ptg 134 Chapter 6 Photoshop gives you the ability to save the History states of a docu- ment as a separate text document, or as embedded metadata. Saving History is an excellent way to retrace the steps you took to produce a particular design. Not only does the saved data record the steps you took, it also records the date and time each step was performed. This gives you a running record of the time spent on a document, which is useful for client billing purposes. Photoshop saves the history files as a standard text document, which can be opened in any text-editing pro- gram you choose. Saving the History State of a Document Set Up to Save History Click the Edit (Win) or Photoshop (Mac) menu, point to Preferences, and then click General. Select the History Log check box. Select the file type option you want to use in saving history information: ◆ Metadata. Records the data as embedded metadata. ◆ Text File. Records the data to a text file. ◆ Both. Records the information as both metadata and text. Click Choose, and then select a location where you want to store the files. Click the Edit Log Items list arrow, and then select the type of data you want to save: ◆ Sessions Only. Only records basic information, such as when the file was opened or closed. ◆ Concise. More information on actions taken. ◆ Detailed. The most data, including dates and times for actions, and each individual state. Click OK. 6 5 4 3 2 1 32 5 6 4 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Working with the History Panel 135 Photoshop creates the History State file on the fly; as you work, each step is precisely recorded. Photoshop does not create a separate data file for each working session; instead, it creates a single file recording all work sessions. If you delete the original history data file, Photoshop will create a new file, and place it in the same location with the same name. Have you ever worked on a document, performing command after command and suddenly you step back, and really like the end result? Then you immediately grab a notepad and attempt to jot down all the steps—it's always the most important step that you forget. That won't happen if you use the History text file. The text document faith- fully records each and every step. Later, after the project is finished, you can access the file and all your commands and steps will be listed. Reviewing the History State Text File Open the History State Text File Close Photoshop. Open the folder where the History text file is saved. The default name is Photoshop Edit Log.txt, and the default location is the desktop. Double-click to open the document with your default text editor. Use NotePad (Win), TextEdit (Mac), or a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word. ◆ The date and time the file was opened is recorded at the top of the document. ◆ The steps performed are listed, one at a time. ◆ The date and time the file was closed is recorded at the bottom of the document. Close your text editor program. 4 3 2 1 Steps performed Date and time the file was closed Date and time the file was opened From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 136 Chapter 6 When Adobe created History, they advertised the fact that Photoshop now had more than one undo. Multiple undos are a great thing; how- ever, if all you use the History panel for is to correct your mistakes, you're missing a key benefit. The History panel is linked to the History brush, which receives its information from a selected state or snapshot. For example, the History panel holds a snapshot of the way the image looked when it was first opened, and by default the History brush is linked to that snapshot. Think of the History brush as a photo restoration tool that always remembers the original state of the image. As you work on a document you will make changes. If during the current work ses- sion, you wish to restore the document back to its original (first opened) state, the History brush is your tool. The History brush is not just for cor- recting mistakes, but also for creating awesome special effects. All you need is a bit of imagination and a couple of additional snapshots. Combining the History Brush with a History State Correct Mistakes with the History Brush Select the History Brush tool on the toolbox. Select the Brush panel. ◆ You can click the Brush Panel button (New!) on the Control panel or click the Window menu, and then click Brush. Select a size brush. ◆ Select and Modify a Brush. Select a brush, and then use the slider to specify the brush size. If you want, you can also adjust other options, such as Angle, Roundness, Hardness, and Spacing (New!). ◆ Select a Brush Preset. Click the Brush Presets button or tab, and then select a brush preset (New!). Drag the History brush across the image. The areas you drag are restored to their original (first opened) state. 4 3 2 1 1 3 Damaged area Restored area 4 Brush Preset s button and tab 2 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Working with the History Panel 137 Get Fancy with the History Brush Apply a major change to a document (possibility a Brush Stroke filter). Select the History panel. Click the Create New Snapshot button to take a snapshot of the image in its current state. Click on the original snapshot to return it back to its first-opened state. Click in the History source box for the snapshot you created in step 3 to change the designation of the History brush. This instructs the History brush to paint using the version of the image with the filter applied. Drag your mouse over the image to replace the original image with the image information contained in the selected snapshot. 6 5 4 3 2 1 4 3 6 2 5 Did You Know? When you use the History brush on an image layer, you're changing the infor- mation based on the chosen History state or snapshot. However, you will gain more control if you use the History brush in a separate layer. Just create and select a new layer, and when you use the History brush, paint in the layer. Not only does the separate layer isolate the original image from dam- age, but you can utilize blending modes and opacity settings for even greater creative control. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 138 Chapter 6 Photoshop comes equipped with two History brushes—the History and Art History brushes. The History brush paints the image back to what- ever state or snapshot is selected. The Art History brush gives you the ability to create some painted effects, using information from one or more snapshots or History states. In effect, the Art History brush gives you the power to combine image information (based on the active snapshot or history state) with artistic brush strokes. Using the Art History Brush Use the Art History Brush Click and hold the History Brush tool on the toolbox, and then click the Art History Brush tool. Select from the following options on the Options bar: ◆ Brush. Select a brush tip and style. ◆ Brush Panel. Click to show/hide the Brush panel (New!). ◆ Mode. Select a blending mode from the list. The blending modes (for a brush) control how the colors blend with the document colors. ◆ Opacity. Enter or select a value from 1% to 100%. ◆ Style. Select a style for the Art History brush. ◆ Area. Enter a value (0 to 500) pixels to define the painting area. ◆ Tolerance. Select a value from 0% to 100%. Choosing higher values limits paint strokes to areas that differ from the color used by the Art History brush; choosing lower values lets the Art History brush use unlimited strokes, regardless of the color values in the image. ◆ Tablet Pressure Controls. Click to override settings and use tablet pressure controls (New!). Drag your mouse over the image, using small, controlled strokes. 3 2 1 2 Original image Effect applied with the Art History Brush 1 A Tablet Pressure Control button Brush Panel button From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 6 Working with the History Panel 139 Photoshop has one more tool that works with the History panel—the Eraser tool. By changing a preference on the Options bar, you can turn the Eraser tool into a History brush. Using the Eraser tool to restore the image is just another way to get the same result as the History brush. And if you know anything about Adobe, they give you at least three ways to do everything. Consider multiple ways to perform the same function as a control advantage. No two Photoshop users will create the same design, and no two Photoshop users will ever tackle a prob- lem in the same way. Adobe gives you choices, so choose the best way to accomplish a task based on the available options. And remember, if you change the color mode, resolution, or canvas size of the active image, the History brush tools will not work. Changing the Eraser Tool into the History Brush Change the Eraser Tool into the History Brush Select the Eraser tool on the toolbox. Select the Erase to History check box on the Options bar. Select a history state or snapshot from the History panel. Drag the Eraser tool in the image. The eraser tool does not erase the image; instead, it paints the image based on the current History selection. 4 3 2 1 1 2 4 Did You Know? You can use multiple layers with the History brush. When you use any of the History brush tools, it's a smart idea to create a new layer, and do your History painting in the new layer. That way, if you don't like what you see, you can always delete the layer. In addi- tion, placing the History information in a separate layer gives you the creative control of using layer transparency and blending mode settings to achieve greater creative results. From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 140 Chapter 6 The History panel is a fantastic tool! It can help you go back in time and correct errors, and even take snapshots of the image, which you can use to create new documents. But all great tools come with a price. The History panel's price is consumption of RAM. The more you use the History panel, the more RAM it needs. If you find Photoshop slowing down on you, or if you get a warning message stating that Photoshop is running low on RAM, you might want to try a few things to help gain back some of that lost efficiency. Photoshop lets you choose between 0 and 1,000 History states. That's 1,000 undos, and while that might seem like a great thing to have, History states take up memory. You can also check on your History settings. Non-linear history requires more RAM to maintain. If you don't require a non-linear history, then you can turn it off. Since Photoshop uses a lot of RAM (64 MB just to open the pro- gram), Adobe gives you a way to purge, or clear, your memory. Controlling History States Purge RAM Click the Edit (Win) or Photoshop (Mac) menu, point to Purge, and then select from the following options: ◆ Undo. Select this option to remove the Undo states from History. ◆ Clipboard. If you have used the Copy and Paste commands, that information is still contained in RAM. Use this option to purge the Clipboard memory. ◆ Histories. Select this option to purge all the states from the History panel. ◆ All. Select this option to clear all operations from memory used by Undo commands, the History panel, or the Clipboard. IMPORTANT The purge option has no undo. If you select any of the purge options, there is no going back, so make sure you want to purge memory. 1 1 From the Library of Wow! eBook . eBook ptg Chapter 6 Working with the History Panel 135 Photoshop creates the History State file on the fly; as you work, each step is precisely recorded. Photoshop does not create a separate data file. History State Text File Open the History State Text File Close Photoshop. Open the folder where the History text file is saved. The default name is Photoshop Edit Log.txt, and the default location is. eBook ptg Chapter 6 Working with the History Panel 139 Photoshop has one more tool that works with the History panel—the Eraser tool. By changing a preference on the Options bar, you can turn