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ContentsRequirements and description 1About Actions 1About bonus PSD files 1How files are organized 2Load and run action 2Place images 3Adding Stroke 3Rasterize action 3Using PSD Templates 4Batch rename files in Adobe Bridge 4Open template and load Data Sets 4Customize exported files 5Amazing flexibility with PSD templates 5Customization Tips 5Troubleshooting tips 6Important note 6

Requirements and descriptionMinimum requirement to use Actions and PSD files included in Grid Layouts is Photoshop CS4. I tested all actions and PSD files on Photoshop CS4/5/6 but Variables exist in earlier versions of Photoshop so you can test on your own what is best and recommended method before purchasing. Download test action and template (Go to File > Download). Here is purchase link.

About ActionsGrid Layouts actions are extremely flexible and easy to use. All layouts are independent on size, resolution, bit depth or color mode so you can freely specify settings in New dialog at the beginning of every action without to worry if action will play sucessfuly. Page Layouts actions set contains total of 10 actions which will always divide document into equal 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, 6x6, 7x7, 8x8, 9x9, 10x10, 12x12 or 15x15 parts and create placeholders and Smart Object clipped to them. After template is created you can easily replace dummy Smart Object content using guided Replace images action. Last step in this process is to add stroke using actions included in set.

About bonus PSD filesBonus PSD files are also extremly flexible and easy to use. You can resize created layout to just any size and aspect ratio. All PSD layouts have variables attached to file so you do not need to deal with Variables and to learn how to create them. The real power with Variables is that you can create unlimited number of same layout with different images (up to 225) in a minutes. To use PSD templates you will need first to select and batch rename files you want to use in Adobe Bridge, it will take only a minute. All you have to do is to choose layout, resize it then to load Data Sets txt file which is also provided along with PSD files. After loading txt file you can export (with files provided in this package) 20 PSD files in chosen layout with up to 4500 images.

Lets say you have 4500 images on your hard drive and you want to arrange them in 15x15 grid layout which will require 20 different files. First step is to batch rename all files using Adobe Bridge. It is matter just to select files then to evoke Batch Rename command. After renaming files open 15x15 template PSD file and resize it to just any size. You can also change resolution, bit depth and color mode by the way. Since PSD files have defined variables you will need just to load Data Sets text files which are in the same folder with template. After previewing layouts with images and how all final files will be exported, you can add stroke between images in any desired width. Last step is to export 20 PSD files using File > Export > Data Sets as Files command. Done! You have 20 PSD files with 4500 different images arranged in 15x15 grids. It will literaly take 5-15 minutes. Number of images I have described is not limitation, you can extend Data Sets on your own and to process more images from once. Best of all you do not have to worry about images sizes, resolutions, bit depths because everything will be adjusted on the fly to fit or fill available space for image. Last thing I want to mention for this short description is that you have 27 different templates to choose with 3x3 to 15x15 grid layout (3x3, 3x4, 3x5, 4x4, 4x5...15x15).

2Buy Grid Layouts Actions and PSD Templates

How files are organizedAfter purchasing Grid Layouts you will need to download and unzip package. There are 3 subfolders inside Grid Layouts folder. Folder Actions contains Grid Layout actions for Photoshop. Folder Templates and Variables contains 27 PSD templates and 27 text files which you will use to

amazingly easy and quickly generate up to 20 PSD templates with at most 4500 images. Help folder is third sub-folder with Practice Template folder and PDF user guide which you are currently reading. Practice Template folder contains all necesarry files to follow instructions for PSD templates.

Load and run actionTo use actions you need first to load them in Photoshop. Start Photoshop then go to Window > Actions to display Actions panel. Click on Actions panel menu and choose Load Actions. Navigate to Grid Layouts > Actions folder. Select Grid Layouts.atn file then click Load button at the bottom of Load dialog.

