How to convert a psd file to layered png files using GIMP

Discussion in 'Learning Pad' started by BevG, Dec 5, 2017.

  1. BevG

    BevG If I can't remember it, it didn't happen

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    Sometimes a designer only provides a template in the psd format. If your scrapping software can not open the psd file, this prevents you from being able to use the template as provided. However, if your software is able to use layered png files you may still be able to use the template directly. You can ask the designer to provided the layered pngs - or you can create your own layered png files using GIMP. GIMP is a free software that works similar to Photoshop.

    The instructions below are in two parts:
    1) installing GIMP and the needed plug-ins
    2) using GIMP to create the layered pngs.


    1) How to add the plug-ins to Gimp so it can export the png files

    There is a video link of how to do this, but it is best if you at least read this before you watch the video. The video is for script files instead of plug-ins. The basics are the same, but the exact location of where to put things and where they show up in Gimp is different between the video and what you need to do.

    1) Install Gimp if you don't already have it. Go here: https://www.gimp.org/downloads/

    2) Run Gimp. You need to find the folder where Gimp is going to look for your plug-ins. Click Edit, Preferences, in the left panel click Folders (click + to expand), Plug-ins. Click on the first location. It will be something like C:\Users\Beverly\.gimp-2.8\plug-ins. When you click on it, it will appear in the box next to the green icons – select the location and do Ctrl-C to copy (or write it down).

    3) Go get Export Layers plug-in. It is found here: http://registry.gimp.org/node/28268
    Click the download link and unzip the file into a folder. In the folder is a Readme.Txt if you want detailed instructions. You are going to copy the export_layers.py file and the export_layers folder to the location you found in Step 2). You can paste the location into file explorer.

    4) Go get the Rename Layers plug-in. It is found here: http://pastebin.com/s689JwJy
    Click on the Download button. When asked, choose to Save the File. This will download the code as s689JwJy.py. Find this file in your dowload location and rename it rename_layers.py. Copy it to the location from Step 2).

    5) Close Gimp if it is still open. Restart Gimp. If Gimp found everything, you should see "Export Layers" and "Export Layers (repeat)" on the File menu – and the "Rename Layers (py)" on the Image menu. They will be greyed out until we open a psd file, but they should show up. If they don't show up, then Gimp did not find the plug-ins.

    6) If it didn't work or if you want more help, you can watch this video:

    -- Please Note --- the video is about installing a Script. We are installing Plug-ins. So you would click on Plug-in instead of Script to find the folder to put them in. When you download the files, they will have extensions of .py instead of the script extenstions. Once Gimp finds them, they will show up under File and Image – not the Script Fu option that is shown in the video.

    2) How to convert a psd file to layered png files using Gimp

    1) Start Gimp. Use File, Open and open the .psd file. On the right side, you should see a layers panel. Most likely the layers will be named things like button, ribbon, mat, layer 1, photo 1, etc. These will need to be renamed so your software can get them in the right order.

    2) Click Image, Rename Layers (py). A dialog box pops up with "Frame %03d (41ms)(combine)" in it (without the quotes). You will want to change this to something like "Layer %03d "(without the quotes). This will rename the layers Layer 001 through Layer xxx, with the top layer having the highest number.

    3) Now to create your png files. Click File, Export Layers. Navigate to the folder you want to put the png files in – or use the Create Folder button if you want a new folder for just the png files.

    4) Make sure .png is in the File Extension box. Click the Use Image Size box. Click Export and another dialog box pops up. So far I have found the default settings to work okay. Click Export and it will start saving them.

    Note: The Use Image Size option is necessary. It tells Gimp to make all the layers the same size as the image. Most likely the designer has them all the same size, but if for some reason one of them is bigger, than this option will cut-off the extra so the center option in your software positions them correctly.

    Note: If you want it to remember the export settings, click Save Settings on the Export Layers screen. I suggest you do this.

    Note: The "Export Layers (repeat)" option remembers everything for you – but it puts the png files into whatever folder you used last. It does not give you an option to change anything. This could work if you create a folder called "exported pngs" or something. You would want to make sure this folder is empty before you start saving the next .psd file, otherwise you would be mixing layouts.

    Note: The Readme.txt file that came with the Export Layers plug-in describes the other options.

    Right side of Gimp showing the template and how the layers look before the rename. Template shown in screen shots is by Valorie Wibbens
    upload_2017-12-5_14-46-31.png

    Rename Layers dialog with what I want to call them:
    upload_2017-12-5_14-47-35.png

    After Rename Layers:
    upload_2017-12-5_14-47-58.png

    Export dialog – I am putting the png files right into the folder where the psd file is. I could have created a new folder for the pngs. Note the settings at the bottom.
    upload_2017-12-5_14-48-18.png
     
    jenn mccabe and Karen like this.
  2. BevG

    BevG If I can't remember it, it didn't happen

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  3. bestcee

    bestcee In love with places I've never been to

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    Awesome tutorial!
     
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  4. Karen

    Karen Wiggle it, just a little bit!

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    Awesome tutorial Bev! Thank you for taking the time to write it up and post it! @BevG
     
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  5. jenn mccabe

    jenn mccabe She's OUR sunshine!

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    Im sure this helps a lot of people Bev, thank you!
     
  6. KellyM

    KellyM Kickin' cancer's butt!

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    Great tutorial. Thanks!
     
  7. keepscrappin

    keepscrappin ScrapWithTheWind

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    @BevG - wonderful tutorial, thanks!
    [​IMG]
     
  8. BevG

    BevG If I can't remember it, it didn't happen

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    Kisses - thanks for saving some for me Bart. I was too busy scrapping to chase you around the forum.
    @keepscrappin
     
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  9. CathQuillScrap

    CathQuillScrap I suspect foul play...

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    I just found this article as it's what I really need to do to use some old templates.... BUT...the registry for GIMP is gone and now I can't find the plugins I need. Anyone got any other suggestions or updated help? I have Gimp 2.10.12 installed
     
  10. gonewiththewind

    gonewiththewind I choose joy.

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    When you go to the registry link Bev provided, scroll all the way down to the end of the article where it says, "If you really need something from the old site, there’s a static archive of the contents available on Github that you can access." Just click on the link in the article and it takes you to the download.
     
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  11. keepscrappin

    keepscrappin ScrapWithTheWind

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  12. Roxana

    Roxana Bananas for radishes

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