Here at theStudio, we love to share tips, tricks, and tools to help you in your scrapbooking projects. Today I want to share an amazing little application that I believe will save you loads of time and frustration. It is a preset viewer named “Argus” by Tumasoft. This application works with Windows and allows you to see thumbnails of what is included in your .asl (Styles), .pat (pattern), and .csh (shapes) files. Tumasoft is having a birthday celebration and is offering “Argus” right now for just $7! (Click on the image below to be taken to the Tumasoft site.)
*Edit: A blog reader contacted me and said that Tumasoft also offers a Mac version of Argus. It doesn’t look like it is included in the birthday sale, but check it out of this applies to you.
This is how it works. Download and “run” the application. Very clear and simple instructions are included. It will take you 5 minutes to get this setup and ready to go!
I cannot explain this application better than Tumasoft does, so here is what they have to say about it with a few inserts from me:
“I know you’ve been there before.” You know you have the right style, pattern, or shape for the project you are working on, but don’t remember the name and can’t find it. “Time to search. Load a preset, look it over. Nope! Next. Nope, not there either.” You know you have hundreds of files and don’t have the time or energy or desire to search through all of them. “With Argus, you’ll never hunt for the right file again.”
Argus is a Windows-based application, (Compatible with Windows 7 through Windows 10) so there is no software for you to have to open and operate alongside Photoshop. Argus is just “there.”
Normally, when looking for a Style, you would see the .asl file. Not very helpful if you can’t remember exactly what the style looks like!
With Argus, you would be able to see all of the styles within that .asl file! Amazing, don’t you think???
Looking for a shape?
Go from this, without Argus….
…. to this with Argus.
I found myself avoiding the use of my Pattern files, simply because I didn’t want to install them and then find out they weren’t what I was looking for. But not anymore!
Before Argus:
After Argus:
So simply stated…… this is very helpful application that will make your workflow faster and less frustrating! AND the birthday celebration sale price of $7…. well, that is just icing on the cake!
Special thanks to Sweetmade and Manu Scraps for allowing me to demonstrate Argus using their products.
Click on the images below to be taken to each product. I think you might even find some great sale prices on them!
Thanks for stopping by our blog today!
I bought this & can’t figure out how to use it. Do you have an instruction manual of some sort?
Never mind. It seems to be working now.
Never mind, it seems to be working now.
Does this work with PSE? Or is it only for Photoshop?
Can someone explain to me how this work? After installing what should I do?
HI Wayne, there should be a PDF included in the zipped download that explains everything. If you didn’t receive that, let me know and I”ll send you mine.
Could you please send me a copy of the PDF. Thanks……….
I did not get the PDF file.
I have used this for as long as they have had it for sale! I had the version before Argus, Preset Viewer.
Basically, there is a codex that Photoshop uses in it’s file formats that does not translate to Windows. That is why we don’t see the individual patterns, brushes, etc. in Windows Explorer. (I don’t know about Mac) This software is the codex that enables the Adobe file formats to be viewed by Windows.
Thanks for this, Karen! I adore the Tuma’s! John is a genius at this stuff!
Su
Wayne, if you contact me via the forum, I will send you the document I have. You might like to let the Tuma’s know that the instructions were not included in your download though, in case it is something they need to address. Thanks, Sue for your comments.
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