After Loading actions in Photoshop expand Grid Layouts folder in Actions panel. You will see actions which creates base templates on top of stack: 15x15 Template, 12x12 Template... Run those actions to generate base template which you will populate with images or other files running action Place Images or Place without Transform. Difference is that Place Images action will allow you to transfrom and move images immediately after placing them. Numbers before word Template tells you how document or template will be divided and how many placeholders will be created—basically how many images you can place. For example 5x5 means that action will create 25 placeholders. When you run 5x5 Template action and specify 1000px for Width and 800px for Height, that means each of 25 placeholders will have 200px in Width (1000 divided with 5) and Height of 160px (800 divided with 5). In the middle of stack you have actions to add stroke between images and around entire document.

To run action first click on action name (15x15 Template for example) then click on Play button at the bottom of Actions panel. New dialog will appear on your screen. Specify settings in New dialog and confirm on OK button. Actions are extremly flexible so you can specify any settings just skip Bitmap from Color mode drop-down list. Wait a minute for Photoshop to do its part and create template.

Actions panel menu

Play button

Actions to create base template

Actions to add stroke

Actions to place images

New dialog which appears at the beginning of action

3 Buy Grid Layouts Actions and PSD Templates

Place imagesWhen base template is created you need to run action Place Images or Place Without Transfrom. Use Place Without Transform for images that are already sized to meet placeholders dimensions or in case you want quickly to choose images to populate template then later to scale them using free transform command. To run any of Place actions click on its name then click Play button in Actions panel. Place actions are universal and serves for every template in set. Basicaly action will open several or couple of hundreds Place dialogs (depend on created template) in which you must navigate to folder with image you want to place, select it then to click Place button at the bottom of Place dialog. With Place actions you will start populating placeholders from placeholder 1 which is always in top left corner of template. When you populate all image action will display message: The object “layer” image_xx”” is not currently available. Click Cancel button to stop running action. After clicking Cancel button Photoshop will expand action and highlight step at which is action stopped. You can scrol up in Actions panel and close expanded steps by clicking triangle on the left side of action name. Remember to always click first on Place Images or Place Without Transform before you hit Play button to run action.

Adding StrokeLast step is to add stroke between images to separate them. Click on action name then hit Play button. Which action to use for stroke depend on created template. If you have created 15x15 Template then use 15x15 Stroke action. When message appear read it and click Continue. In the next several Stroke dialogs enter exact same odd number and always confirm on OK button. You can change color for stroke in Stroke dialog by clicking on rectangle next to Color: to open Select stroke color dialog or just leave as it is to have white color for stroke. Note that you can re-run stroke action at any time you want, for example you want to try different size. When you have stroke already created, all stroke components are inside custom stroke group in Layers panel. To re-run stroke action first hide custom stroke group so you can instantly see result of newly created stroke. If you need to nudge any stroke component, expand group custom stroke to see all layers which are named logically and very easy to understand. Frame layer is always on top and refers to stroke around entire composition, next is horizontal or vertical_line_1, 2, 3 and so on. To nudge stroke first click on layer with that particular segment (horizontal_line_1 for example), select Move tool, then use arrow keys to nudge segment to the left or right. You can also use eyebal in front of layer with stroke segment to show/hide layer content and ensure that proper layer is selected.

Rasterize actionThis action is recorded in case you want to rasterize Smart Object layers immediatelly after template is created. Reason is that you may want to try your hands with variables on your own. Variable can not be assigned to Smart Object. Do not run this action after placing images manually or using Place Images and Place Without Transform actions. Rasterize action will fail to run in that case. When this action rasterize all available Smart Object layers click Stop in message dialog which will appear.

Steps to run action and place images:1. Click on Place Images action name to select it2. Click Play button at the bottom of Actions panel3. Navigate and select image you want to place starting with

top left placeholder number 14. Click Place button

Use slider to scroll up in Actions panel then click on triangle on the left side of expanded action name to close it.

