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Adobe Photoshop/Can't drag and drop open files

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Question
I know this is pretty sillly but all of a sudden I can't drag a Photoshop file onto
my Photoshop icon in my dock and have it open.  I use to be able to. The only
thing i've done lately is reinstall Photosohp after a clean install. I use Mac OS X
Tiger and I have a ibook.

Can you help?

TIA

Trudy d.

Answer
Hi Trudy,

No, this isn't silly -- this is a pain! I've had this happen, and I think it was when I did a major upgrade (to Tiger, I think it was). But it can happen when you do a clean install, too.

You're missing a scripting file called Adobe Unit Types. It belongs in a folder called ScriptingAdditions, which is found in the root level library on your hard drive. The path would be [your hard drive name] > [Library] > ScriptingAdditions. Check this folder and if you don't have Adobe Unit Types, check your Previous System folder's root library from your clean install. If you find you do have Adobe Unit Types, first quit all applications (especially Adobe apps). Then just drag Adobe Unit Types from your Previous System Folder's Scripting Additions folder to your new ScriptingAdditions folder. (And if for some reason you don't have a ScriptingAdditions folder, you can create one. Be sure NOT to put a space between the two words -- make the name ScriptingAdditions.)

After you've done this, I'd restart your machine, and also repair permissions. Then try dragging a Photoshop file icon onto your Photoshop dock icon (or double-click a Photoshop file), and the file should open.

If for some reason you find you don't have Adobe Unit Types at all, I'll be glad to send you a copy. And if for some reason this doesn't solve your problem, please post back and we'll figure it out.

Hope this helps!

Lisa

Adobe Photoshop

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LizaL

Expertise

I've used Photoshop since the release of version 2. I taught college commercial art and graphic design for 10 years, and within that realm, taught Photoshop at every level, and with each successive product upgrade. My experience with Photoshop is thus extensive and well-rounded, from photo retouching to color adjustment to incorporating Photoshop and ImageReady into Web design. I am primarily a Mac user (since 1985), but am also PC-savvy.

Experience

I've been a graphic designer for 22 years, was a national magazine art director, a designer for the Department of Defense, a college art instructor, and have my own freelance Web and graphic design business, LittleWorks (www.little-works.com). I've also worked for several printing companies, in both prepress and art.

Awards and Honors
PICA award (Printing Industry of the Carolinas Award for the design of a media kit that accompanied a magazine I was art directing at the time)

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