Looking for a reference manual that actually describes in detail all attributes for a command

Question

I am using CS5. I am teaching myself Photoshop using their book, "Classroom in a book".
Thought the lessons, they will suggest specific setting for command attributes without describing exacting what these values mean.. For example, on page 88 they give the student specific settings for the Refine Edge dialog bog under the Quick Selection tool. They say, "To prepare the edge for a drop shadow, set Smooth to 24, Feather to 0.5, Contrast to 12, and Shift Edge to -21". Note: I am calling things like Smooth, Feather, Contrast, etc command attributes.
My question is not about this specific example, but all these attribute values for all the commands. For example, what does Shift Edge really do when negative or positive. My question is: does a reference, either a book, pdf, or a non-Adobe product (probably a book) exist that actually explains when each attribute actually does for every command? Basically looking for a boring detailed reference guide so when I am using a specific command, I can read about the attributes for the specific command and understand what the values really mean and not guess my trial and error.
Thanks in Advance,
LouF

Answer 1

Lou Fuchs wrote:
For example, I just happen to have my book open to page 113 and it is showing me (at the bottom of the page) the dialog box for Layer Style.  I was hoping for a reference manual that explains every option in the that dialog box in detail and tells you what each option means and how it effects the image.
I hope this clarifies what I am looking for.
Here's a little snippet from the info about Layer Styles in the Adobe manual.
Layer style options
To the top
Altitude For the Bevel and Emboss effect, sets the height of the light source. A setting of 0 is equivalent to ground level, 90 is directly above the layer. Angle Determines the lighting angle at which the effect is applied to the layer. You can drag in the document window to adjust the angle of a Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, or Satin effect.
Anti-alias Blends the edge pixels of a contour or gloss contour. This option is most useful on small shadows with complicated contours. Blend Mode Determines how the layer style blends with the underlying layers, which may or may not include the active layer. For example, an inner shadow blends with the active layer because the effect is drawn on top of that layer, but a drop shadow blends only with the layers beneath the active layer. In most cases, the default mode for each effect produces the best results. See Blending modes. Choke Shrinks the boundaries of the matte of an Inner Shadow or Inner Glow prior to blurring. Color Specifies the color of a shadow, glow, or highlight. You can click the color box and choose a color. Contour With solid-color glows, Contour allows you to create rings of transparency. With gradient-filled glows, Contour allows you to create variations in the repetition of the gradient color and opacity. In beveling and embossing, Contour allows you to sculpt the ridges, valleys, and bumps that are shaded in the embossing process. With shadows, Contour allows you to specify the fade. For more information, see Modify layer effects with contours. Distance Specifies the offset distance for a shadow or satin effect. You can drag in the document window to adjust the offset distance. Depth Specifies the depth of a bevel. It also specifies the depth of a pattern. Use Global Light This setting allows you to set one “master” lighting angle that is then available in all the layer effects that use shading: Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, and Bevel and Emboss. In any of these effects, if Use Global Light is selected and you set a lighting angle, that angle becomes the global lighting angle. Any other effect that has Use Global Light selected automatically inherits the same angle setting. If Use Global Light is deselected, the lighting angle you set is “local” and applies only to that effect. You can also set the global lighting angle by choosing Layer Style > Global Light. Gloss Contour Creates a glossy, metallic appearance. Gloss Contour is applied after shading a bevel or emboss. Gradient Specifies the gradient of a layer effect. Click the gradient to display the Gradient Editor, or click the inverted arrow and choose a gradient from the pop-up panel. You can edit a gradient or create a new gradient using the Gradient Editor. You can edit the color or opacity in the Gradient Overlay panel the same way you edit them in the Gradient Editor. For some effects, you can specify additional gradient options. Reverse flips the orientation of the gradient, Align With Layer uses the bounding box of the layer to calculate the gradient fill, and Scale scales the application of the gradient. You can also move the center of the gradient by clicking and dragging in the image window. Style specifies the shape of the gradient. Highlight or Shadow Mode Specifies the blending mode of a bevel or emboss highlight or shadow. Jitter Varies the application of a gradient’s color and opacity. Layer Knocks Out Drop Shadow Controls the drop shadow’s visibility in a semitransparent layer. Noise Specifies the number of random elements in the opacity of a glow or shadow. Enter a value or drag the slider. Opacity Sets the opacity of the layer effect. Enter a value or drag the slider. Pattern Specifies the pattern of a layer effect. Click the pop-up panel and choose a pattern. Click the New Preset button          to create a new preset pattern based on the current settings. Click Snap To Origin to make the origin of the pattern the same as the origin of the document (when Link With Layer is selected), or to place the origin at the upper-left corner of the layer (if Link With Layer is deselected). Select Link With Layer if you want the pattern to move along with the layer as the layer moves. Drag the Scale slider or enter a value to specify the size of the pattern. Drag a pattern to position it in the layer; reset the position by using the Snap To Origin button. The Pattern option is not available if no patterns are loaded. Position Specifies the position of a stroke effect as Outside, Inside, or Center. Range Controls which portion or range of the glow is targeted for the contour. Size Specifies the radius and size of blur or the size of the shadow. Soften Blurs the results of shading to reduce unwanted artifacts. Source Specifies the source for an inner glow. Choose Center to apply a glow that emanates from the center of the layer’s content, or Edge toapply a glow that emanates from the inside edges of the layer’s content. Spread Expands the boundaries of the matte prior to blurring.
Style Specifies the style of a bevel: Inner Bevel creates a bevel on the inside edges of the layer contents; Outer Bevel creates a bevel on the outside edges of the layer contents; Emboss simulates the effect of embossing the layer contents against the underlying layers; Pillow Emboss simulates the effect of stamping the edges of the layer contents into the underlying layers; and Stroke Emboss confines embossing to the boundaries of a stroke effect applied to the layer. (The Stroke Emboss effect is not visible if no stroke is applied to the layer.)
Technique Smooth, Chisel Hard, and Chisel Soft are available for bevel and emboss effects; Softer and Precise apply to Inner Glow and Outer Glow effects.
Smooth Blurs the edges of a matte slightly and is useful for all types of mattes, whether their edges are soft or hard. It does not preserve detailed features at larger sizes. Chisel Hard Uses a distance measurement technique and is primarily useful on hard-edged mattes from anti-aliased shapes such as type. It preserves detailed features better than the Smooth technique.
Chisel Soft Uses a modified distance measurement technique and, although not as accurate as Chisel Hard, is more useful on a larger range of mattes. It preserves features better than the Smooth technique. Softer Applies a blur and is useful on all types of mattes, whether their edges are soft or hard. At larger sizes, Softer does not preserve detailed features.
Precise Uses a distance measurement technique to create a glow and is primarily useful on hard-edged mattes from anti-aliased shapes
such as type. It preserves features better than the Softer technique. Texture Applies a texture. Use Scale to scale the size of the texture. Select Link With Layer if you want the texture to move along with the layer as the layer moves. Invert inverts the texture. Depth varies the degree and direction (up/down) to which the texturing is applied. Snap To Origin makes the origin of the pattern the same as the origin of the document (if Link With Layer is deselected) or places the origin in the upper-left corner of the layer (if Link With Layer is selected). Drag the texture to position it in the layer.