Using external automation lets you perform such tasks as:

•Having another scriptable application generate a series of files, and having Photoshop batch-process them.

•Having Photoshop batch-process files and save them to your Web site.

•Writing a script that runs an action and then shuts down your computer late at night after you’ve gone home.

If you have further questions about OLE, contact Microsoft Corporation. For questions about AppleScript, see your Mac OS documentation or contact Apple Computer.

Creating templates for data-driven graphics (ImageReady)

Templates for data-driven graphics streamline how designers and developers work together in high-volume publishing environments.

About data-driven graphics

Data-driven graphics make it possible to produce multiple versions of an image quickly and accurately. Let’s say, for example, that you need to produce 500 different Web banners based on the same template. In the past, you had to manually populate the template with data (images, text, and so on).With data-driven graphics, you can use a script referencing a database to generate the Web banners for you.

You can turn any image into a template for data-driven graphics by defining variables for layers in the image. In addition, you can create different sets of variable data to view what your template will look like when it is rendered.

Using variables

You use variables to define which elements in a template are dynamic (changeable). A variable’s type corresponds to the type of data you want to change in a template. Visibility variables let you show or hide the content of a layer. Pixel Replacement variables let you replace the pixels in the layer with pixels from another image file. Text Replacement variables let you replace a string of text in a type layer.

A

B

C

A

B

C

Two versions of a Web image based on the same template:

A. Visibility variable B. Pixel Replacement variable C. Text Replacement variable

To define variables:

1 In the Layers palette, select a layer for which you want to define variables.

Note: You cannot define variables for the Background layer.

2Choose Image > Variables > Define, or choose Variables from the Layers palette menu.

3Select one or more types of variables:

•Visibility to show or hide the content of the layer.

•Pixel Replacement to replace the pixels in the layer with pixels from another image file.

Note: You specify the replacement image when you define a data set. (See “Using data sets” on page 503.)

• Text Replacement to replace a string of text in a type layer.

4If desired, enter names for the variables. Variable names must begin with a letter, underscore, or colon and cannot contain spaces or special characters (except for periods, hyphens, underscores, and colons).

5For Pixel Replacement variables, click Pixel Replacement Options, and do the following:

•Choose a method for scaling the replacement image: Fit to scale the image to fit within the bounding box (which may leave parts of the bounding box empty); Fill to scale the image to entirely fill the bounding box (which may cause the image to extend beyond the bounding box); As Is to not scale the image; Conform to scale the image nonproportionally to fit within the bounding box.

•Click a handle on the alignment icon to choose an alignment for placing the image inside the bounding box.

•Select Clip to Bounding Box to clip areas of the image that do not fit within the bounding box. This option is only available when the Fill replacement method or As Is replacement method is selected.

6To define variables for an additional layer, choose a layer from the Layer pop-up menu. Repeat Steps 3 through 5.

7Click OK.

To rename a variable:

1Choose Image > Variables > Define, or choose Variables from the Layers palette menu.

2Choose the layer which contains the variable from the Layer pop-up menu.

3Enter a name in the Name text box. Variable names must begin with a letter, underscore, or colon and cannot contain spaces or special characters (except for periods, hyphens, underscores, and colons).

Note: If you are using data sets and want to rename a variable globally (in all layers), change the name in the Data Sets section of the Variable dialog box. (See “Using data sets” on page 503.)

To remove variables:

1Choose Image > Variables > Define, or choose Variables from the Layers palette menu.

2Choose a layer from the Layer pop-up menu.

3Deselect one or more variables.

4Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to remove variables from additional layers, then click OK.

Using data sets

A data set is a collection of variables and associated data. You can switch between data sets to upload different data into your template.

To edit the default data set:

1 Do one of the following:

•Choose Image > Variables > Data Sets.

•If the Variables dialog box is open, choose Data Sets from the pop-up menu at the top of the dialog box, or click Next.

•Choose Variables from the Layers palette menu. Then choose Data Sets from the

pop-up menu at the top of the dialog box, or click Next.

Note: You must define at least one variable before you can edit the default data set.

2Select a variable from the Name pop-up menu or the list at the bottom of the dialog box.

3Edit the variable data:

•For Visibility variables , select Visible to show the layer’s content or Invisible to hide the layer’s content.

•For Pixel Replacement variables , click Browse (Windows) or Choose (Mac OS) and select a replacement image file.

•For Text Replacement variables , enter a text string in the Value text box.

4Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for every variable in the template.

5Do one of the following:

•Click the Save Data Set button .

•Click OK.

To create a new data set:

1Click the New Data Set button .

2Edit the variable data, and click the Save Data Set button.

To rename a data set:

Enter a name in the Data Set text box.

To select a data set:

Do one of the following:

•Choose a data set from the Data Set pop-up menu.

•Click the Previous Data Set button to select the previous set in the list.

•Click the Next Data Set button to select the next set in the list.

To change the data in a data set:

Select the data set you want to modify, edit the variable data, and click the Save Data Set button.

To delete a data set:

Select the data set you want to delete, and click the Trash button .

Previewing data-driven graphics

Preview Document mode lets you preview how a template will look when it is rendered using different sets of data.

To enable or disable Preview Document mode:

Do one of the following:

•Choose Image > Preview Document. A check mark appears next to the command when Preview Document mode is enabled.

•Click the Preview Document button in the tool box.

To preview data-driven graphics:

1Enable Preview Document mode.

2In the options bar, choose a data set from the Data Set pop-up menu, click the Previous Data Set button , or click the Next Data Set button .

The data changes in the document window.

Saving templates for use with other Adobe products

You can save a template in PSD format for use with other Adobe products, such as Adobe AlterCast (available only in English) and Adobe GoLive 6.0. For example, a GoLive user can place a PSD template in a page layout, bind its variables to a database using dynamic links, and then use AlterCast to generate iterations of the artwork. Likewise, a developer working with AlterCast can bind the variables in the PSD file directly to a database or another data source.

For more information on using PSD templates to create data-driven graphics, see the

Adobe GoLive User Guide, GoLive online Help, and the Adobe AlterCast Developer Guide.