Photoshop smartobjects
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- erikjonsson
Ive been trying to research this on and off for a while but i keep comming up with crap tutorials for layer comps.
What i want to do is compose a smart object of constants in a web site psd comp. Like the header for example, or banner fpo:s etc. Then drag this smart object into multiple psds reflecting multiple states of the website. And when i update the PSB smart object in one of them. It should reflect onto multiple open psds.
Is this doable at all or can i just reflect psb changes to a smart object used multiple times inside ONE psd?
- Stugoo0
surley
if you make one psd,
say make the header, convert to smart object, then drag that into another psd.. then say edit the source it should have a knock on effect?needs a bit of reasearch though..
- erikjonsson0
that is what ive done so far. Only updates the psb in the psd i edited it from. Doesnt reflect over multiple psds. Seems like the psb gets copied into a new instance when i drag it into a separate psd : /
- this is in essence the same as "copy to create new smart object"version3
- flashbender0
I don't know if they changed it for cs4, but cs3 the smart object does not span multiple psds reliably
- Stugoo0
would be really sweet if it was possible save tons of work and fookin about.
sort of linking in page templates similar to inDesign... maybe there is a plugin or an upgrade in the post.
- johnnyklebitz0
i don't think smart objects work that way. placing a smart object into a file doesn't mean it's linked to an external file. it kind of becomes 'embedded'.
- erikjonsson0
well, as it gets instanced as an external .psb when you edit it.
which also can be saved as a .psb. It should link somehow.- It should, yes.
But it doesn't.harlequino - you need to manually update itrupedixon
- It should, yes.
- johnnyklebitz0
I just created 2 psds and placed the same eps in both. I edited the eps and when i went back to the docs in photoshop, nothing changed. the 'smart object' data gets 'embedded' in the file. notice how large the files get when you have several smart objects. all that data is in the file.
- i was editing the vector eps file in illustrator.johnnyklebitz
- letterhead0
I just discovered the 'duplicate layer' or 'duplicate group' feature in the layers pallet. That will copy and paste in place in another open document. I always do that now when I need to update a smart object in mutiple documents.
- alicetheblue0
Does this make sense???
"A Smart Object is an embedded file that appears in its own layer in Photoshop. A Smart Object layer is distinguished by an icon that overlays the thumbnail image displayed in the Layers palette.
Smart Objects are different from other layers because they are linked to a source file (e.g., an Illustrator file, JPEG, GIF or other Photoshop file). If you make changes to the source file, the Smart Object layer will also be updated with those changes.
- but you have to have the source file open at the same time I believe.mg33
- monospaced0
I place vector files as smart objects into Photoshop all the time, and when I edit them they update in every instance in every file they are placed. Same with smart Photoshop objects. Whatever you're doing, you're doing it wrong. I'm sorry I can't steer you in the right direction.
- just explain the process to us :Perikjonsson
- I place smart objects within multiple documents. That's the process.monospaced
- erikjonsson0
well monospaced the process for me begins with creating a bunch of layers and groups i photoshop, then i convert them to a smart object. they live inside the smart object and is still layered/grouped when i edit it.
its this object i want linked across multiple psds. Not an illustration i initiate externally
- dopepope0
erik... it is possible. I've done it a few times for a few different jobs. It's not as instant as it should be, a few steps involved but it saves a lot of work. it's been a while since I've done it but what I remember is that you open the source smart object, then save-as to a new folder (called smart objects or whatever) then in each document you wish to change simply highlight the smart object, (don't open it, just highlight) and then go to LAYER --> SMART OBJECTS --> REPLACE CONTENTS, then choose the source smart object. If any work is required over time on that source object, you just do it once and then repeat these steps to update thru out. shit will get wacky if you change canvas or image sizes tho so be careful.
- ESKEMA0
I think you can only achieve what you're after is the smart object is created externally and placed as smart object. otherwise it's just a "smart" layer.
- johnnyklebitz0
If you could link to external files there would be a links panel/palette.
- sixfngers0
you can do this
create psd1 and save
create psd2
under the file menu select place...
double click on the layer and it will open up the psd you placed
edit - save
changes reflected in new psdeasy
- erikjonsson0
dopedope that is sweet.
Not as simple as i would have liked it to be but it actually works.
- sixfngers0
once more.
you can do this
create psd1 and save
create psd2
under the file menu select place...
place psd1 into psd2 it shows up as a layer.
double click on the icon in the layer palette and it will open up the psd and you can edit however you want
edit - save
changes reflected in new psd
easy
- _rootlock0
sixfngers... this does not work. the changes are not reflected across all .psd's. Anyone have any other work arounds for this?
- version30
i've been using them in a comp of mine there are hundreds of them floating around a site walk through, they are slowing shit way down though while keeping my file size small