Actions CS3 to CS4?

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AliB

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Hi folks, I've had a look on here and in Adobe help and I'm still none the wiser:shrug:

If I upgrade from CS3 to CS4 how to I get my actions to work? I've bought a load over the years and I don't intend to either buy them all again or have to move between the two programmes to process them :cuckoo:

I've had a look in my Adobe CS3/presets/actions folder and it's not got any .ATN files in it. I've run a search for *.ATN files and I still can't find them. Have any of you any idea how to find them and make them work in CS4?

Any help gratefully received. :help:
 
I know Photoshop saves the actions somewhere, usually buried away in a hidden folder that you'd need to tell your computer to show, but for now a faster option might be to save the actions into a custom folder and then import those into CS4.

Open the Actions palette and click on the little downward arrow at the top right just under the '>>' icon that docks the palette. There should be an option to 'Save Actions' in the list that appears.
 
Now with added pictures!

Button:

buttonvh9.jpg


Menu:

menuzw3.jpg
 
Photoshop keeps a record of all the loaded actions in the preference folder.
Actions Palette.psp
To save your existing Action Sets as glitch has said it should be done from the action palette. Select each action set in turn and save it out to where ever you like.
There could be some problems with any actions that have a path in them, these actions would need to be re-created or the actionset coverted to xml, edited and converted back to an atn file.
 
Thanks guys!

Cathus, thanks but i'd already tried that path and the Actions folder is empty, looks like I have some saving to do :)

I do have a lot of actions and plugins/presets on CD/DVD so they can be installed from there. Some of my more expensive ones have not been saved so guess what I'm going to be doing?

:thumbs: Thanks for the screenshots glitch .:)
 
Are you PC or Mac, Ali?

EDIT: And if PC, what version of Windows?
 
AliB said:
Thanks guys!

Cathus, thanks but i'd already tried that path and the Actions folder is empty, looks like I have some saving to do :)
Click to expand...

Try:

C:\Users\your name whatever\AppData\Roaming\AdobePhototshop Cs3/4\presets\actions

This on Vista, can't recall if the path is the same on XP off top of head.

Failing that do a search on your HD for .atn files
 
Cathus said:
Try:

Failing that do a search on your HD for .atn files
Click to expand...

Did that too Cathus, tried .atn, .ATN, *.atn, *.ATN.

Nowt. Probably because I need to save them all from CS3 first. I'll give it a go later today, got to go and see a prospective wedding client today. :)
 
AliB said:
PC glitch running XP :)
Click to expand...
It's a long-shot, especially given that you've either already done it or now manually moved the actions, but have you searched in the hidden folders?

Click Start, click Search, click All files and folders, and then click More advanced options.

Now click to select the Search system folders and Search hidden files and folders check boxes.

If the actions are hidden in any locations like the one Cathus mentioned, which isn't one that XP would normally look in, you might need to tell the search to look there.

But something is niggling at my brain and telling me there's another way. I shall attempt to flush it out with copious amounts of tea.
 
Photoshop does NOT save the actions anywhere on the computer! It is up to you to make a backup/save them.
When you load/remove actions from the palatte it is reflected in the preferences in this case "Actions Palette.psp" this file gets updated when you exit Photoshop.
 
Ah, maybe I saved them myself as mine are in my actions folder & the default 'save as' saves them to the Roaming folder (Vista).

Out of interest, how does it remember them when the prog is turned off, is that what the Actions Pallette.psp is for, ie. they're saved in there?
 
After drowning my grey matter with many mugs of tea, I vaguely recall reading something about Photoshop converting the actions to script and combining that into the Actions Palette itself, rather than there being individual files.

Although I can't find anything on the web to back that suspicion up.
 
Yes Actions Pallette.psp is where all the currents actions are saved.
You really should back up all the *.psp files in the preference folder in case of a HDD problem then you can restore them.
 
For what it's worth not all you actions may work in cs4, adobe has changed a few things (inc some shortcuts) some of my actions which have run happily from ps7 to cs3 wont work in cs4, others work fine, it's luck of the draw. Wayne
 
One valid reason ACR but all depends on your needs and usage. 3D might be a factor, faster better Bridge, ability to rotate canvas for easy working, the list goes on and on....
 
swanseamale47 said:
For what it's worth not all you actions may work in cs4, adobe has changed a few things (inc some shortcuts) some of my actions which have run happily from ps7 to cs3 wont work in cs4, others work fine, it's luck of the draw. Wayne
Click to expand...

One of the things that seems to have changed is that if the selection is of the whole image, then one is unable to modify the selection. A bit of a problem for my own framing actions that selected the whole canvas and then went from there. IMO, it would be better to stick with CS3. There doesn't seem that much to really grab the interest in CS4.This from someone who upgraded for the sake of it.
 
Yes this a bug! Adobe do know about it as I filed a bug report on it, but the beta had gone too far to be fixed before release.
The same bug exists in CS2.
This should work for CS2 and CS4, it will select the whole document - 1 pixel so that you can contract etc.
Using Border 1 and the contract will lead to feather problems.
Code: 
if(documents.length){
try{
	activeDocument.selection.deselect();
	}catch(e){}
var startRulerUnits = app.preferences.rulerUnits;
app.preferences.rulerUnits = Units.PIXELS;
var Width = activeDocument.width;
var Height = activeDocument.height;
 activeDocument.selection.select([[1,1], [(Width-1),1], [(Width-1),(Height-1)], [1, (Height-1)]], SelectionType.REPLACE, 0, false);
app.preferences.rulerUnits = startRulerUnits;
}
 
DiddyDave said:
I love CS3 (much better than CS2) and so far can't see any valid reason to change to CS4 - comments on here only add to that thought

So why do it ???

DD
Click to expand...

I think it should be worth it for dodging and burning tools alone. In CS3 you get that horrible grey cast to areas where in CS4 it's a function that actually works.

That's why I'm tempted.

Thanks for the help guys, I have a trial version installed for 30 days so I'll see how the actions copy across and that will make up my mind. If I have to lose my actions it won't be worth the dodging and burning advantage.

:)
 
AliB said:
I think it should be worth it for dodging and burning tools alone. In CS3 you get that horrible grey cast to areas where in CS4 it's a function that actually works.
Click to expand...
Oh?

Is that an officially unofficial problem?
 
Not sure if I'd call it an unofficial problem glitch but it's certainly a limitation especially if you try to lighten an area, you need to be very light on the controls and make sure you do shadows, midtones and highlights separately. It's very, very easy to get a horrible grey cast on it.

I had a demo of CS4 last week and the dodge and burn tool is a hundred times better, no grey cast and works so much better. If it wasn't for that one feature I'd not even consider it but having seen it demonstrated.........wow! I can see a real world use for a dodge/burn tool that works.

Try the 30 day trial, nothing to lose!
 
Well, you can see how often I use those functions in order to have not already noticed!

I shall have to take a closer look at them, now you've enlightened me, Ali.
 
Ha! Done it!!!!! Does a happy dance :D

Thanks guys, I found the *psp files in a hidden folder

c:\documents and setting\username\applicationdata\adobe\adobephotoshopCS3\adobephotoshopCs3settings

It's the applicationdata folder that's hidden.

I copied the actions.psp file from that location and using the address bar I replaced the 3 with a 4 and got into the CS4 equivalent folder. Pasted the actions.psp file in there.

Rebooted and it works a treat :thumbs:

I HAVE ACTIONS..............HAPPY DANCE

A huge thanks to all of you for your invaluable assistance :clap:
 
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