Photoshop CS4 Layers

I have used Photoshop Elements in the past so I know how layers are supposed to work. No matter what I do, I cannot get beyond a background layer in Photoshop CS4. If I load something into the background layer and try to load a different graphic or photo onto a second layer, it simply replaces the background image or white space. I am extremely frustrated. I am running this on Vista. I would be grateful to anyone who could help me with this problem as I have a project with a looming deadline.

Zeno:
Thank you for your response. The background layer wasn't called "index", so that wasn't the problem. In fact, I'm not sure quite what the problem was. I kept tinkering with things and all of a sudden, I had success. I wish I knew what solved my problem, but it's solved and I can now get my project completed.
Again, thank you for your help.
Susan

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Photoshop CS4 layers palette too wide problem!

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/6828/swatchesld2.jpg
The Photoshop CS4 layers palette is too wide and distorts the layout of the default color swatches palette when docked on the same column. And I don't want to have to put the color swatches palette anywhere else but the same column. Can the layers palette be fixed so that it can be as narrow as the other palettes, so it won't cause a conflict with the swatches layout?

As for the rescalability of panels I think this is more of a Windows issue, but even on mac these are nowhere near as well designed as they were.
Panel and UI design issues are now unfortunately more complex than just to do with Photoshop. The whole Creative Suite is now unified to some extent in the way it handles panels. Part of these problems stem from the fact that Indesign and Illustrator's concerns are quite different to those of Photoshop. Partly because the designers of these two applications have introduced a great swaithe of additional panels, which now need to be accomodated. Hence the panel buttons, and poorly docking panels.
The design of The Creative Suite interface now seems much more influenced by Flash Web design, and Windows OS. Unfortunately with flashing buttons, icons, and distracting transparency whenever you move anything, Photoshop appears on the surface much more complex than it needs to. This surface complexity will lead to further misguided accusations of "bloat".
Photoshop CS and CS2 in my humble opinion, had much more "solid" and well designed panel (or palette) interfaces. Although here and there there have been one or two useful additions to the overall UI, including more readily accessible workspaces, tiling, and obvious clickable icons for people who can't deal with keyboard shortcuts.

Photoshop CS4 - Layers Missing in PDF Export

Hi there,
I'm working on a leaflet design for a client in Photoshop CS4 and am having a real issue with the PDF export. There are three layer groups all containing the same graphics, but when I export these to PDF - whether compressed or uncompressed and I've tried Reader 5 - 8 compatibility and with varying settings the layers do not appear in the PDF.
They are visible as plain as day in Photoshop, but don't appear at all in the PDF.
Any help would be gratefully appreciated,
Many thanks,
Martin Oxby
mOxby Design
Custom Web Design

Thanks for your answer :-) I will try the gradually merging option first. I did flatten it but lost a LOT of quality in the PDF, which is not great when this has to go to the printer's.
My image doesn't have clipping paths (probably hard to believe) but does have an epic number of layers. Here are the offending layers - nothing complex at all. The layers that don't appear, simply are the three squares which are in the 'Logo Squares' layer group.
If this enlightens you at all please let me know and I'll get back to you again. Thanks for posting!

Photoshop CS4 Layers →Matting

I am using the trial version of CS4 and cannot access the Matting filters under the Layers menu.
The Matting selection is grayed out. I have tried different image modes and nothing allows access to Matting.
Fitz

Are you dealing with an 8-bit or a 16-bit image? RGB or CMYK? Image type?
Not sure if any of these is a factor, but if you've reset your prefs and it's still a no-go, I'd check image compatibility with the filters.
Neil

I can't import video frames to layers in Photoshop CS4

I just bought a Macbook Pro, OS X 10.8.4 and installed Photoshop CS4 on it, but when I select import video frames to layers and search for a video, they appear but I can't select any videos. I have the latest version of Quicktime and the videos play fine. I can still use photoshop with photos so it seems like it's just this one function that isn't working. It works on my sister's older Macbook pro though (she hasn't got Mountain Lion though, it's snow leopard OS X 10.6.8), and the only time it didn't work was when there wasn't enough space on the computer but I have over 670GB of available space.

How can I tell if I am using QT X or QT 7? Do you have any idea how I could fix this issue?
Edit: I downloaded QT 7 and changed it to my default player and restarted my computer. I don't know if this is what I was supposed to do, but the issue is still unresolved. Just wondering, why does it make a difference if it's QT 7 or X? I'm sorry, I really don't know much about these things as I am relatively new to photoshop

Photoshop cs4 - changes seen only in small layers panel window

Hello. I am operating from a mac, using Photoshop, CS4. When I make any kind of change or alteration to my image, the change shows up only in the layers panel small display window, not on the actual image. I have the correct layer selected etc.

