Templates in Photoshop CS3?

[kaahen]

Hello,

With templates I mean, that you can create a new drawing that has already layers, brushes, swatches... predefined.

Is it possible in Photoshop, or do you have to do it by means opening an existing drawing and Saving As..., everytime you want to use its features.

Thanks in advance for your answers

[Midgardsormr]

You could record an Action to set up your document. I just tested to see if the Action could handle loading brushes and swatches, and it could.

If you've never used the Actions palette, it's the button that looks like a VCR's "play" button. Click the "new" icon, give your Action a name, then click "Record." Everything you do in the document from that point will be recorded by the Action. When you're done setting it up, click the Stop button in the Actions Palette.

To test it, start a new document, select your new Action, and hit the "Play" button. It should set up your document just like you did while recording it.

[kaahen]

Yes, thank you, it will work for sure, I thought it was an easy way, but it is not difficult though.

[DevinNight]

For my maps, at least the ones that are going to have a same style I create a template file with all the layers in place.

Custom brushes and swatches and patterns are consistent in the program. So even if you open up a new document those things will still be there.

[kaahen]

well, this is just what I was looking for, how do you create this Template file, can you choose between several more templates as well in case you want to change the map style?

[DevinNight]

sorry didn't mean to be misleading... by template file I mean just a file that has the layers already set-up. For isntance I have a series of maps that all have several text layers, then a blue reveal layer, a rock layer that has bevel and shadows already applied to that layer, then a grid layer.

That file is saved as DungeonMapBase and when I want to make a map in that style I open it, save as whatever, import a new outline from illustrator and everything is in place.