actions

Maybe has something to do with the fact that the program is installed in my user folder, not in the main applications folder?

To make it even more complicated, there are a couple resizing actions that always show up in the program (don't disappear) but I don't see corresponding ATN files in the aforementioned folder. Anyone ever experienced this problem? Getting tired of redoing the actions over and over.

[Damo77]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

You are not restricted to saving actions in any particular folder. You can save and load them anywhere. Perhaps you should save them in a folder that's common to all users on your mac?

[mikoe]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

I might have solved it. It had been a while since I set up my initial ATN files, and I think I remember putting my new actions into a folder and then actually SAVING that action. My mistake was thinking if I create the action, it will be there next time. Now I'm starting to recall having to go the extra step and selecting Save Action. Duh. I knew it would be obvious once I talked it out loud. Thanks.

[gmitchel]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

Any action you create will be in Photoshop the next time you start it. It will remain there until you delete it.

If you upgrade PS to another version, your actions will not migrate. Photoshop will load its default actions in an action called Default.atn but that's all.

Saving the actions allows you to share them with others and load them into the new version of Photoshop when you upgrade.

Cheers,

Mitch

[mikoe]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

Oh, then I haven't solved that problem then. Doh.

[gmitchel]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

Photoshop has its own cache for actions. So, if you create them, they will be available to you anythime you load that same version of Photoshop.

When you install a new version of Photoshop, it creates a new cache and loads its own default action set. You need to load any other actions you want to use. Photoshop will not go and look for them to do that.

On the flyout menu, there's an option for Load Actions. Use that to load them.

The ability to save actions is for back-up, to share with others, and to load in later versions of PS.

If you ever ned to reinstall Photoshop because of a crash or something, you'll be glad you had your back-up and didn't just rely on Photoshop's cache.

Mitch

[mikoe]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

Yeah, that's what has me baffled. When the actions disappear, I go to reload them and can only find the original 5 actions that always show up. The latest ones can't even be found, and I don't know where it's saving them too. If I could find the ATN files, it would be no problem to reload them.

If I record an action, how do I know where it's saving to?

[Damo77]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

As others have said, recording an action doesn't actually save it. You have to do that yourself, manually. You can save it anywhere you like.

[gmitchel]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

As Damien said, you save it yourself. You do that from the pop-out menu on he Actions palette. One of te menu items is Save Actions.

Actions are saved in a file with an .ATN extension.

[DannyRaphael]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

At shutdown PS saves the contents of the Actions Palette to a preferences file, Actions palette.psp.

I'm not that familiar with Mac architecture, but on Windows this file (in my case) is:

C:\Documents and Settings\Danny Raphael\Application Data\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Adobe Photoshop CS3 Settings

...which is logon specific. (User name: Danny Raphael)

So I'm betting in your case there is a separate Actions palette.psp file for each user, which would explain why the contents of these files don't necessarily match.

==========
Update:

See top two rows of this table, which confirms my suspicions.

http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=312917

==========

The common actions might be among the ones in the Default action set that comes with PS.

FYI: When one creates a new action in PS, there is no corresponding .atn file for it until one specifically executes a Save actiions... command on the action set in which it resides.

[DannyRaphael]

Re: technical question on actions (CS3)

Perhaps this is very obvious and I'm just missing it, but I'm having issues with my CS3 Photoshop program remembering actions. I have to remake the actions every time my wife switches users (Mac Dual 2.3 G5, non-Intel). I'm not even sure where the actions go when I make the new ones. I have about 5 that remain constantly and I can go into the folder to see where they are:

User(me)/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS3/Presets/Actions

Maybe has something to do with the fact that the program is installed in my user folder, not in the main applications folder?

To make it even more complicated, there are a couple resizing actions that always show up in the program (don't disappear) but I don't see corresponding ATN files in the aforementioned folder. Anyone ever experienced this problem? Getting tired of redoing the actions over and over.

I just reread your original post...

Are you saying something like:
* You login to your Mac "as you," open PS, create one or more new actions, shutdown Photoshop.
* Then your wife logs in as herself, does whatever, logs off.
* You login again as you, open PS and the actions you previously created are "not present"?

Does your wife use Photoshop on the Mac or just you?