Is the layer you are editing the topmost in your layers panel? Is it getting obscurred by a layer above it — perhaps even a blank white layer?

Why Does Premiere Pro CS4 Import Only 10 Seconds Of Layered Photoshop CS4 .psd??

Why Does Premiere Pro CS4 Import Only 10 Seconds Of Layered Photoshop CS4 .psd??
I have a 24 second clip I layered in Ps and when I import the psd into Pr THE SEQUENCE IS ALWAYS ONLY 10 SECONDS!
How can I change this? Why does this happen? I really need to know as soon as possible. I have a video project due this Wednesday (granted it's for an AV class where I'm just learning Pr. But I can learn VERY FAST!)
Thanks for your help.
--OSXniCKels

Just in case I wasn't clear in my last line "just Click-drag on the Tail of your .PSD to set the desired Duration," once you have Imported your .PSD (as Footage), just drag it to the Timeline, Click-drag on the right-hand margin (the Tail) and stretch out its Duration, as is required.
Now, if you Imported as a Sequence, open that Sequence's Timeline, and do the same.
I normally will set my Edit>Preferences>Still Duration to about what I think will be applicable, do my Import, and then with the Info Panel handy, just alter the Duration to suit.
Good luck,
Hunt
PS - Welcome to the forum.

Photoshop CS4 has stopped working--importing video frames to layers

Whenever I get the part of the video selected that I want and hit okay I get a message saying:
"Adobe Photoshop CS4 has stopped working"
How can I fix this?
Thanks

Also, you can make sure your system is 64 bit capable by:
Open Performance Information and Tools by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Performance Information and Tools.
Click View and print details.
In the System section, you can see what type of operating system you're currently running under System type. Under 64-bit capable, you can see whether you can run a 64-bit version of Windows. (If your computer is already running a 64-bit version of Windows, you won't see the 64-bit capable listing.)

Complaint: Animated GIF, Photoshop CS4

I am a freelance print designer. Needless to say that I have upgraded to the Design Standard Edition of the Creative Suite 4. Still, some customers ask me to do their web banners, too.
Fact 1:
There is an animation palette in Photoshop CS4 Standard.
Fact 2:
You can create animations with that palette.
Fact 3:
You can save the animation as an animated GIF.
Fact 4:
Opening the animated GIF, you only get the first frame, so you cannot edit the animation or content inside the GIF.
Fact 5:
I need to alter a few animated GIFs which I created several years ago using Photoshop CS2. Due to a harddrive crash, I don't have access to the original layered PSD files any more.
Fact 5:
Photoshop CS4, the most advanced image editing tool on the face of the earth, is absolutely useless at this point, and I have to find freeware or shareware to do the job. Finding and purchasing this sort of software is MY time, and that is MY money.
Whatever drove Adobe to cripple Photoshop CS4 Standard, whatever drove them to expel the simple "Open Animated GIF" feature from Photoshop CS4, it was the wrong decision.
This, Adobe, is a customer complaint. Take it serious. There is competition, and I hear a lot about GIMP these days.
Frustrated,
Gero

I know this thread is getting on a bit now, but I do have the answers.
Quite simply, as far as I can tell, this cannot be done without Quicktime installed.
To open an animated gif in CS4 on a PC:
1. Go to File->Import->Video Frames to Layers
2. In the File Name box type “*” ( or you can type the name manually) The window will now show every type of file
3. Select your gif and you are done
To open animated gif in CS4 on a MAC:
1. Go to open, select your GIF, then in the bottom left corner of the open file dialogue box select Quicktime Movie as the format, then open your GIF.
2. You’ll need to open your animations window by going to window -> animation. This will bring up the time line.
3. If you want to have all of the frames broken up into layers, click the options in the animation window, and select “Flatten Frames into Layers”.
This will give you access to all the frames as layers and you can now edit the GIF as though it was a movie.
I hope this helps to ease somebody's frustration.

Is it possible and how to open animated gif files in Photoshop CS4

I made a Google search and I found tips that Photoshop can open frames from animated gif files by using File->Import->Video Frames to Layers. But this menu is missing from Photoshop CS4 on the computer I'm using it. Searching this forum for "Import animated gif" didn't return any result. Any ideas?

Zeno
curt y, sorry for the late reply, I tried that but I doesn't work. I have to choose at least two files in the Load Layers window in order for the OK button to be available and then some action script uses the different files to make layers and merges them but not from the frames of the gif file. I can undo through the script to see what it did but it never accessed the frames of the gif file, just the first frame. Choosing "make frames from layers" in the animation palette only puts the original files into layers - that is only the first frame of the gif file.
I guess I'm out of luck with the 64 bit version of Photoshop as Zeno suggested :-(
What program would you people suggest for opening each frame from gif files?

