Trials for CS4 are available

[Lauren]

If you are contemplating the upgrade to CS4 , Adobe now have trial versions availalbe.
http://www.adobe.com/downloads/?PID=2053907

If you have any questions about CS4 Id be pleased to answer - having been on the beta testing team for it Ive been using it since April -

[happybeingamom]

I am hoping I get CS4 for my birthday. I understand the bridge is very good in CS4.

[Kathleen]

Thanks for the post, Lauren!

[Lauren]

Yes bridge is much much better in cs4 - in fact I use it a lot - I will try and write some short tutorials on bridge in my blog next week -
The bestest thing is the smart collection - you can set bridge up to make a collection of anything based on keywords filenames file types and about a billion other options - its super for making collections of elements - especially for dsp products which tend to be named for what they actually are - for instance - if you wanted a collection of brads - you would tell bridge to make a smart collection of all png files with the word brad in the filename - - then bridge would just keep adding to that collection as you added kits - without tagging or any horrible other work!!

[happybeingamom]

Bridge CS2 doesn't even allow me to tag .png

[JenniferG]

I'll be getting CS4 in a few weeks! Need to download trial for school!

[Amber]

cool! Im going to download the trial before buying the upgrade.

[Abby]

I'd love to get it - I'm hoping our dollar improves in the not too distant future :)!

[luv2stamp82]

Thanks for letting us know!

[jenaRN]

Lauren I am so glad to know you are an "expert" on CS4-I just got a MacBook Pro a week ago and just downloaded the trial of CS4 until dh can decide which "bundle" he wants to buy. I had CS2 on my Dell so with the differences between 2 & 4 and being a total Mac newbie I'm fumbling around quite a bit-but getting there slowly!

[allsmilz61772]

lucky you, i'd love to beta test something so fun. Just got it myself a few weeks ago and am loving it. Cant wait to see your tutes, help me get familiar with the new stuff quicker

[omio]

Just got started with CS4 this weekend and have two questions:

1. Love the tabs because I have missed the Photo Bin in PSE terribly. Is there an easy way, though, to drag a layer from one image into another.

2. This isn't only about CS4 but I'm working on a scan for my daughter. Clothing and background are intentionally dark but the pic is absolutely loaded with dust particles. The pic can't be rescanned so I have to work with what I have. Is there a way to generally remove the dust particles before I start working on it by hand? Some command that's similar to using Digital ICE on a scanner? Or does it just have to be done particle by particle?

[Lauren]

1. YOu can drag a layer from an open tab up onto the actual tab name of the image you want to move it to - that will open up that tab and you can move your added layer around
2. There is a filter for removing dust and scratches under noise (I think - talking from memory here ) - you could try that

[Jeanet]

Filters - Noise - Reduce noise. Your memory works fine, Lauren. Sometimes for a really quick fix solution I use Despeckle which you'll also find under Noise. But it can blur the image more do any good. So the best is to use Reduce noise

[Betsyfru]

Well, I downloaded the trial version the other evening but it's really daunting! I've been using the PSE's (4,5 & 6) for a while now, but PS is pretty different! I could not find a way to fix the color of the skin tones in photos - PSE had a simple way: Enhance>Adjust Color>Adjust Color for Skin tones. I could not find anything like this in PS...did I miss it?

[omio]

Betsy, as you can see in the thread, I'm new to CS4 also. My first full version after being very comfortable with PSE was CS2. It seemed extremely different at first but after I worked with it for a while I found almost all of my "PSE" stuff plus SO much more. The best way, I think, is to look for the similarities to PSE (which you already seem to be doing) and then ask for someone to "translate" for you.

And speaking of translation -- no, wait, this falls under the heading of teaching something new -- thanks Lauren and Jeanet for pointing me in the right direction.

Jena, I see that it's been a few days since you posted so I will send a PM but welcome to the Mac world. You truly will love it once you get up higher on the learning curve. I use both platforms and have finally gotten everyone in the family over to Mac except my husband. He just got his PC back after another massive virus attack so I think he's starting to come around. :D

[omio]

1. YOu can drag a layer from an open tab up onto the actual tab name of the image you want to move it to - that will open up that tab and you can move your added layer around
2. There is a filter for removing dust and scratches under noise (I think - talking from memory here ) - you could try that

Thought that should be it, Lauren, because that's how PSE's Photo Bin works. Think I didn't wait for the tab to open -- wanted to drag it to the tab quickly and be done with it -- will be more patient when I try again. :o

