How do I fade the edges of an object?

Photoshop CS3 on Leopard:
There's got to be a quick way to do this...I've just never figured out how.
I've searched 'fade' but I"m guessing that I'm using the wrong search term.
I'm trying to take a image or layer and 'fade' the edges, so that the layer behind shows through to a varying degree - something like a combination of opacity & gradiation applied to the outer edge.
If I'm not too clear: As an example, take a 100 pixel solid black square (layer) over a transparent background. I'd like to apply a graduating degree of opacity to the edges proportionately (all 4 edges). Something like from 0% opacity at the outermost edges - to 100% in a 20 pixel 'border'.
How would I do this?
Thanks,
J.P.

Try this. Assuming that you have a solid color image on a layer, first select the outside of the image. You could use the magic wand and select all of the transparent background around the image by clicking on the background. Then inverse the selection using the inverse command under select on the menu bar so that the selection is selecting the object and not the background. Then go to the feather command under select on the menu bar. This opens the feather dialog box which allows you to prescribe a feather radius of pixels of how much of the outside of the image you want to feather or fade. Enter an amount. The higher the number of pixels you enter the more Photoshop will feather...or "fade". Then click OK and the dialog box will go away. You will notice that the selection has "shrunk" inward around the image somewhat. Then inverse your selection again so that the transparent backgound is selected and hit the delete key. Photoshop will erase the pixels around the outside of the object as a fade to the depth that you prescribed in the feather command dialog box. If you hit delete more than once it will continue to fade the image until it maxs out and you will have a soft edge image on a layer.I think this will do what you want. This is a good way to create a soft edge around photos and hard edge shapes. Good luck.

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