Filters and Plug Ins – moving them from one version to another

KW
Posted By
Kathleen_Wattle
May 17, 2004
Views
663
Replies
8
Status
Closed
I have Photoshop 5.0LE – it was my first version on 2 machines, desktop and laptop – and I now have Photoshop 6.0 soon to be upgraded to CS. 6.0 is also on both machines. I have questions about how to save/move filters and plug ins.

I liked a lot of the filters in 5.0LE and since I also use another image editor, I had used them in that program too as they were compatible. I uninstalled 5.0LE from one machine and of course this now means the filters are gone from that machine and no longer accessible by the other image editor. I can reinstall 5.0LE on that machine but I am wondering if there is a way I can just get the filters into a separate folder in PS 6.0 or somewhere that would be accessible for both 6.0 and the other image editor? I want to do this on both machines so I have them available in both places – one machine has 5.0LE installed, the other doesn’t.

I also had downloaded a free short version of a plug in from autofx.com called Dream Suite Bonus Dreamy Photo at one point. I used it in both machines in both 5.0LE and the other image editor. I don’t have a zipped version of it, it’s installed except where I uninstalled 5.0LE. Is there anyway to move this on the version that is still working to 6.0 or somewhere so I can still use it? Or have I lost it since I no longer have the zip file to re-install it?

Any advice appreciated.

Kathleen
Related Tags
filter move plug-in version

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DP
Daryl_Pritchard
May 19, 2004
Hi Kathleen,

For the most part, the only filters/plug-ins you should reuse across multiple versions of Photoshop are the 3rd-party ones not supplied my Photoshop. The reason is that most Photoshop filters are carried forward with new versions and may also be updated uniquely for that version; if you were to copy an older version of the filter over a new a one, you might risk introducing errors during startup, and possibly even during use of Photoshop.

Apart from this, many 3rd-party filters can be moved/copied from one version of PS to the next without any problem, while some again are updated and may require a software update from the vendor. Although one way of moving them from one version to the next of Photoshop is to simply copy them into the newer version’s Plug-ins folder, the recommended approach is to put all filters into a folder that resides outside of the Photoshop path. Then, for each version of Photoshop that you want to try using the filters with, simply specify that new folder’s location as a secondary plug-ins directory in your Photoshop preferences. Then, close and reopen Photoshop to see if the filters all loaded correctly or if errors are observed.

Hope that helps,

Daryl
H
hallinan
May 19, 2004
Kathleen…just download it again from: <http://www.autofx.com/freeplugins/dreamyphoto.asp?id=3>
KW
Kathleen_Wattle
May 19, 2004
Hi Daryl,

Thanks for the information. I hadn’t thought about the versions issue, but good point. On the separate plug-ins folder you described – do you mean it’s best to make a folder outside the Adobe Photoshop folder hierarchy (which resides inside the Programs folder)and then there is a way in PS preferences to reference that external plug-ins folder? (As opposed to installing all 3rd party plug-ins into the Adobe folder, ie keeping Adobe separate from 3rd party). Do you mean making both a plug-ins and a filters folder externally and keeping 3rd party stuff there in those external locations? I’m not sure but I thought there were both filters and plug-ins available from 3rd parties….

This is good to understand because I am just finally forcing myself to get more into PS (as opposed to the other editor) and I will be downloading the plug-in PhotoKit soon. Knowing where to put it is a good thing. But I thought a plug had to be "installed" (ie unzipped and an .exe run to get it installed) and not just copied to a folder…. guess I am not sure. Hope you can advise the difference and nuances of these different aspects of filters, plug- ins, unzipping exes, etc.

Thanks again for your input and if you can recommend a good book…. I just ordered CS today. I have been told Scott Kelby’s book for CS for photographers is good but wondering about reference info like the details for filters, etc. None of the copies I have purchased have included a manual…only online help which it not so easy to follow at times.

Best,
Kathleen
KW
Kathleen_Wattle
May 19, 2004
Cool Hallinan! Can’t believe you found that link to the download as I had looked and looked and googled and googled…. I DID find my original serial number though as sent by email back when I got it the first time. Now if I can just figure out about filters and plug-ins and if they are just files to be copied or exe’s to be unzipped and installed…. See my note above back to Daryl….

Thanks again, I am almost done downloading that new copy. Hope it works in the newer version of PS.

Kathleen
L
LenHewitt
May 20, 2004
Kathleen,

Yes. Create a new folder for 3rd party plugins and assign that as the additional plugin folder from Photoshop Edit>Preferences>Plug-ins and Scratch Disk
KW
Kathleen_Wattle
May 20, 2004
Hi Len,

Thank you for the note.

Kathleen
DP
Daryl_Pritchard
May 20, 2004
Kathleen,

Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner, but Len has given you the answer. I got a little too loose with my wording earlier, where it would technically be more correct to the 3rd party supplments as plug-ins rather than filters, the latter simply being a subset of plug-in types. Most, if not all, filter plug-ins will appear in the Filters menu while other plug-ins may appear in the Automate, Import, or Export menus, depending upon the nature of what purpose they serve. Regardless of what you call them though, they may all be lumped into the the one folder that you define in your secondary plug-ins path.

Regards,

Daryl
KW
Kathleen_Wattle
May 20, 2004
Awesome everyone! Thanks to all of you for helping me out. I get it now 🙂

Kathleen

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