4 Replies Latest reply: Aug 11, 2011 4:22 PM by nefl777 RSS

    Will photoshop elements work with Encore or do I have to have the full Photoshop

    nefl777 Community Member

      hi there,

      I'm using Premier Pro and Encore Cs5.5. I do not create fancy menu's. At the most, I put a photo or two on a background of color and some text.

       

      My work is on my Mac.   I have photoshop elements on a windows PC in another room. I've been going between the two machines using photoshop elements on the PC to create the menu's and then sending them over to the mac for Encore use.  Obviously, this is not optimal and I expect the PC to die any day now. Therefore, I thought I would buy Photoshop ELements for my Mac.

       

      So, my question is "will photoshop elements" work ok on my Mac with Encore? Or, do I have to get the full blown Photoshop ? Advice?

       

      thanks everyone !

        • 1. Re: Will photoshop elements work with Encore or do I have to have the full Photoshop
          Bill Hunt CommunityMVP

          For what you are doing, PSElements for Mac, should be fine.

           

          Unless it has changed recently, when working with Menus in PSE, was the inability to CREATE a Button Layer Set. You can edit them, just not create one. If you are just modifying the Library Menus, and Buttons, there should not be an issue

           

          Now, I believe that you will still not have the full functionality of Encore and PS, where you have the option to "Edit in Photoshop," right from Encore. What this does is create a TMP file, for the Menu, that is linked back to Encore, then launches PS, and Opens that linked TMP in PS, and when editing is done, one only has to Save in PS, and those changes follow the link back to update the Menu in En. You will have a slightly different workflow, where you would launch PSE, Open the Menu and edit it, then I would do a Save_As, so as to not overwrite the original, then in En, Delete that original, and Import the Save_As file as a Menu, and use that. It would be easiest to do all of the Menu editing in PSE first, then Import those as Menus into En, and just use them, as you would a Library Menu. Remember, you need to start off with a Menu, so that you have the Button Layer Sets, as you cannot create those. A bit different workflow, and not quite as convenient as Edit in Photoshop. As I do not have PSElements to test with, check me out that Encore will not link up to PSE and offer "Edit in Photoshop Elements," but it is my understanding that it will not. I just cannot verify. Also, check the latest version of PSE (you should be able to do this on the PC, while it runs) can now create the Buttons' Layer Sets. PSE 8 could not, and I do not believe that that function has been added to PSE 9.

           

          Good luck, and with those exceptions, PSE 9 for the Mac should be just fine. You might want to wait a month, or so, as PSE 10 and PrE 10 should be released around the end of Sept., or the beginning of Oct., if history holds true. Do not know what will be in PSE 10, but maybe Layer Set creation?

           

          Hunt

          • 2. Re: Will photoshop elements work with Encore or do I have to have the full Photoshop
            nefl777 Community Member

            Hi Bill,

            Thanks SO much for your very helpful answer. I think you are right.

             

            Given that I won't be doing anything out of the ordinary, Photoshop elements will be sufficient, even tho I won't be able to hit the "edit in photoshop" option inside Encore.

             

            I just now did a test creating a menu, adding a few buttons, and then saving as a template. It created a PSD file. I brought it over to the other windows PC, edited it in Photoshop elements there, (adding a photo to the menu), and sucessfully brought it back to my Mac and Encore by importing as Menu.

             

            There were 2 things that happened. It brought in the menu by the original name so now I had two of the same name, and It erased the "actions" of the two buttons I had added.

             

            So the lesson is - make sure you rename the menu before you bring it in or be prepared to be confused.. and.. don't add your buttons first, add them after the edit with PE.

             

            Thanks again!

            • 3. Re: Will photoshop elements work with Encore or do I have to have the full Photoshop
              Stan Jones CommunityMVP

              Also, you can do most menu edits in Encore.

               

              http://help.adobe.com/en_US/encore/cs/using/WSbaf9cd7d26a2eabfe807401038582db29-7f78a.html

               

              I think if I had to use your workflow, I'd do more edits in Encore - with the "edit in photoshop," I love that. But not if I had to export, transfer, edit, transfer, import.

              • 4. Re: Will photoshop elements work with Encore or do I have to have the full Photoshop
                nefl777 Community Member

                I know what you mean, Stan. It sounds like a big ordeal. I think "for now" it will work.

                 

                (It certainly doesn't work if I have to go into the next room and use a windows pc that is barely hobbling along on low memory and horsepower!)

                 

                thanks for the pointer to the Menu how-to page. !