Welcome to my package of add-ons for Photoshop Elements 2.
Photoshop Elements 2, while being a major improvement over Photoshop LE and a minor improvement over the original version of Elements, is still missing several key functions, such as being able to create layer masks, edit selections in Quick Mask mode and curves adjustments. Additionally there are several functions in Photoshop 6 & 7 that are not in Elements 2, such as Actions and Channels. After some investigation and experimentation, I found that there was a lot of additional functionality in Elements 2 that was not widely known and that it could be easily accessed.
This is very much a personal effort for my own use which I am now sharing around so that other people may also benefit. Please feel free to pass this package on to anyone that may find it of interest. I will update the download file on my web page as I add to the package.
This distribution has been tested with Photoshop Elements 2 under Windows ME and Windows XP. It should work "as is" in other Windows environments and be portable to the Mac though the Channel Mixer filters will need to be recompiled.
Installation
Uninstall
File list
Trouble shooting
License
UninstallThis is just a matter of uncompressing the files into the correct place.
- Close Photoshop Elements 2 if it is active.
- Find the the Photoshop Elements 2 installation directory, which for Windows is usually C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2. You will know if you have the right directory as it will contain the Photoshop Elements executable. For Windows this will be PhotoshopElements.exe.
- Copy the compressed archive Extra2.zip file to this directory.
- Uncompress the archive with WINZIP, PKZIP, or any other ZIP compatible utility. If you had a previous version of this package installed you may get warnings about over writing existing files - this is OK.
- Check that the files in the list below have been created.
- Read the help file in Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2\Help\Extra for a full description of the package.
- Start Photoshop Elements 2 and the extra features will now be available.
No operating system or Adobe supplied files are modified by this package.
To uninstall the package just close Elements 2 and delete all of the files and directories listed below.
The following files and directories are in this package.
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra Tools/extra_adjustment_layers/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra Tools/extra_channels/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra Tools/extra_layer_masks/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra Tools/extra_quick_mask/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra Tools/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra/extra_contrast_mask/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra/extra_luminosity/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra/extra_mono_infrared/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra/extra_sepia/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra/extra_sharpen/help.htm
Help/Extra/Effects/Extra/help.htm
Help/Extra/Filter_Effects_ReadMe.pdf
Help/Extra/help.htm
Help/Extra/install.htm
Help/Extra/licence.txt
Plug-Ins/Extra/ChanBlu.8bf
Plug-Ins/Extra/ChanBlu.afs
Plug-Ins/Extra/ChanGrey.8bf
Plug-Ins/Extra/ChanGrey.afs
Plug-Ins/Extra/ChanGrn.8bf
Plug-Ins/Extra/ChanGrn.afs
Plug-Ins/Extra/ChanRed.8bf
Plug-Ins/Extra/ChanRed.afs
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Add Revel All Layer Mask.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Channel Mixer Adjustment Layer.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Curves Adjustment Layer.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Extra Tools.psd
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Quick Mask Mode.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Standard Mode.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Use Blue Channel.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Use Green Channel.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Use Red Channel.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra Tools/Use RGB Channel.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra/Expand Detail.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra/Extract Luminosity.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra/Extra.psd
Previews/Effects/Extra/Mono Infrared.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra/Sepia.atn
Previews/Effects/Extra/Sharpen Layer.atn
Previews/Filters/Extra/Blue Channel Mixer.atn
Previews/Filters/Extra/Extra.psd
Previews/Filters/Extra/Green Channel Mixer.atn
Previews/Filters/Extra/Mono Channel Mixer.atn
Previews/Filters/Extra/Red Channel Mixer.atn
You should not encounter any problems with this package, if you do the following may be of assistance.
Package was installed OK but I can't see the Extras.
Was Elements 2 running while you installed the package? If so close Elements 2 and restart it.
Was the package installed into the right directory? Check that the files are under the Elements 2 installation directory.
Sometimes Elements 2 does not detect that you have added new Effects and Filters. In the Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2\Previews directory there is a Cache directory. Close Elements 2, delete this directory and restart Elements 2. It may take a couple of minutes for it to rebuild the Effects and Filters palettes.
The Channel Mixer filters do not work.
Are you are using a Mac? These filters have been created with the Adobe Photoshop Filter Factory included with Photoshop 5 and will only work with the Windows versions of Elements 2. I have included the source files so that they can be re-compiled for the Mac.
The Add Layer Mask tools give an error message.
You can not add a mask to the Background or if the layer already has a mask.
What happened to the Recipes that were in the original package
Adobe have changed the way Recipes are defined with Elements 2. The Recipes for the original version of Elements do not work with Elements 2 and currently there is no way of creating your own Recipes. Sorry, complain to Adobe.
The contents of the package are supplied "as is" and without any warranty what so ever. You are free use the tools contained within the package in any way. You may also copy and distribute the package provided no fee is charged. Commercial distribution is totally prohibited.
Feedback and comments are welcome; I do not provide support.
I hope you find these tools of use.
© Copyright 2002 Paul Shipley, Melbourne, Australia