Copyright: Copyright 2000 Adobe Systems, Inc.


Getting Started with ActiveShare

Starting Adobe ActiveShare

Looking at the ActiveShare work area

Using tool tips

Using context menus

Using scroll arrows

Adjusting the ActiveShare window

Setting up external devices

Working with ActiveShare

Getting help

Using the ActiveShare.com Web site

Viewing the ActiveShare title screen


Starting Adobe ActiveShare
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Starting Adobe ActiveShare

Follow these steps to start Adobe(R) ActiveShare(TM).

To start Adobe ActiveShare:

Do one of the following:

•   Choose Start > Programs > Adobe > ActiveShare > ActiveShare.

•   Click the ActiveShare icon in the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) taskbar.

•   Double-click the ActiveShare shortcut on the desktop.

When you start ActiveShare, an informational welcome screen appears. You can take the ActiveShare product tour by clicking the movie reel icon at the bottom of this screen. You can bypass the welcome screen for future launches of ActiveShare.

Note: If your version of ActiveShare came pre-installed on your computer, you will need to accept the Adobe End User License Agreement before continuing. Click the Yes button at the Software License Agreement dialog box to do so. This is the only time you will need to do this.

To hide the welcome screen:

Do one of the following:

•   In the welcome screen, select Do Not Show This Again, and click OK.

•   Click OK to close the welcome screen. Click the Setup button. Then click the General tab, deselect Show Welcome Screen at Startup, and click OK.

You exit ActiveShare by closing its application window.

To exit from ActiveShare:

Click the close button (the button with the “x”) at the top right of the ActiveShare window.


Looking at the ActiveShare work area
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Looking at the ActiveShare work area

All the basic tools and features you need to work with digital photos are contained in the easy-to-use ActiveShare window. In its fully expanded view, the ActiveShare window consists of the following main work areas.

Input area Located in the top left of the window, the Input area lets you open photo files and capture photos from an input device such as a digital camera or scanner.

Album area Located in the top center of the window, the Album area lets you view and organize photos stored in an ActiveShare album, PhotoDeluxe(R) 4.0 album, or a Kodak(R) Picture CD.

Output area Located in the top right of the window, the Output area lets you print your photos, save them in a specific file format, send them to PhotoDeluxe, and share them via e-mail or the Web. You can also make backup copies of your photos.

View area Located in the center of the window, the view area lets you view, select, and organize photos.

Drawers Located in the bottom left of the window, the sliding drawers contain tools for simple edits, such as applying Instant Fix photo corrections, removing red eyes, and rotating and trimming photos. In addition, you can run special projects, such as viewing photos as a slide show. You click to open and close the sliding drawers.

Button tray Located in the bottom right of the window, the button tray contains tools for common tasks such as undoing actions and searching for photos.


Using tool tips
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Using tool tips

To help you get familiar with ActiveShare, pop-up tool tips provide brief descriptions of most tools and features, as well as displaying the full names of albums. If you want, you can turn off the display of tool tips.

To display a tool tip:

Position the pointer for a few seconds over the desired tool, button, album, or photo preview in the ActiveShare window.

To hide tool tips:

1  Click the Setup button.

2  Click the General tab, deselect Display Tooltips, and click OK.


Using context menus
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Using context menus

The ActiveShare context-sensitive menus give you quick access to frequently used commands associated with a specific tool, button, or photo.

To display a context-sensitive menu:

Position the pointer over a photo, tool, or button, and click the right mouse button.


Using scroll arrows
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Using scroll arrows

An ActiveShare area may contain more items than can be displayed at once—for instance, the Album area may contain numerous albums. In these situations, ActiveShare automatically displays a scroll arrow that lets you scroll through the items in the area.

To use a scroll arrow:

Click either arrowhead, or drag the scroll knob.


Adjusting the ActiveShare window
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Adjusting the ActiveShare window

You can move and resize the ActiveShare window as you would any other window. In addition, you can toggle between the expanded and collapsed views of ActiveShare to help manage desktop space.

To toggle between collapsed and expanded views:

Click the arrow at the bottom center of the ActiveShare window.

The collapsed view of ActiveShare displays only the Input, Album, and Output areas, and the Help and Setup buttons. When you click a button in the Input or Album area, ActiveShare automatically switches to expanded view.

To reposition the ActiveShare window:

Drag the bar at the top of the window.

To resize the ActiveShare window:

Do any of the following:

•   To minimize the window, click the leftmost button at the top right of the window.

•   To maximize the window, click the center button at the top right of the window.

•   To exit from ActiveShare, click the rightmost button at the top right of the window.

•   To resize the window in expanded view, drag the bottom right corner.


Setting up external devices
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Setting up external devices

You can use a variety of external devices—such as popular scanners, digital cameras, and printers—in conjunction with ActiveShare to capture and output photos. If your device does not appear as a button in the Input or Output area, you must first set up the device for use with ActiveShare.

Note: Most devices require some basic preparation for use with your computer. Refer to the documentation that came with your device for connection and installation information.

See also:

About resolution

To set up a device for use with ActiveShare:

1  Click the Setup button.

2  Click the tab corresponding to the type of device you want to set up. To set up a device that is neither a digital camera nor a scanner, click the Other Input Devices tab.

The Installed <device type> list displays devices that you can set up for use with ActiveShare, provided that the device is installed and connected to your computer.

3  If you are viewing the Digital Cameras tab, select one of the following options:

•   Direct Access to display cameras that let you capture photos in a single step, directly into ActiveShare. Most popular cameras fall under this category.

•   TWAIN to display cameras that use the TWAIN driver. Select this option only if your camera does not use Direct Access. See your camera’s documentation for information on installing the proper TWAIN software.

4  If your device does not appear in the list, click the Add a New Device button. This button launches the ActiveShare.com Web site, where you can download the correct driver files for your device. Follow the ActiveShare.com instructions to install the driver files and add your device to the Setup list.

5  Click the name of the desired device, and then click Show to add the device to the Devices Shown list.

The <device type> Shown list displays devices that appear as buttons in the Input or Output area.

