Re:  Gradients -- the only thing I know about Gradient files is that they have to be JGD's.  Now maybe they changed this in PSP8, but in PSP7, I can only see a Gradient if the file extension is .jgd.  If they are any other extension, I cannot use them.  They go in your Gradient folder under C:\Program Files\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 7\Gradients -- in your case it should say Paint Shop Pro 8, unless they changed something about the directories as well, in which case, I probably can't help you.

 

FYI -- With Patterns I can only see my patterns if I save them as .bmp.  But at least if I find a pattern that I like and it's a .jpg, I can usually do a "Save As" and save it as a .bmp.  However, with gradients, I haven't found any place where I can save them as a .jgd, and I can't even "fool it" into thinking it should be associated with Paint Shop Pro or Animation Shop.  PSP and AS won't open it up or recognize it and doesn't show it in the Gradient cache.

 

Anyway ... that's about the best I can do.  Maybe Brent knows more about this.