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Loading Styles


CanJan

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I'm back again looking for help!!!!!

 

I was missing my SG styles and discovered that the .asl files were not in the Adobe/PSE 8.0/Presets/styles folder; so I carefully copied them there from my SG storage.

 

Restarted PSE and they did not seem to load. Exited PSE and restarted it holding down the shift key - still nada :embarrassed003:

 

 

Now I used the control Panel to uninstal PSE 5.0 (after carefully copying my whole preset folder) yet under c:/Program Files/Adobe - I still have both PSE5 & PSE 8 ;

The only thing under PSE 5 is a single folder called Settings, and in that is a single file called RecentlyUsedOptimizations.irs.

 

If any techies know if this is OK to delete - I would appreciate it.

 

Thanks for any forthcoming enlightenment!!!

 

stay cool!

 

 

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Sorry I can't be of much help other than to bump this up. I'm not what you'd call a "techie." ;) I have to follow the written instructions step by step when I install and I don't have any idea what to do when it doesn't work right.

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hi there.

 

took me a while to figure it out but here is what you do.

 

after you put the .asl in the proper folder:

-make sure that PSE8 is closed

-go back 2 folders to the 8.0 folder (I keep a shortcut on my desktop so I don't have to fiddle around looking for the .asl folder)

-delete the ThumbDatabase.db3 file

-then restart PSE8.

 

it should take a while while it reloads all the style thumbnails... but once it's done they should all be there :)

 

hope this helps :)

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oh, one other thing... make sure that each file has it's 'metadata' file along with it. if it doesn't... copy a different one, edit the file name and the content to make sure the name coincides with the name of your style.

 

let me know if you have any other questions

 

 

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Andrea I really appreciate your help - but I do not have a "ThumbDatabase.db3 file" /also I do not know what the "metadata files" are - the only files under presets/styles before I added my SG styles were .asl files and that is all that is there now also.

 

I'm afraid I should have mentioned I am using WIN 7 Pro OS - does that make a difference?

 

Pat - thanks for the bump-up!

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To find your database file, Go to:

 

My Computer C:/(or whichever is designated on your computer > Program Data > Adobe > PhotoshopElements > 9.0 (Or the version you are using) > Locale > en_us

 

There will be a file in that folder titled MediaDatabase.db3.

 

Delete that file and re-open PSE. It may take awhile for it to reload the database depending on your computer but once it is done your new styles should be loaded.

 

If you don't see them make sure you check the "Show All" (I believe it's the last one) in the Styles Palette.

 

I hope this helps you!

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To find your database file, Go to:

 

My Computer C:/(or whichever is designated on your computer > Program Data > Adobe > PhotoshopElements > 9.0 (Or the version you are using) > Locale > en_us

 

There will be a file in that folder titled MediaDatabase.db3.

 

Delete that file and re-open PSE. It may take awhile for it to reload the database depending on your computer but once it is done your new styles should be loaded.

 

If you don't see them make sure you check the "Show All" (I believe it's the last one) in the Styles Palette.

 

I hope this helps you!

 

Found it!!!! Thank you - it is deleted and I have now restarted PSE 8 but my mouse pointer is going round & round and it is taking a very long time to do it's thing - Going to have to re-boot I think!

 

Will report back - off on a hospital trip.

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It generally doesn't have to be re-booted after this, but loading PSE the first time after clearing the media database file can easily take 15 or 20 minutes. It'll will probably be fine, then.

 

Metadata files are used to organize groups of styles; that's a "whole 'nuther topic." For now, if your styles are available, I'd call it good.

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It generally doesn't have to be re-booted after this, but loading PSE the first time after clearing the media database file can easily take 15 or 20 minutes. It'll will probably be fine, then.

 

Metadata files are used to organize groups of styles; that's a "whole 'nuther topic." For now, if your styles are available, I'd call it good.

