It’s a full moon as I write this. And the moon’s phattest phase brings glad tidings: Adobe has finally shipped a fully functioning version of Bridge CS5. So when the Adobe Application Manager prompts you to download the latest updates to Dreamweaver, Premiere Pro, and the Bridge, skip the first two for all I care and then drop whatever you’re doing and download the last.
Previous to today, one of the Bridge’s best new features, the Export panel, has been non-functional. Not somewhat impaired or slightly rough-around-the-edges, but just sitting there like an irritating lump, entirely inoperable. If you tried hard enough, you could make the Export panel display the “Select Modules to enable” message (see below), only to claw your eyes in disbelief as you stared at the blank space where some downloadable modules ought to be. But, ha! It was all a fun joke meant to test your loyalty. Now the Export panel actually works, and I’m actually here to tell you how to actually use it.
See, the spanking-new Export panel lets you batch-export images to Facebook, Flickr, and Photoshop.com. Which is swell and everything. But my favorite feature is called Save to Hard Drive. Despite its dopey name—presumably your images are already on a hard drive—it serves a much-needed purpose: Save to Hard Drive batch-converts your raw images to JPEGs so you can make them available to clients, friends, and other mere mortals.
I originally documented this feature in Chapter 3, “Open and Organize,” of my insanely comprehensive video series Photoshop CS5 One-on-One: Fundamentals for lynda.com. The movie was called “Batch-exporting JPEG files” but we had to pull it because it misled people into thinking the Export panel served a purpose. Don’t worry, we’ll have it back up soon. In the meantime, here’s what the movie says about the now-functioning panel:
- Download the new Bridge update. Install it. And when that’s done, launch the Bridge.
- Create a metadata template. Optional, but a good idea: Bring up the Metadata panel and choose Create Metadata Template from the flyout menu.
- Enter your info. Fill out the Creator (you), Author (you again), and Copyright Notice (again, you) fields in the IPTC Core area. And set the Copyright Status to Copyrighted. Then scroll up to the IPTC (IIM, legacy) item, twirl it open, and set the Copyright Info URL to your Web site address (or mine if you want to pimp me, which is entirely acceptable).
- Name and save the template. At the top of the dialog box, give the template a name like “My Generic Metadata” and click the Save button.
- Navigate to a folder full of raw images. These should be files that you’ve already processed. I recommend the DNG format for this purpose, but CR2s, NEFs, ORFs, and others will work as well.
- Select the thumbnails you want to convert. If you want to convert everything, press Ctrl+A (PC) or Cmd-A (Mac).
- Bring up the Export panel. By default, it lives in the bottom-left corner of the screen with Filter and Collections. If you can’t find it, choose Window > Export Panel.
- Drag and drop your thumbnails. Drag a selected thumbnail and drop it and the rest of its selected friends onto the Save for Hard Drive icon. The process doesn’t begin automatically; you just identified the files to convert. You have many more steps to follow.
- Click that arrowhead that points up and to the right. It appears next to the X to the right of the Save to Hard Drive icon. Up comes the Export dialog box. (As if that makes sense. Who designed this feature?)
- Switch to Image Options. The panel you see first is the one you should see second. (Hang tight. You have to perform most of these steps just once.) So switch to the panel you should see first by clicking on the Image Options tab. The panel doesn’t offer any hint that you’ll be saving JPEG images, but that’s what you’ll be doing.
- Set the Image Size and Quality. Assuming you want to save off full-sized images, select Don’t Resize from the first pop-up menu. (Or enter resizing options if you prefer.) And then set the Image Quality value to its maximum, 12. That’s still a lot of compression, and life is too short for shitty JPEGs.
- Append the metadata template. Leave Include Original Metadata turned on and the pop-up after it set to All. That way you preserve all star ratings, labels, and keywords. Then turn on the Apply Metadata Template check box, set Name to your template (mine appears a Generic Deke below), and Method to Append Metadata.
- Click the Destination tab. Now you’re ready for the first panel of options. Click Destination at the top of the dialog box. I recommend you select Publish to a Specific Folder and then make a new folder using the Browse button.
- Name and save your preset. At the bottom of the dialog box, enter a name for a preset that you can use well into the future without going through this headache all over again. “My JPEG Settings” or something like that. And click on the Save button. Your preset immediately appears in the Export panel in the background.
- Click the Export button. Miraculously, the Bridge finally gets down to the task of converting your raw images to JPEG files, without opening an image or ever once invoking Photoshop, the way it used to work with the Image Processor script.
That’s it. Then you just sit there and goof off while the Bridge does its thing. In the future, you can drag and drop your raw images onto that My JPEG Settings icon you created in Step 14. Which will still require you to click on that up-and-to-the-right arrow icon from Step 9, but at least you can skip the quality and metadata steps.
Seriously, I’m so glad this feature is finally available. I don’t know about you, but it makes me smile when I see a piece of shipping software come out with a new feature that actually does something—really, anything—that it’s supposed to do.
Now I know what it’s for
I got the automatic update to Bridge this morning but haven’t investigated what was in it.
John Nack hadn’t mentioned it so I am delighted to see you have it all covered already.
Thanks for keeping us up to date.
Need some help
Deke I could do with some help..first time this has happened to me too.
