Photoshop Tips #7


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*1. IMPORTING FILES AS ANIMATION FRAMES

In our last tip, we described how you can use the step in the 
History palette to create an image document to later use in 
animated GIFs. Today we'll discuss how to import those image 
documents into Adobe ImageReady as animation frames.

To do so, be certain all the image documents are in the same 
folder. To control the animation frame order, rename the files 
in alphabetical or numerical order. (Remember that you can 
always change the frame order once the images are imported 
into ImageReady.)

Now, launch Adobe ImageReady and choose File, Import, Import 
Folder As Frames. In the resulting dialog box, locate and 
select the folder that contains the animation frame image 
documents. Then, click OK to import the images. ImageReady 
imports the files, placing each image on a layer and assigning 
each layer to a frame in the Animation palette. >From this 
point, you're ready to adjust the animation settings through 
the Animation palette and save the image as an animated GIF.


*2. FINDING SOURCE ART--PART 2 OF 2

In our previous tip, we told you about PhotoDisc, a great Web 
site to find and purchase source images for your Photoshop 
images and designs. However, if you're looking for a cheaper 
(read free) resource, you should browse over to Clip Art Review.

Clip Art Review helps you navigate through hundreds of 
collections of free clip art available on the Web. If you need 
an image and the budget is zero, this is a great site to search.

http://www.webplaces.com/html/clipart.htm


*3. FONT TROUBLESHOOTING--PART 1 OF 4

Every now and then, inexplicable things happen, such as 
installed fonts disappearing from the Font list. When this 
happens, there are several things you can do to correct the 
problem. In the next few tips, we'll demonstrate how to 
troubleshoot disappearing fonts.

When a font doesn't appear in the Type menu, the first step to 
take is to be certain the font is installed on your system. To 
do so, look for the font by its PostScript or Outline filename 
in the Fonts folder of your system. To open the Fonts folder in 
Windows, choose Start, Settings, Control Panel and then select 
Font. To open the Fonts folder on the Macintosh, open the Fonts 
folder in the System folder.

Unfortunately, finding the filename associated to a missing 
font isn't as straightforward as it sounds.  The filename of a 
font can be vastly different from the font name. The best way 
to begin is to search for the font filename in the font's 
original documentation. If that fails, look for font filenames 
that begin with the name of the font manufacturer. For example, 
fonts created by ITC typically begin with ITC.

If you don't find the font files in your system, try 
installing the fonts. If you do find the font files in your 
system, they may be corrupted. Remove or delete the files 
and reinstall.


*4. FONT TROUBLESHOOTING--PART 2 OF 4

In our previous tip, we discussed how to troubleshoot fonts 
disappearing from the Type menu. As you recall, the first step 
is to ensure the fonts are actually installed in the system. To 
do so, track down the font filenames in the Fonts folder of 
your system. If the font files are present, delete and 
reinstall. If the font files are absent, install the fonts.

At this point, restart Photoshop or ImageReady. If the fonts 
are still missing, you may have too many fonts installed for 
your system to accurately display. In this case, your only 
choice is to reduce the number of installed fonts. To do so, 
search through the Fonts folder for rarely used font files and 
remove them from the directory. Then restart your application.


*5. FONT TROUBLESHOOTING--PART 3 OF 4

We've been discussing how to troubleshoot missing fonts in the 
Type menu. At this point in our troubleshooting series, we've 
determined that the fonts are properly installed in the system. 
In addition, we've pared down the number of installed fonts to 
a reasonable amount. If the missing fonts still do not appear 
in the Type menu, the next step is to search your system for a 
file named Adobefnt.lst and then delete it.

Adobefnt.lst lists fonts available to Adobe applications. If 
this file becomes damaged, Adobe applications like Photoshop, 
ImageReady, and PageMaker may not see all the available 
installed fonts. To search for Adobefnt.lst files in Windows, 
choose Start, Find, Files Or Folders. To search for 
Adobefnt.lst on the Macintosh, choose File, Find. Then enter

Adobefnt.lst

in the resulting Windows or Macintosh dialog box and click 
Find. Select and delete any instances of the file. Then launch 
an Adobe application and look for the missing font in the 
Type menu.


*6. FONT TROUBLESHOOTING--PART 4 OF 4

In our previous tip, we explained that a large number of 
installed fonts could prevent fonts from appearing in the 
Photoshop or ImageReady Type menu. Furthermore, we advised you 
to remove rarely used fonts from your system's Fonts folder.

However, if slimming down the amount of installed fonts still 
does not solve the disappearing font problem, you can actually 
pick the fonts you want Photoshop or ImageReady to load first. 
To specify a font to load as Photoshop or ImageReady launches, 
place copies of the target font files in the Adobe Fonts 
folder. The Adobe/Fonts folder is in the 
Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Fonts folder in Windows.


*7. LOSING THE TOOLBOX

As you've probably noticed, Photoshop has numerous palettes--so 
many palettes that it's quite easy to lose your image behind 
even a small number of displayed palettes. Luckily, you can 
easily move the palettes out of the way. Unfortunately, it is 
also very easy to accidentally move a palette out of reach by 
moving it off the screen or under a menu bar.

When this happens, you can reset a wayward palette back into 
its default position through Photoshop Preferences. To do so, 
choose File, Preferences, General. Then, in the General 
Preferences dialog box, click Reset Palette Locations To 
Default and click OK.


*8. CREATING A NEW IMAGE WITH MULTIPLE LAYERS

Very often, you will need to create a new image from specific 
layers in your current image. The easiest way to accomplish 
this is to create an image with identical Canvas and Image 
specifications as the current image. Then drag the layers you 
want to the new image.

Fortunately, you do not have to drag layers over one at a 
time. Simply link the layers together and drag them to the 
new image. To link layers, turn on the Eye icon by each layer 
you want to link and turn off the Eye icon for all other 
layers. Then, turn on the Link icon for each visible layer. 
Finally, drag a layer to the new image. Photoshop will move 
all the layers linked to the layer you move.


*9. PREVENTING THE TYPE HALO EFFECT

Although it's very easy to create type on a transparent 
background in Adobe ImageReady, it's not readily apparent how 
to prevent the white halo effect from appearing in the image 
when you place the transparent image on a color HTML page. If 
you haven't experienced the halo effect I'm referring to, I'm 
sure you've at least seen it.  It's a thin white edge outlining 
type on a color background.

To avoid the halo effect in Adobe ImageReady, specify a Matte 
color in the Optimize palette. To do so, first select Choose 
Options from the Optimize palette menu to expand the palette. 
Then click the Matte list box and choose a Matte color to match 
the HTML background color in which you plan to place the text. 
Now ImageReady will use the chosen Matte color as the edge 
background for your transparent text instead of white.


*10. DESKTOP COLOR SEPARATION

The Desktop Color Separation (DCS) EPS file format is a great 
way of sharing high-resolution Photoshop files with other 
applications such as Adobe PageMaker and QuarkXPress. DCS 
allows you to create a low-resolution preview image to place in 
your desktop publishing document and a high-resolution file for 
each channel (CMYK or Alpha) in the image. When you send the 
publication to the printer, the high-resolution CMYK images are 
substituted for the low-resolution image.

To create a DCS EPS file, choose File, Save As. Then in the 
resulting dialog box, select Photoshop EPS or DCS 1 or 2 from 
the File Format list. Choose a low-resolution preview type and 
click Save. Then choose Multiple File With Color Composite from 
the resulting dialog box. Finally, place the low-resolution 
image in your DTP document.
