Channels palette thumbnails

Why are the image thumbnails in the channels pallet not showing up as grayscale images? They used to, and for some reason or another aren't any more for me. Instead, they are showing up red, green, and blue for each respective channel. I'm on Mac, using CS6.

Glad I could make your day and get you on your way.
Gene

Similar Messages

How do I find the channels palette in PSE 8?

Hello,
I am using Photoshop Editor 8 and attempting to create retro-style/technicolor images using the channels palette and creating greyscale images having gone through red, green and blue filters, and then colorise them (As seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJQj2ykF7fs) . How can I find the channels palette?
Thank you for your help!

Elements doesn't do channels. That video must be about Photoshop. However, you can add a channels panel to PSE using either Grant's Tools (free):
http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Challenge/Tools/index.html
or Elements+ from simplephotoshop.com (inexpensive, does more other things than Grant's tools).

Lost Tabs in Channels palette

Hey Folks...
Newbie here learning my way in Photoshop. Any help is appreciated.
Using Photoshop CS3... When I pull up the Channels palette I seem to be missing the "paths" and the "layers" tabs...The only tab i see is the Channels tab.
I remember seeing them and then i think i deleted them by accident....
Any ideas?
Thank u!!

Thank u!! Figured it out. Opened Layers palette and dragged channels tab into it.

Layers palette thumbnail sizes

Using PSE version 2. Works great! Love it! Except... I cannot change the size of the thumbnails in the Layers palette. They remains small no matter what I do. Mysteriously, when I open a file from Jan Kabili's PSE2 Course, all the thumbnails sizes work fine. I can make them small, medium, large. Now, what could be going on here? Any ideas?
Thanks in advance!
Jim Franck

Greetings -
Thanks for your response (below) which caused me to do some
experiments with Photoshop Elements 2. This is what I discovered:
• Opening a new file in any normal rectangular preset format, print
or Web-oriented, creates a Layers palette that functions as
advertised - that is, using the palette's contextual menu or the
"Palette Options" under the "More" button at the top of the palette
allows you to change the thumbnail size in the palette - small,
medium, etc. No problems. Eureka! and all that.
• However, opening a new file as a preset "468 x 60 web
banner" (which is what I was doing when I encountered the "problem")
constrains the thumbnail in the Layers palette to small - no other
size options available. After a moment's thought, I realized that,
because the thumbnail for a banner is disproportionately wider than
it is high, allowing for a medium or large thumbnail while
maintaining the thumbnail's proportionality would necessitate a
palette that would be impractically large.
So, it's not a program flaw, it's a feature - how often this seems to
happen.
Thanks for your note which prompted my investigation. I guess the
"take away" from this is that, if you ever get another similar
question, you might ask the inquirer if, by chance, they were working
on a web banner preset size when they encountered the difficulty.
Maybe they're as dense as I am and never made the connection.
Jim Franck
"Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the
middle of it."
- P. J. O’Rourke

How can I see the alpha channel in the channels palette?

Hello, mi format plugin loads a rgba image. I see it with transparency, that's ok, but when I go to the channels tab I only see 4 items (RGB, Red, Green and Blue).
How can I see the alpha channel of my file in the channel tab?
Thanks!

