: Photoshop: What is the quickest way to make changes to headers and footers in a web design? When I start working on a web design project and finish up the home page, I duplicate that PSD

@Holmes874

The better way is to not build all the web pages as files, but instead as code. Barring that, look at using proper wireframing tools like Axure. I'm not a huge fan of Axure, but in terms of managing design documents that will be constantly updated, it's better than PhotoShop.

If you HAVE to keep working this way, then I strongly suggest switching to Fireworks, which is designed for a workflow like this.

(Again, though, consider getting your designs into HTML/CSS/JS sooner than later as it's so much easier to iterate through that than bulky PSDs)

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@Cooney243

This is one of the reasons I've been using Illustrator for my comps for the last few years (I know many people here will take issue with that).

If you do prefer Photoshop, try out variables. It's not exactly elegant but you will be able to maintain global items in dedicated files and link out to them.

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@Angela777

I'd strongly suggest keeping everything in the same PSD and using Layer Comps. Here's a good article on them: twosixcode.com/notes/view/how-to-use-photoshop-layer-comps

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@Turnbaugh909

Other than keeping everything in the same PSD, I can't think of a way. Layer Comps may help for viewing, but if there are changes they won't be much use. You could also use the History snapshots while a document is open.

You may do better to make smart objects of your page content and leave the header/footer as simple layer groups in the PSD. That way those objects will open in their own window. You can then save and see the update reflected in the main PSD.

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