Photoshop CS4 64bit Slow on a Dell Covet M6400

hello all,
i have patiently read all the posts on the forum about the slow issues and supossedly how to fix them (kapersky etc..). I have yet to be able to configure photoshop cs4 64bit to run smoothly..
here is my config...
Dell Precision Covet m6400
Vista 64
Quad-core qx9300
8gb ram
nvidia quadro fx 3700m 1gb
2x320gb 7.2k drives raid 0
cs4 64 should run like a dream on this machine... it doesn't..
What problems i get.
General refresh issues, lag, panels done't minimise maximise smoothly, can't drag layers smoothly from one document tab to another. When i try and close the document tabs they take ages to close. When i open nvidia control panel in tandem to having photoshop open to see whats going on the animated logo jitters and does not rotate smoothly when i move my mouse over it...
What i have done to try and solve the issues.
Uninstalled and re installed numerous times.
Uninstalled and re installed Dell's nvidia driver and other drivers from laptopvideo2go.
Unistalled eset node 32 64bit
Changed gpu setting in performance menu...
CS3 runs ok though...
please please please does anybody have any ideas on what may be the cause..?
many many thanks i'd be more than happy to test anything you have to try and sort out these issues. the 3700m is nvidias flagship mobile workstation card and photoshop should rock on it...
Anthony Kyriazis
www.onyro.com

Same here,
Tried everything on this forum and more...
Getting tired of wating after adobe.
IntelP D 2.80 GHz
2GB dual channel
Ati Radeon 4870 HD
XP 32bit SP3
1.5TB HD (150f)

Photoshop CS4 has many rough spots

I've been through the mill, trying to get CS4 Design Premium to install. I finally managed, with the considerable help of a tier three Support Engineer. Since then I've had about a week's exposure to Photoshop CS4. Here's a list of things I don't like and/or those that don't work:
1) Program always crashes when I try to save a GIF file or try to use any of the new 3D tools.
2) I like two-across tool palette. When I drag workspace to left, it covers up this palette.
3) I like to leave three palettes open on the right, History, Characters and Layers. For no earthly reason that I can fathom the Layers palette has gotten considerably wider, and it cannot be reduced horizontally. Oh yes, I could reduce these three to icons, but then I'd be constantly clicking to open them and clicking to close them.
4) Open palettes have foreground precedence. This means that when I try to enlarge my workspace to the right, the workspace scroll bar disappears underneath the palettes.
5) The essentials button is destructive. I found this out the hard way when I clicked it and it wiped out a newly customized workspace. Now I know to save my customized workspace immediately upon completion.
6) Why did Adobe add the Adjustments button. It just creates an extra step when making adjustments. CS3 was smart enough to pop up the correct controls when adjustments were being made. Example: create New Adjustment Layer > Threshold. On my copy of CS4, I have to click Adjustments before the control shows up.
7) The new toolbar (at top of screen) wastes considerable space and is not deselectable. Hint courtesy of Support: Save your custom workspace with a very short name 2-3 characters; then this toolbar will combine with the menu bar.
8) Scrolling through highly magnified images is abysmally slow - much slower than it was on CS3.
9) The clone brush is less accurate in CS4, and it doesn't always turn off when one is finished cloning.
10) None of my CS4 files installed with responsive, indexed Help files. Now, every Help request sends me to a sluggish web site where there are no indices, poorly organized information, and in some cases just a message that Help area is under development.
11) I haven't been able to get the Patch tool to work correctly.
12) When program crashes (not always while attempting to save GIFs or 3D), it does so with generic, uninformative error message. In one week, I have had more Photoshop CS4 crashes than I ever experienced during the lifetime of CS3.
13) Why did the installer leave 34 superfluous language items (ones in anything other than US English in my case) in both the Legal and Lmresources folders? The product is bloated enough without oversights like that.
How many more will I find during the next week? I don't know, but I'm sure there are more to be found. How many of those that I did notice are due to the dreadful suite installer? I don't know the answer to that one either, but I suspect the installer may well have played a role.
I'm sure many will disagree, but IMHO Photoshop CS4's user interface is godawful compared to its predecessors. I can't find a single thing that can be accomplished with less mouse activity or keystrokes than earlier versions, but I have found quite a few things that demand more.
I was fortunate enough to have my installation issues addressed by one of Adobe's top support engineers. Had it not been for that, I'm reasonably certain I'd still be trying to install CS4. I've been using Photoshop since version 3, and the Creative Suites going back to the first one. This is the first time I've ever felt that quality assurance was completely ignored for the sake of meeting a self-imposed release schedule.
As I remarked in one of my earlier email exchanges with Adobe support, "I wish that every software Product Manager would study the reasons why Vista and Office 2007 have gotten such lukewarm receptions." I'm afraid the CS4 team didn't learn from Microsoft's mistakes.