OK, something must be wrong... but I don't find it!
That's my whole code (resumed). I ommit some code (saving file code (not used) or main function, where I only call te "DoSomething" functions. You can see that I use layers. The DoReadContinue function is only used to show the preview.
In the DoReadStart function I set the parameters for the layers (and the preview), and I fill the "data" and "layerName" params in the DoReadLayerContinue function. I hope you can understand the code!
const int32 IMAGE_DEPTH = 32;
SPBasicSuite * sSPBasic = NULL;
SPPluginRef gPluginRef = NULL;
FormatRecord * gFormatRecord = NULL;
intptr_t * gMxiInfoHandle = NULL;
MXIInfo* gMxiInfo = NULL;
int16 * gResult = NULL;
#define gCountResources gFormatRecord->resourceProcs->countProc
#define gGetResources   gFormatRecord->resourceProcs->getProc
#define gAddResource    gFormatRecord->resourceProcs->addProc
CmaxwellMXI* cMax;
static void DoReadPrepare (void){
    gFormatRecord->maxData = 0;
static void DoReadStart(void){
    char header[2];
    ReadScriptParamsOnRead (); // override params here
if (*gResult != noErr) return;
    // Read the file header
    *gResult = SetFPos (gFormatRecord->dataFork, fsFromStart, 0);
    if (*gResult != noErr) return;
    ReadSome (sizeof( header ) * 2, &header);
    if (*gResult != noErr) return;
// Check the magic number for avoid no-mxi files
    int headerID = CheckIdentifier (header);
    if( headerID != HEADER_MXI ) *gResult = formatCannotRead;
if (*gResult != noErr) return;
// The file is OK. Let's continue to obtain the data of the image.
cMax = new CmaxwellMXI( 0 );
strlen((char*)gFormatRecord->fileSpec->name);
gMxiInfo->filename = _strdup((char *)gFormatRecord->fileSpec->name + 1);
bool res = cMax->getMXIIInfo(
                (const char*)gMxiInfo->filename,
                gMxiInfo->width, gMxiInfo->height,
                gMxiInfo->burn, gMxiInfo->monitorGamma, gMxiInfo->iso,
                gMxiInfo->shutter, gMxiInfo->fStop, gMxiInfo->intensity,
                gMxiInfo->scattering,
                gMxiInfo->nMultilightChannels, gMxiInfo->lightNamesList,
                gMxiInfo->availableBuffersMask,
                gMxiInfo->widthPreview, gMxiInfo->heightPreview,
                gMxiInfo->bufferPreview);
if(!res) return;
// Check the available extra buffers
int count = 0;
if( gMxiInfo->availableBuffersMask & CmaxwellMXI::ALPHA_BUFFER ){
    // We will use that string to obtain later the desired extra buffer.
    gMxiInfo->extraBuffersList[count] = "ALPHA";
    gMxiInfo->hasAlpha = true;
    count++;
else{
    gMxiInfo->hasAlpha = false;
gMxiInfo->nExtraBuffers = count;
switch( IMAGE_DEPTH ){
case 8:
      gMxiInfo->mode = plugInModeRGBColor;
      break;
case 16:
      gMxiInfo->mode = plugInModeRGB48;
      break;
case 32:
      gMxiInfo->mode = plugInModeRGB48; //96 gives me an error
      break;
// SET UP THE DOCUMENT BASIC PARAMETERS.
VPoint imageSize;
if( gFormatRecord->openForPreview ){
    // Preview always RGB8.
    imageSize.v = gMxiInfo->heightPreview;
    imageSize.h = gMxiInfo->widthPreview;
    gFormatRecord->depth = 8;
    gFormatRecord->imageMode = plugInModeRGBColor;
    gFormatRecord->planes = 3;
    gFormatRecord->loPlane = 0;
    gFormatRecord->hiPlane = 2;
    gFormatRecord->colBytes = 3;
    gFormatRecord->rowBytes = imageSize.h * gFormatRecord->planes;
    gFormatRecord->planeBytes = 1;
else{
    // Configure the layers. All RGBA32.