6  To specify additional settings for a digital camera or scanner using Direct Access, select the device in the list. Then click the settings button below the Installed <device type> list:

•   For digital cameras, specify connection type, port, and speed settings. See your camera’s documentation for more information on these settings.

•   For scanners, specify whether to use the ActiveShare software, which scans photos using automatic size and resolution settings sufficient for both printing and electronic sharing; or the scanner manufacturer’s TWAIN software, which lets you set the size and resolution of scanned photos manually. See your scanner’s documentation for information on installing and using the proper TWAIN software.

7  Click OK to exit setup.

To hide a device in ActiveShare:

1  Click the Setup button, and then click the appropriate device tab.

2  Select the desired device in the Devices Shown list, and click Hide to move the device to the Installed <device type> list.

The device will no longer appear as a button in the Input or Output area.


Working with ActiveShare
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Working with ActiveShare

Working with ActiveShare is as simple as bringing a photo into ActiveShare, making quick edits to the photo if needed, saving it, and then outputting it in digital or printed form.

Use the following overview to get familiar with the ActiveShare workflow; then start up ActiveShare and create some photo projects of your very own! For more information on a specific workflow step or feature, see the topics in the rest of this online help guide.

Set up devices Before you begin working with ActiveShare, make sure that you have connected and set up any external devices you wish to use, such as digital cameras, scanners, and printers. If you plan to transfer photos to and from the Internet, make sure that your Internet connection is set up properly.

Get a photo into ActiveShare Use the buttons in the Input area to import a photo file or bring in a photo from a digital camera or scanner. You can also use the Album area to import photos from a Kodak Picture CD. A preview of the photo appears in the view area.

Save the photo in an album To save the photo in ActiveShare, drag it to an album in the Album area. Albums let you store, organize, and search for photos so that you can work with them whenever you’re in ActiveShare.

Edit the photo Use the tools and buttons inside the drawers and the button tray to edit the photo as desired. If you make a mistake, just click the Undo button to reverse the last performed operation.

Output the photo Use the buttons in the Output area to send your photo for further editing in PhotoDeluxe, or share your photo in printed or electronic form, as an e-mail attachment, or on the Web. You can also share photos with some applications by dragging and dropping the photos into the destination application. For added security, you can save back up copies of your album photos on a Zip(TM) disk.


Getting help
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Getting help

You can get instructional help about ActiveShare at any time with a single click. The Help button gives you the answers to basic workflow questions; lets you view a product tour covering the general features of ActiveShare; links you to helpful information from the ActiveShare.com Web site; and lets you launch this online help guide, which provides complete information about all of the ActiveShare tools and features.

To get help:

1  Click the Help button at the top right of the ActiveShare window.

A window appears displaying a list of common workflow questions pertaining to your current task. You can reposition this window on the desktop and keep it open as you work in ActiveShare.

2  Do one of the following:

•   To view the answer to a question in the list, click the question.

•   To launch the complete online help, click More Help at the bottom of the question list. You may have to click the blue arrow to scroll to the bottom of the list.

•   To view the ActiveShare product tour, click Take the Product Tour.

•   To view support information on the ActiveShare.com Web site, click Get Help on the Web.

3  Click Close to exit the help window.


Using the ActiveShare.com Web site
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Using the ActiveShare.com Web site

You can visit the ActiveShare.com Web site for the latest information about products, services, and issues related to ActiveShare. This Web site provides updated versions of ActiveShare, answers to frequently asked questions, customer support, and access to lots of exciting activities such as discussion groups, chats, and setting up your own photo-sharing communities on the Web!

To visit ActiveShare.com, you must have an active connection to the Internet.

To visit the ActiveShare.com Web site:

Click the ActiveShare.com button at the bottom left corner of the ActiveShare window.


Viewing the ActiveShare title screen
Getting Started with ActiveShare

Viewing the ActiveShare title screen

The ActiveShare title screen provides copyright and credits information for ActiveShare and displays the software version number.

To display the title screen:

Click the Adobe logo in the top left corner of the ActiveShare window.


Getting Photos Into ActiveShare

Importing digital photo files

Getting photos from a digital camera

Getting photos from a scanner

Getting photos from a Kodak Picture CD


Importing digital photo files
Getting Photos Into ActiveShare

Importing digital photo files

You can use the Import button to bring photo files directly into ActiveShare. ActiveShare recognizes photos that have been saved in a variety of popular file formats. However, you cannot import photos that have been saved in CMYK or Lab color mode.

When you import a photo file, ActiveShare creates a copy of the original file. You can edit and work with the imported ActiveShare copy as much as you like, without affecting the original photo file.

See also:

Opening and creating albums

About file formats

To import a photo file:

1  Select an album in the Album area. The imported photo will be placed into the selected album.

2  Click the Import button in the Input area.

3  Locate and select the photo file you wish to import, and click Open.

A preview of the photo appears in the view area.


Getting photos from a digital camera
Getting Photos Into ActiveShare

Getting photos from a digital camera

Before importing photos from a digital camera, make sure that the camera is connected and set up for use with ActiveShare and that the camera is set to PC mode (or equivalent for transferring images to a computer). ActiveShare lets you view and work with all photos that have been captured by the camera during the current work session.

See also:

Setting up external devices

To import a photo from a digital camera:

1  Click the button corresponding to your digital camera in the Input area.

The digital camera view appears.

2  Click Load Photo Previews to display previews of the photos that have been captured on the camera. (Make sure that the camera is not set to sleep mode when you click Load Photo Previews.)

When you edit a photo in digital camera view, ActiveShare prompts you to save your changes by dragging the photo to an album. You must save the photo to an album to keep your changes. For subsequent edits to the saved photo, use the photo located in the album.

Note: Clicking Load Photo Previews again refreshes the preview information so that all photos appear in their original unsaved states. However, you can still access saved photos by opening the albums that contain them.


