The New 960 Page "Adobe Photoshop CC Help" Book is a Free Download

[Brian Stoppee]

Need Adobe’s “Help”? We’re referring to the user manuals, which Adobe calls “Help.” Adobe had been frequently updating these as PDF books.

This week, Adobe has started to release the first set of CC books since June 2016 (they’re free downloads):

* Adobe Illustrator CC Help (639 pages): http://helpx.adobe.com/pdf/illustrator_reference.pdf

* Adobe InDesign CC Help (657 pages): http://helpx.adobe.com/pdf/indesign_reference.pdf

* Adobe Photoshop CC Help (960 pages): http://helpx.adobe.com/pdf/photoshop_reference.pdf

They’re promising more of these books, next month, to create a complete library for the family of apps, which come with the full CC subscription.

Some of us remember when printed books came with the apps when they were sold in boxes with DVDs or floppy disks.

But, why do we need user manuals in a digital age? Can’t you just get this stuff online? We have not tested every topic in the books, but historically, the books were a compilation of what you can search for on Adobe’s Support site: http://helpx.adobe.com. For many of us in ongoing higher education, books are a far more effective than topics online. The power of Adobe Acrobat allows us to electronically mark-up these electronic PDF documents, so they become something like a physical workbook. Acrobat DC’s editing power allows users to add digital sticky notes, do marker highlighting, scribble notes, etc. on computers and mobile devices.

These books offer a great essential resource to corporate and governmental subscribers, who are surrounded by deep security, in an environment where Internet access is not provided.

As big as those books are, we know of people who have them printed. These books are that important. For wise people studying for certification exams, they study these books cover to cover. They’re indispensable references for consultants, authors, and presenters, too. These books are Adobe’s official word on the use of their apps.

So, thank you, Adobe. We hope other of the key media technology product suppliers will take notice and follow your lead.

[Steve Werner]

Great idea to post this here! Thanks!

[Brian Stoppee]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Steve+Werner  wrote

Great idea to post this here! Thanks!

Please begin to share that link with people in the U2U forums.

Here in Photoshop U2U, we have to realize that some new Photography subscribers may be used to opening a smartphone box and seeing a Get Started booklet and that's all the instruction they get.

For some of these subscribers, this is their first comprehensive user manual/

[Jeff Arola]

Yes, it's so good to finally have an updated pdf help file.

That online help is not so easy to find the subject one is looking for.

It's much easier to navigate to the relevant info in the pdf.

[Brian Stoppee]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Jeff+Arola  wrote

That online help is not so easy to find the subject one is looking for.

It's much easier to navigate to the relevant info in the pdf.

I see where one online web page works in some cases. If someone wants to import a brush and can't find where to do that, I see how a web page helps them to find the one answer they need and they're good to go.

However, if they are struggling to jump from Corel Paint to painting in Photoshop, they probably should review all of Chapter 13 in the Help book.

Does that make sense?

[Brian Stoppee]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Jeff+Arola  wrote

Yes, it's so good to finally have an updated pdf help file.

That online help is not so easy to find the subject one is looking for.

This point got me thinking (thank you).

When Janet & I use the PDFs, we use the power of Acrobat DC. It's a great way to make notations with Comments, Highlighting, etc.

For many CC subscribers, they have the full suite of apps. For some Photoshop users, they're enjoying the Photography subscription (a super deal). But, it doesn't come with Acrobat. Is it  safe bet that most of the Photography subscribers have the free Acrobat Reader?

[Steve Werner]

Another tip (the main way I use it). Use the Advanced Search feature in Adobe Reader or Acrobat (Edit > Advanced Search). Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + F. Enter what you're searching for. It will quickly give you a list of all instances of the search term throughout the document.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Thanks for the heads-up!

It started to look like the Help-pdfs would not get updated anymore …

[Brian Stoppee]

c.pfaffenbichler  wrote

Thanks for the heads-up!

It started to look like the Help-pdfs would not get updated anymore …

Many of us had that concern.

I thank our fellow Adobe Community Professionals who joined me in stay on top of Adobe since November 2016 to ask over and over as to when we'd get updates.

The production process is fascinating how FrameMaker has been the resource for these things going back to forever. Apparently Adobe had to do some retooling in the department which does these things. Now, they need to get these translated into many languages as well as complete the rest of the library.