The 3d panel is greyed out and i cant access repousse or 3d in general in photoshop CS5 64bit. Its even not visible in preferences panel, but its there when i click next tho.
However the 32bit photoshop CS5 can access the 3d goodness.
I have windows7 64bit my hp notebook is 64bit, and my nvidia GT130m card is upto date.
What can i do?? Is it something to do with GL settings?
Can you shine some light on these issues, as im baffled?
cheers
Stil having issue
I installed update and now can see the Save to HDD button.. But I have no other modules such as facebook.. I even clicked on the gear and clicked reinstall.. I can still only see HDD option.
Any ideas?
Missing Modules
Deke, I’ve only got the save to hdd module.
How do I get the others?
well, thanks to research
this topic really blew my mind away
Nope, but I can tell you
Nope, but I can tell you that I have exactly the same problem. Please someone, help!
I’ve researched on a few machines
And my results are the same throughout. Four icons, including Facebook, Flickr, Photoshop.com, and Save to Hard Drive.
Two comments mentioned Save to HDD—you mean Save to Hard Drive, yes? If so, does it work as described? The Facebook, Flickr, and Photoshop.com options work the same except that instead of exporting to a local folder, you export to your respective account.
For the record, I’m using the full Creative Suite 5, both Design Premium and Master Collection. I assume you need the full CS5 suite for some options.
Issue
So does anyone have an update to this as far as why facebook and flickr modules are missing for some of us?
bridge cs3 shut down
Ursula….... I need help! Can’t open up bridge,need to find the Cache folder.
No Problems Here
I’m using a stand-alone copy of Photoshop on OS X.6 and everything is working as advertised.
Export or not to Export!
I see a fair amount of people (myself included) cannot yet get the export to Facebook, Flickr & Photoshop.com export module options loaded/working despite the recent bridge updates, I believe the problem is simply that the full array of options are only available
for English North America (en_US) and France Canada(fr_CA)! However export to HD will always work! this is a legal matter.
If any of you NOT in English North America (en_US) or France Canada(fr_CA) have your Facebook, Flickr & Photoshop.com export modules working correctly please post to say so and we can chuck this theory out of the virtual window!....however it looks like, for now, we will all have to try to survive without those modules….how will we cope ;)
Issue
I just got the newer update 4.0.2. Still no modules except HDD
And I have english version.. Something else is still the issue.
Pathetic Little Module (an open rant)
It’s sad (re: pathetic)......
Up until (apparently) recently, Photoshop (the family) was considered to be the pre-eminent, “professional”, photo/image editing software.
It would now seem, if one were to believe all the recent whines, that this wonderful software is rendered almost useless if one can not use it (mindlessly) to post snapshots to vanity pages and social networking sites. Apparently Adobe added this “feature” to boost sales by appealing to the newbie, “crop and add drop shadow” crowd.
I seriously doubt that any “professional” or, more to the point, anyone who actually shelled out the bucks for a legitimate copy of this software, could care [with the “possible” exception of the batch, DNG to JPG, conversion] one tiny bit if this “feature” was included or not.
Deke’s forte (and business) is in teaching those who wish to learn how to use Photoshop (and other Adobe products) for the purpose for which they were intended… not to hold your hands and nursemaid you through little, unimportant [technical] problems which seem to be inherent to your computer and/or your copy of the software.
If you actually purchased your copy of Photoshop…. you should contact Adobe’s technical support and, even if you didn’t, you can still get a lot of help by participating in one of the Adobe forums.
Bottom line: if you need help in understanding alpha channels or fine tuning the edge of a mask… ask Deke. If your ‘puter or software is “broken”... ask someone else.
Back in the day… the very first question that Microsoft technicians were taught to ask was… “is your computer plugged in ?”
(replies to this rant, based upon “hurt feelings”, are anticipated and expected)
Missing Modules
Can some one explain why some people have the missing modules and some only the save to hard drive.
I downloaded the new update and only have the save to hard drive.
I am running a windows version and living in Thailand. English
Please confirm what is going on ?
Missing Modules
Here’s a really novel approach for software that does not function “as advertised”...
Call, e-mail or write Adobe Tech Support or Adobe Customer Service.
Or maybe…
Join the appropriate Adobe Forum and ask your question(s) there.
DekeKeys Blocked
Why? I am logged on.
DekeKeys Blocked
Why? I am logged on.
Get Yer DekeKeys Here
The first link is “bad” (actually not “bad” but you will notice it points to a user/register page)
So.. at end of the initial article select “read more” then….
Scroll down the page until you find this line:
To download dekeKeys, right-click Download dekeKeys (or the image below)
works just fine !
(sometime it pays to look/work a little harder instead of just giving up)
Photoshop CS5
Your videos are extremely inspiring
Change
Do you have any idea how to change the language on a Mac without completely reinstalling cs5 to get the modules?
Export Module Fix. For real this time.
Easy and simple way to correct the export module BS for Mac(And I would imagine PC too, but I havent tried it)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5MOwu9cNw4
run an action while exporting
with CS4 you could run an action while exporting to JPEG. after i found out how to freaking EXPORT (thanks to you and no thanks to faulty expensive software), now i cannot find a way to run an action in the export process. this is a HUGE part of my business! help!