Overview
Brush Pilot is a fast and easy to use Photoshop brush previewer designed for the Mac. Brush Pilot is integrated with Spotlight, so once you launch it, it automatically finds every folder on your machine that contains a brush file. No need to scroll through your entire file system, only the brush files. If you don't know where a brush file is located, you can "Reveal" its location in Finder.
Activation
Without activation, Brush Pilot will only display 5 brushes per file. To activate Brush Pilot, you can purchase a license and you will receive an activation code within minutes. Once you receive your activation code, go to the "Brush Pilot" menu and select "License." Enter the activation code and Brush Pilot will be fully unlocked.
The Browser
The browser has 3 panes. One is the preview window where it will display your brushes. The top file pane displays all the brush files on your machine that are not installed in Photoshop. In the bottom file pane, you'll find all of the brushes that are currently installed into any of the Photoshop versions on your Mac, as well as Photoshop Elements.
The Need for Speed
Brush Pilot is fast, really fast. If you encounter a large brush file with a ton of individual brushes in it, Brush Pilot will display each (individual) brush one at a time, so you don't have to wait for the entire file to load before you start seeing previews.
Useful Info
If you hover your mouse cursor over and individual thumbnail preview, Brush Pilot will display the name and pixel dimensions of each brush in a tool tip.
Installing/Deleting
You can either use the Menu, Control/Right + Click, keyboard shortcuts (see below), or the toolbar buttons to easily install or move any of your files to the Trash. Brushes you install from Brush Pilot will appear in the list of brushes in your brushes palette the next time Photoshop is restarted.
Zoom
Brush Pilot also has a zoom feature. You can control the zoom with the menu, keyboard shortcuts (see below), or the zoom slider at the bottom of the window.
Live Update
Since Brush Pilot is tightly integrated with Spotlight, it will instantly see any changes you make to files. If you rename, copy, move, duplicate or delete a file in Finder, Brush Pilot will make a live update to the file list it displays, preventing the need to refresh or restart.
Stays out of your way
Only one window can be open at a time, and closing Brush Pilot will quit the application.
Automatic Software Updates
Brush Pilot (as of version 1.0.4) includes the Sparkle framework, which will automatically notify users when an update is available. You can instantly download, install and relaunch without ever visiting a website. You can also manually check for updates by going to the "Help" menu.
Printing
As of version 1.0.5, Brush Pilot includes a basic printing function.
Frequently Asked Questions
Important!
In order for Brush Pilot to function properly, brushes should not be stored in the "Library" folder, or the ~ Applications/Photoshop CSX Folder. ~ Applications/Photoshop CSX/Presets/Brushes is where the "Installed" brushes reside, however if you store brushes directly in the ~ Applications/Photoshop CSX Folder, they will show up as installed brushes pane in Brush Pilot.
1. I can't see anything when I launch Brush Pilot.
You must select a file before you will see a preview.
2. I select a folder and nothing happens.
Brush Pilot previews Photoshop Brush files. Since there can be multiple brush files in a folder, you must select an individual brush file in order to preview it. Brush Pilot cannot preview entire folders.
3. I installed some brushes, but I still can't see them in the list in the Photoshop brushes palette.
Brushes that you install from Brush Pilot will appear in the brushes palette list the next time Photoshop is restarted.
4. I have a brush file that Brush Pilot won't open.
Most likely, the brush file you're trying to preview is corrupted or truncated. You can send any brush files that you are unable to open to brushpilot[at]gmail[dot]com and we'll get to the bottom of it.
5. Why can I only select one brush file at a time?
Since there can be hundreds of individual brushes in a single brush file, Brush Pilot only previews 1 file at a time.
6. How can I install more than one brush file at once?
Currently, you can only install 1 brush file at a time.
7. Do I need to have Photoshop installed to use Brush Pilot?
No. You can preview brush files even if Photoshop is not installed.
8. Can Brush Pilot preview GIMP or Corel Paint Shop Pro Brushes?
No. Brush Pilot currently only previews Adobe Photoshop .abr files.
9. Do I always have to manually update my software when new versions are released?
No. As of version 1.0.4 (released January 23rd, 2010) Brush Pilot will automatically check for updates using the Sparkle framework. To manually check for an update, you can go to the Help menu and select "Check for Updates." If you do not have version 1.0.4, I recommend installing it immediately. It can be downloaded from the homepage.
10. Do you have any plans for a Windows version?
No.
11. Is there any way to tell BP not to scan an external Hard Drive?
Not yet. This is on the list for a future release.
If you have question that you don't see here, or to report a bug, please feel free to contact us.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Function | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Hide | ⌘H |
| Hide Others | ⌥⌘H |
| Quit | ⌘Q |
| Open | ⌘O |
| Close | ⌘W |
| Reveal in Finder | ⌘R |
| Install Brush File | ⌘T |
| Move to Trash | ⌘⌫ |
| Zoom In | ⌘+ |
| Zoom Out | ⌘- |
| ⌘P | |
| Scroll Up Fast (Preview Window) | Page Up |
| Scroll Down Fast (Preview Window) | Page Down |
| Expand/Collapse Folders | Return/Enter |
