CS5

Nothing is more frustrating and time wasting than trying to recreate your software customizations once you have migrated your software to another computer after a fresh OS install.  In my case, both my Photo Mechanic preferences were highly customized for my workflow optimization and my PhotoShop Actions (really a fancy macro executions) were just very complicated.

Going off to Google land, ended up with a lot of funky feedback, so I then went direct to experts.

Photomechanic: ….. Thank you for contacting Camera Bits.

Export the Photo Mechanic settings to your computer. Open the Photo Mechanic Preferences and click on the Export button, then save the file to your local machine. Give the file any name that you will remember. Once the file has been saved, copy or move the preference file over to the new computer.

Import the preference file. Open Photo Mechanic’s Preferences on the new computer and click Import. Choose the file that you exported on the old machine and import the settings.

Well, that was easy enough ! The one area that will need your attention is to set your cache folder location and colorspace (ProPhoto-nothing else recommended as an alternative due to its hugh color space).

CS5

My resource for migrating CS4 ACTIONS to CS5 ACTIONS, was a concern to me.  To the rescue was a small how to video that Moose Peterson did on preparing your computer for CS5 migration.  It was another very simple tip and worked for me flawlessly.

Simple open up your PS4 Actions,

1) Highlight the Action Folder to Export

2) In the upper right hand corners are some small arrows that once you press will display a drop down list, Select Save Actions

3) Open up CS5, goto ACTIONS, and Load Actions.

Very simple…very easy….

I also read that you should keep a copy of  your Actions backup in case of a Hard Drive failure..So making the process above part of your backup routine might be something you’d want to consider.

As I was perusing the various trades set up at PSW, there was little that I did not recognize, own or have read about.   I remember coming around the corner and seeing a lime green and black logo, with a bunch of fellow photog’s milling about…mmm this looks different.

Indeed it was, although new to me, the company Action Runner has been around for about two years, but it was appearing at PSW for the first time, with a beefed up version of their software.

This product, made by a photographer, is a HUGH time saver if you are using Photoshop actions !  I’m fairly new to Actions but could readily see the benefit and time saving that this product allowed and pounced on the chance to spend $160 (special show price)…..in another twenty minutes it was going to be $180..because during the demo it was announced that the PSW trade show was soon ending ….kind of like last call at my favorite bar, but I was still imbibing in my passion..new software..(sorry Prez)

The beauty of this software is that it allows you to take photo shop actions that you have created or purchased and drag and drop them onto this external application, then you have the option to save as JPG, and to a drive or folder of your choice. (It is not a plug in, but it seems to work inside PS seamlessly..even better than some plugins that I own…)

This is hugh time savings for me, now I can edit my photos in PS and then batch them off to actions,… or at a later date, I can modify my actions and the rebatch my photo masters and have the new actions applied to those photos. Neat very Neat !

I may not really doing the program enough justice here, and you should go over to the company’s web site and take a look at their video instructions.   The product also runs on a MAC or pc   ACTIONRUNNER

FYI: If you are hunting for the location where Photoshop stores your actions here is the path: Your Name/Library/Prefererences/Adobe Photoshop CS4 Settings