4Buy Grid Layouts Actions and PSD Templates

Using PSD Templates Here we are. Variables or big guns of Photoshop. Do not even think you will mess with variables. You wont. There is nothing to mess or to learn new beside you do not know how to batch rename files in Adobe Bridge what is death simple. There is nothing to go wrong if you follow simple instructions. I said simple and I will keep it simple. We will work with 4x4 Template and use 48 images to generate and export 3 PSD files. Each PSD file will contain 16 different images. So, 4x4 means there are 16 different images clipped to 16 placeholders. To substitute existing images in template with some other from hard drive one need to define variables

what I have already done for you. PSD files keeps track of variables, once defined in document and saved in PSD file format, variables will be always there ready to use. Variables + Data Sets allows user to substitute existing images and export as many PSD files as he want using as many images as he have. I prepared in advance 2o Data Sets for 4x4 Template and 10 Data Sets for 4x5 and 4x6 Templates. With 20 Data Sets you can use 320 different images to generate and export 20 PSD files. Best of all you do not have to worry about image sizes, bit depth, resolution, color mode. Everything will be done on the fly by Photoshop.

Batch rename files in Adobe BridgeYou can skip this step when using practice template included in package. Start Adobe Bridge and find folder with at least 48 images in JPG file format. By the way JPG is not limitation for variables but it is for files provided to you without customization. Select at least 48 images then go to Tools > Batch Rename. In Batch Rename dialog select Copy to other folder option then click browse button below, navigate to any folder or create new one: Test Template. In New Filenames section choose Text from first drop-down list. Type image_ (image + underscore) in the text field on the right side. From second drop-down list below choose Sequence Number. Type number 1 in the second text field then choose Four Digits from right drop-down list. Click Rename button at the top right corner of Batch Rename dialog. All selected files will be renamed to image_0001.jpg, image_0002.jpg, image_0003.jpg... and copied to previously chosen or created folder.

Open template and load Data SetsYou can skip first step when using practice template included in package. Go to Grid Layouts > PSD Templates and Variables > 4x4_5_6 folder. Copy 4x4 template.psd and 4x4 Variables.txt then paste them in the same folder with previously renamed images. Open 4x4 template.psd in Photoshop. Go to Image > Variables > Data Sets. In Variables dialog click on Import button. Import Data Set dialog will open. Click Select File button and navigate to folder with previously renamed images, psd template and variable text file. Select 4x4 Variables.txt then click Load button at the bottom of Load dialog. You will return to Import Data Set dialog. Choose from Encoding: drop down list Unicode (UTF-8). Click OK button. If you have Preview turned on in variables dialog you will see almost instantly how your template looks like with first 16 images: image_00001.jpg, image_0002.jpg, image_0003.jpg ... image_00016.jpg. If you are using default settings in Data Sets section you will see Data Set 1. Click on triangle on the left side to display in Data Set field Data Set 2. After second you will see how your template looks like with second Data Set or images from image_0017.jpg to image_0032.jpg. Click again on the same triangle to see Data Set 3 displayed in Data Set field. Now you can see how your template can be exported with images in range from image_0033.jpg to image_0048.jpg. If you have more then 48 images selected and renamed following

Settings to specify in Batch Rename dialog

Preview Data Sets. Turn on Preview and list sets using arrows in Data Sets section

Steps to load Data Sets. First go to Image > Variables > Data Sets1. Click on Import button2. Click Select File then navigate to 4x4 Variables.txt, select it

and click Load3. Choose Unicode (UTF-8) for Encoding4. Confirm on OK button

5 Buy Grid Layouts Actions and PSD Templates

this instructions you can preview with Data Set 4 otherwise you will see error message when you try to preview next set. Note that you must have images in range of image_0049.jpg to image_0064.jpg in order to preview and export with Data Set 4. If you have 63 images then you do not have enough images for Data Set4.

Export and saveAfter previewing is done click on OK button to exit Variables dialog and return to Photoshop. You will still look at template as it is with RGB and CMY color squares. Nothing is done? Where is the point?. Go to File > Export > Data Sets as Files... In Export Dta Sets as Files dialog click on Select Folder button then navigate to folder where you want to export 3 previewed templates. Leave other settings to defaults, at least this one: Data Sets: All Data Sets. Click OK at wait a second. If you follow instructions you will see message: Could not export data”Data Set 4”... Click No button because you have only 48 images what is enough for 3 data sets only which are already exported. You will return to Photoshop window.

