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SnottyKitty
SnottyKitty
Participant
October 4, 2021
Answered

Is there a way to create a custom toolbar from menu items?

  • October 4, 2021
  • 4 replies
  • 1443 views

It has been a number of years since I last used Photoshop and there has been one huge change and that is the complete lack of any kind of generic toolbar that can be configured to hold menu items that I frequently use.  Those items would be Open/Close/Save/SaveAs/Undo/Redo etc.  I just finished chatting with a service rep who states that all those functions are now only accessible by using the menus or keyboard shortcuts.  I have limited dexterity issues that make using keyboard shortcuts very difficult.  This is a big disappointment and I really can't believe Adobe hasn't bothered to give users the capability to do this.  Are there any 3rd party plugins or UI configuration utilities available that would allow me to create my own toolbar to use in this manner?  

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Myra Ferguson

    You could try using the Commands set of  Actions with Button Mode.

     

    You don't need to create the actions for the menu items that you mentioned. Here's what you can do:

    1. Open the Actions panel (Window > Actions)
    2. In the Actions panel menu in the upper right, go down to Commands (these are preset actions for many commands)
    3. In the Actions panel menu in the upper right, select Button Mode (Button Mode shows your actions as buttons in the Actions panel)

     

    You can make these buttons for the command actions easier to find by deleting the actions that you don't use often.

     

    You can also add a color to the buttons. Disable Button Mode and double-click on an action to open the Action Options dialog where you can set the color of the button when it's in Button Mode.

    4 replies

    PECourtejoie
    Community Expert
    PECourtejoieCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 5, 2021

    Hi, there used to be a free version from Adobe, but they quit developing it, and there is a third party developed who made it again: configurator reloaded: https://exchange.adobe.com/creativecloud.details.18927.configurator-reloaded-for-adobe-photoshop.html

    SnottyKitty
    SnottyKittyAuthor
    Participant
    October 5, 2021

    I want to thank you both, Conrad C and Myra Ferguson.  Having only just installed this version of CC and Photoshop, I had not noticed the Actions Panel at all.  This will do nicely as my alternate Toolbar/Menu hybrid.  As I explore this amazing program, it is truly clear how powerful it is.  You've helped me immensely with this simple step and I can't wait to learn more about what I can do.  Thank you both again! 

      Myra Ferguson
      Community Expert
      Myra FergusonCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      October 5, 2021

      You could try using the Commands set of  Actions with Button Mode.

       

      You don't need to create the actions for the menu items that you mentioned. Here's what you can do:

      1. Open the Actions panel (Window > Actions)
      2. In the Actions panel menu in the upper right, go down to Commands (these are preset actions for many commands)
      3. In the Actions panel menu in the upper right, select Button Mode (Button Mode shows your actions as buttons in the Actions panel)

       

      You can make these buttons for the command actions easier to find by deleting the actions that you don't use often.

       

      You can also add a color to the buttons. Disable Button Mode and double-click on an action to open the Action Options dialog where you can set the color of the button when it's in Button Mode.

        Conrad_C
        Community Expert
        Conrad_CCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        October 5, 2021

        Have you already looked into using the Actions panel to create shortcuts to commands, and then switching the Actions panel to Button Mode for a quick one-click set of buttons that can be color-coded?

         

         

        If the Actions panel buttons are too small, you can assign a function key to each action. This will let you trigger commands using the function keys across the top of a standard keyboard. Or, you can get a hardware button device such as a StreamDeck, and assign each of its buttons to a specific Action’s function key shortcut in Photoshop. That will let you use a StreamDeck as a highly tactile way to trigger Photoshop commands on Windows or Mac.

         

        I have used a similar technique to design a grid of large buttons that trigger Photoshop actions from my iPad, using TouchPortal. TouchPortal also runs on smartphones, so you can turn a smartphone into a pad of buttons that runs commands in applications like Photoshop on Windows or Mac.

         

        Actions were added to Photoshop in 1996, a quarter of a century ago.

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