    imageSize.v = gMxiInfo->height;
    imageSize.h = gMxiInfo->width;
    gFormatRecord->depth = IMAGE_DEPTH;
    gFormatRecord->imageMode = gMxiInfo->mode;
    gFormatRecord->layerData =
        2 + gMxiInfo->nMultilightChannels + gMxiInfo->nExtraBuffers;
    gFormatRecord->planes = 4; // RGBA.
    gFormatRecord->loPlane = 0;
    gFormatRecord->hiPlane = 3;
    gFormatRecord->planeBytes = IMAGE_DEPTH >> 3;
    gFormatRecord->rowBytes = imageSize.h * gFormatRecord->planes * ( IMAGE_DEPTH >> 3 );
    gFormatRecord->colBytes = gFormatRecord->planes * ( IMAGE_DEPTH >> 3 );
    gFormatRecord->transparencyPlane = 3;
    gFormatRecord->transparencyMatting = 1;
    gFormatRecord->blendMode = PIBlendLinearDodge;
    gFormatRecord->isVisible = true;
SetFormatImageSize(imageSize);
gFormatRecord->imageHRes = FixRatio(72, 1);
gFormatRecord->imageVRes = FixRatio(72, 1);
VRect theRect;
theRect.left = 0;
theRect.right = imageSize.h;
theRect.top = 0;
theRect.bottom = imageSize.v;
SetFormatTheRect(theRect);
// No resources for now.
if (sPSHandle->New != NULL) gFormatRecord->imageRsrcData = sPSHandle->New(0);
gFormatRecord->imageRsrcSize = 0;
    return;
/// Called for prewiew only.
static void DoReadContinue (void){
    // Dispose of the image resource data if it exists.
    DisposeImageResources ();
if( gFormatRecord->openForPreview ){
    VPoint imageSize = GetFormatImageSize();
    gFormatRecord->data = gMxiInfo->bufferPreview;
      if (*gResult == noErr) *gResult = gFormatRecord->advanceState();
    if( gFormatRecord->data != NULL ){
      delete[] (Crgb8*)gMxiInfo->bufferPreview;
      gMxiInfo->bufferPreview = NULL;
      gFormatRecord->data = NULL;
// De momento nos olvidamos de los icc profiles [TODO]
    //DoReadICCProfile ();
static void DoReadFinish (void)
    // Dispose of the image resource data if it exists.
    DisposeImageResources ();
    WriteScriptParamsOnRead (); // should be different for read/write
// write a history comment
    AddComment ();
// Clean some memory.
if( gMxiInfo->lightNamesList != NULL ){
    for( unsigned int i = 0; i < gMxiInfo->nMultilightChannels; i++){
      if( gMxiInfo->lightNamesList[i] != NULL ){
        delete[] gMxiInfo->lightNamesList[i];
        gMxiInfo->lightNamesList[i] = NULL;
    delete[] gMxiInfo->lightNamesList;
    gMxiInfo->lightNamesList = NULL;
if( gMxiInfo->bufferPreview != NULL ){
    delete[] gMxiInfo->bufferPreview;
    gMxiInfo->bufferPreview = NULL;
if( gMxiInfo->filename != NULL ){
    delete[] gMxiInfo->filename;
    gMxiInfo->filename = NULL;
if( cMax != NULL ){
    delete cMax;
    cMax = NULL;
static void DoReadLayerStart(void){
// empty
static void DoReadLayerContinue (void){
int32 done;
    int32 total;
VPoint imageSize = GetFormatImageSize();
// Set the progress bar data
done = gFormatRecord->layerData + 1;
total = gMxiInfo->nMultilightChannels + gMxiInfo->nExtraBuffers + 2;
// Dispose of the image resource data if it exists.
DisposeImageResources ();
uint32 bufferSize = imageSize.v * gFormatRecord->rowBytes;
int nPixels = gMxiInfo->width * gMxiInfo->height;
char* lightName = NULL;
// SET THE BLACK BACKGROUND
if( gFormatRecord->layerData == 0 ){
    gFormatRecord->data = (void*)new byte[bufferSize];
    for( int i = 0; i < nPixels; i++ ){
      ((float*)gFormatRecord->data)[ i * 4 ]     =
      ((float*)gFormatRecord->data)[ i * 4 + 1 ] =
      ((float*)gFormatRecord->data)[ i * 4 + 2 ] = 0.0;
      ((float*)gFormatRecord->data)[ i * 4 + 3 ] = 1.0;
