Expert: LizaL - 2/7/2005

Question
Greetings... You helped my with my Layers question so I hope you can clarify another question I have.
What is the difference between these two folders:
"C:\PS CS\Plugs-Ins\Adobe Photoshop Only\File Formats" and
"C:\PS CS\Plugs-Ins\File Formats"?
My Camera Raw plug-in works only in the path that has the "\Adobe Photoshop Only\" in it. But I do have some other plug-ins in the other location (C:\PS CS\Plugs-Ins\File Formats).
   Any ideas... Thanks... Gary

Answer
Hi again Gary!

To address the first part of your question . . .

The first path, Adobe Photoshop Only>File Formats folder, leads you to a folder of plug-ins that contain some so-called "optional" filters for Photoshop, only. In other words, you won't find these in a "shared" program like Illustrator, like you will some of the generic plug-ins. One of these could be, for example, the JPEG 2000 filter.

You probably know that Adobe programs share filters; if I look in my Illustrator 10 directory for its plug-ins, I see all of Photoshop's as well:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/ai_filters.png

So that's what I mean by "shared" plug-ins.


The other path, Photoshop>Plug-Ins>File Formats, contain plug-ins for saving Photoshop files in certain formats that are indigenous to Photoshop. My Plug-Ins>File formats folder contains Camera Raw, BMP, FilmStrip, PCX, PhotoCD, Pixar and Targa.

Now that's not to say that these file formats *can't* be used in other programs, because obviously they can, and they are. But Photoshop plug-ins are built to work in Photoshop, and they interpret and process information -- as far as saving, effects, etc. -- differently from that of other applications.

I think a better way to look at some of these plug-ins, aside from the obvious "effects" plug-ins, is as "engines." They're built to execute certain commands. For example, in my Plug-Ins> Effects folder, I have the plug-in "Filter Gallery." This is what enables me to run the Filter Gallery for browsing the effects of plug-ins, and I really don't think of this as a plug-in; I think of it more as an engine, something that enhances the execution of the software.

I'm not sure why your Camera Raw plug-in only runs in the "Photoshop Only" folder. You might be able to duplicate it and see if it runs in the regular File Formats folder, but bottom line, I don't think it matters.

Hope this helps! And if you need more info or for me to clarify anything, please post back!


Lisa