Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
NOTE
Elements 13 is based on Photoshop CC (Creative Cloud), so CC add-ons are compatible
with it. Plug-ins and other goodies designed for older versions of Photoshop or Elements
usually work with newer versions, but not the other way around. For example, a brush
made for Photoshop CC works in Elements 13 but not in Elements 3. Also, remember that
Mac plug-ins don't work in Windows, and vice versa, but many plug-ins offer two ver-
sions, one for each operating system.
When downloading a plug-in, check with the developer to make sure it will work with
Elements 13, especially if it costs money. If you're using Windows 7 or 8, check the plug-
in's compatibility with them, as well. Mac folks, keep in mind that there's no way to run
Rosetta (the old system that let you run software written for PowerPC Macs) anymore, so
any plug-ins you buy need to be Intel-native. (This shift away from Rosetta doesn't have
any effect on actions, layer styles, shapes, brushes, and gradients—only plug-ins.) So
most plug-ins that are more than a few years old won't work with Elements 13.
With so many goodies available, it's easy to get overwhelmed trying to keep track of
everything you've added to Elements. Your best bet is to make backup copies of anything
you download so you'll have it if you ever need to reinstall Elements. Elements also includes
a Preset Manager (
Figure 19-3
) that can help you keep track of certain kinds of downloads.
To launch it, in the Editor, go to Edit→Preset Manager.
NOTE
If you download actions, check to be sure that they're compatible with Elements 13. It's
safest to use actions written specifically for Elements, but actions for Photoshop will
work as long as they don't include steps Elements doesn't understand. (Incidentally, many
of the add-on tools you can download are based on actions.)
