Click to select layer(s) missing in CS5?

Just upgraded to CS5 from CS3...long-time Photoshop pro user. I have always simply clicked an element in the photohsop image which selected that layer. Holddown shift while clicking several layers selected all those layers. Not it seems the only way to not use the layers palette to select layers is by right-clickingon EACH layer and then selecting that layer from a right flyout contextual menu. Is this a change? Why does the Adobe team change things like this. We power users are programmed to work fast using this kind of shortcut, and now so many of my shortcuts are changed. Another example is that when in the layer adjustment/curves palette, I used to be able to use command + 1,2,3 to select R G and B channels to edit. Now it has been changed to something else, option + 3,4 and 5!! WTH?
Please, someone get back to me on this layer selection question. Setting somewhere? I just want to be able to quickly click on something in the image to select that layer without right-clicking, flyout, select blah blah blah.

With the Move Tool active, check the Auto-Selection option in the option panel...you can choose either Layers or Groups...and as with any update, it's useful if you learn how to use it. BTW, did you know whith any tool selected, holding Command/Control allows you to see a context menu with all the layers currently under the cursor? Most power users find this function more efficient than using Auto-Select.

Similar Messages

  • Right click not selecting layer

    I have been using a trial version of Photoshop CS5 and have noticed that when I right click on a layer, the list of layers comes up like usual, but the actual layer i am on is not selected. Is this a bug of CS5? This gets rather annoying when you have a lot of layers and would like to get directed on the layer pallet just by clicking on the layer on the stage. Has anyone else found this a problem?

    the list of layers comes up like usual, but the actual layer i am on is not selected.
    … makes no sense. Or means something different to what you intended. As a guess try these…
    • Upgrade your trial to 12.0.1.
    • As C… suggests, Command clicking with the Move Tool auto-selects any layer you click on. There is also an option in the move tool called "auto select'  that you can change, which toggles this behavior.

  • Shift+Click to Select Layer is moving layer across workspace

    Hello everyone.
    When I Shift+click to select a layer, this layer moves and continues to move across the stage with each shift+click?
    Weird!
    Anyone ever have a similar issue or any suggestions?
    Thanks hardlee

    No the layer object starts moving across the stage.
    I hook up my laptop to my office monitor and use usb keyboard and mouse while at office.  It happens in this scenario and also happens when out of the office using my laptop touch pad.  Shift plus LeftClick and the layer starts moving, sometimes it will move clear off the main stage in to the greyed out area around the graph.
    Again  weird...
    Hardlee

  • 'Control Click' to select layer when inside a group?

    You can hold the [Ctrl] key and click something in your document to select its layer. If however you click something that is inside a group, the whole group is selected. Is there a way around this other than right clicking it and choosing its layer from the context menu?

    You know I’ve never used that, i had some old graphic software back in the early 90's that worked like that. Thanks for pointing it out.
    Unfortunately it still selects the whole group, when you click a layer contained in a group (which technically is the point of a group though)

  • All Layer styles missing from CS5 Photoshop.

    This is the fourth time I have gone through this. i open my photoshop to see all my layer styles are gone. Since I have 1000s and most custom made i don't remember all the creations. I have searched all over and the only place that had anything close was a discussion in Elements, but that solution did not work for me. I know I can't be the only person that has gone through this?? Is there anyone that knows how to retrieve all the styles i had just hours ago?

    this has happened before when I left my computer on and MS did an auto update that restarted my computer...
    This points me to the additional potential for a video driver issue. Simple OS updates and even some hot-fixes, have been known to render the video driver obsolete. That is one reason that nVidia and ATI/AMD issue updates about once per month.
    I have Windows set (on all computers) to ONLY notify me of the availability of an update. That way, I manually download and install it/them, and know to keep an eye on the video driver, should an issue arise. I have all nVidia cards, but do not religiously update drivers (there have been some from both nVidia and ATI/AMD, that have been problematic), as so long as my Adobe programs function perfectly, I will wait until something goes awry. I also have all programs set to NOT auto-update, as I have had two auto-updates really mess things up, and once very badly - one was a simple Logitec Set-Point mouse driver update, and it totally killed my computer, requiring a complete rebuild and low-level reformatting of my system HDD. The other was a Java update, that killed a large PSD file, that was Saving, when it started - that one only cost me a redo from an earlier, previous version of the PSD, and the only time that I have had my Preferences corrupted. I had forgotten to turn those auto-updates OFF - my bad.
    Let us know more about your display sub-system with make/model and driver info. That would be my "prime suspect" right now.
    As for the Elements material, I recall similar in Premiere Elements Styles going missing, but that was many versions ago, and doubt that anything in the solution to that problem would apply to Photoshop, but will go searching for that thread, just in case.
    Good luck,
    Hunt