Getting photos from a scanner
Getting Photos Into ActiveShare

Getting photos from a scanner

Before importing photos from a scanner, make sure that the scanner is connected and set up for use with ActiveShare. ActiveShare lets you view and work with all photos that have been captured by the scanner during the current work session.

By default, ActiveShare sets up popular scanners to capture a photo at its original size, with a resolution sufficient for both printing and electronic sharing. If desired, you can set the resolution manually using the software that came with your scanner.

See also:

Setting up external devices

About resolution

To scan a photo into ActiveShare:

1  Click the button corresponding to your scanner in the Input area.

The scanner view appears.

2  Click Scan New Photo to scan a photo.

If you have set up the device to use the scanner’s software, the TWAIN interface appears; see your scanner’s documentation for information on using the TWAIN software. Otherwise, ActiveShare scans the photo using automatic size and resolution settings.

When you edit a photo in scanner view, ActiveShare prompts you to save your changes by dragging the photo to an album. You must save the photo to an album to keep your changes. For subsequent edits to the saved photo, use the photo located in the album.

To set the scan resolution manually:

1  Right-click the button corresponding to your scanner in the Input area.

2  Choose Scanner Settings from the context menu that appears.

3  Select Use the Software That Came With the Scanner, and click OK.

ActiveShare will launch your scanner’s TWAIN software the next time you click Scan New Photo in scanner view, letting you specify a resolution. See your scanner’s documentation for information on installing and using the proper TWAIN software.

Note: Users of HP scanners will be able to send an image to ActiveShare directly from their scanner’s software. If ActiveShare is not currently running, it will launch automatically. In ActiveShare, the Scanner icon (if accessible) will blink to indicate that an image is waiting in the Scanner view. Clicking the Scanner icon will reveal the incoming image.


Getting photos from a Kodak Picture CD
Getting Photos Into ActiveShare

Getting photos from a Kodak Picture CD

ActiveShare looks for all Kodak Picture CD catalogs that have been installed on your computer and references them in Picture CD albums. Picture CD albums appear in the Album area and contain previews of the photos on each installed Picture CD.

To get photos from a Picture CD:

1  If the desired Picture CD album does not appear in the Album area, install the Picture CD catalog by inserting the CD and following the on-screen instructions.

ActiveShare scans the installed CD to create a new Picture CD album in the Album area. The album remains available even when the Picture CD is not inserted in your CD-ROM drive.

2  Click the Picture CD album in the Album area to view the photos on the CD.

Previews of the Picture CD photos appear in the view area.

When you edit a photo in a Picture CD album, ActiveShare prompts you to save your changes by dragging the photo to a regular album. You must save a Picture CD photo to a regular album to keep your edits.

Note: You cannot add, delete, or save edited photos to a Picture CD.

To launch the software for a Picture CD:

Click the Launch Picture CD button in the view area. This button appears when a Picture CD album is selected.


Organizing Photos

About albums

Opening and creating albums

Renaming and deleting albums

Entering album information and changing album locations

Saving photos to albums

Rearranging photos in an album

Backing up photos on a Zip disk

Moving photos between albums

Entering photo information

Searching for photos


About albums
Organizing Photos

About albums

Adding a photo to an album saves it so that it can be accessed for editing at any time in ActiveShare. Albums appear in the Album area, where they can be opened, added to, created, and removed. By having different albums for different categories and projects, you can organize and search your photos quickly and easily. You can also transfer or copy your photos from one album to another.

In addition to displaying the albums you have created in ActiveShare, the Album area displays any albums you have created in Adobe PhotoDeluxe 4.0. For more information on PhotoDeluxe 4.0, visit the ActiveShare.com Web site.


Opening and creating albums
Organizing Photos

Opening and creating albums

To retrieve a photo that you have saved in ActiveShare, you start by opening the photo’s album. As you save more photos in ActiveShare, you will want to create additional albums to help organize your photos by category.

By default, ActiveShare places albums on your computer’s main hard drive. If desired, you can specify a different drive location for a new album.

See also:

Entering album information and changing album locations

To open an album:

Click the desired album in the Album area.

The selected album is highlighted, and its photo contents appear as small previews in the view area.

To create a new album:

1  Click the Create Album button in the button tray.

2  Enter a name for the new album.

3  Specify a drive location for the album:

•   To place the album in an internal hard drive, select Store Photos in My Computer, and choose the desired drive from the menu. In most cases you will want to store album photos on your main hard drive for easy, reliable, and quick access.

•   To place the album in an external media location, such as a Zip disk, select Store Photos on Removable Media, and choose the desired drive from the menu.

4  Click OK.

The new album appears in the Album area. If you created the album on an external drive, the album appears marked with an icon identifying its location.


Renaming and deleting albums
Organizing Photos

Renaming and deleting albums

You can rename an album or delete it when it is no longer needed. If you delete an album containing photos, you will no longer be able to access those photos from ActiveShare.

To rename an album:

Do one of the following:

•   Click in the album’s name in the Album area, and enter a new name.

•   Open the album, and click the album information icon at the bottom left of the album view. Enter a new album name and click OK.

To delete an album:

1  Select the desired album in the Album area.

2  Click the Delete Album button in the button tray.

3  If the album contains photos, you will be prompted to confirm the deletion. Click Delete to continue.

Note: If the album photos are stored on a Zip disk or other removable media, you will be prompted to insert the disk containing the photos so that they can be deleted along with the album. If you do not have the disk containing the photos available, you will be able to delete just the album.


Entering album information and changing album locations
Organizing Photos

Entering album information and changing album locations

Album information lets you view background information and comments associated with an album, as well as change the album’s drive location.

See also:

Opening and creating albums

To view information for an album:

1  Open the album, and click the album information icon at the bottom left of the album view.

2  Enter an album name and album notes if desired.

3  To move the album to a different drive location, click Change Location, and specify a new location:

•   To place the album in an internal hard drive, select In My Computer, and choose the desired drive from the menu. In most cases you will want to store album photos on your main hard drive.

•   To place the album in an external media location, such as a Zip disk, select On Removable Media, and choose the desired drive from the menu.

