Photoshop Creative

Ok I've found a couple tutorials that explain how to record photoshop actions. What do I have to do them (if anything) to make them usable in Elements? I just wanted to start with something like highpass sharpening which is the same in both programs. I've googled but haven't come up with anything as of yet.

Elements does not have the functionality to create actions. We can use actions created in full photoshop if they are designed to be compatable. Graffi has some as well as many others. He's listed in the links section.

Hi Linda,
Actually I am using Photoshop,but I hadn't tried recording actions before. I did get it figured out all except getting the thumbnail to open with it in Elements. If anyone knows the trick, please let me know. Its available for download in the "Members Freebies" area.

I suppose you mean installing them in PSE6? Here is what I wrote some time ago in another forum:

"I have not yet seen a complete tutorials about installing actions in PSE6, but there has been many threads on the subject. This is my personal experience in transferring PSE4 or PSE5 actions to PSE6, following many tips given by experienced users, particularly Barbara Brundage...
Copying the actions must be made in the following folder for Windows XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\Photoshop Elements\6.0\Photo Creations\photo effects

Restarting PSE6 and looking in the effects palette, photo effects (3rd icon from the left) and 'show all' option, you should have access to each individual *.atn file. The problem is you can't insert a set of actions... until someone finds a way to do this.
You'll have to create icons for each *.atn file you copy there. For each *.atn file, there is an accompanying *.png icon file. The creating process is the same as what was used for PSE4 to create folder icons. The icons are 64x64 and saved as *.png files.
If you want to delete an effect, don't simply erase the *.atn and *.png files, you must erase it in the effect palette by right clicking and choosing delete.
If you want to select a dozen favorite actions or effects, there is no longer a favorite in the effect palette. The favorite is another palette (show it in the Window menu). If you have not created icons, you could find the actions in the effects palette by their names, but you would see blank icons in the favorite...
Hope this helps..."

To get actions sorted in a set of action, we know now it has to be done by creating *.xml files, which is not an easy task!
Edit/Delete Message

Thanks Michel, I tried inserting the thumb/icon as a psd,I'll try using a png file tonight when I get home from work. as far as sorting actions and creating .xml files...I don't think I'll even attempt it!
Thanks again!

I have some pretty extensive knowledge of this. There are issues with recording actions for Elements in each version of the software, and a few things don't translate readily at all. Even preparing the actions is different from version to version of the software.

I have a white paper on my website that applies really to versions 1-5 for installations. 6 changes the rules again a little more. I'll get around to writing those instructions up as I release tools for Elements 6.

http://hiddenelements.com/actions_whitepaper.html

One thing: people often dismiss actions and possibilities because a feature won't work exactly as it does in Photoshop. Poppycock. You sometimes have to be a little creative. I've gotten around CMYK separations, switching to LAB mode, using Channels, 'needing' curves, and more. If you have trouble with specific things, I may have solutions.

Just as a matter of curiosity, Richard, how about "Blend if"?

or fade on a filter

As Richard Lynch stated, sometimes you need to be creative in order to bypass certain limitations. There are actions that can be converted to PSE with some effort (sometimes with a lot of pain). But you need to know what commands are not compatible and how they can be substituted with alternative approaches.

Bear in mind that not all actions can be converted to PSE. There are actions that cannot be converted at all, simply because they make use of Photoshop commands that are not available in PSE. For example my "B&W" action cannot be converted to PSE because it uses a special command called Calculations.

Panos

I kind of go the easy way - I record all of my actions specifically with Elements in mind, so I just create them differently from the very start. I know, for instance, that in Elements 5 you can't just copy a layer by pressing a few keystrokes; for the action to work, going through the menu works all the time (I.e., record Layer>Duplicate Layer and give it a name, rather than recording <Ctrl>+<J>)