 

Ahhhh but they are not - and it DID take quite a while to load the program, so it must have been rebuilding that database? I must be missing something - lets see if I can explain myself graphically

 

I have (hopefully) attached two files - the actual .asl files in my presets and what I see in the editor - I was used to seeing the name of the style - if I go to SHOW ALL - I get icons, not names, and running my mouse slowly over them all, I still do not see/recognize my SG Styles ???

post-6175-0-73329400-1307643363_thumb.jpg

post-6175-0-57670400-1307643383_thumb.jpg

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CJ, I do not have PSE8, but here is some information I found that might help you out a little bit.

First make sure that PSE is closed.

 

Then make sure you have your computer set to see all folders:

 

In Vista or Windows 7

 

• 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.

 

Step 1: Place Your 3rd Party Layer Style Inside Photoshop Elements

 

• If Photoshop Elements is open, close it.

 

• Navigate to the layer style you intend to install inside PSE. If you have styles inside a previous version, navigate to the folder where they reside in that version. Right click on the layer style and choose Copy from the pop up menu. You can copy more than one layer style at a time. Simply click on one and Ctrl click on additional layer styles. Then right click and choose Copy.

 

• Navigate to the layer styles folder inside your version of Photoshop Elements.

 

In Vista or Windows 7 the path is:

Start > Computer > Local Disk © > ProgramData > Adobe > Photoshop Elements > 7.0 or 8.0 > Photo Creations > layer styles

 

Right click inside the layer styles folder and choose Paste from the pop up menu.

 

According to what I read, these directions should get you to the place where you can see your styles listed under the "show all" option.

There are more directions on how to get them into the dropdown list, but try this first. If it works we'll know the directions are reliable and we can trust the rest of them.

 

I hope it solves your styles problem.

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Good news, CJ!

I went and played in PSE9 and tried to load some styles following the above directions and then I created metadata files for the styles, and when I restarted PSE it took FOREVER to rebuild the thumbs database, but when it finally did, I couldn't find my styles in the effects panel.....at first. Then I noticed that there are small buttons at the top of the panel under the word "EFFECTS". I took a screen shot to show you which one I clicked to make my styles show up.

When I pushed the square with the Fx on it, I could see the styles I had installed. I think you can see the initials KSC in the picture.

Post again if you still need help.

post-5279-0-68532900-1307654562_thumb.jpg

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Good news, CJ!

I went and played in PSE9 and tried to load some styles following the above directions and then I created metadata files for the styles, and when I restarted PSE it took FOREVER to rebuild the thumbs database, but when it finally did, I couldn't find my styles in the effects panel.....at first. Then I noticed that there are small buttons at the top of the panel under the word "EFFECTS". I took a screen shot to show you which one I clicked to make my styles show up.

When I pushed the square with the Fx on it, I could see the styles I had installed. I think you can see the initials KSC in the picture.

Post again if you still need help.

 

I followed those direction in PSE 8 Rose Ann - and I knew there was trouble as soon as I opened the program as it opened immediately without a pause - then I looked at the upper right corner and shuddered !

The "Bevels window was open and I have never seen so many icons and they are definitely not all bevels. the little fx icon is a "SHOW ALL" shortcut and I envy your names showing under the icons - how do I get that??? (Hope it doesn't require an upgrade to 9.0!) I still cannot see a single one of my SG styles. ???? In 5.0 I would be able to open the list and actually see "MST_SSToolsStyles_embed1801"

 

Do you think I should re-install???

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I wish I could help more, CJ. I am sort of at a disadvantage, since we don't have the same version of PSE, so I am not certain if things look the same or act the same for you.

I didn't see my SG styles loaded at first either, so I clicked things until I saw something helpful.

I am a reckless clicker and sometimes regret it....LOL :newangel:

 

I got the names of the styles by clicking on that icon in the right corner of the panel that looks like an arrow with horizontal lines next to it. If you're on the effects tab of the panel, it brings up a menu that gives you the option to show or hide names. It wasn't until I scrolled through with the names showing that I realized my test SG styles were actually there. Maybe the same will happen for you.