    // Set the layer name.
    gFormatRecord->layerName = new uint16[64];
    gFormatRecord->layerName[0] = 'B';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[1] = 'a';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[2] = 'c';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[3] = 'k';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[4] = 'g';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[5] = 'r';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[6] = 'o';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[7] = 'u';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[8] = 'n';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[9] = 'd';
    gFormatRecord->layerName[10] = '\0';
// LOAD THE LIGHT LAYERS
else if( gFormatRecord->layerData < gMxiInfo->nMultilightChannels + 1 ){
    void* lightBuffer = NULL;
    void* alphaBuffer = NULL;
    byte foob;
    dword food;
    // Get the light buffer.
    bool res = cMax->getLightBuffer(
                           (char*)gMxiInfo->filename,
                           gFormatRecord->layerData - 1, IMAGE_DEPTH,
                           lightBuffer,
                           gMxiInfo->width, gMxiInfo->height, lightName);
    if(!res){
      *gResult = readErr;
      return;
    if( gMxiInfo->hasAlpha ){
      // Get the alpha buffer.
      res = cMax->getExtraBuffer(
                            (char*)gMxiInfo->filename,
                            "ALPHA", IMAGE_DEPTH, alphaBuffer,
                            food, food, foob);
      if(!res){
        *gResult = readErr;
        return;
    else{
      alphaBuffer = (void*)new float[ gMxiInfo->width * gMxiInfo->height * 3 ];
      for( int i = 0; i < nPixels; i++ ){
        // Only need to set the red channel.
        ((float*)alphaBuffer)[ i * 3 ] = 1.0;
    // Put them together.
    gFormatRecord->data = (void*)new byte[bufferSize];
    for( int i = 0; i < nPixels; i++ ){
      ((float*)gFormatRecord->data)[ i * 4 ]     = ((float*)lightBuffer)[ i * 3 ];
      ((float*)gFormatRecord->data)[ i * 4 + 1 ] = ((float*)lightBuffer)[ i * 3 + 1 ];
      ((float*)gFormatRecord->data)[ i * 4 + 2 ] = ((float*)lightBuffer)[ i * 3 + 2 ];
      ((float*)gFormatRecord->data)[ i * 4 + 3 ] = ((float*)alphaBuffer)[ i * 3 ];
    delete[] (float*)lightBuffer;
    delete[] (float*)alphaBuffer;
    // Set the layer name.
//LOAD THE EXTRA CHANNELS
if( ... ){
//READ THE RENDER BUFFER
if( ... ){
// User can abort.
if (gFormatRecord->abortProc()){
      *gResult = userCanceledErr;
      return;
// Commit the layer.
if (*gResult == noErr) *gResult = gFormatRecord->advanceState();
// Update the progress bar.
(*gFormatRecord->progressProc)( done, total );
// Free memory.
if( gFormatRecord->data != NULL ){
    delete[] (float*)gFormatRecord->data;
    gFormatRecord->data = NULL;
if( lightName != NULL ){
    delete[] lightName;
    lightName = NULL;
static void DoReadLayerFinish (void)
// Nothing to do.
And that's the image that I obtain loading a 8 layer image:
The layers have transparency (when I set "transparencyPlane" to -1, or 0, or 1, or 2, or 3, or 4....., I got the same result!). The blending mode is still "normal". I had set it to "linear dodge" The "isVisible" param works OK.
Alpha 1 is still black.
Is possible that I need to set something in the .r file? I had to add "FormatLayerSupport { doesSupportFormatLayers }," to manage layers, for instance.