P.S. And it's all Lauren's fault that I spent money on the upgrade!! :annoyed: Your Technique Tuesday showed that new tool which just happens to work on a problem that I have consistently been unable to solve -- a whole family of people who wear baseball caps and end up with shaded faces. Now see what you did? :lol: :love3:

[Lauren]

There are a lot of those one step fix tools that arent in PS - the reason being is that ps is for the professional really - and pros tend not to like a one step process and like to have more control - so yes there are lots of tools you can use to fix skin tones - but you need to know how to control them - - Usually its a colour cast issue which you can fix relatively easily in bridge - using the white balance tools - if you click on the eyedropper in bridge and click it on something you know should be white or neutral grey it will adjust the image to neutralise any colour cast - then you can make any further adjustments by using the sliders

[omio]

I haven't even explored Bridge yet -- sounds like they've really improved it.

[Lauren]

its actually Adobe Camera Raw that you open from bridge that has the white balance tools - Bridge itself too is hugely improved on previous versions

[Kathleen]

So here is a weird one ... I downloaded the trial, and installed it. So I start to bring a few papers and elements into my 12x12 document using File>Place, and the first thing I notice is that the background papers are coming in offset from center. I'm talking just a smidge, but consistently like 1/64" (yes, I know tiny, but I can see it and it bugs me). So I start looking around, and see that the horizontal reference point is at 1202, thus creating an offset from center. I change it to 1200 and sure enough the paper is centered perfectly. I thought maybe changing it once would make it the same next time, but that is not the case.

So is this an oops for Adobe? Some buried setting some where?

Here is a screen shot:

http://cdn-1-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1466784_1419796_53071200_WebSmall_3/0_0_e2218e6c3bf8ea9c5153ad62ac47104c_1

I think I have a question about the file>open and file>place dialog boxes, but I need to dig around a little more to see if I really have a question. ;)

[Lauren]

I dont use file place for the main reason that it turns everything into a smart object - and while smart objects are fantastic and there certainly are reasons why you would want some items on your page to be a smart object it also reduces what you are able to do to them
As you can turn any layer or group of layers into a smart object when its on your page and make that decision yourself I dont use file place unless I really need that layer to be a smart object right from the start. - I cant help with the setting because Ive never experienced that issue - because I dont use that command - - and certainly it was never mentioned in the beta testing forum - but then its likely not many of the testers would use file place regularly for the same reasons I mentioned before

[Lauren]

Kathleen - I just used file place to place several different backgrounds and mine seems fine - all offets are 1200- so Im unsure as to why you arent getting the same settings - Im going to try another few bgs just to see ( is the background you are using perhaps NOT 2400px???????9 maybe its slightly larger or smaller for some reason?????

[Kathleen]

Thanks for checking, Lauren!

I have tried backgrounds from many different kits, yours, Nicole's, Marcee's and the results are the same. I have even opened them separately and verified that they are square. I just tried all of the backgrounds from Beyond The Birds, and the same (offset) results.

What is even stranger, is I get the exact results on two different computers!

[JenniferG]

Kathleen, if you are zoomed in a bit sometimes it will cause the offset. try making sure you're not zoomed in...even a little bit.

Lauren, what is a smart object and why is it important? I always use File>Place, so if Im missing some quality by doing this step, please let me know.

[Kathleen]

I have always used File>Place to "collect" pieces into my document. Not sure why, but it works for me. I like that I don't end up with a bunch of open files that I have to close, and I can always rasterize a layer if needed.

Lauren (and anyone else who has an opinion), when you are going to start a LO, how do you gather pieces into your document? Open them separately and drag them into your page? Then close everything to clean-up your workspace?

Jennifer, I tried zooming in and out before and still the same results - good thought!

[Lauren]

Thats really weird Kathleen cause i just tried backgrounds from several different kits ( including ones that arent mine and they all placed just fine!)!!
Im very puzzled now!!-
Im wondering why you use the place option for backgrounds - seems to me that it would be rare that you would want them to be a smart object and they would be better off as a regular layer

Jennifer - smart objects are a relatively new " invention" - they allow you to resize a layer in a lossless manner - so say you resized down and saved and then wanted to resize back up - you could because what is happening is that ps is holding an original version of the layer in a side car file ) so they are great for photos in layouts where you might be changing the size several times till you get it just how you want it.
They are also GREAT for designers who are making elements with multiple layers because you can hold them all in the one layer but then go in and change any of those layers at another time very easily.
They are also great for when you have multiple versions of the same item in your layout because if they are all smart objects any change you make to one will automatically happen to the other smart object copies.
There are lots of limitations though because there are lots of things you CANT do to a smart object - ( IN CS4 you can do more than you could in CS3 but still there are limitations ) - and if you have a layer style applied to a smart object and you rotate the object your lightsourse will change with the rotation which is not what we want - this is because it in effect rasterizes the object when it makes it a smart object
ie - if you had a photo corner and you wanted a set of 4 corners - so you duplicated the smart object and then rotated it - you would find that your shadow was going in the wrong direction for the second and subsequent corners.

