Running Photoshop actions inside of Elements is not always easy.  Here are some troubleshooting tips to get your actions up and running inside Adobe Photoshop Elements (PSE).

1. Before installing an action into Photoshop Elements, confirm with the action creator that it is compatible with your version of PSE. If you are purchasing a Photoshop action, remember to research and confirm that it works in Elements, as many do not, and usually actions are non-refundable.

2. Can’t find the folder for installing your actions?  Look back at your installation path – did you select Program DATA or Program FILES?  It’s program DATA that you need. If you need help installing actions for Elements, purchased from MCP Actions, you can contact erin@mcpactions.com for help. There is no charge for MCP Actions customers, but there is a small fee from Texas Chicks Blogs and Pics if you need help getting other actions installed.

3. Do you get messages like this?

• Could not complete your request because the file is not compatible with this version of Photoshop.
• Could not complete your request because there is not enough memory (RAM).
• Your action is not installed correctly.  Review the installation instructions, which are specific to the action, your operating system and your version of PSE.

4. Do you see this error message?

If you get this message, run your actions on a flattened image whose only layer is named background.  To flatten an image, right click on your layers palette and select Flatten Image.  Double click on the layer name to rename it to Background, if it’s not already.

5. The action ran perfectly but nothing happened?  Look for a layer mask that is completely black.  You need to paint in white on the areas of the mask where you want the effect to show through.  Or, with the layer mask active (see #6), go to the Edit Menu and select Fill, choosing white as the color, to reveal the effect over 100% of your image.

6. Nothing changes when you paint on your layer mask?  Make sure the layer mask is active for painting – it should have a white outline around it.

7. Your layer mask is active and still nothing changes when you paint on it?  Check the opacity and blend mode of your brush.  The blend mode usually should be normal.  The opacity of the brush will determine the strength of the effect you are hiding or revealing.

8. Make sure that your foreground color is the one you need.  Remember that white reveals and black conceals.  Press X to switch between black and white.

9. Can’t figure out exactly where you’re painting on a layer mask?  Hit Alt+shift while clicking on the layer mask thumbnail to show the layer mask on your image.

10. Is the effect too strong or not strong enough?  Adjust the layer opacity.

11. Can’t get the edges of your layer mask perfect?  Zoom way in.

12. Remember to read the instructions that came with your download and the messages that pop up while the action runs. These are important to using the actions correctly and to getting great results.

13.  You’re absolutely certain that you’ve done everything right and things just aren’t working like they should?  Reset your Photoshop Elements preferences. Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift immediately after launching the Editor, but before it actually opens.  The timing is tricky here.  You will know you did it correctly because you will receive a message asking you to confirm that you are Deleting the Adobe Photoshop Elements Settings File.

14.  And the number one most important tip for running actions in Photoshop Elements? Never press Stop when you get a message asking you to Continue or Stop!  It will undo the entire action!

Remember if you are using MCP’s products, look for built in instructions as well as watch the Photoshop actions video tutorials. These are available on the product pages and also in the FAQ drop down area of my site.

Erin Peloquin, the guest writer for this article, can be found at Texas Chicks Blogs and Pics, where she documents her photography journey and caters to the Photoshop Elements crowd. Erin also is the MCP Elements Consultant.  If you have issues installing or using MCP’s actions in Elements, you can contact Erin at erin@mcpactions.com.

Because Photoshop actions are a series of recorded steps, they are cross platform (Mac/PC compatible). But just because they should work, does not mean they will. Many times, issues occur due to accidental user error. Other times Photoshop may disagree with the order in which you are working.  And occasionally an action is recorded with technical problems. Here are 14 common reasons that actions will give you issues or errors and how you can troubleshoot them:

1. 16 Bit vs 8 bit – at this time, many features of Photoshop are only available in 8-bit mode. If you shoot raw and you use LR or ACR, you may be exporting as 16-bit/32-bit files. You will need to convert to 8-bit if the action steps are unable to work in 16-bit/32-bit. In the top toolbar, go under IMAGE – MODE – and check off 8-bit
2. A layer mess – if you get an error message after running a few actions consecutively, or if you do manual editing and then run an action, occasionally the action gets confused and cannot perform correctly.  A quick way to test this is to make a snapshot (so you save where you are), flatten (Layer – Flatten), then run the action. If it works, you know that something you did prior is causing confusion.  You can work off a flattened or merged copy, or rework the order in which you are doing things.
3. If you get an error such as “The object layer background is not currently available” it may mean you have renamed your background layer. If the action calls upon the background, it cannot work without one. You will want to create a merged layer of your work up to this point, and then name it “Background” so that you can use the action.
4. The cover up – sometimes you will run actions back-to-back, or work manually and then play one. But nothing happens. Assuming layer masks are revealing, what could be wrong? Layer order likely is to blame. One example is with the Eye Doctor action that helps eyes sparkle. It needs the background layer to work.  If you or another process duplicated pixel layer and then you run the Eye Doctor, it will be covered up.  All the painting and masking in the world will not help until that pixel layer is turned off. In this situation, flattening or merging into a “Background” layer is advisable.
5. Layer masks – you may think an action did not work because nothing changed – but some need to be activated by using the layer mask. Learn how to use layer masks in this Photoshop video tutorial. Remember, unless indicated in the instructions, white reveals and black conceals. Also make sure the mask is selected that you wish to work on. It should have a thin outline around it. Also make sure when painting on a mask that your blend mode is set to “normal.”
6. Improper version – not all actions work in all version of Photoshop.  Check with the designer to find compatible versions. If purchasing, most makers do not allow for returns so pay special attention to the versions that are compatible. As an example, if one of my actions says it works in CS2, CS3 and CS4, that means it was tested in CS and prior and was not compatible.
7. Not reading directions. Many of my actions have pop up instructions. You will need to read these or your actions may not work properly.  A great example of that is Color Explosion from the Complete Workflow. There is a message asking you to paint on the photo with a white soft brush and then resume the action by clicking play.  If you do not do this, you cannot save your action as a a .jpg. I get many emails asking “why can’t I save my image as a .jpg?” I always know which they are using and why.  So remember to read the pop up messages, watch the photoshop video tutorials, and read the included instructions for best results.
8. Things just got messed up – if you ever want to alter an action, make a duplicate copy first.  Sometimes you may not even realize that you clicked record or deleted a step, etc. When these automated processes run, they do exactly what they are told.  The slightest altering can cause breakage. Your best bet is to delete the messed up one and re-install the original Photoshop action set (do this by the set).
9. Photoshop is missing something – this is rare, but I have seen situations where someone says an action will not work.  In order to operate effectively, the commands must be available. So for example, I had a customer who was missing certain filters, so when she used Texture Mix and Match from Frosted Memories vintage Photoshop actions, it gave her an error.  Once she worked with Adobe, she got the proper files that are included when you purchase Photoshop. Since actions can only do what exists, if your Photoshop program is missing components, you will need to call Adobe to locate these files. If you purchased from eBay or non-licensed vendors, you may have a bootleg copy and that could be why your program is incomplete.
10. Stopping at every step – occasionally a photographer may accidentally alter the action so that it stops at every step. Or it is possible the source you where you got the product recorded it that way. This is easily corrected by following these instructions.
11. Your preferences may be corrupt.  This usually does not happen with actions, but preferences can affect certain processes.  If your action calls upon a process that is messed up, it will not work.  Follow these directions to fix preference files.
12. Poorly written – if an action does not work, it may be a dud. In this case, delete it and move on.  If you paid for it, contact the vendor for support, as there may be additional reasons you are having trouble that are not listed above.
13. If you are making your own actions, remember not everything is recordable.  When you play it back, if it is not doing what you thought it would, you may have some steps that need to be done in a different way to get it to work properly.
14. If a particular action worked, and stopped working, it likely is one of the above reasons.  Actions do not just “stop working” unless they are altered. But they can give you trouble for some reasons mentioned above (like masks and layer order). If it worked at one time, and it was not altered, it should still work. Check things mentioned above and reload if it still is not working. If nothing works, contact the company you bought the action from and they should be able to help you. Before contacting them, make sure you have checked the most common problems. When possible and for quickest results, provide screen shots showing what issues you are having.

Remember if you are using MCP’s products, look for built in instructions as well as watch the Photoshop actions video tutorials.  These are available on the product pages and also in the FAQ drop down area of my site.

One frequently asked question I get is “what exactly are Photoshop actions and how can they help me as a photographer?”

While there isn’t a universal definition, at MCP, I define them in a few ways. Photoshop actions:

• Are a series of recorded steps by the designer to help a photographer achieve a look without having to manually apply each process.
• Allow photographers, at the click of a button, to enhance and enrich their photos in a fast and efficient way.
• Are shortcuts for photographers.  They speed up editing by automating processes.

Adobe identifies actions by using the extension “.atn.”  Once he .atn file is loaded in the actions palette, as shown in this video on installing and using actions, the user selects and expands the “folder.”  Then after highlighting the desired action from that folder, the user clicks play and the photo runs through the series of recorded steps.

How can actions can help photographers? What are the advantages of using them?

• Speeds up workflow
• Saves time
• Provides the user with expertise of the action maker
• Achieves more consistent results by using the same actions on images
• Get a variety of looks by trying new actions
• Makes editing more fun
• They work cross platform, on both PC and Mac
• Customizable – tweak-able
• Easy to record your own steps once you have a good grasp on Photoshop
• By looking inside the action, you can often learn how to do things yourself in Photoshop.

How can actions hurt a photographer?

• If poorly made, results may not enhance images.
• Photographers can use too large a variety and get inconsistent results.
• Photographers may go on a buying spree.  If you own too many, it can waste time, not knowing which to use when.
• A photographer may develop their style from a look created from actions. The look could be a fad or make their photos look like many other photographers.
• Photographers can get in a rut where they rely too heavily on them and not enjoy on manual tweaks.
• If not built with layers and masks, it is difficult to adjust and customize.
• If a photographer does not learn to control and customize the results after the action runs, by using opacity and masking, results can be poor.
• If a photographer does not take the time to understand what the action is doing to the photo, they will not have full control over their photos.

Filters, plug-ins and scripts are often confused with actions. Filters and plug-ins are actually programs that run inside of Photoshop.  The are capable of certain things Photoshop isn’t since they are “mini” programs.  You can record an action to run a filter or plug-in in many situations, but you cannot always make an action that accomplishes what a plug in does.  With actions you are limited to Photoshop’s capabilities and what is recordable as an action. Scripts are often a more powerful version of actions, but they can be more temperamental between versions of Photoshop, and require different creation skills.

Hopefully this overview helps you better understand the good and bad of actions and how they can help you as a photographer.

Here are links to some Photoshop actions to get you started:

Free Photoshop actions

Automate how you prepare and presents photos on the web

Enhance your photos, pop colors, convert to black and white and establish a workflow

Retouch your images by smoothing skin, making colors more pleasing and helping eyes sparkle

Present your photos in storyboards and collages

How do you feel Photoshop actions help or hurt you as a photographer?  Please add your comments below.