Where is the channels palette in Photoshop Elements 11?

Is there one? Where is it?
I'm trying to map some text over a photo so it looks like the text is printed on it, i.e., follows the contours of the photo, and I used to do it with channels. But I just upgraded to PS 11 (Macintosh) and can't find it.
Help!

Or, I'm wondering if I'm not understanding what you want to do. I took your question to mean that you want to follow the outline of an object in PSE. If you mean you want to make text look like it's painted on a brick wall, for example, in a way that follows the contour of the bricks or is printed on a rumpled t-shirt, say, you want to use the Displacement map (Filter>Distort>Displace).

Edit in Photoshop and Alpha Channel

When I open an image in Photoshop using 'Open with External Editor', and add an alpha channel, when I save it back to Aperture the alpha mask shows on top of the image, whether or not it is made visible in Photoshop. Furthermore, the thumbnail shows the mask as white and the image shows the mask as black.
Are others seeing this same behavior? Do I have a setting that is incorrect?

Search the discussions on a couple of these terms -- there was a thread or two a couple of months ago.
It turns out (I can't remember who pointe this out! sorry!) that if you put a completely blank alpha channel at the top of the stack of them (that is, under the R, G and B channels in the Channels palette), then save, the image shows up OK.

The odd tale of Quickmask and the alpha channel

I'm posting this in hope rather than expectation - as I keep requesting this is fixed, but I seem to be a lone voice.
I understand that this code was written back in the 90's - and I get the impression (from a senior Photoshop engineer no less) that no one really understands it...
The odd tale of Quickmask and the alpha channel
Try this:
With Quickmask set to it's defaults (double click the quickmask icon and ensure it's set to 'colour indicates : masked areas'), paint in black to create a 'red' quickmask area. Hit Q to return to the selection border. You should see two selection borders - one at the edge of the image defining the outer edge of the selected area, and one defining the inner edge of the masked area that you painted.
Now hit the 'save selection as channel' button at the bottom of the channel palette to create an alpha channel.Everything's as expected - the alpha is black ('unselected') where you painted.
Now repeat the process, but with the Quickmask mode set to 'colour indicates : selected areas'.
In this case where you paint in QM mode should be selected. Paint a patch and hit the Q key - it is. You have a single selected area. Now hit the 'save selection as channel' button at the bottom of the channel palette to create another alpha channel.
This time the alpha is incorrect - it's the inverse of what it should be.
And it gets worse:
Ctrl / Cmd click on the alpha thumbnail to load the alpha as a selection -
notice that it even loads the black area as a selection.
It's been like this as long as I can remember... and I really wish it was fixed.
I'm a Photoshop ACI. QM is a tool I'd like to get my students to use more, but this behaviour makes it 'difficult' to teach Quickmask to users, particularly in conjunction with alpha channels. In my experience it seems that most users find it more natural to 'paint on' a selection, rather than than 'paint off' a mask.
So most users would prefer to set 'colour indicates : selected areas'
I've been around long enough to know the rubylith heritage upon which Quickmask is modelled, however I now think it's time that baggage was left behind. I wonder what proportion of current Photoshop users even know what rubylith was?
There are two points here:
1. There should be NO connection between the QM paint state and the subsequent creation (or loading) of an alpha channel.
Whether you choose to label it a feature or a bug, it's clearly wrong to toggle out of QM mode, see a selection on screen, make an alpha channel - and find your alpha is reversed.
And in addition to that - it's a 'freak' alpha that subsequently loads reversed...
2. I think it's time to drop the rubylith baggage and set the QM paint mode to a default of set 'colour indicates : selected areas'.

Charles,
Thanks to your replies I've now discovered another twist to this tale...
When I'm saving a selection, I typically use the 'save selection as alpha' button in the channels panel. That shows the issue I'm referring to.
However, I've just discovered - thanks to your comments - that if instead you use the 'Select > Save selection' menu command you get a 'correct' alpha.
If you care to try that second example again you'll find you can get two different alpha's from the same selection - depending upon which saving option you choose!
This is now getting so complex, I'll have to put a pdf together explaining it and send it to our fiends at Adobe.

Need Help with "Channels" CS5

I am learning about using channels as a mean of channel masking in CS5. The instructor on a dvd starts with a general understanding of channels. Within the first 2 minutes, I can't seem to replicate his instructions.
Here are steps I take to look at the individual channels Red, Green, Blue.
I invoke "Channels" in my layers palette. What appears is the RGB, Red, Green, Blue Channels (with the eyeball showing in each of the individual channels).
The instructor says to click on each of the channel and you will see the appropriate a tone map of each individual channels.
When I click onm lets say the red channel, nothing happens ... all of the layer eyeballs are still on and I get no individual tone map. If I deselect all of the eyeballs, then I can get the individual channel tone maps.
I suppose that the instructor is using a short cut key to invoke each individual channel tone map, but he doesn't explain it.
Does anyone have an idea how to get an individual tone map directly after opening up the channels palette, without having to mannually remove each eyeball.

