Alpha+Comp (Robin Soujourner's site) CS3 plugin

I recently switched from CS2 to CS3 and when I attempted to port my Flaming Pear plugins over (thanks to Robin's website), they didn't work. CS3 refuses to recognize them, and Flaming Pear doesn't appear to have a CS3 updated plugin. If they do, I must have missed it.

Can someone point me towards a new CS3 compatible set of Alpha Actions? I really need Alpha+Comp, because that aides me in the "transitional" shading I have on a few pieces. Thanks.


--edit-- Actually it appears that the actions were Robin's set, but I could still use in a CS3 format.

Hi Tenshi. I haven't tried every last filter in Flaming Pear's freebies package to see if any don't work under CS3, but I'm pretty sure they all do. In any case, the only one used by Robin's action set is Solidify, which I know for a fact does work with CS3.

If it's not working for you, did you perhaps not install the package properly? The correct location to put the Freebies folder, if your Photoshop installation is standard (in Windows), is inside your C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Plug-Ins folder. If you're on a Mac, then I'm not sure what the full path is, but you'll have a folder called Plug-Ins inside your main Photoshop install folder, wherever that may be. You want the Freebies folder you downloaded from Flaming Pear to be inside that Plug-Ins folder.

Just make sure Photoshop is not running, by the way, when you put it there. You don't want to make changes to the directory structure while the program is running, or it could crash. Shut the program down, put the folder in the right place, and then start it up again.

Once the package is properly installed, you'll find a heading for Flaming Pear on your Filters menu. The three Solidify filters will be in there, along with about 20 other things.

As for the action set itself, I just tested now (I don't normally use it), and it works just fine. She's actually got it set up very well, actually. I'm impressed. There are a lot of options in there. She's got pretty much all the possible bases covered.

Yeah, I moved it into the correct folder with Photoshop off, but when I pop open my "actions" menu in Photoshop, I don't see it. :\ That leads me to assume that it just isn't working.

I'll try again though! Thanks!

What is it you don't see, the Flaming Pear heading on your Filters menu, or the action on your Actions palette? If it's the former, the only explanation is that you've got the folder in the wrong place. If it's the latter, then all you need to do is open the action set. I'll explain how.

1. In your Actions palette, click on the icon at the upper right hand corner that looks like a small triangle with three horizontal lines next to it. Every palette in Photoshop has one of these. Clicking it will open the palette's menu.

2. In the Actions palette menu, where it says on Load Actions

3. Navigate to wherever you've got Robin's .atn file stored, and click Load.

4. You'll now see a folder in your Actions palette called "Make Alphas w FPear". Double click that folder to see its contents. All the actions will be there.

Happy texturing.

I think I might love you.