applying styles?

hello everyone, ok I am very much a newbie here and have tonsssssss of questions that I cannot seem to search and find.
So let me start with stlyes, lol
I have been browsing here at tutorials downloading all kinds of goodies, but with the goodies I dont know how to apply them.

I am assuming since I download the styles I put them in the style folder in a example is this a style? (Chocolate.asl)
So how do i apply a style? I have seen some cool text effects with these done but not exactly sure how to apply.

As for question 2)
I followed a well done tutorial that help me alot,

http://www.teamphotoshop.com/photoshop/tutorials/text/chromebase_6/tut_chrome.php
only thing that lost me is after I and there quote

" Then make sure the text layer is selected and go to Layer/Rasterize/Type Then link the type layer and the new transparent layer above it and merge the two of them together."

Im so use to using paintshop pro and to me when you merge you merge all layers so that there is only 1 layer, but with ps it doesnt work for some reason. When I went to save as a gif I got some weird message so I was unable to save.

Like I said I am new here, I am a dedicated paintshop pro user but I want something that is more powerful like ps. But with the power theres new areas to explore.
Id appreciate all the help and feedback, and in case i forgot to mention I am using ps6.
my email is
[email]rh0ads324@aol.com[/email]:confused:

If you want to merge all the layers together, click on the "Right facing arrow" in the layers palette. And choose Flatten Image from the drop down.

If you want to save GIF, use File > Save for web. Then you don't have to worry about flattening them image first and all that stuff.

ok I will try that and see.
thank you very much