Click on the channel thumbnails themselves, not the eyes.
The keyboard shortcuts are shown to the right beside each channel in the channels panel.
(they are different shortcuts than below, which is cs3, but your channels panel should show the ones for cs5)
Do you have any adjustment layers or layer masks in your layers panel?

Issue (aka bug): File compatibility and alpha channels

When I enable file compatibility mode on photoshop (so that previews and thumbnails show up), the thumbnail and preview will be wrong when there's an alpha channel in the channel palette. Specifically, the thumbnail will be masked by the top-most alpha channel in the channel palette. Consequently, there is sort of a work-around--if you create a plain white alpha channel and make sure it's the top-most alpha channel in the palette, then the preview and thumbnail come out fine. Luckily, this requires negligible extra memory.
If there's no alpha channel or I don't save alpha channels, the preview/thumbnail looks fine.
In spite of the work-around, a fix would be nice. It'd also be nice if there was a way to have a preview/thumbnails in Finder without the large memory penalty of compatibility mode.
Bart

Yes, everything in Bridge works great. However, the search function in Bridge is SLOW and a bit flaky (same problem on the Windows side as well) so I like to use spotlight instead for searching. Additionally, I like to use iPhoto to create collections of images that will contain photoshop files as well as others.
For now, it is workable for me to just use compatibility mode in photoshop and make sure all images with alpha channels have an all-white alpha channel at the top of the stack. The file size penalty is tolerable for now. If Apple ever fixes things on their end, then it's a simple script to convert my psd files back again.
Bart

Can't select pixels in channels

I'm currently using photoshop cs2 and I can't seem to get it to select the pixels in my Channels. I used to be able to do this,don't know what's going on.Any ideas,maybe a setting got changed ?

What operating system are you using?
You can Ctrl or Command click on any of the channel thumbnails in the channels palette to load a selection of that channel
Or use the keyboard shortcuts shown to the right of the channel names.

? Selecting 2 of 3 RGB channels in to adjust in Levels

This is a CS4 question (and let me express my ingratitude to Adobe for dropping support for an $1800 set of apps).
In Photoshop CS4, using a G5 (non-Intel), in the Channels view panel (alongside Layers, etc), when it is displaying RGB, Red, Green,and Blue I am able to shift-click, on say, the Red and Blue channels to sleect only those two. The image still displays in full RGB. When I issue command-L (Levels) I end up with the basic Levels disalog box, and instead of it choosing by default "RGB" for adjusting, I now have "RB" and I can adjust Red and Blue together with the sliders, avoiding the green channel. I can do this in, obviously, three combinations.
For some reason, when I try this same thing on a friend's Intel Mac with Photoshop CS4 (same!), shift-clicking the Red and Blue channels in the Channels palette chooses them but the image display now displays without the Green channel influencing the image, thus rendering it unusable for adjusting two channels at once.
I figure that since I am using the same App version on each Mac, maybe there is a setting somewhere I cannot find, or I am forgetting a step on the way to my friend's computer.
Q: How do I choose 2 channels in the Channels palette while still having my image display in full color, and also be able to choose those two channels for adjustment in the Levels?
For those of you who are wondering WHY I would want to adjust 2 channels at once, here's an example: an image looks lsightly too yellow, bt ther eis no yellow channel. Yellow is full Red & Green, so, using my method, I can choose both those channels, and reduce the yellow by reduing R and G together.