  • How can I change the UI colour of a selected layer in PS CS5.5?

    Hey,
    Just wondering how to change the colour of the selected layer in the layers pallete? It's quite annoying the way it is (Dull grey/blue) and sometimes hard to see what layer's selected?
    I prefer the brighter blue on my other computer!
    Any tips much appreciated

    Oh, i missed that you said cs5 and not cs6?
    Message was edited by: R_Kelly
    If it's cs5, did you try changing the highlight color in the system preferences either under Appearance or General?

  • How do I use just 1 click with move tool (command v) to select layer within group?

    I'm on Snow Leopard 10.6.8, Photoshop CS3 10.0.
    Is there a way to click just once with "command V" to select a layer within a group?
    I used to be able to do it, and on my laptop I can do it now (same OS and Photoshop) but the mac I use for my design work won't do it...I have to also right click and select the layer that is highlighted. I have a many multilayered Photoshop document with lots of groups, and it's an extra time consuming step.
    Is there some preference I can turn on? Or some other simple keystroke?
    Thanks so much!

    Glad I could help, Emily

  • I have photoshopp cc, and I am used to photoshop elements. In photoshop it wont allow me to just click on a layer, and have it select that layer . I have to click on the layer in the box that shows all my layers in order to select it. I also want it to no

    I have photoshop cc, and I am used to photoshop elements. In photoshop it wont allow me to just click on a layer, and have it select that layer . I have to click on the layer in the box that shows all my layers in order to select it. I also want it to not only select the layer on the actual project, but put a hashed line around it that allows me to resize it manually, without having to do it in another window. Does that make sense? I cant even get the layer to select. PLEAE HELP. Id also be able to just click on the layer and drag it. It wont let me, and I am confused.

    If you were serious to learn Photoshop, I'd advise you to take Photoshop classes at your nearest community college or some such institution, to take a subscription to lynda.com, to watch all the Photoshop videos at Adobe TV, to google for specific video tutorials on You Tube and for other tutorials in text format.
    Even the Help menu in Photoshop can be a great starting place.
    Don't expect to find in Photoshop the kind of hand-holding features that Elements has and that appeal to beginners and amateurs.

  • Whatever happened to option click select layer?

    Hi all.
    I'm using Photoshop CS4 and wondered if there's a way to get the old "option click" to select a layer?
    I noticed it's gone in this version, but is there another command I could use without having to go to Select>Load Selection?
    thanks!
    B.

    It's such a time saver.  I always copy complex selections to a new layer just to be able to reload them with ctrl click.  It is also another thing that makes running dual monitors so handy, having the Paths palette always available to ctrl/command click.

  • Adjustment layer not adjustable in CS5

    Photoshop CS5/12.0.1, Mac OS 10.5.8 Mac Pro 6GB 2.8 GHz Quad Core Intel Xeon
    I try to create an adjustment layer, on my background layer, which appears to be created, but no dialog appears to let me adjust the adjustments.  Double clicking on the adjustment layer icon does nothing, nor does selection layer->layer contents options...
    The image is 8-bit RGB, which came from Lightroom 3 as a DNG.  I tried saving it as a PSD and reopening it, and I still can't change the adjustments in the adjustment layers.  Here's what the layers pallette looks like:
    What stupid thing am I doing (or not doing) that's causing this?
    Thanks!
    -Eric

