Make Photoshop TAKE NOTES FOR YOU

Some projects in Photoshop require only a few steps, and if you repeat the project multiple times, you will probably memorize the steps. Most tasks, however, require many steps, and the order in which to apply them is crucial to the function of the tools. Even if you follow the steps in this book, you will often try a new tool, apply a different option, or add multiple changes to complete your vision. When you succeed in creating a particular look, the most difficult part is remembering how you did it.

Photoshop’s History log can automatically record every tool you select and each option you click, so you can refer to it for a future project. And the Notes tool lets you add sticky notes and write comments or your own instructions. Notes are great for collaborative projects because you can specify the author and color-code them. 

You can activate the History log and select the amount of detail to record in Photoshop’s General Preferences window. The Notes tool is grouped under the Eyedropper tool in the toolbar.

Activate the History Log

1 Click Photoshop (Edit).

2 Click Preferences.

3 Click General.

The General pane of the  Preferences dialog box appears.

4 Click History Log.

5 Click Both.

6 Type the name for the log in the dialog box that appears.

7 Navigate to a folder and click to select a location for the text log.

8 Click Save.

 

9 Click the Edit Log Items drop-down menu and click Detailed.

10 Click OK.

The History log is now set to embed the details of your steps within each image file as well as maintain a text file in the folder location you chose in step 7.

Activate the Notes Tool

1 Click the Eyedropper tool.

2 Click Note Tool.
 The Options bar changes.

3 Type your name for the author.

4 Click the Color box to change the note color.

5 Click in the image.

A The notes  appears and the Notes panel opens.

6 Type a note about the image in the Notes panel.

TIPS

More Options!
 

Metadata saves the details within the image file. You can see it by clicking File ➪ File Info. Click the History tab in the window that appears. Text File records the data to a separate text file which is cumulative across all the files until you rename the History text file in the Preferences dialog box. Sessions Only records only the time you open and close each file and when you start and quit Photoshop. Concise adds some details similar to those that appear in the History panel but without the limit of states. Detailed adds all the information  including settings used in each step.
 

Did You Know?

You can toggle the notes on an off by clicking View ➪ Show ➪ Notes. To view the contents of a note, click its icon on the image. The text appears in the notes panel that opens.