Install Layer Styles in Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac

[Linda Sattgast]

Install Layer Styles in Photoshop Elements 6 for Mac
by Linda Sattgast

In this example I have a layer style called Digital Scrapper Yummy Metal that I want to install in PSE6. Here's how I would go about installing it:

Step #1: Place the layer style(s) in the correct folder inside Photoshop Elements 6

• If Photoshop Elements is open, close it.

• Navigate to the folder that contains the layer style file you want to install.

• Click on the layer style you want to install and press Cmd C to copy it. To copy more than one layer style at a time, click on one and Cmd click on additional style files to select them. Then press Cmd C to copy them.

• Navigate to the appropriate folder inside Photoshop Elements:

Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Adobe > Photoshop Elements > 6.0 > Locale > en_US >

• In this folder you'll see a file called MediaDatabase.db3. Click on it to select it and press Cmd Delete to move it to the trash.

• In this same folder click on Photo Creations > layer styles

• Press Cmd V to paste your layer style(s).

Step #2: Create a Metadata file for your layer style, which will cause it to show up in the list of styles

• Go back to the en_US folder and click on Photo Creations Metadata > layer styles

• Click on one of the .xml files to select it, and press Cmd C to copy it. Click on your desktop, and press Cmd V to paste a copy of the xml file. Change the name of this file to your new layer style, but keep the .xml ending.

Please Note: Always copy the name of the original layer style exactly as it is, or you may find that this procedure doesn't work. I've changed the name of the original file and then tried to install it without success, so stick with the exact original name!

• Right click or Ctrl click on the file and choose Open with Text Edit.

• Find the two places in the code where you see the name of the original layer style entered twice with “value =” between them. Replace the original name with the new layer style name using the exact same structure. If the title has more than one word, the first name will have no spaces between the words of the title, and the second name will have spaces between the words of the title. In both cases, the words should retain their capitalization.

• Change the first name to “CatDigitalScrapperYummyMetal” (Cat stands for category), making sure there are no spaces between the words.

• Change the second name to “Digital Scrapper Yummy Metal” leaving a space between each word.

• Choose File > Save to save your changes, and close the document

• Click and drag this new metadata file into the layer styles folder it originally came from.

Here’s one more Optional thing you can do: To make the layer styles show up in the Custom Shape Styles menu in the Options Bar, copy just the .asl layer style to the following folder:

Applications > Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 > Presets > Styles

• Open Photoshop Elements 6. You'll get a dialog box that says "Building Content and Effects." When it's done, open the Effects palette, click on the Layer Styles icon at the top, open the menu and you should see your styles in the list.

Enjoy adding new layer styles to Photoshop Elements 6!