    Welcome to CS5. You're looking for the adjustments panel, which allows non-modal adjustments (Window menu > Adjustments).
    More about that here:
    http://help.adobe.com/en_US/photoshop/cs/using/WS3B030337-01D1-45b4-A006-E3ECA67B14B9.html
    John Nack's blog about it here:
    http://blogs.adobe.com/jnack/2010/04/polishing_the_adjustments_panel_in_cs5.html

  • Color range selection + layer styles

    Hello--
    Help me if you can!
    I have had it on good authority (my photoshop instructor) that color range selection hasn't been working correctly for some time.
    I'm using CS2, version 9.0.2 on an IMac os X version 10.5.8.
    I am often working with multiple layers that are not similar at all.  When I have one layer active and do a color selection, it may also select the color range on inactive layers.  Then, if I do a fill, for example, it may affect areas on other layers that were inadvertantly color selected.  I know there are ways to ask photoshop to perform a function on all layers, but I don't see this as an option or setting with color range selection.  I had started to assume it was sort of like crop, which affects all layers, but when I asked, my teacher says it should only be selecting/affecting the layer that is active. 
    I found I can deal with this by 'closing the eyes' (making non-visible) the other layers...but that is a hassle and sometimes hides exactly what I need to see.
    Then noticed, just lately, that when I use a layer style, it is no longer showing up on my layer palette.  Maybe I don't understand correctly, but I thought any layer style addition would show up on the palette under the name of that layer.  If I happen to remember that a particular layer used a layer style, I can still click on the layer styles icon and alter it, but it isn't displaying on the layer palette any more--so I cannot toggle or discard the effect simply, and it is hard to know why a layer looks the way it does without that information.
    Could be I'm corrupted and need to deinstall/reinstall?  Is there something I'm missing about these functions , or something I accidentally changed?  I would really appreciate any help or information.

    Yes your instructor is wrong, it always selects visible pixels, and always has. You can however create a selection before you go into Color Range, and it will only work within that selection though.
    If you want Color Range to work in precisely the same way as it always did in the old versions you need to make sure that you ..
    • Highlight a non masked layer and
    • Uncheck the somewhat bizarrely entitled "Localised Color Clusters" checkbox
    The changes to Color Range happened a few versions ago, to my memory it was with CS4 .  The main improvement was that they made it more powerful with the capability to produce better more refined selections. They also unfortunately made the daft mistake of making the command work DIFFERENTLY depending on whether you have a masked or a non masked layer selected. This is not very logical really because it just causes confusion, and doesn't really achieve anything constructive in my opinion. No one who knows what they are doing wants to modify an existing mask using Color Range.

  • I need to create an action or script to save the file with the name of the selected layer

    I need to create an action or script to save the file with the name of the selected layer (not including the hidden layers, but including those visible).
    How could modify the script: 'Layer Comps To Files.jsx' to get the result?
    Warning: I do not need to export all layers as files.
    Who can help me?
    THX in advance