 

Just as a side note, if you're on the layers tab, the same icon will give you a choice called panel options and when you click on it, you get a choice to make your layers previews larger and if you click "layer bounds" you will see larger previews of what's on each layer.

 

Hope it all works out with PSE soon.

 

 

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I am going to try an uninstall and start again <sigh>

 

Here is where I am :- found the place to "click" Rose Ann, to get the names showing on the icons - Wouldn't it be nice if that sub-menu icon was visible instead of being grey on black? Even though I now know where it is - I still cannot see it !!!!

 

No matter - I have it now and I know something is terribly wrong.

 

Here is half of the "bevels" - note the duplicate names and things that are NOT Bevels ............

 

Rose Ann - thank you so much for all your help over the past few weeks!

post-6175-0-92999600-1307736797_thumb.jpg

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Hope the reinstall works to solve the problem for you. I am happy to help as much as I can, CJ.

In fact, if you want to meet in the chat room when you install the styles next time, we can arrange that.

Talk to you soon.

 

 

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Reinstall has left me confused - after un-installing PSE 8 I checked under Program Files/Adobe/PSE8/Presets and there were still files there there were also files under PSE5 which I had also "uninstalled" - I held my breath and deleted everything under Adobe except the "Reader" files.

 

I looked under program Data/Adobe/photoshop elements & again there were still files and again I deleted EVERYTHING! (or so I thought)

 

After we did our laps (in the pouring rain!) at Relay for Life, I re-installed PSE 8 and it seemed to clear up all those strange icons; the strange thing is that from somewhere, it also found all those deleted files and I have no idea how!

 

I have just put my brushes back (Need a lesson on how to combine .abr files into "Families")

 

Now: - In C:/Program Data/Adobe/Photoshop Elements/8.0/Photo Creations/Layer Styles - I have .asl and metadata .xml files for all the styles that came with the program PLUS the SG styles.

 

However, in C/Program Files/Adobe/Photoshop Elements 9.0/Presets/Styles I have only .asl files that came with the program.

 

In the Editor itself - I find no SG Stles. So I am back where I started - can anyone point me to the next step?

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I thought of that - so did so and it made the same mess I had before - a zillion bevels etc.... so I switched to the "old" db3 file and it loaded normally.

 

Was reading elsewhere and saw that someone suggested a reboot after taking the metadata.db3 file out of play - so I am just rebuilding again after doing that - holding my breath!

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CJ, Did you create metadata for the SG styles?

 

I think I did not answer this post correctly Rose Ann as I was thinking about the data base file and not the meta data files <sigh>

 

yes each .asl file has a metadata.xml file but I am wondering if that is correct? And should I also copy the .asl files into Program Files....Presets/layerstyles ???

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Sorry I wasn't clear...

When you copied the styles (.ASL files) to the PSE creations folder, did you edit>copy and then edit>paste, or did you right click and copy then right click and paste?

 

I probably did a right click drag and "copy here" - my usual procedure

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Each layer style should have the .asl file and a metadata file in the photocreations folder. No need to duplicate it in the other file path.

 

Before you go through the trouble of editing metadata files to create new ones for your SG styles, just try deleting all the ones you added by right clicking and then putting them back using the Edit menu. I know it sounds weird, but some people online are saying it could make a difference (although to be honest, I don't know why it would).

 

Then delete that thumbs files and rebuild. I am just curious to see if it works for you.

I'll hang around and wait to see what you say.

 

 

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Rose Ann - I am hopeless - I have managed to remove all the SG styles - both .asl and .xml files - they will not paste back!

 

I have them all in a file on my EHD - so all is not lost, but I think I have to go back to square 1 and simply attempt to load 1 style - if I can get one working - I'll work on the rest.

 

Now you say that I do NOT need to add it to the Programs///////presets/layer styles folder ??? even though the program styles are there as .asl files Correct????

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