4  Click OK to exit the Change Location dialog box.

5  Click OK when you are finished viewing album information.


Saving photos to albums
Organizing Photos

Saving photos to albums

You save photos in ActiveShare by dragging them to albums. Although you can view a photo temporarily in digital camera or scanner view, the photo remains unstored until you save it to an album. You can easily access saved photos by opening albums.

To save a photo to an album:

Drag the photo from digital camera, scanner, or other input device view to an album in the Album area. The photo appears at the end of the album. To change the position of the photo, see Rearranging photos in an album.


Rearranging photos in an album
Organizing Photos

Rearranging photos in an album

By default, photos appear in the order you add them to the album. However, you can drag and drop photos to change their order within the album.

To rearrange photos in an album:

Select one or more photos and drag them to the desired position in the album. As you drag, a yellow line shows you where you can drop the photos.


Backing up photos on a Zip disk
Organizing Photos

Backing up photos on a Zip disk

If you have an Iomega(R) Zip drive connected to your computer, you can automatically save backup copies of photos and albums to a Zip disk. Backup copies help to guard your photo collection in case any original photo files become corrupted or lost.

To back up photos on a Zip disk:

1  Make sure that your Zip drive is connected to your computer, and that a Zip disk is inserted in the drive.

2  To back up a subset of photos in an album, select those photos in the view area.

3  Click the Back Up to Zip button in the Output area.

4  Specify the photos to be backed up:

•   To back up photos that you have selected, select Selected Photos.

•   To back up all the photos in one or more albums, select These Albums. Then select the desired albums from the list.

•   To back up photos in all your albums, select All Albums.

ActiveShare displays the total file size of the specified photos, as well as the amount of file space available on the Zip disk. If your current disk does not have enough space available, you can switch to a different disk.

5  To switch to a different Zip disk, click Change Disk. Insert the new disk in your Zip drive, and click OK.

6  Enter a name for the backup folder.

7  Click Back Up to create the backup copies.

Use the Import button in the Input area to retrieve a backup photo from a Zip disk.


Moving photos between albums
Organizing Photos

Moving photos between albums

At times you may want to reorganize your photos by moving them from album to album.

To move a photo to another album:

1  Open the album in the Album area that contains the photo you want to move.

2  Drag the photo to a different album in the Album area. The photo appears at the end of the new album. To change the position of the photo, see Rearranging photos in an album.


Entering photo information
Organizing Photos

Entering photo information

By entering photo information, you can store and access background information and comments associated with a photo. You can also search for a particular photo in ActiveShare based on its photo information.

ActiveShare lets you enter photo information for a single photo or for a batch of photos all at once. Batch processing is useful when you want to add- the same information entries to multiple photos.

See also:

Searching for photos

To enter information for a photo:

1  Double-click the photo preview to display its enlarged view.

2  Click the Photo Information button (the button containing an “i”) at the bottom left of the view to display the current photo information. The Photo Information button toggles between photo information and enlarged views.

3  Enter photo information as desired. ActiveShare supports the following information fields:

Caption A short, descriptive title for the photo. The caption appears below the photo preview in the view area and differs from the photo’s filename. In addition to using the caption information field, you can edit the captions of saved photos by clicking in the captions directly in the view area.

Date Refers to the date that the photo was captured or saved in an album.

Size Displays the photo’s file size, usually measured in kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB); resolution, measured in dots per inch (dpi); and pixel dimensions. You cannot edit this field.

Input Source Refers to the type of input device from which the photo was captured.

File Name The name of the photo file as it appears on the computer desktop. Note that the filename can differ from the photo caption.

File Format Refers to the photo’s file type. You cannot edit this field.

File Location Displays the location path of the photo file on your hard drive or external media location. You cannot edit this field.

Comments Provides longer descriptions or special handling instructions for the photo.

4  Click Save to save the photo information.

To batch-process information for multiple photos:

1  Hold down Ctrl and click to select the desired photo previews in the view area.

2  Position the pointer over one of the selected photos, and click the right mouse button to display a context menu.

3  Choose View Information from the context menu.

4  Enter caption, date, input source, or comments information, and click Save. Click OK to confirm the batch process.


Searching for photos
Organizing Photos

Searching for photos

The search capabilities of ActiveShare can help you find photos based on their photo information entries, such as captions and date of creation. Searching is limited to photos in Picture CD albums and regular albums.

See also:

Entering photo information

To search for an album photo:

1  Click the Find Photos button in the button tray.

2  Specify the search criteria:

•   For These Words, enter keywords to find photos whose photo information contains these words. To search for multiple keywords, place spaces between the words. To search for an exact keyword match, place the word inside quotation marks.

•   For This Date, choose an option to find photos based on their associated date of creation. Use the menus or click the calendar buttons to specify the date range.

•   For Search On, specify whether to apply the search to all albums and Picture CDs or to the current album only. The Current Album option is only available when an album is selected.

3  Click Find to begin the search.

The found photos are displayed in the view area. If a found photo resides in an album located on an external drive, the photo preview appears marked with an icon identifying its location.

4  To move or copy a found photo to a different album, drag the photo to the desired album.


Working with Photos

Correcting mistakes

Viewing photos in slide-show sequence

Displaying enlarged photo previews

Selecting photos

Renaming photos

Duplicating photos

Deleting photos

Using Instant Fix to correct color and contrast

Rotating photos

Trimming photos

Removing red eyes from photos

Adding motion effects to photos

Using a photo as desktop wallpaper

Learning about more Adobe tools and projects


Correcting mistakes
Working with Photos

Correcting mistakes

You can cancel the effects of most operations in ActiveShare by clicking the Undo button immediately after performing the operation.

To undo the last performed operation:

Click the Undo button in the button tray. Clicking the button a second time toggles the operation on again.


Viewing photos in slide-show sequence
Working with Photos

Viewing photos in slide-show sequence

The slide-show feature of ActiveShare lets you view photos at enlarged size and in continuous sequence. You can use this feature to quickly preview the photo contents of an album or Picture CD.