    Versione in Italiano (Further down the English version)
    NB - Nella versione inglese ho messo tutte le immagini dei menu in italiano.
    Versione per Mac, ma credo sia identico per Windows.
    Spiego passo passo cosa ho fatto:
    - Ho creato un file esempio con tre Livelli, salvato sulla scrivania e ho chiuso il file.
    - Ho aperto il file e selezionato il Livello al centro per iniziare a registrare una azione che ho chiamato: Save with Name of Selected Layer
    - Nuova azione
    - Dare il nome e premere Registra
    Ora salva…
    - Menu --> Livello --> Nuovo --> Livello... e premi -ok-, (lascia il nome che viene mostrato)
    - Ancora una volta Menu --> Livello... --> Nuovo --> Livello... e premi -ok-, (lascia il nome che viene mostrato)
    - Menu --> Livello --> Ordina --> Dietro
    - Menu --> Livello --> Unisci sotto
    - Menu --> Livello --> Unisci visibili
    - Menu --> Livello --> Nuovo --> Livello... e premi -ok-, (lascia il nome che viene mostrato)
    - Menu --> Livello - Nascondi Livello
    - Menu --> Elimina --> Elimina livelli nascosti (press -Yes-)
    - Menu --> Livello --> Nuovo --> Livello... Inserisci questo: 'Move this to the trash' e premi ok
    - Menu --> File --> Script --> Esporta Livelli in File... (Nella finestra che si apre scegliere l’opzione che si desidera, ma togliere il prefisso del nome) e premere -Esegui-
    - Selezionare il pannello Storia cliccare su Elimina premendo -Si- ogni volta che si apre la finestra di dialogo (Ripetere 8 volte questa operazione sino ad arrivare nella storia alla condizione di partenza. Ho visto che è meglio di Ripristina -F12-)
    - Fermare la registrazione.
    A questo punto, mandando in esecuzione questa Azione, ho raggiunto parzialmente l’obiettivo perché i file così creati mantengono, purtroppo, dei prefissi numerici per evitare probabilmente la sovrascrizione di file (credo senza avviso) nel posto dove vengono creati.
    Per ottenere l’obiettivo occorre un nuovo passo ed a proposito di questo riferisco quanto segue:
    ATTENZIONE - L’operazione descritta qui di seguito deve essere fatta su di una copia del file, per cui:
    - Duplicare il file,
    - Spostare l’originale in altra cartella
    - Lavorare sul file duplicato.
    mi riferisco a questo...
    ATTENZIONE - Questa modifica è effettuata a proprio rischio e pericolo ed il sottoscritto non si assume alcuna responsabilità su quanto venga fatto soprattutto da mani inesperte.
    ATTENZIONE - Questa modifica sovrascrive qualsiasi file che abbia nome uguale al layer che viene selezionato più l’estensione del file naturalmente.
    Comunque la modifica è banalissima e a portata di chiunque.
    Procedere così:
    - Chiudere Photoshop
    - Aprire (nel percorso specificato dall’immagine) il file “Export Layers to Files.jsx” (Export Layers To Files.jsx 1.0.0.16) con un editor di testo puro.
    - cercare la stringa (dovrebbe essere in riga 1029)
    var fileNameBody = fileNamePrefix;
    fileNameBody += "_" + zeroSuppress(i, 4);
    fileNameBody += "_" + layerName;
    - sostituirla con:
    var fileNameBody = fileNamePrefix;
    fileNameBody += layerName;
    - cercare la stringa (dovrebbe essere in riga 1047-46)
    var fileNameBody = fileNamePrefix;
    fileNameBody += "_" + zeroSuppress(i, 4) + "s";
    - sostituirla con:
    var fileNameBody = fileNamePrefix;
    fileNameBody += "";
    - salvare e uscire.
    - riavviare Photoshop
    - provare l’azione registrata facendo attenzione che il nome del layer non sia identico al nome di un file già presente altrimenti questo verrà sovrascritto.
    Domanda:
    Perché ho creato livelli che poi ho eliminato ecc.
    Risposta:
    Semplice per evitare errori di esecuzione delle azioni nel caso di operazioni con livelli mancanti o altro.
    Semplice... no?
    English version
    Mac version, but I think it's the same for Windows.
    First of all, I'm translating the actions that I made using the Italian version of Photoshop, you look at the position of the menu that I have chosen to do the work with other languages.
    I explain step by step what I did:
    - I created a sample file with three layers, saved to the desktop and I closed the file.
    - I opened the file and select the layer at the center to start recording an action that I called: Save with Name of the Selected Layer
    - New action
    - Give the name and press Save ( I think it is so in English )
    Now save ...
    - Menu -> Layer - > New —> Layer… and press -ok- , (leave the name that is shown)
    - Once again Menu -> Layer - > New —> Layer… and press -ok- , (leave the name that is shown)
    - Menu -> Layer - > Arrange (order) -> Behind
    - Menu -> Layer - > Merge Down
    - Menu -> Layer - > Merge Visible
    - Menu -> Layer - > New —> Layer… and press -ok- , (leave the name that is shown)
    - Menu -> Layer - Hide Layer
    - Menu - > Delete - > Delete hidden layers (press -Yes- )
    - Menu -> Layer - > New —> Layer… Enter this: ' Move this to the trash ' and press ok
    - Menu -> File - > Scripts -> Export Layers To Files... (In the window that opens select the option you want, but take away the name prefix) and press - Run -
    - Select the History panel and click Delete (on menu opened) pressing -Yes- every time when open the dialog box (8 times Repeat this step until you get into the story to the starting condition. Not use Restore -F12-).
    - Stop recording.
    At this point, by executing this action, I have reached the goal partly because the files created in this way remain, unfortunately, the numerical prefixes to avoid possibly overwriting of files (I think without notice) in the place where they are created.
    To achieve the goal we need a new step and thinking about this as follows:
    WARNING - The operation described below should be made on a copy of the file, so :
    - Duplicate the file
    - Move the original folder to another
    - Work on the duplicate file.
    WARNING - This modification is performed at your own risk and the undersigned assumes no responsibility on what is done mostly by inexperienced hands.
    WARNING - This change will overwrite any files with the same name as the selected layer plus the file extension of course.
    However, the change is trivial and within reach of anyone.
    Proceed as follows:
    - Close Photoshop
    - Open (in the specified path from the image ) file " Export Layers to Files.jsx " (Export Layers To Files.jsx 1.0.0.16) with a pure text editor.
    - Search for the string (should be in line 1029 )
    var = fileNameBody fileNamePrefix ;
    fileNameBody = + "_" + zeroSuppress (i, 4 ) ;
    fileNameBody + = "_ " + layerName ;
    - Replace it with :
    var = fileNameBody fileNamePrefix ;
    fileNameBody + = layerName ;
    - Search for the string (should be in line 1047-46 )
    var = fileNameBody fileNamePrefix ;
    fileNameBody + = "_ " + zeroSuppress (i, 4) + "s" ;
    - Replace it with :
    var = fileNameBody fileNamePrefix ;
    fileNameBody + = "";
    - Save and exit.
    - Restart Photoshop
    - Try the recorded Action, making sure that the layer name is not identical to the name of an existing file otherwise it will be overwritten.
    Question:
    Why I created levels which I then deleted etc..
    Answer:
    Simple to avoid errors of execution of the actions in the case of transactions with missing levels and other.
    Simple ... is not it?
    Sorry for my bad English...
    Thanks in advance for any hint.
    --->>> Please think about this... Adobe <<<---

