Adobe Photoshop CS3 - Manual (Page 488)

PHOTOSHOP CS3
User Guide
481
Printing image clipping paths
Sometimes an imagesetter cannot interpret image clipping paths, or an image clipping path is too complex for a
printer, resulting in a Limitcheck error or a general PostScript error. Sometimes you can print a complex path on a
low-resolution printer without difficulty but run into problems when printing the same path on a high-resolution
printer. This is because the lower-resolution printer simplifies the path, using fewer line segments to describe curves
than the high-resolution printer does.
You can simplify an image clipping path in the following ways:
• Manually reduce the number of anchor points on the path.
• Increase the tolerance setting used to create the path. To do this, load the existing path as a selection, choose Make
Work Path from the Paths palette menu, and increase the tolerance setting (4 to 6 pixels is a good starting value).
Then re-create the image clipping path.
See also
“Add or delete anchor points” on page 377
“Convert paths to selection borders” on page 379
Export paths to Adobe Illustrator
The Paths To Illustrator command lets you export Photoshop paths as Adobe Illustrator files. Exporting paths in this
way simplifies the task of combining Photoshop and Illustrator artwork or using Photoshop features with Illustrator
artwork. For example, you may want to export a pen tool path and stroke it to use as a trap with a Photoshop clipping
path you are printing in Illustrator. You can also use this feature to align Illustrator text or objects with Photoshop
paths.
1 Draw and save a path or convert an existing selection into a path.
2 Choose File > Export > Paths To Illustrator.
3 Choose a location for the exported path, and enter a filename. Make sure Work Path is chosen from the Write
menu to export the path.
4 Click Save.
5 Open the file in Adobe Illustrator. You can manipulate the path or use the path to align Illustrator objects that you
add to the file.
Note that the crop marks in Adobe Illustrator reflect the dimensions of the Photoshop image. The position of the
path within the Photoshop image is maintained, provided you don’t change the crop marks or move the path.
Link or embed an image using OLE (Windows only)
Photoshop is an OLE 2.0 server, which means it supports embedding or linking an image in an OLE container appli-
cation (usually a word-processing or page-layout program). For example, you can insert Photoshop files and selec-
tions into other OLE applications, such as Adobe PageMaker, Adobe FrameMaker, and Microsoft Word, using copy
and paste or other methods.
• Linking lets you place a link in the OLE container file that refers to the Photoshop file on the hard drive.
• Embedding lets you insert the Photoshop file into the OLE container file.
After the image is in the container application, you can double-click it for editing in Photoshop. When you close the
image in Photoshop, it is updated in the container application.