To view photos as a slide show:

1  Select the album or Picture CD album containing the photos you want to view.

2  Click to open the Photo Projects drawer, and click the View as Slide Show button.

ActiveShare displays the photos as a slide show. Use the slide show buttons to control the display.


Displaying enlarged photo previews
Working with Photos

Displaying enlarged photo previews

By default, the view area displays photos in the form of small previews. You can also display enlarged previews, which let you view and zoom in on photos in greater detail.

Context menus and some buttons and tools are unavailable when a photo is in enlarged view.

To display the enlarged view of a photo:

1  Double-click the small photo preview in the view area.

2  Adjust the desired view magnification:

•   To zoom in, click the (+) button.

•   To zoom out, click the (–) button.

•   To zoom to a preset magnification, choose a percentage value from the pop-up menu.

3  Click the Close button to exit the enlarged view.


Selecting photos
Working with Photos

Selecting photos

To edit, move, or save a photo in ActiveShare, you must first select its preview in the view area.

To select a photo:

Click the preview of the photo. A highlight appears around the preview, indicating that the photo is selected.

To select multiple photos:

Do one of the following:

•   To select a series of photos, click the first preview of the series, hold down Shift, and then click the last preview of the series.

•   To add photos to a selection, hold down Ctrl, and click additional previews.

•   To select all photos in the view area, press Ctrl+A.

Some edits can only be applied to a single photo. If multiple photos are selected, only the last selected photo is affected.

To deselect photos:

Click in a blank portion of the view area.


Renaming photos
Working with Photos

Renaming photos

Caption names for photos appear directly below the photo previews in the view area. Use captions to provide short, identifiable names for your photos. A photo’s caption does not have to match its filename.

See also:

Selecting photos

To rename a photo:

Click in the caption field below the photo preview, and enter the desired name.


Duplicating photos
Working with Photos

Duplicating photos

At times you may want to create a duplicate of a photo—for example, when you want to place the same photo in multiple albums, or when you want to keep original and edited versions of the same photo.

To duplicate a photo:

1  Select the photo you want to copy.

2  Click the Duplicate Photo button in the button tray.

The duplicate photo appears next to its original in the view area.


Deleting photos
Working with Photos

Deleting photos

You can delete photos from ActiveShare when you no longer need to work with them.

To delete a photo:

1  Select the photo you want to delete.

2  Click the Delete Photo button in the button tray.


Using Instant Fix to correct color and contrast
Working with Photos

Using Instant Fix to correct color and contrast

The Instant Fix button produces an even distribution of light and dark colors in your photo.

To adjust color and contrast in a photo automatically:

1  Select the preview for the photo you want to edit.

2  Click to open the Fix My Photo drawer, and click the Instant Fix button.

3  Click the Save button to save your edits, and click the Close button to close the activity.


Rotating photos
Working with Photos

Rotating photos

Photos are often not oriented in the way that you want. The Rotate button lets you quickly correct this common problem.

To rotate a photo:

1  Select the preview for the photo you want to edit.

2  Click to open the Fix My Photo drawer, and click the Rotate button.

3  Rotate your photo:

•   Click Rotate Left to rotate the photo 90 degrees counterclockwise.

•   Click Rotate Right to rotate the photo 90 degrees clockwise.

You can click the rotate buttons repeatedly until your photo is oriented correctly.

4  Click the Save button to save your edits, and click the Close button to close the activity.


Trimming photos
Working with Photos

Trimming photos

The Trim button lets you keep just a selected portion of a photo, discarding the areas outside the selection.

To trim a photo:

1  Select the preview for the photo you want to edit.

2  Click to open the Fix My Photo drawer, and click the Trim button.

An enlarged preview of the photo appears with a bounding box.

3  Adjust the bounding box to enclose the area you want to keep:

•   To resize the bounding box, drag a corner or edge of the box.

•   To reposition the bounding box, position the pointer inside the box, and drag.

4  Click the Trim button.

5  Click the Save button to save your edits, and click the Close button to close the activity.


Removing red eyes from photos
Working with Photos

Removing red eyes from photos

One of the most common problems with photos is the appearance of glowing red eyes. The Remove Red Eye button lets you fix red eyes easily. This button does not correct glowing eyes of a color other than red.

To remove red eyes from a photo:

1  Select the preview for the photo you want to edit.

2  Click to open the Fix My Photo drawer, and click the Remove Red Eye button.

An enlarged preview of the photo appears with a bounding box.

3  Adjust the bounding box to enclose the redeye area you want to remove:

•   To resize the bounding box, drag a corner or edge of the box.

•   To reposition the bounding box, position the pointer inside the box, and drag.

4  Click the Remove Red Eye button.

5  Click the Save button to save your edits, and click the Close button to close the activity.


Adding motion effects to photos
Working with Photos

Adding motion effects to photos

The Add Motion button lets you add the blurred effect of motion to your photos. You can specify the direction of the motion.

To add motion effects to a photo:

1  Select the preview for the photo you want to edit.

An enlarged view of the photo appears.

2  Click to open the Photo Projects drawer, and click the Add Motion button.

3  Click the button corresponding to the direction of motion you want.

4  Click the Save button to save your edits, and click the Close button to close the activity.


Using a photo as desktop wallpaper
Working with Photos

Using a photo as desktop wallpaper

You can select a photo in ActiveShare to use as the wallpaper image for your desktop. ActiveShare centers the photo on your desktop, without tiling or resizing the photo.

To set a photo as the desktop wallpaper:

1  Select the preview for the photo you want to use.

2  Click to open the Photo Projects drawer, and click the Save as Wallpaper button.

To remove a photo from the desktop wallpaper:

1  In the Windows taskbar, choose Start > Settings > Control Panel.

2  Double-click Display.

3  Click the Background tab, and use the controls to change the wallpaper image or pattern.


Learning about more Adobe tools and projects
Working with Photos

Learning about more Adobe tools and projects

The More Tools button in the Fix My Photo drawer and the More Projects button in the Photo Projects drawer provide introductory information about other Adobe products that can help you make the most of your photos. To find out more about a product, click the Tell Me More button to visit the ActiveShare.com Web site.


