Photoshop 8.0

It used to be so easy! (Making Frames)

[Liane]

Lord I hate change! ... So I have this fancy schmancy G5 dual processor and all the latest software (including Adobe Photoshop CS 8.0) and I can't do anything anymore! Everything has changed drastically and I spend half my time trying to figure out how to do what I used to do in no time at all!

I used to be able to frame my photos in my very old (but reliable and easy to use) programme by simply hitting "add frame" . Then ... presto, it was there! It took about 1 second!

Now I am thoroughly confused with all this "layer" stuff. I just want a simple three pixel wide frame on my existing photos.

Can anyone help?

My photos are all pretty much standard sizes. There are hundreds of them and I want to change the colour of the existing frame. I don't want to change the size of the photo.

Can I just place a new frame over top of an existing frame without going into all this layer gobbledy gook? I also have some new photos which have already been edited and sized for which I need to add coloured frames on top without changing the actual photo size. Its OK if three pixels are lost on all sides. I planned it that way when editing the photos?

Mumble, mumble ... buy a new computer and there's all this new fangled stuff you have to learn to use ... Arghhhh. This dog is getting too old to learn all these new tricks!

[lZakl]

Liane,

You know, Come to think of it, I have never tried adding borders to photos other than the good ole:

1) Add layer
2) Send new layer to back
3) Resize canvas to 6px larger w & h (effectively giving 3 px all the way around the photo)
4) Fill that layer with black
5) Flatten image

I have set most of that up in my "Actions" so it is all pretty automated, and only takes about 5 seconds per photo. I even have had PS run batch processing on a folder of photos to do this. It's all highly automated, and pretty simply to set up. Google "photoshop actions" and 'photoshop "batch processing"' for more information on how to automate it.

But I do agree, it would be nice to just be able to have an "add border" option. Have you looked into whether there might be any plugins for this? I have an Extensis suite here at the office, and there is a plugin called "PhotoFrame" ... After looking at it just now, it looks like it might be right up your alley. Go to the Extensis website, and look at PhotoFrame 2.5 under the products "more" menu. A little steep in price though ...

There may be an easier way to get a border in PS, but if there is, I am unaware of it. Sorry I can't offer more help :0(

-- Zak

[Liane]

lZakl ... thanks for the lead, I'll look into that. I just can't for the life of me figure out why putting a simple frame (all one colour) around your photos has to be so darned complicated! Bring back the old Adobe Photo Deluxe they gave you on the original Imacs and I will be a happy girl. Its all I really need!

mutter, mutter ... grumble, grumble ... *&^%$£@

[Liane]

Well Extensis PhotoFrame 2.5 looks like a great programme, but it is more than a little over the top at $199.95 considering all I want is a simple, one colour border!

They have a 30 day free trial which I may try and see how it goes. Man oh man ... doesn't anyone have an easy solution using PhotoShop 8.0?

My existing photos are mostly 255 pixels wide in total and the heights vary. I do not want to have to change the width or in any way alter the photos. Isn't there an easier way to do this ... anyone?

Maybe I can figure out how to make the Mac Classic 9.1 version run on this thing and just install the old Adobe PhotoShop Deluxe!

Here we go, hours of work for such a simple thing. Jeeeeze. Now would not be a good time to ask me how much I looooove my new computer! :(

[bcolflesh]

MacGIMP

[macgimp.org...]

[Liane]

bcolflesh,

is this what you were suggesting "A superb alternative to Adobe’s PhotoShop (list price: $560 per computer) is the GNU Image Manipulation Program."

... or was there something more (gulp) affordable I was supposed to see on that page?

[bcolflesh]

Their precompiled version is $30 to download - you can do everything yourself for free w/some help from:

[gimp.org...]

[Liane]

I downloaded the free trial of the PhotoFrame 2.5.2 (which takes quite some time by the way) and I can't open it for some reason. The message I get says "Could not complete your request because it is not the right kind of document".

Hmph. And after filling out their darned form with all my info too! So I trashed it. Thanks bcolflesh ... I'll give macGimp a try and see what happens. This is getting silly!

<added>

The GIMP's user interface is designed to let you work as efficiently as possible. Since the primary menu in the GIMP is accessed by a right-click in the image window, it is advisable for Mac users (who all have a single mouse button by default) to obtain a multi-button USB mouse. Another workaround for this problem is to configure your window manager, say for example under XDarwin, to map the control-click to be right-click.

Arghh! How do you do that and do I want to?

[travelin cat]

Liane,

There are many great free tutorials on the web for this...

Here's one that may help:

[myjanee.com...]

Have fun...

[Liane]

Hi travelincat and thanks for that. I found that particular page (and several others) this morning and I must admit it was fun to mess around with, but it doesn't solve my problem!

It seems I have to change the size of my existing photos one way or the other in order to make this work.

I do not want to do that!. These are existing photos with existing frames which I am currently using on my site. I simply want to change the colour of the 3 pixel frame. I do not need any fancy borders. I want my photos as is with a change in colour on the existing border ... and that is all.

Adobe Photoshop has made it nearly impossible to do this "simple" task without spending a ridiculous amount of time on something which should be quick, easy and relatively painless. I have spent a great deal of time on this already and it is becoming infuriating!

For an expensive programme, it sure is unwieldly when it comes to simple tasks!

My pages are all set. The photo sizes are set. I don't want to change anything but the borders. Seems that's not so easy to do!

Thanks guys. I think I will have to look at other (inexpensive) programmes ... perhaps Corel or some other programme ... somebody has to have something out there which is easy to use!

I am very tempted to just load my photos into my old iMac and do it in PhotoDeluxe 2.0 the way I always used to. I need food and a drink before my blood starts to boil! Thanks for all your suggestions. :)

[dcrombie]

If I understand you correctly, this is probably the simplest method:

1) Open image 
2) press apple+A (select all) 
3) Edit -> Stroke... [3px, inside] 
4) OK

This will give you a 3px solid border, using the current 'foreground' colour selected in the LHS palette.

;)

[sonjay]

If all you want is a simple 3-pixel colored border, I would think you could leave the photos as is, and use css for displaying them on your site with the appropriate border:

img {
border: 3px solid #000000;
}

[hound_dog]

Exactly. The above two methods are the ones I use all the time.

[Liane]

This will give you a 3px solid border, using the current 'foreground' colour selected in the LHS palette.

You are my hero!

Thank you a thousand times over! You have saved me from hours and hours of monotonous, annoying and completely unnecessary work. ;)

[limbo]

Automate your chosen method by saving it as a droplet function. Push button commands in PS are a god send for repetitive tasks.

[oodlum]

Alternatively, double-click background layer to make it a new layer, then:

Layer > Layer Style > Stroke...

This way the border can be edited at any time.