Install Plugins
  Suitable for Adobe Photoshop CS CS2 & CS3
Skill Level - Intermediate

Plugins are excellent extras for Adobe Photoshop, allowing users to further explore and enjoy their software, this lesson demonstrates how to install plugins and how to direct Photoshop to another image editing program enabling you to share its plugins (with for example, Paint Shop Pro). 

Tip
Close Photoshop prior to installing your plugins.

Note
Plugins can only be applied to Raster Layers; therefore, to apply them to Vector objects such as Type, or Custom Shapes you must first convert your Type, or Shape, to a Raster Layer - this is known as Rasterising the layer. To do this, from the top menu choose Layers then choose Rasterise - or reply OK to Rasterise Layer? on-screen prompts.

Unzipping zipped files
Unzipping software Win zip
Utilising plugins from another programme
Creating a new plugin folder
Installing Plugin Commander Light
Installing plugins with Installation Shields - Harry’s Filters
Installing plugins by Copying and Pasting and DLL files

Installing (and unzipping) plugins from the Desktop
In accordance with your Windows operating system and internet browser, download your plugin to Windows Desktop - you will find it is either zipped or unzipped - as shown below.

To unzip a (zipped) plugin, navigate to your Desktop, and double left-click the file.

My Unzipping Files tutorial Here explains how to unzip your plugin. Remember, when you click Browse and are asked to Select a folder to extract files to, you need to navigate to and left-click My Computer. Then navigate to and left-click your (C:)
drive, then navigate to and left-click Program Files, then navigate to and left-click Adobe, then left-click your version of Photoshop. Finally, scroll down and navigate to the Plugins folder, this is when you click OK to unzip the files. Once the (visual) unzipping process has completed, they will be installed into Photoshop’s Plugins folder. Note: to save disc space - you can delete the zipped file (from Windows Desktop); it is good practise to burn it to a CD first. 

Plugins without Installation Shields - copy and paste method

Sometimes plugins do not include Installation Shields, such as the following Eliminate White and SinedotsII filters.

                         

These types of plugins (and all files that are supplied with it) are transferred to the Plugins folder by the Copying and Pasting method; therefore, locate your files (from the Desktop), right-click them, then left-click Copy (from the subsequent drop-down menu).

Tip
If you have more than one file to transfer - to highlight all - hold down the Ctrl key of the keyboard), and carefully left-click (once) to highlight each file.



Your plugin (s) have been copied to Windows Clipboard, and you need to navigate to Photoshop’s Plugins folder (from the Start menu) in exactly the same way as described in the following Making a New Plugin folder Here. Note: you are looking to Paste the plugin file into Photoshop’s Plugins folder; therefore, when you reach the Plugins
folder, right-click it and from the drop-down menu, choose Paste. When you have done this, it is ready to apply.

Installing Dll files 
Sometimes Dll files are required to enable plugins to work correctly - you place those files into Photoshop’s Plugins folder; therefore, copy and paste the Dll files into the folder as described Here.

Plugin Commander Light - may not be required; e-mail address required.
MSVCRCT10 (91.9KB)
Plugin (15.6 KB)

Installing Plugin Commander Light
When you have downloaded Plugin Commander Light to your Desktop, left-click the file and select Install, then select Agree and when the installation process begins, you will be prompted to choose an installation destination. Navigate (and install it) into Photoshop’s Plugins folder, as described Here.

Installing Harry’s Filters 3 

To download Harry’s Filters Link Here (you need a valid e-mail address), they are a good starting point, and are free. To install them, left-click the Harry’s Filters download, and you will see the Harry’s Filters Set-up dialogue box, click Install. You will be prompted to choose a Destination Folder, click OK to the licence agreement, then click Browse and navigate to Photoshop’s Plugins folder as described Here, when you reach the folder, click Install and the installation process will begin. Upon completion, open Photoshop and navigate to the Effects tab (from the top menu) and locate your new plugin.

Note
It is important not to click the Move tab (at the bottom of the Move Items dialogue box, below), until it is time to do so.

Making a new Plugins folder
If you would like to file your plugins in separate folders - or you find you have no Plugin folder to begin with - to create one, click the Start button.

Note
To see the same yellow folders as displayed below, (from the top menu of My Computer) click the tiny black triangle, and from the drop-down menu, ensure there is a tick next to Icons.

Now left-click My Computer.

And locate and double left-click Boot (C:).

Then locate and double left-click Program Files.

And double left-click Adobe.

Now locate and double left-click your Photoshop version.

And you will see Photoshop’s folders, (on the right-side) - now from the left-side menu, click Make a New Folder. 

And in the new folder.

Click and clear the text and enter a unique name.  .

Then press the Enter key - from the keyboard.

Your new folder is complete and ready to utilise.

Utilising Plugins from another programme - for example Paint Shop Pro Open Adobe Photoshop, then from the top menu, choose Edit then Preferences then choose Plugins and Scratch Discs, and you will see the following dialogue box link Here to see it - click and choose Plugins Scratch Disks, as shown below.
 

Place a tick in the Additional Plugins folder tick box.

Then click the following Choose tab.

Then choose OK. Now, Adobe Photoshop is able share Paint Shop Pro’s plugins.

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