Placing Photoshop images in other applications (Photoshop)

2In the Paths palette, save the work path as a path. For more information, see “Managing paths (Photoshop)” on page 217.

3Choose Clipping Path from the Paths palette menu, set the following options, and

click OK:

•For Path, choose the path you want to save.

•For Flatness, leave the flatness value blank to print the image using the printer’s default value. If you experience printing errors, enter a flatness value to determine how the PostScript interpreter approximates the curve. The lower the flatness value, the greater is the number of straight lines used to draw the curve and the more accurate the curve.

Values can range from 0.2 to 100. In general, a flatness setting from 8 to 10 is recommended for high-resolution printing (1200 dpi to 2400 dpi), a setting from 1 to 3 for lowresolution printing (300 dpi to 600 dpi).

4If you plan to print the file using process colors, convert the file to CMYK mode. For more information, see “Converting between color modes (Photoshop)” on page 94.

5Save the file:

•To print the file using a PostScript printer, save in Photoshop EPS, DCS, or PDF format.

•To print the file using a non-PostScript printer, save in TIFF format and export to Adobe InDesign or to Adobe PageMaker® 5.0 or later.

Note: If you import an EPS or DCS file with a TIFF preview into Adobe Illustrator, the image clipping path transparency may not display properly. This affects the on-screen preview only; it does not affect the printing behavior of the image clipping path on a PostScript printer.

Printing image clipping paths

Sometimes an imagesetter has difficulty interpreting image clipping paths, or a printer finds the image clipping path too complex to print, resulting in a Limitcheck error or a general PostScript error. Sometimes you can print a complex path on a low-resolution printer without difficulty but run into problems when printing the same path on a highresolution printer. This is because the lower-resolution printer simplifies the path, using fewer line segments to describe curves than does the high-resolution printer.

You can simplify an image clipping path in the following ways:

•Manually reduce the number of anchor points on the path. (See “Adding, deleting, and converting anchor points” on page 216.)

•Increase the tolerance setting used to create the path. To do this, load the existing path as a selection, choose Make Work Path from the Paths palette menu, and increase the tolerance setting (4 to 6 pixels is a good starting value). Then recreate the image clipping path. For more information, see “Converting between paths and selection borders (Photoshop)” on page 218 and “Using image clipping paths to create trans- parency” on page 466.

Exporting paths to Adobe Illustrator

The Paths to Illustrator command lets you export Photoshop paths as Adobe Illustrator files. This makes it easier to work with combined Photoshop and Illustrator artwork or to use Photoshop features on Illustrator artwork. For example, you may want to export a pen tool path and stroke it to use as a trap with a Photoshop clipping path you are printing in Illustrator. You can also use this feature to align Illustrator text or objects with Photoshop paths.

To use the Paths to Illustrator command:

1Draw and save a path or convert an existing selection into a path.

2Choose File > Export > Paths to Illustrator.

3Choose a location for the exported path, and enter a filename.

4Click Save.

5Open the path in Adobe Illustrator as a new file. You can now manipulate the path or use the path to align Illustrator objects.

Note that the crop marks in Adobe Illustrator reflect the dimensions of the Adobe Photoshop image. The position of the path within the Photoshop image is maintained, provided you don’t change the crop marks or move the path.

Object linking and embedding (OLE) (Windows only)

Photoshop is an OLE 2.0 server, which means it supports embedding or linking an image in an OLE container application (usually a word-processor or page-layout program). For example, you can insert Photoshop files and selections into other OLE applications such as Adobe PageMaker and Microsoft Word using copy and paste or other methods.

•Linking lets you place a link in the OLE container file that refers to the Photoshop file on the hard drive.

•Embedding lets you insert the Photoshop file into the OLE container file.

Once in the container application, an image can be double-clicked for editing in Photoshop. When closed in Photoshop, the image is updated in the container application.

To link or embed a selection or image in an OLE application:

Do one of the following:

•Copy a selection in Photoshop, and insert it in your OLE container application using the application’s Paste Special command. Refer to your word-processing or page-layout application documentation for more instructions. Pasted selections can only be embedded, not linked.

•Use your OLE container application’s Insert Object command to insert a new Photoshop image or existing Photoshop file as an OLE-embedded or OLE-linked object. Refer to your word-processing or page-layout application documentation for instructions.

To insert an unlinked screen-resolution bitmap into an OLE application:

With the move tool , use the left-mouse button to drag a selection to the OLE container application. When you drop the object, it appears as a 72-ppi bitmap, which cannot be automatically updated in Photoshop.

To modify and update a linked or embedded image in an OLE application:

1Double-click the linked or embedded image in your word-processor or page-layout application to launch Adobe Photoshop (if it is not already running), and open the image for editing.

2Modify the image as desired.

3Do one of the following:

•For embedded images, close the file, or choose File > Update or File > Close & Return to <application name>.

•For linked images, save and close the file.

Note: You can also modify linked files without first opening the container document. The linked image will be updated the next time you open the document in its OLE container application.