Other good things about smart objects is that the filters you can apply to them ( and there arent that many but there are a few) are non destructive - and they are adjustable once applied which is very useful

Ive tried to write this in as understandable way as I can - they are a very complex thing - and they are a fantastic tool for use in PS but they really arent for every layer

[Lauren]

I drag in from bridge -( since CS4 since bridge is so much better and I use the smart collections all the time now ) - but yes you do have to " clean up" now and then -
I dont use the new tabbed interface that much - probably just habit - I like the way Ive alwyas worked - - so my layout is front and centre adn all the " mess" is hidden behind!!!

[Lauren]

Oh and just as an aside - just because I do something differently from any of you doesnt make me right and you wrong or you right and me wrong - thats the great thing about Photoshop - there are always multiple ways of performing any task and whatever works best for you is always going to be the best way!!

[Lauren]

And Im still puzzled as to why those backgrounds are placing off centre for you Kathleen and not me!!!- thats so weird - esp as its happened for you on more than one computer!!

[Lauren]

Kathleen Ive done some research and I really cant find anything to help you with the place not centering - - just double checking that your original image is exactly 2400px?????? and not 2404??? - I know you probably already checked that - but everything I read says that it should centre the file so Im totally confused

[Kathleen]

Love a good challenge, eh, Lauren? I agree everything I have found says the same thing. I have checked and double checked my document size, tried it in inches and tried it in pixels. Further compounding my conundrum is that I get the same behavior on two different computers.

One of the reasons I am considering the upgrade (other than your cool adjustment brush tutorial) is my laptop is Vista 64 bit, and there are some odd display things in Photoshop. CS3 isn't certified with Vista 64 bit, hence the reason for having a look at CS4.

I may try to open a support ticket with Adobe. Not sure it will get anywhere since I only have a trial version.

[Lauren]

Yeah I did get some weird paste issues when I was zoomed in - to 50% or more - it seemed to paste in the center of the visible area no the document area - - but you were zoomed out to 25% so that should be the issue ( not sure why it does that anyway ) - i hope they answer you because i hate it when i cant work something out myself!!

[omio]

Lauren (and anyone else who has an opinion), when you are going to start a LO, how do you gather pieces into your document? Open them separately and drag them into your page? Then close everything to clean-up your workspace?

I know you can do this within CS using stacks (?). I still use my free AV Bros Collector (http://www.avbros.com/english/collector/index.html) script, though. I open all the images I might want to use and the script brings the images into my main document with names and in order (great for quickclicks). Then I save my main document and group close all of the other windows. It's very quick and easy.

[Lauren]

I love the collector script for quick clicks !!- I dont use it for layouts though as I dont tend to use all the pieces from one kit for my layout - sometimes I use pieces from various kits and sometimes I only use a few pieces

[Kathleen]

And the built in script in Photoshop (File > Scripts > Load Files Into Stack) actually works pretty well. I think I didn't like it before because I couldn't get my files at 300ppi, but I have since come to the conclusion that I am quite happy with my documents at 200ppi, so it works perfectly.

If I am working on a designer challenge, I tend to bring in all the pieces of a kit to start playing around. If I need something else, I will add it.

[Abby]

Boy, I've never used the built in script in PS .. don't know that I actually knew it was there :) .. obviously will have to give that a shot - thanks Kathleen!

[omio]

I love the collector script for quick clicks !!- I dont use it for layouts though as I dont tend to use all the pieces from one kit for my layout - sometimes I use pieces from various kits and sometimes I only use a few pieces

I use pieces of lots of kits. I just browse through and open anything that looks like I might want to use it. Use collector to pull it all into my main doc -- a template that already has guides where I want them and my little signature that I "hide" in all of my finished layouts.

[Kathleen]

I use pieces of lots of kits. I just browse through and open anything that looks like I might want to use it. Use collector to pull it all into my main doc -- a template that already has guides where I want them and my little signature that I "hide" in all of my finished layouts.

Now I am looking for that hidden signature!!!