Sharing Your Photos

Printing photos

Saving photos in different file formats

Sending photos to PhotoDeluxe

Sending photos as e-mail attachments

Sharing photos on the Web

Using online print services


Printing photos
Sharing Your Photos

Printing photos

ActiveShare lets you print single or multiple photos on a page. You can choose from a variety of print sizes and package layouts. With package printing, you can turn your computer into a desktop developing center, printing out copies of your photos to share with family and friends.

Before printing photos, make sure that your printer is properly connected and set up for your computer.

See also:

Setting up external devices

To print one or more photos:

1  Select the photo or photos in the View Area.

2  Click the button in the Output area corresponding to your printer. If your printer does not appear, you need to set it up for use with ActiveShare.

3  Select one of the following:

•   Custom Size and Quantity to print photos at a particular size. Specify the print size and number of copies you want.

•   Package Printing to use a preset package layout. Select the desired package from the list, and enter the number of sheets to print for each photo.

4  Select a fitting option:

•   Crop to Fit to have ActiveShare automatically trim the photos to fit inside the boundaries of the specified print sizes.

•   Shrink to Fit to have ActiveShare automatically resize the photos to fit inside the boundaries of the specified print sizes.

5  Click the Optional Settings button to specify additional printer options. These options vary with different printers.

6  Click Print Preview to view how the printed pages will look. Use the arrow buttons to view multiple pages.

7  Click Print to begin printing the photos.


Saving photos in different file formats
Sharing Your Photos

Saving photos in different file formats

When exporting a photo to another application or the Web, you may need to save the photo in a specific file format. For example, the Web generally supports photos saved in GIF or JPEG format. ActiveShare lets you save copies of your photos in a variety of popular file formats.

See also:

About file formats

About Web filenames

To save copies of photos in a different format:

1  Select the photos you want to save.

2  Click the Save a Copy As button in the Output area.

The Save a Copy As dialog box appears. The selected photos appear in the left, with filenames below the previews.

3  To change a filename, click in the filename to highlight it, and enter the new name.

4  Specify a location for the saved files, and choose a file format from the menu.

5  Click Save to save copies of the selected photos.


Sending photos to PhotoDeluxe
Sharing Your Photos

Sending photos to PhotoDeluxe

The Adobe PhotoDeluxe program provides you with more than 300 tools to fix and edit your photos. If you have PhotoDeluxe 4.0 installed on your computer, you can send photos directly from ActiveShare to PhotoDeluxe, where you can continue to edit and use your photo in a variety of exciting projects.

Before sending an edited photo to PhotoDeluxe, make sure that you have saved the photo in ActiveShare.

Note: If you are working with a native PhotoDeluxe photo in ActiveShare, it’s a good idea to send the photo to PhotoDeluxe for editing. Working in PhotoDeluxe ensures the preservation of any layer information in the original photo.

To send photos to PhotoDeluxe:

Select the photo or photos you want to send, and click the Send to PhotoDeluxe button in the Output area. If it is installed on your computer, PhotoDeluxe launches and opens the last saved version of your photo as a PhotoDeluxe document.

If you do not you have PhotoDeluxe installed on your computer, click the Tell Me More button to find out more about PhotoDeluxe.


Sending photos as e-mail attachments
Sharing Your Photos

Sending photos as e-mail attachments

By attaching your photos to e-mail messages, you can share the photos quickly with friends and family. ActiveShare automatically saves the attached photo as a JPEG file and optimizes it for online viewing.

Before sending an e-mail attachment, make sure that you have an active connection to the Internet.

To send a photo as an e-mail attachment:

1  Select the photo or photos you want to send.

2  Click the E-mail button in the Output area.

ActiveShare displays a dialog box that lets you fill in the standard parts of an e-mail message. This e-mail dialog box only lets you send messages; to receive messages, you need to have your own e-mail account and e-mail program.

3  Enter your return e-mail address, the recipient e-mail address, and the subject and body of your message.

By default, once you have entered a recipient e-mail address, that address appears in the pop-up menu the next time the E-mail dialog box appears. You can turn off this option so that ActiveShare does not remember e-mail addresses.

4  Click Send to send the message.

To turn off e-mail address remembering:

1  Click the Setup button, and then click the General tab.

2  Deselect Remember the Email Addresses of the Last 5 Recipients. Then click OK.


Sharing photos on the Web
Sharing Your Photos

Sharing photos on the Web

The Share on Web button gives you access to the free, private Adobe eCircles site, where you can post and share your photos with family and friends. To use this feature, you must have an active connection to the Internet.

To share photos on the Web:

1  Select the photo or photos you want to share, and click the Share on Web button in the Output area. To share all the photos in an album, drag the album to the Share on Web button.

2  Click one of the following buttons:

•   Tell Me More to learn more about the Web-sharing feature.

•   Sign Up to register and start a new Web-sharing account. Follow the on-screen instructions to sign up for your account.

•   Login to access an existing account. Enter your log-in name and password, and click Login. (Once you have entered a log-in name, that name appears in the pop-up menu the next time the Login dialog box appears.)

3  Select the desired circle and album to which you want to add photos, and click Continue.

4  At the Share on Web Confirmation dialog box, select an image quality option and click Add Photo(s) Now.

•   Display Quality is the default selection and uploads a 72ppi version of your image for on-screen viewing.

•   Print Quality uploads a high resolution version of your image suitable for photographic reprints, or for transfer to mugs, T-shirts, or other gift items.

5  After the image is uploaded, click Yes to see the image on ActiveShare.com or No to exit the dialog box and return to the main ActiveShare view.


Using online print services
Sharing Your Photos

Using online print services

The Online Print Services button lets you send photos to a variety of print services via the Web. To use this feature, you must have an active connection to the Internet.

