There are hundreds of free or for-sale actions available on the web. In the video lesson below I’ll teach you how to install 3rd party actions using an action I made called “Scrapper’s Guide Custom Shadow.atn.”
You can download the Custom Shadow action and a PDF manual with all the steps written out here. (Note:This lesson was filmed in 2007. Scroll down to see updated file paths.)
Watch the video to see how I use the action to create a custom shadow in seconds that makes the photo appear to be popped up off the page!
It may take awhile for the video to load, depending on your internet speed.
To start the video, click the triangular play button.
Here are updated file paths for Actions:
Windows7 & Vista
C:\ProgramData\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\your version\Locale\en_US\Workflow Panels\actions
Note: If you don’t see ProgramData, you must reveal hidden files by following these steps:
• Open the Start menu and choose “Control Panel.”
• Click on Appearance and Personalization.
• Click on Folder Options.
• When the Folder Options dialog box comes up, click on the View tab at the top.
• Under the Folder “Hidden files and folders” click “Show hidden files and folders” and click okay.
Windows XP
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\9.0\Locale\en_US\Workflow Panels\actions
Mac
Macintosh HD (not Applications) /Library /Application Support /Adobe /Photoshop Elements /your version/Locale/en_US/Workflow Panels/actions
The next time you start Photoshop Elements, the action will appear in the Automated Actions Guided Edit menu.
Note: Actions in Photoshop Elements 9 are not working like they should on layered documents. It makes a merged copy of the document at the top of the Layers panel and applies the action to that layer. This makes many actions not effective on layered documents.
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I have Windows 7 and have not been able to find this directory on PSE7 & PSE9 which is installed on my computer. Can you help me to show where to install this on my computer?
StangoDango,
First, you need to make sure you have “Show Hidden Files and Folders” activated. To do that on Windows 7, open Windows Explorer and click on the “Organize” menu towards the top left, and choose “Folder and file options” from the drop down menu. Click on the “View” tab on the “Folder Options” dialog that is now displayed. There is a list in the lower part of the dialog, one item is “Hidden Files and Folders”, open that folder and click the “Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives” button. Click on the Okay button at the bottom of the dialog.
After you have done that, you may have to close down Windows Explorer and open it again before you can see the “ProgramData” folder on the Local Disk. If you still can’t see the ProgramData folder, then reboot your computer. I had to do that on Windows 7 the first time.
The path will be the same, except for PSE 9, you will change the 7.0 to a 9.0 in the folder path.
I have Windows &, Once I get to the US_en file there is no option for the last two steps you have listed for both Vista and Windows XP…
I do not have a file option labeled “workflow” or “actions” in any of my adobe folders. Any help would be appreciated.
Did you click on ProgramData to begin with? If you haven’t revealed hidden folders, you won’t see ProgramData. I’ve add info to the post above that will hopefully make it clear.
Hi as in the post above, by Tiffany, when I get to US-en file there is no option for the next two steps, I also do not have a file labelled “workflow” or “actions” Help please?