  • (Layers Palette) When selected, layer is highlighted in grey, not blue.

    When I select a layer, it is highlighted in grey (in the layers palette) and I am unable to edit it. My current process for making a layer editable is as follows:
    Select layer (highlighted in grey)
    Double click layer (opens "Layer Styles" dialogue box)
    Close "Layer Styles" dialogue box
    Layer is now highlighted in blue and can be edited.
    I am currently running Photoshop CS5.1 on a windows machine which is using Windows 7.
    Any thoughts?

    Howdy.
    Where are you clicking on the layer?
    Did you try to reset your preferences by holding CTRL+ALT+Shift as soon as your start Photoshop?

  • I am unable to click on a layer mask for editing. CS6 OS10.10

    I have been working on a file and all of a sudden I am unable to click on a layer mask in order to edit that mask. I am still able to do the following things:
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    I have tried the following:
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    Restarting photoshop.
    Restarting my computer.
    Deleting/recreating the preferences files.
    Any insight out there?

    I discovered my problem by trying to paint on whatever I was selected on. It laid down the mask overlay. I thought about it and realized that I must have bumped the 'Q' key and put myself in Quick Mask mode.
    So now this is here in case anyone else makes this mistake! :-)

  • I can't open Lightroom files in Photoshop CC 2014.  When I Right Click and select Edit In Photoshop CC 2014 nothing happens.  I have uninstalled CC 2014 and Lightroom but no change.

    I can't open Lightroom (5.7.1) files in Photoshop CC 2014.  When I Right Click and select Edit In Photoshop CC 2014 nothing happens.  I have uninstalled CC 2014 and Lightroom but no change.

    What happens if you start up PS CC 2014, first, and then try the Edit In?
    Here are a few things to try related to a similar, but not exactly the same problem:
    http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/edit-photoshop-command-missing-photoshop.html

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