To send a photo to an online printing service:

1  Select the photo or photos you want to send, and click the Online Print Services button in the Output area. To send all the photos in an album, drag the album to the Online Print Services button.

Note: Some services may only allow you to process one photo at a time.

2  Use the scroll bar to view the available services. Each section in the Online Services dialog box contains a brief description of and buttons for using the service.

3  Click one of the following buttons for a given service:

•   Tell Me More to learn more about the service.

•   Sign Up to register and start a new account.

•   Login to access an existing account.

•   Print to access a service that does not require you to log in.

4  Your default Web browser launches and goes to the Web site for the service you selected. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the transaction.


About Digital Photos

About pixels

About resolution

About file formats

About Web filenames


About pixels
About Digital Photos

About pixels

The digital photos that you work with in ActiveShare are composed of small data squares called pixels. Each pixel is assigned a specific location and color value in the image; together, the pixels make up the appearance of the photo. The total number of pixels in a photo determines the photo’s file size, usually measured in kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB).


About resolution
About Digital Photos

About resolution

Resolution refers to the number of pixels contained per unit of length in a photo, usually measured in pixels per inch (ppi). In general, a higher resolution translates to better, more detailed print quality.

By default, ActiveShare sets up popular scanners to capture images at the following resolutions, depending on the image type:

•   For black-and-white line art, 300 ppi

•   For text, 600 ppi

•   For color photos, 150 ppi

•   For color line art, 300 ppi

If desired, you can override the defaults and set the resolution manually using the software that came with your scanner. For photos you plan to share electronically, such as through e-mail or the Web, a resolution of 72 ppi is usually sufficient. For photos you plan to print, a resolution of 150 ppi or higher produces best results.


About file formats
About Digital Photos

About file formats

File formats encode the information in a photo file so that the photo can be used on the Web, or by another application or output device. ActiveShare lets you save photos in a variety of popular file formats for different output needs.

If you want to bring your photo into another application, find out what formats that application can open or import. If you are planning to display the photo on the Web, then GIF, Web Ready JPEG, and PNG are the best formats to consider.

Bitmap (.bmp) This format is the standard Microsoft Windows image format, supported by many popular applications.

GIF (.gif) This Web format represents up to 256 colors in an image. Use GIF if your image contains areas of solid color, such as in line art or illustrations with type.

JPEG (.jpg) This format is designed to preserve the broad color range and subtle brightness variations of continuous-tone images such as photographs. JPEG uses millions of colors to represent images. ActiveShare offers Web Ready and Print Ready versions of the JPEG format; choose the option best suited to your output needs.

PhotoDeluxe (.pdd) This format is the native file format of the Adobe PhotoDeluxe application.

Photoshop(R) (.psd) This format is the native file format of the Adobe Photoshop application. Although Photoshop files can contain elements called layers, ActiveShare does not support layers. When you import a Photoshop photo and edit it in ActiveShare, you are prompted to save a flattened version of the photo without layers. You can choose to replace the original photo, or to save a flattened copy in addition to the layered original.

Portable Network Graphics (.png) This Web format can represent images using millions of colors. However, the PNG format may not be supported by some Web browsers.

TIFF (.tif) This format is supported by many popular applications on both Windows and Mac OS computers.


About Web filenames
About Digital Photos

About Web filenames

When saving a photo file to output to the Web, it’s a good idea to name the file according to Web filenaming conventions. To be safe, use only letters and numbers in the filename. Use the underscore character ( _ ) to represent spaces, and avoid using the hyphen ( - ) as the first character in the filename.

In general, avoid the use of punctuation marks and other symbolic characters in filenames, such as question marks, colons, asterisks, and brackets.


Troubleshooting

ActiveShare does not install on your computer

ActiveShare does not start

Clicking Import button has no effect

Photo in input device view appears unchanged after edits

Buttons in button tray and drawers are dimmed and unavailable

Input device is unavailable or does not appear in Input area

Photos from digital camera fail to load

Input device appears with wrong icon in Input area

Input device appears more than once in Input area

Scanner or digital camera appears with cube icon in Input area

Printer does not appear in Output area

Electronic sharing of photos is blocked by a firewall

Picture CD photo captions cannot be edited

ActiveShare cannot save or display layer information


ActiveShare does not install on your computer
Troubleshooting

ActiveShare does not install on your computer

If you are having problems installing ActiveShare, try one or more of the following:

•   Verify that you have the minimum system requirements to install and run ActiveShare. Click the Internet button to display the ActiveShare Web site, which lists the minimum system requirements.

•   Accept the default installation location for the program files instead of choosing a custom location.

•   Copy the ActiveShare installer folder to your computer’s hard drive. Then restart your computer in Safe mode and try installing from the installer folder on the hard drive. For instructions on starting in Safe mode, see the Microsoft Windows documentation.

•   Turn off virus-scanning software and any other programs set to run automatically on your computer. Then restart your computer (hold down Shift to prevent autorun programs from starting), and try installing ActiveShare again. Restart your computer normally (without pressing Shift) after installation is complete.


ActiveShare does not start
Troubleshooting

ActiveShare does not start

If you are having trouble starting the ActiveShare program, try one or more of the following:

•   Refer to the Read Me file, located in the ActiveShare program folder on your hard drive. The Read Me file provides late-breaking information about ActiveShare and may contain important trouble-shooting tips.

•   Make sure that enough memory is available to run ActiveShare. Close other applications and windows, and then try starting ActiveShare again.

•   Restart your computer in Safe mode, as described in the Microsoft Windows documentation, and try starting ActiveShare again. If ActiveShare starts in Safe mode but not in Standard mode, there may be a conflict with the video card driver. Obtain the latest version of the driver software for your video card from your video card manufacturer, install the driver, and then try starting ActiveShare again in Standard mode.


Clicking Import button has no effect
Troubleshooting

Clicking Import button has no effect

Make sure that you have selected an album (excluding Picture CD albums) in the Album area. You must open an album before you can use the Import button.


