Powerful New Tools Sharpen Photoshop 6

Alan Stafford

GRAPHICS SOFTWARE

Adobe Photoshop, long considered the best image-editing tool, adds powerful new text editing and vector graphics capabilities in its new version 6. As a result, rather than being a minor update, this is a substantial upgrade.

Photoshop 6 now allows you to create both vector shapes (rectangles, ellipses, and other forms, as well as freehand objects) and vector-based text. A vector graphic is created by a geometric formula, so when it's enlarged, it stays sharp. In contrast, a bitmap graphic contains information that describes each individual pixel; when you enlarge a bitmap, it can look fuzzy. Photoshop has been the professional graphics tool for editing bitmap images, while Adobe Illustrator held favor as the tool for drawing vector graphics.

With its new capability, the beta version of Photoshop 6 I tested produced what you'd expect with vector graphics: printed text and objects that look supersharp at any size.

Version 6 offers on-canvas text editing--just place your cursor on the canvas and start typing. The text remains editable so long as it is in vector format. A new font-warping feature does a great job of molding text around part of an object, but you can't write text on a path (you'll still need Illustrator for that). In Photoshop 6, you can add bevels, drop shadows, and various other cool effects to both text and vector objects, but for most of them, you must use a huge dialog box that obscures almost half the screen. Also, some tried-and-true Photoshop tools don't work on vectors--for example, you can't use a paintbrush or filter.

In version 6, you can group and lock layers and copy layer styles to apply to other layers, saving time and increasing consistency. You can create more layers than before, too; the maximum number isn't final yet, but it will be approximately 8000 (limited by the amount of memory in your PC, of course).

Photoshop 6 ($609; the upgrade is $199) still exports files to Adobe Acrobat's PDF (Portable Document Format), but now it retains layers and all other Photoshop file characteristics; saving work as a TIFF file does the same thing.

Adobe's Web application, ImageReady, remains separate and continues to be bundled with the new Photoshop. With ImageReady, you can create animations, JavaScript roll-overs, and image maps. Running Photoshop 6 and ImageReady at the same time, however, doubles the amount of memory you'll need, bumping it from 64MB to 128MB.

Drawbacks? Adding vector tools greatly expands Photoshop's reach but makes its interface more complex. And Photoshop users still must employ ImageReady as a separate program for Web work rather than having one killer app to take care of both their print and their Web needs.

Buying Information

Adobe Photoshop 6 Vector capabilities expand uses; on-screen text editing. Interface is becoming cluttered. Major upgrade to what was already a highly capable professional product. List price: $609; upgrade, $199 Adobe 800/492-3623 http://www.adobe.com