# Mapmaking Discussion & Philosophy (WIP/Critique) > Software Discussion >  Can I use PNG files in Photoshop?

## Piscivorous

I'm using Photoshop CS4. I just started today. I've spent the last few days perusing Pyrandon's Photoshop tut for creating cities/towns. I've got a nice map started and verything goes alright until I try to do forests. I think his tut is dated, because I cannot seem to do the forest step. I'm sure I can find a work around, but it got me to thinking.....

I have a ton of PNGs in my FM8 files that I wouldn't mind using in PS. I can't, however, figure out how to import them into PS, or whether even such a thing is possible.

Is it possible? If so, how do I go about doing so?

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## tilt

png works fine in photoshop and you can also save as png  :Smile:

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## Redrobes

PNG is the second most common image file format... You should just be able to load them. Post some screenies of the loading dialog if your really stuck. I presume you can load them in Gimp ok then ?

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## craggles

There are some programs that use PNGs as their native files and you can use layer in them like Fireworks (which is also from Adobe now) but Photoshop doesn't support Layers in PNG files and will only open it as a 'flat' unlayered image. It does keep any transparency information from the PNG though so that's a bonus.

I think that Adobe wants to keep the Fireworks product going and if Photoshop could open up these layered PNG files and keep all the options then Fireworks would cease it's usefulness.

Are the PNG files you're trying to open Layered PNGs (and so Photoshop is opening them flattened)? Or is Photoshop not opening them at all?

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## Piscivorous

> Are the PNG files you're trying to open Layered PNGs (and so Photoshop is opening them flattened)? Or is Photoshop not opening them at all?


That's my problem! I don't know how to open PNGs into Photoshop. See my Program line! I do admit to being a Gimp and Photoshop Luddite!  Nominally, I'd like to open a few PNG files for inclusion in my city maps. For instance, if I wanted to use the following PNG of a church, how do I got about first opening it in PS and then situating it in the right spot on the map?

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## moutarde

Well, it should be really simple to open up a png in photoshop.  Fire up photoshop, and go to file->open.  On that dialog, make sure that the option for 'Files of type:' is set to either 'All Formats' or 'PNG', and then just browse to where you have your png's saved and you should be able to open them no problem.  

That's the absolute basics, and my apologies if it's too basic.  I've never had any issues opening png's in cs4, so I'm guessing your problem is probably to do with 'Files of type:'

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## craggles

If I understand you correctly, you're having trouble opening the file because you simply don't know how to as oppose to Photoshop erroring while trying to open it.

If that's the case, here's the lowdown...

There are many different ways to open any image file into Photoshop (as there's many different ways to open any file into any application).

1. From within Photoshop, choose  *File > Open* and locate your PHG from your hard disc or
2. From the file itself, you could right click it and select the *Open With > Photoshop* or
3. If you use a Mac, you can drag the PNG file and drop it on the Photoshop application icon (I'm not sure whether PCs can do this too).

Now that you have the file open, make sure the file you want to ADD the PNG image is also open (through one of the steps above) and visible next to it (So your PNG image window is open next to the image window of your city).

Select the top most icon in the tool box which is called the MOVE TOOL (the tool box is the vertical strip on the left of the screen by default) and hold down on the PNG image and start dragging to the other image window and let go.

That would make a new layer on your City image (which you can see in the layer's panel - if it's not open, choose *Window > Layers*) and you can now drag it all over your city to your heart's content using the MOVE TOOL.

If it's your intention to make a city image from scratch by adding all these PNGs to it, you're going to have to create a new Photoshop document first. Decide the dimensions you want the city to be and go to the File > New menu and enter the particulars. If you intend to use this on your screen only, then you need to use a resolution or 72dpi. If you're intending to print this out on your inkjet printer, use a resolution of 200dpi. Professional images for print (in magazines for instance) only need a resolution of 300dpi. All those resolutions are reliant on you entering the actual intended cmm or inch dimensions in the New Document dialogue box. Your colour space should be RGB. (Professional print uses the CMYK colour space but you if that's your intended output, you can convert it at the end).

If that wasn't the problem you were having, I'm sorry for rambling on the basics.

If that was your problem, I think you're going to have to have a sit down with the manual because it only gets more complicated from here on out I'm afraid.

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## Piscivorous

> If that was your problem, I think you're going to have to have a sit down with the manual because it only gets more complicated from here on out I'm afraid.


Thanks for all this craggles! I've been working almost exclusively in Fractal Mapper 8. My wife recently got a copy of CS4 at a reduced rate for students...she's gone back to college to get her masters. We only got the disk with no manuals. She'll be learning through one of her classes.

I've been impressed with Pyrandon's maps and those created by Guild members through his tutorials. So my initial exposure to CS4 will be through his and many other member's tutorials. I'm venturing a guess that I'll buy one of those big CS4 tomes from the bookstore....or at least a CS4 for Dummies book....

Thanks again!

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## craggles

No problem.  :Smile: 

Although you've not got a printed manual, the disc should have the manual in PDF form.

I think you could even buy just a printed manual from Adobe (or ebay) if you wanted the physical tomb; but as you say, there's always books like Photoshop for Dummies and the Classroom in a Book series. 

But I would give the PDF manual a quick browse through the first few chapters too so you can get a feel for some of the rudimentary commands and functions. I know the Classroom in a Book series tends to need you to be familiar with the opening, saving and general tools first.

...and I would stay away from my tutorial until you're feeling like you're at an intermediate level - it'll only over complicate things otherwise!

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## Ascension

Those books from the bookstore are mostly for tips and tricks and I got some when I first got PS.  They helped me more than the manuals because they gave me ideas and the walk-throughs explain things better.  The manual left me confused.  Also, by the time you do a few tuts, here, you'll know more than your wife until she gets to the end of her class   :Wink:

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## craggles

Hi Ascension - we always end up on the same thread sooner or later but you know me, if Photoshop is mentioned, I have to comment.  :Smile: 

I would normally agree with you on that - but in this case, with the difficulty of opening PNG files, I don't think looking through the different ways to open a file and the labelling of the interface sections are going to hurt too much.

But yes, from then on, you can go and raid the tutes here - after all, this is what you'll be using Photoshop for anyway!  :Smile: 

Be warned though - if you ask a question that's covered in the first few sections of the manual, I shall not answer (even though it'll take every fibber of my being to do so); unless, of course, you're referencing a passage in the manual that you're confused about and then I'll try and swoop in before Ascension says 'I told you so!' 

I've got to be quick as I imagine he's already loading it into his clipboard for easy pasting as we speak!   :Razz:

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## Korrigan

I know this thread is a few days old but in case someone had the same problem there is one solution that hasn't been covered. You can use *File > Import* instead of *File > Open*. This will immediately add your PNG as a new layer. It is imported as a smart vector object (I guess it's how it's called in english) so that it retains its original size informations and you can resize it multiple times without losing quality (with a normal object, once you scale it down you can't scale it up again without losing quality). If you want to apply filters to it, you'll have to *right click the layer* in the layer stack and choose *rasterize layer*, though.

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## tilt

I'll just throw in here that the help section of Photoshop is actually gotten pretty good. Also the classroom in a book series are good for beginners as they describe every step on the way  :Smile:

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