Brief Anatomy of the File Browser in Photoshop

Before I dive headlong into the detailed operations of the File Browser, let me give you a brief anatomical breakdown of each of its components.

-->Menu bar: Commands found on the menu bar allow you to open or delete images, edit an image in ImageReady, add file info, and search for images. You can also flag files and append their metadata (information about your file). See more on metadata coming up. The menu bar also offers options for sorting and viewing files. Finally, you have access to basically the same Automate menu that you find in Photoshop itself (in the File menu).

-->Buttons: Rotate, flag, search, or delete files with a click of the button.

-->Location bar: Across the top center edge of the File Browser is a location bar that lists the current location (such as a folder on your hard drive) on display.

-->Show bar: Choose to display files that are either flagged or unflagged files or both.

-->Folders palette: Located in the upper-left corner of the File Browser is a palette showing the folders on your computer. If an image file is available to your computer, the File Browser lets you use this palette to find it.

-->Preview image: Beneath the Folder palette is a preview of the currently selected image.

-->Main browser window: Beneath the location bar is a scrollable browsing window that shows thumbnail images of all the image documents in the currently selected folder. In addition, any folders located within the current folder are shown with a folder icon.

-->Keywords palette: This new feature lets you tag your images with keywords such as the names of people or places to enable easier locating and sorting of images.

-->Metadata palette: Below the Preview window is a Metadata palette that shows information about your images. The File Properties section shows items such as filename, date of creation, date last modified, image format and size, and so on. Any file information for images added via the File➪File Info displays in the IPTC section of the Metadata palette. Likewise, you can also enter, or edit file information directly in the IPTC section in the File Browser. Finally, the Camera Data section displays information associated with your digital photos, such as the make and model of your camera, and exposure and ISO speed. You can also display other types of metadata, such as Camera Raw information, by choosing them in the Metadata Display Options dialog box accessed via the Metadata palette pop-up menu.