4 Replies Latest reply: Dec 13, 2009 9:36 AM by Shan-Dysigns RSS

    Custom Preset - New Document Size With Guides

    Shan-Dysigns Community Member

      Is there a way one can create a custom "new document size preset" and include guides? I work with many different document sizes on a regular basis, and most everything I do is for print. Therefore, I use guides all the time to distinguish bleed area, print area, safe area, etc. As of now, I have created document templates with guides and have to navigate to a folder each time I want to create a new document using one of these templates. I could work better if I could simply choose NEW and have my preset document sizes available in the drop-dwon menus (with guides). I have used presets for video which contain guides, so I know it can be done.

        • 1. Re: Custom Preset - New Document Size With Guides
          Zeno Bokor CommunityMVP

          Just save out a normal .PSD file with your guides intact and then open that file instead of going to File->New. As long as you make sure that the first time you save the file you use File->Save As instead of File->Save you won't overwrite the original (you can also set the original to be Read-Only).

          • 2. Re: Custom Preset - New Document Size With Guides
            Shan-Dysigns Community Member
            Just save out a normal .PSD file with your guides intact and then open that file instead of going to File->New.

            Uh, that's what I'm currently doing - didn't you read my post?

             

            I was able to add custom entries into the "Default New Doc Sizes.txt" file and followed the parameters for adding guides (which is a percentage of either the width or height of the document). As convoluted as that method is, I've decided it's much, much easier to continue with my method. Adobe was not thinking too well when they were creating this document and/or how it functions. I understand requiring a % for guides when it comes to video sizes (because most video editing apps use safe margins in %), but why didn't Adobe think to simply allow the user to use a pixel number value for settings guides in that document? I mean, some of my values for where I wanted the guide spanned 8-9 decimal places. It would have been a lot easier to simply use:

             

            0 h 38 h 75 h 150 h 0 v 38 v 75 v 150 v (where 38px is for a bleed area, 75px is a 1/4" margin, and 150px is a 1/2" margin)

             

            instead of

             

            0 h 3.3471563 h 5.5687203 h 0 v 2.183153 v 3.6321483 v

             

            Adobe should invest a little more into focus groups. Sometimes I think they skip out on what could be the simplest of features.

            • 3. Re: Custom Preset - New Document Size With Guides
              Mylenium CommunityMVP
              but why didn't Adobe think to simply allow the user to use a pixel number value for settings guides in that document?

               

              Well, you can define any arbitrary DPI/PPI in PS, can you not, and to top it off pixels must not always be square?! Therefore it would make no sense to enter anything in absolute pixels. All calculations therefore must be based on a neutral realworld format and that is inch, points, milimeters, whatever...

               

              Mylenium

              • 4. Re: Custom Preset - New Document Size With Guides
                Shan-Dysigns Community Member
                Therefore it would make no sense to enter anything in absolute pixels.

                I think it would make total sense to be able to enter guide parameters in values of pixels (or any value for that matter - as long as it coincides with the pixel aspect ratio). One can specify the width/height unit for the document, so why shouldn't one also be able to specify a particular unit for setting guides (whether it be %, inches, etc.)?. I'm sure PS could handle that small calculation.

                 

                and to top it off pixels must not always be square?!

                Well that's obvious, but I don't understand why you brought this up. This value is changable in the new doc size file. For example, if the new doc size has a pixel aspect ratio of 1.0 (which is square pixels), then why shouldn't one be able to enter guide values in pixels?