January 27, 2005

1:54 PM

Is it possible to convert or otherwise use Photshop plugins from Windows to Mac? I have lots of legacy plugins and effects from the old Windows PC here at work. We switched to Mac but many of the plugins are not available for Mac.
posted by ooklah to (7 comments total)

Not "converting" per se... but if you happen to have any Extensis plug-ins, both the Mac and PC versions should be on your install CD. If the second letter in your serial number is "C" (ex: HCE for PhotoTools), that means the serial number is cross platform and will work for both the Mac and PC versions. If you bought online (that is, downloaded the software instead of buying a boxed product) you can download the demo for the platform you need now and then make it the full version by entering your cross-platform serial number.
posted by blueberry at 2:19 PM on January 27, 2005

Keep a Windows machine or two around, put (free) VNC servers on them, or run the Remote Desktop service if you're using XP. Use a VNC client or a RDC client session to run the Windows machine remotely.

The nice thing about RDC is that folders on your local machine are available to the RD server. So you can quickly move files back and forth for processing with Photoshop.
posted by AlexReynolds at 2:26 PM on January 27, 2005

IAMAGA, but seems difficult to believe there's Photoshop things for PC that aren't available for Mac. Graphic artists comprise Mac's core demo--and Photoshop's.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:26 PM on January 27, 2005

IANAGA...
posted by ParisParamus at 2:36 PM on January 27, 2005

There are indeed a number of Photoshop plug-ins for Windows that aren't available for Mac, mostly from small, often innovative shareware developers. Many of these do eventually make it to the Mac. Plug-ins like NeatImage, FocusMagic, Noise Ninja, and most recently Shadow Illuminator started on Windows but are being made for the Mac now. This is simply because most amateur digital photographers have Windows boxes, and Photoshop Elements has created a market for inexpensive third-party Photoshop plug-ins to serve that market.

If you have a list of the PC plugins, we could perhaps suggest alternatives for the Mac.
posted by kindall at 2:37 PM on January 27, 2005

ISK: I stand corrected (and enlightened). Thanks Kindall!
posted by ParisParamus at 2:47 PM on January 27, 2005

Oh. ISC. I am losing it....
posted by ParisParamus at 3:06 PM on January 27, 2005