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Speed up your PhotoShopping using SpaceMonkey's templates with these PhotoShop Macros!!!

Edited to add: The file on this page didn't work as planned. Go down a few posts and you'll see one that should work for everyone, as well as instructions on how to use it.



Don't believe me? Let me explain. I just started using Photoshop yesterday, mind you.


I know that many computer programs have macros, which, in layman's terms, means the program will repeat actions that you do repeatedly. So, for instance, if you cropped your photos the same way every time, you could tell Photoshop to do that for you. How might you ask? It's quite simple really. You use Photoshop's "Actions" box. To view this, on the top bar click "Window" and then click actions. The Actions box will then open up.

Now, as many of you know, to use SpaceMonkey's template, you have to manually select the obverse and reverse of the coin, and then in the template do the same thing for the obverse and reverse holes (one at a time). You then have to "Paste Into" each hole the obverse and the reverse. Then you free transform till the pictures fit, and after you do that for the obverse and reverse, you still have to merge the layers, duplicate the resulting layer, flip it, overlay it, and move it. Then you delete the grey circle layers that show you where the coins go and put in text.

Sounds pretty time consuming, huh? Well, what if I told you you could instead do the following instead?

1) Select obverse and reverse of coins manually
2) Ctrl+C on obverse window to select coin obverse
3) Open Template and press F2 to paste obverse in left circle
4) Crtl+C on reverse, return to template and press F3, this will do the rest for you
5) Edit text and save file


Sounds a lot better than all that other work huh?

Well, all you have to do is download this file, start up Photoshop, open the actions box as stated above and in the menu in the actions window (The little down carrot below the x to close it) select "Load Actions" and open the above file. That should load the actions I created into your Photoshop. Then just follow steps 1-5 above. I went from 4 minutes a coin to 1 minute using this technique.


Enjoy!


-Paul



P.S. Here's an image I made in 59 seconds using this technique.

image

Comments

  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    I forgot to mention you must be using THIS specific template for it to work.




    -Paul
  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    Edited to add: See below post for new instructions and download link!




    -Paul
  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    Ok, here's the fix guys. Unfortunately with the last macros, they based the resizing of the images on percentages. Thus, the images would be either too small or too large to fit into the hole. Therefore, now you have to use these Actions like so:

    1) Ctrl+C Obverse, f2 on Template. This will "Paste into" the left circle, but you have to resize manually.
    2) Ctrl+C Reverse, f3 on Template. Then resize.
    3) Hit Ctrl+F4. This will do the rest.


    Here's the link...Sorry guys! Maybe one of you can help me figure out how to make the images resize to a certain size rather than resize based on percentages.

    Action Download


    Again, sorry it didn't work out but this will still save a lot of time, just not AS MUCH as it would have if it worked the way it should have....



    -Paul
  • fcloudfcloud Posts: 12,133 ✭✭✭✭
    That's cool, but I don't have Photoshop. I still use Microsoft Paint.

    President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay

  • RWBRWB Posts: 8,082
    Nice....but do you have a version for scissors and white glue?
  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭


    << <i>That's cool, but I don't have Photoshop. I still use Microsoft Paint. >>



    I used to use that too. Photoshop isn't really that hard once you get used to it. As of now each of these take me about 2 minutes even. That was compared to a minute when the first macro I used worked. Lol

    But it's still not that much more that Paint would take me...Maybe an extra 30 seconds a coin or so.




    -Paul
  • You guys without photoshop can look into GIMP. Same thing and free.
  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    Did anyone actually try this out yet and see if it also works for them?




    -Paul
  • icsoccericsoccer Posts: 1,339 ✭✭✭
    Kool!
    Successful BST transactions to date: Coindeuce, Cohodk, dantheman984, STONE, LeeG, jy8s, jkal, SeaEagleCoins, Hyperion, silverman68,Meltdown,RichieURich,savoyspecial,Barndog
  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Kool! >>



    Did you try it? It lets me work twice as fast. It completely automates the mirror image part of the editing, which is nice.




    -Paul
  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    Has anyone tried these yet? >.>



    -Paul
  • ElmerFusterpuckElmerFusterpuck Posts: 4,777 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have Photoshop 6.0 and GIMP, but wasn't able to make it work. In Photoshop, kept getting the message Template not available or Paste not available. Maybe it's just getting late, i'll try again tomorrow.
  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    It wasn't working because you had the wrong layer selected I think. Make sure you're on the right one. I'm using CS3, so idk if there's a difference.



    -Paul
  • Any new working link to those SpaceMonkey / Becoka templates? Instructions? As of Jun 22,2021 all links are broken. THANK YOU in advance for digging into this old thread and files/templates.

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,111 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @fcloud said:
    That's cool, but I don't have Photoshop. I still use Microsoft Paint.

    I just use MS Word, like this

    .
    not the best, but ok for me
    .

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb, Ricko

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • fcloudfcloud Posts: 12,133 ✭✭✭✭

    Wow that is a blast from the past...(Old website image done with paint)

    President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay

  • YQQYQQ Posts: 3,335 ✭✭✭✭✭

    even if it works, you still need to buy Photoshop! for$$$$$$$$$

    Today is the first day of the rest of my life
  • seanqseanq Posts: 8,722 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @YQQ said:
    even if it works, you still need to buy Photoshop! for$$$$$$$$$

    Adobe CS2 is now in the public domain and free to download. There is no longer any support or updates, but I've been using it for years with no issues.

    Sean Reynolds

    Incomplete planchets wanted, especially Lincoln Cents & type coins.

    "Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor

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