Here are some Frequently Asked Questions:
What is a Photoshop Action?
Photoshop Actions are recorded steps that allow you to do the same task over and over again. The Print To Pocket Actions are designed to help you design and print pocket page layouts quickly and easily. These Actions are designed for physical and hybrid scrapbookers who want to create faster!
Who can use Photoshop Actions?
Anyone can use these Actions at any level of skill. If you are a beginner this tool may help you not feel so overwhelmed by the many options and functions within Photoshop. If you are advanced in using Photoshop you will welcome the ease and simplicity of these Actions.
How do I download my Photoshop Actions?
Thank you so much for purchasing the Print To Pocket Actions! I hope you will find them incredibly useful and that they will help your memory keeping process. When you checked out you received an email from Larkindesign that included a downloadable Zip file. Simply click that link and unzip the Actions. It may have landed in your Spam folder, so be sure to check there if you do not see it immediately. Of course, you are always invited to email us directly so we can help you! You can also access your download file through the Orders button in your Dashboard on the site.
How do I install the Actions in Photoshop?
- Open Photoshop, then go to Window > Actions. The Actions menu will now show on the right hand side of your screen.
- In the upper right corner of the Actions menu you will see a hamburger menu (a rectangle with little lines!). Click on that and select Load Actions.
- Find the Larkindesign Action in your saved folder. It will be saved as an .ATN file.
- Select the Action and press Load.
- The Action will now show up in your Actions menu.
- Be sure to read the included instructions to learn how to use the Actions.
What operating system/version of Photoshop do I need for the Print To Pocket Actions?
Actions can run on Photoshop CC and Photoshop Elements. You can use either a Mac or a PC. They have been tested on Photoshop CC and Elements 12, on PC. We highly recommend Photoshop CC for its added functionality!
What if I can’t get the Actions loaded? What if I don’t have much Photoshop experience?
Actions are designed so you don’t have to know everything about Photoshop in order to use it! While this isn’t a crash course in how to use Photoshop, these Actions are designed to make common functions of Photoshop handy and easy to access – for pocket page scrapbookers. Basically we have taken some of the most common tools used in pocket page scrapbooking and have made it so you click a button, and those tools pop up for you. We are also available via email at larkindesign@hotmail.com most days of the week (although we do sleep and care for our family and things like that!) and we welcome your questions and concerns. You can also click the tiny envelope at the top of your screen. We will be happy to help walk you through the loading process to get you up and running. There is a few YouTube video that can be helpful here: Print To Pocket Action No 01 Tutorial. If at the end of the day, we have not been able to get you up and running, we will give you a full refund because we want you to be 100% happy with your purchases.
I need to contact Theresa directly for help, what do I need to do?
I am always available by email at larkindesign@hotmail.com and I LOVE hearing from you!. Before you hit me up, make sure you have downloaded the most recent version of the Action you are using. Simply go to your Dashboard and access your Orders, re-download, and try running the Action one more time. Sometimes we update our Actions and do “bug fixes” that might be just what you’re needing, especially if it has been a while since you last used it. When you email me, be sure to include what version of Photoshop you are using and whether you are a PC or MAC user.
When printing my photos I get a Program Error: “could not export the clipboard because of a program error.” What do I do?
This happens when your clipboard has images on it and means the clipboard needs to be purged. In your File menu, go to Edit > Purge > Clipboard. It will prompt you: “This cannot be undone. Click OK to continue.” Click OK and then you are free to print as usual.
I have installed the Action but it has stopped running in the middle of the Action. What is going wrong?
Check to see if you have additional photos or journal cards open. Follow the instructions included with your download to ensure the Action runs properly. You are always welcome to email me for direct support, I LOVE hearing from you! Be sure to include what version of Photoshop you are using and whether you are a PC or MAC user.
I am printing my photos and the white borders are not even all the way around my photo. How can I fix that?
Every printer is so different it is difficult to trouble shoot every brand of printer out there. However, you can adjust the extension of your image, which is probably located in the Print window that your printer pops up to print. Look in your Print Menu under Page Setup for a slider called “Amount of Extension” and you want the most extension possible. You want your photo to print edge to edge. If you find that one edge of the border is still off, try nudging the image up a bit before you close it out. Sometimes you just have to play with it a bit to get it right. That is really more of a printer issue than the Action. Also, if you are sending your photos to an outside printer, I STRONGLY recommend ordering test prints first! Every print source uses different settings and so it is good to run test prints before making large investments.
When the Action saves my photo, there is a tiny white or colorful strip at the top or at the side of my photo. How can I fix this?
The photos that the Action creates can still be edited while they are still open in Photoshop. I recommend scrolling through those images to make sure they are laid out the way you want them laid out. Check to be sure the Layers are Unlinked in your Layers menu so you can nudge the images into their proper place. If you make changes to your photos, don’t forget to resave them before closing.
Will this Action work in older versions of Photoshop Elements?
You can load and use Photoshop Actions in Elements versions 6-10, but loading them will look a bit different because you have to copy the Action into the Program Data files. I recommend a video from Paint The Moon that walks you through that process. Click on “Installing Photoshop Actions with Elements 6-10 PC” under the Installation Guides. https://paintthemoon.net/support/
Can the Actions be used with other templates from other designers?
No, the Larkindesign Print To Pocket Actions can only be used with the templates included in your download. They will not work with other templates because of the way the Actions are designed to work with the Layers in those templates.
Can my completed layout be printed as a 12×12 photo and then cut apart?
The template itself is not “print ready,” so I do not recommend printing the template layout as a full 12×12 print. The templates included in your download are specifically designed for use with the Print To Pocket Action so that you will have 4×6 photos. It is actually more expensive to order full 12×12 prints vs (6) 4×6 prints, and we have designed the Actions to work this way they can be printed using standard printers!
When I copy + paste my photo into the template, I don’t see it. Where did it go?
When you copy and paste photos or journal cards into the template, they will automatically land in the center of the layout. They will appear invisible because they are clipped to the last Layer you were on. If you click on the Move tool, the bounding box around your photo will show up. I recommend using the Nudge tool (the left, right, up and down arrows on your keyboard) until your photo becomes visible inside the clipping mask. You can also zoom in onto the rectangle you are wanting to clip your photo to, and then paste your photo into place to make it quicker to place photos and journal cards.