Customize exported filesNow you can go in folder specified to export Data Seta as Files and open PSD files in Photoshop. PSD files contains all layers and clipped images as original template. Because I set Pixel Replacement to Fill when defining variables you will be able to adjust position for some or for most of the images. Images are resized on the fly, colors are converted and so on, but not and cropped. Images are actually clipped to placeholders so you can move them and change which portion of image is visible. For finishing touch you can add stroke for desert. Load Template Strokes actions from Grid Layouts > Actions folder and run 4x4 Stroke.

Amazing flexibility with PSD templatesNow close all files you have opened in Photoshop. Return again to beginning of instructions for PSD templates. When you open 4x4 Template.psd in Photoshop beore you do anything else resize template to any size you want. Go to Image > Image Size and type any numbers. You do not have to worry about original ratio. Change it, type for example 2000px for Width and 800px for Height of image, change resolution if you want. When you resize template numbers in template can look blury or distorted because thats all pixels but do not worry, your images when exported wont be, everything will works just fine. You will see that in preview when previewing Data Sets. This is introduction to Variables and Data Sets. What you did with this template can be done with any other in purchased package. To not forget that you can delete or move images from folder and import another images properly named as described previously: Image_0001.jpg, image_0002.jpg...

Customization TipsIf you want to extend usability of Data Sets and use it with some other file formats, for example with PSD native Photoshop format, then open text files which contains variables and data sets in any text editor. Use Find/Change command and change all instances of jpg with psd. Save file as copy with

Export Data Sets as Files dialog

Click No when Could not export data set message appear.

Because images are clipped but not cropped, you can move them to change which part of image is visible. This works with Fill option set for Variable Pixel Replacement.

6Buy Grid Layouts Actions and PSD Templates

different name and check if works. Do not forget to check encoding when saving files because that can cause problem and error messages. Save with Unicode or ANSI encoding. If you have any problem you can always contact me and ask for assistance and advice.

Another customization tip is to change Pixel Replacement method for each variable. You must do that manually from Image > Variables > Define. I set this option for all templates to Fill but you may want to use As Is to import images without to instruct Photoshop to automatically scale them. There is and Fit option which may be your choice. My advice is to never experiment with Conform option which will distort images.

Troubleshooting tipsIf you have any problem and can not follow this instructions, it can be that renamed files are not properly named so return to instructions and try again. When files are not properly named you will get error message: Could not apply data set because the replacement file was not found. Same error message you will see if any file or number is missing in sequence between image_0001.jpg to image_0016.jpg for example when using 4x4 Template. Another problem with images that can cause this error is that files you are trying to use are not in proper format. When using templates and variables as they are provided, you must use images in JPG format. To batch convert images to JPG use File > Scripts > Image Processor script which ships with Photoshop.

Another problem can be with encoding. Check again that you have Unicode (UTF-8) encoding in Import Data Set. If wrong encoding is chosen you will get error message: Could not parse the file contents as data set. The name >Pixel Variable1 is not available in the current document. You can solve problem and by opening text file with variables in any text editor and saving it with Unicode encoding or any other encoding listed in Photoshop in Import Data Set dialog.

Important noteNote: In order to use templates and Data Sets provided in this package you must always follow described naming convencions. Always name your files starting with image_0001.jpg. You must have enough images in sequence for given template, for example to use 15x15 template you must have at least 225 images properly named in the same folder with template and Variables. With provided Data Sets you must always use jpg file format. JPG format is not limitation and you can change or customize this option. Always keep original files intact. Use copies for experiments and even to generate and export files.

Could not apply data set error message because some images in sequence are missing, files are not in jpg format or not properly named

When encoding of text file and user chosen in Import Data Set dialog does not match, Photoshop will display error message: Could not parse the file contents as data set.