You should be able to shift click the red and blue channels, then make the rgb composite visible (make the EYE visible by clicking in that box)

Incorrect detection of double-clicks in layers and channels windows. (Mac OS X 10.6.8)

Photoshop will detect a double-click in the layers and channels panels even when there are different modifier keys held down on the first click vs. the second click.
I have never intended to double-click and accidentally changed the modifiers I was holding down between clicks. I often perform an action requiring modifier keys and immediately follow it with an action that requires no modifiers (or different modifiers).
I realize that the conventions for what constitutes a double-click are platform dependent and not particularly well documented, but I do expect Photoshop to work the way that my operating system does (Mac OS X 10.6.8)). I know older versions of Windows detected double-clicks even when modifiers were changed between clicks, but I believe the latest versions behave similarly to OS X.
Examples:
Start by having a document open with multiple alpha channels and layers in it.
Select an alpha channel by clicking on it's thumbnail in the channels panel.
Quickly hold down the control key and click again.
Result: this brings up the "Channel Options" window. (as if you had double-clicked)
Expected result: should bring up the channel's contextual menu.
Bonus extra nitpick: The window opened on mouse-down, not on mouse-up.
Create a non-blank alpha channel.
Hold down the command key and click on that alpha channel's thumbnail. (loads the channel into the selection)
Quickly release the command key and press the mouse button.
Result: Brings up the "Channel Options" window. (as if you had double-clicked)
Expected result: Start a drag operation on the channel.
Click on a layer in the layers panel to select it.
Move the mouse pointer to a different layer.
Hold down the shift key and click to select multiple layers.
Quickly release the shift key and press the mouse button.
Result: Brings up the "Layer Style" window. (as if you had double-clicked)
Expected result: Begin a drag operation.
Bonus extra nitpick: The window opened on mouse-down, not on mouse-up.
Interestingly the layers panel does the correct thing when control is pressed between clicks, but the channels panel does not.
The options windows opening on mouse-down instead of mouse-up has never bothered me, but I believe it goes against convention.
Thanks.

Very detailed report, Jay. I was able to see exactly what you're talking about, and reproduce this using my trackpad. I'm wondering if this is an OS issue, or something that can be tweaked in Photoshop. Even with files in Finder, you can activate a double-click even with a slight hesitation, which is similar to the behavior in Photoshop.

Dragging Channels To Layers Help Needed

Hi Folks,
I've been working with the tutorial link below to get rid of some stains, While I have no problem working directly on the channels, I'm lost as to what it means to drag the channels onto layers. I can't seem to find a reference as to how to do this. Most likely I don't have to correct term when I'm searching.
Any help or point to a reference would be a big help.
"I normally drag the channels out onto layers to make the repairs. This gives much more control, especially if graduated masks are required. On this occasion and for the sake of simplicity I've made the repairs directly on the channels."
Tutorial Link
http://retouchpro.com/tutorials/?m=show&id=304
Thanks,
Chuck

I think what he useallydoes is to drag the channel to the new channel icon in the bottom of the Channels palette. This creates a duplicate of the channel draged was a new alpha channel with the name Channel xxx copy. Then they would select that channel and work on it. When done they may replace the original channel with the worked on contents of the copy or blend it in some way.

Getting rid of black fringe when using anti-alised alpha channel

I want to take images rendered in Lightwave 9.3 into Photoshop CS2 for compositing. If:
1. I render objects with antialiased edges over a black background, and then
2. save out the alpha channel for use as a layer mask in Photoshop
I get a black fringe around the objects resulting from the semitransparent pixels of the antialiased edges revealing the black background in the base image.
How should I avoid this problem to get clean antialiased edges?
Thanks.

One of the few uses of the Image>Adjust>Brightness/Contrast is choking or spreading Alpha channels. Go to the channels palette and play around with the Alpha to see what happens. Bear in mind that you may want to load the channel as a selection (or not), invert the selection (or not), Modify the selection to expand or contract... (or not), etc, etc.
The point of all the "or nots" is that there is more than one way to attack this. Your willingness to experiment will determine whether you succeed (or not).
Here's a before and after:
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/103/alphaon3.jpg

Channels palette thumbnails

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