Photo in input device view appears unchanged after edits
Troubleshooting

Photo in input device view appears unchanged after edits

The photo previews in your digital camera, scanner, or other input device view always represent the original, unedited photos in your device. To edit and keep a photo, you must save the photo to an album. Then you can access the saved photo for further editing by opening the album containing the photo.

See also:

Saving photos to albums


Buttons in button tray and drawers are dimmed and unavailable
Troubleshooting

Buttons in button tray and drawers are dimmed and unavailable

Try one or more of the following:

•   Make sure that you have selected a photo in the view area. You must first select a photo before you can edit it.

•   Make sure that you are not displaying a photo in enlarged view. Some buttons and tools are unavailable when a photo is in enlarged view.

•   Make sure that you are not already in the middle of an activity. If needed, click Close or Cancel to close any open dialog boxes.

•   If you are having trouble duplicating or deleting a photo, make sure that you have selected an album. You cannot duplicate or delete photos in digital camera or scanner view.


Input device is unavailable or does not appear in Input area
Troubleshooting

Input device is unavailable or does not appear in Input area

Try one or more of the following:

•   Make sure that the device is installed and connected for use with your computer and that you have set up the device for use with ActiveShare. Click the Setup button to locate and set up your device.

•   If your digital camera is unavailable, try reconnecting it to the COM1 port of your computer. Click the Setup button, click the Digital Cameras tab, and make sure that your camera appears in the <device type> Shown list. Select the camera in the list, click Device Settings, and choose COM1 for the port setting.

See also:

Setting up external devices


Photos from digital camera fail to load
Troubleshooting

Photos from digital camera fail to load

If no digital camera photos appear when you click the Load Photo Previews button, try one or more of the following:

•   Make sure that the digital camera is securely connected to the correct communications port on your computer. See the documentation that came with your camera for complete connection instructions.

•   Make sure that the camera is set to download or PC mode.

•   Make sure that the camera is not set to sleep mode.


Input device appears with wrong icon in Input area
Troubleshooting

Input device appears with wrong icon in Input area

If your digital camera appears with a scanner icon, or your scanner with a digital camera icon, you may have set up the device under the wrong category tab. Click the Setup button and make sure that your device is set up under the desired category tab.

See also:

Setting up external devices


Input device appears more than once in Input area
Troubleshooting

Input device appears more than once in Input area

If your input device appears more than once as a button, you may have set up the device under multiple category tabs. Click the Setup button and make sure that your device is set up under the desired category tab. Then click the other category tabs and make sure that the device is hidden under these categories.

See also:

Setting up external devices


Scanner or digital camera appears with cube icon in Input area
Troubleshooting

Scanner or digital camera appears with cube icon in Input area

If your input device appears with a cube icon instead of a digital camera or scanner icon, you may have set up the device under the Other Input Devices tab. Click the Setup button, and look for your device under the Digital Cameras or Scanners tab. If your device appears, set it up under this category tab; then hide the same device under the Other Input Devices tab.

See also:

Setting up external devices


Printer does not appear in Output area
Troubleshooting

Printer does not appear in Output area

Drag the scroll knob below the Output area to bring the printer into view if it is hidden. If the printer still does not appear, make sure that the printer is installed and connected for use with your computer and that you have set up the printer for use with ActiveShare. Click the Setup button to locate and set up your device.

See also:

Setting up external devices


Electronic sharing of photos is blocked by a firewall
Troubleshooting

Electronic sharing of photos is blocked by a firewall

If you are trying to share your photos on the Web or to send your photos as e-mail attachments from within a corporate firewall, you may find your electronic access blocked. Contact your network administrator for help on bypassing a corporate firewall.


Picture CD photo captions cannot be edited
Troubleshooting

Picture CD photo captions cannot be edited

To edit the caption of a Picture CD photo, do one of the following:

•   Save the photo in ActiveShare by dragging it to a regular album. Then open the album, and click the photo’s caption to edit it.

•   Use the Picture CD software to edit the photo’s caption.


ActiveShare cannot save or display layer information
Troubleshooting

ActiveShare cannot save or display layer information

If you are working with a photo file imported from PhotoDeluxe or Photoshop, the photo may contain layer information that is not supported by ActiveShare. The following alert messages may appear when working with layered files:

•   When saving a layered file in ActiveShare, you are prompted to choose between saving over the original file and saving a copy of the file. Saving over the original file flattens all the layer information. Saving a copy lets you keep the original layered file along with a flattened copy containing your ActiveShare edits. If you are working with a PhotoDeluxe 4.0 file, you may also have the option of sending the file to PhotoDeluxe.

•   When editing a Photoshop or PhotoDeluxe 3.0 (or earlier) file containing text or template layers, you are informed that ActiveShare cannot display these layers. If you have PhotoDeluxe 4.0 installed, you are prompted to save the file in PhotoDeluxe 4.0 format so that the layers can be displayed.


Legal Notices

Copyright


Copyright
Legal Notices

Copyright

(C)1999 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Adobe ActiveShare online help for Windows

This guide, as well as the software described in it, is furnished under license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license. The content of this guide is furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by Adobe Systems Incorporated. Adobe Systems Incorporated assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in this documentation.

Except as permitted by such license, no part of this documentation may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Adobe, the Adobe logo, ActiveShare, Adobe PhotoDeluxe, and Photoshop are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Mac OS is a trademark of Apple computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Portions of this product were created using LEADTOOLS (c) 1991-1998, LEAD Technologies, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Patent pending.

Written and designed at Adobe Systems Incorporated, 345 Park Avenue, San Jose, California 95110, USA

Notice to U.S. government end users. The software and documentation are “commercial items,” as that term is defined at 48 C.F.R. §2.101, consisting of “commercial computer software” and “commercial computer software documentation,” as such terms are used in 48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §227.7202, as applicable. Consistent with 48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §§227.7202-1 through 227.7202-4, as applicable, the commercial computer software and commercial computer software documentation are being licensed to U.S. government end users (A) only as commercial items and (B) with only those rights as are granted to all other end users pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the Adobe standard commercial agreement for this software. Unpublished rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States.