PDF (adobe.com)

Work with the Preset Manager



    About the Preset Manager

    The Preset Manager lets you manage the libraries of preset brushes, swatches, gradients, styles, patterns, contours, custom shapes, and preset tools that come with Photoshop. For example, you can use the Preset Manager to change the current set of preset items or create new libraries. After you load a library in the Preset Manager, you can access the library’s items in locations such as the options bar, panels, dialog boxes, and so on.

    In general, when you change a preset, Photoshop prompts you to save the changes as a new preset so that both the original and changed preset remain available.

    Each type of library has its own file extension and default folder. Preset files are installed on your computer inside the Presets folder in the Adobe Photoshop CS4 application folder.

    To open the Preset Manager, choose Edit > Preset Manager. Choose an option from the Preset Type menu to switch to a specific preset type.

    You can adjust the configuration of presets by clicking the panel menu button and choosing a display mode from the top section of the menu:

    Text Only
    Displays the name of each preset item.

    Small Thumbnail or Large Thumbnail
    Displays a thumbnail of each preset item.

    Small List or Large List
    Displays the name and thumbnail of each preset item.

    Stroke Thumbnail
    Displays a sample brush stroke and brush thumbnail of each brush preset. (This option is available for brush presets only.)

    To rearrange the list of items, drag an item up or down in the list.

    Rearranging tool presets in the Preset Manager

    Note: To delete a preset in the Preset Manager, select the preset and click Delete. You can always use the Reset command to restore the default items in a library.

    Load a library of preset items

     Do one of the following:

    • Click the triangle to the right of the Preset Type pop‑up menu and then choose a library file from the bottom of the panel menu. Click OK to replace the current list, or click Append to add the current list.

    • To add a library to the current list, click Load, select the library file you want to add, and click Load.

    • To replace the current list with a different library, choose Replace [Preset Type] from the panel menu. Select the library file you want to use, and click Load.

    Note: Each type of library has its own file extension and default folder.

    Manage preset items

    You can rename or delete preset items, as well as create or restore libraries of presets.

    Rename preset items

    1. Select a preset item. Shift-click to select multiple items.
    2. Do one of the following:

      • Click Rename, and then enter a new name for the brush, swatch, and so on.

      • If the Preset Manager currently displays presets as thumbnails, double-click a preset, enter a new name, and click OK.

      • If the Preset Manager currently displays presets as a list or text only, double-click a preset, enter a new name inline, and press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac OS).

    Delete preset items

     Do one of the following:

    • Select a preset item, and click Delete.

    • Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the items you want to delete.

    Create a new library of presets

    1. Do one of the following:

      • To save all the presets in the list as a library, make sure that all items are selected.

      • To save a subset of the current list as a library, hold down Shift, and select the items you want to save.

    2. Click Save Set, choose a location for the library, enter a file name, and click Save.

      You can save the library anywhere. However, if you place the library file in the appropriate Presets folder in the default preset location, the library name will appear at the bottom of the panel menu after you restart Photoshop.

    Restore the default library of preset items

     Choose Reset from the panel menu. You can either replace the current list or append the default library to the current list.

    Default preset locations

    1. The default location for saving/loading/replacing presets depends on your operating system.

      • Mac: <User>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS4/Presets.

      • Windows XP: [Drive]:\Document and Settings\<user>\Application Data\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS4\Presets.

      • Windows Vista: [Drive]:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS4\Presets.

    2. Presets that ship with Adobe Photoshop CS4 are stored in the Photoshop program folder.

    Displaying Hidden Files in Windows

    The default locations for saving/loading/replacing presets are hidden by default in Windows.

    1. To display hidden files in Windows XP:
      1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Folder Options.
      2. In the View tab, under Hidden files and folders, select Show hidden files and folders.
      3. Click OK.
    2. To display hidden files in Windows Vista:
      1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Folder Options.
      2. In the View tab, under Hidden files and folders, select Show hidden files and folders.
      3. Click OK.