To Chris Cox:
I have the very latest drivers for my nVidia card. If my problem with saving GIF files is unique, then I would suspect the installer might have done an incomplete job without reporting it as such. The considerable difficulties I had, over a week's time, trying to install CS4 Design Premium were by no means an isolated case. Adobe's own suggestions to address installer issues by creating Desktop installer version from distribution DVDs, installing to another drive or folder or running a cleanup tool are all acknowledgments that the installer had problems. By the way, none of these suggestions, individually or in combination worked for me. I had to dig around and locate a registry key which referred to AdobeCMapsAll. This was a CS3 key that neither the installer nor cleanup tool caught. Deleting this key allowed me to advance (but by no means finish) my installation. The story is a lot longer than this, but the bottom line is that I have good reason to doubt the installer ever did its job properly.

Has anyone experienced there computer freezing up when useing Photoshop CS4 or SC5

My two computers both freeze up when I am useing Photoshop (working with a large file 82-120 megs with multiple layers, channels and paths) it only ocurred when useing Photoshop. Otherwise the computrs works fine for every day tasks for buseniss and personal use, admittedly, I do not have any other resource intnsive applications other then QuickBooks or maybe a large Excel spreadsheet but I have no problem with these large files. I am not a gamer or I could try a game I hear that they can be resorce intensive.
My first computer is used for personal and business. this computer has a number of programs on it, including Kaspersky internet security but it is not lacking in resorces, It is a Intel based computer, sporting Intel quad core 2.5 GHz CPU. running on a 32 bit Windows 7 operating system, its list of components are 4 gig ram, Nvidia Geforce 9600 GT graphics card (on the Adobe approval list sporting open GL) 4 sata hard drives, 750 watt power supply, Asus P5N-D SLI motherboard, the tower case has 7 fans and the CPU is water cooled.
I run Photoshop CS4 on this unit.
after I experienced this loss of critical files I call the tech support line to see if they could help with recovery of the file and to ask if they had a way to prevent this from occuring again.
They said that I could wave bye bye to the file and the work, additionaly they said if I was working with large files like that, I should be runing a 64 bit system that could utilize additional memory.
I really like working with the large files so I bit the bullet and spent the money for the 2nd computer that I would use as a dedicated Photoshop workstation.
the second system has many of the same components because they have worked admirably. the key difference is as followes. 8gig ram, 64 bit Windows 7 operating system, Photoshop CS5 and the only other software is the drivers for the wacom intos4 tablet. I desided not to install any type of antivirus program because I will not be useing it on the internet except when it needs to connect to Adobe for whatever. my decision not to install antivirus can be reversed but I did not want any questions about it slowing up the computer.
This system with Photoshop CS5, freezes up faster then the CS4 system.
When I say Freezes up what I am referring to is the mouse and keyboard will not respond. Control/alt/delete will not bring up the task manager. Eventually I give up and have to force a shut down by pushing and holding the case start button for about 5 to 8 seconds.
when I restart the system I check the file that I have been working and several times the file that I was working on is corrupted beyond Photoshops ability to open.
I have used the windows 7, on board, memory diagnostics and it claims that all of the memory is fine I have reviewed the event logs and the only critacal errors are about the system being improperly shuting down. I even went to the trouble to click on the link for each error that will take you to Microsofts website and will serch for anything they have about that event and they had no help on the event.
People with mac computers have had a similar problem that had to do with there fonts and plugins, but I do not have a mac and I have not installed any plugins. The CS5 is as it came from the factory and the Mac people kicked me out telling me to get over on my side of the street where the rest of the windows outcast are but that was only after they thought they had there problen solved. Its so funny, but losing these files is not, Please Help

Thanks everyone for jumping in with both feet.
Let me review what I have already done.
(1). I have already witnessed how the wround driver for the tablet will wrack havoc. when I first started the 64 bit version of CS5 it would not recognize any PSD files at all and if you went to the file and right clicked looking for the (open with) dialog box forget-about-it the option for Photoshop was not an option.
I called Adobe tech support and they told me that I was not going to be able to use the Wacom tablet with the 64 bit versionof Photoshop. I found that a little suspicious seeing how Wacom tablets are the most preferred pen tablets for professional illustrators.
I contacted Wacom and they explained that I needed to uninstall the Wacom tablet, reboot the computer, go to the website, download the new 64 bit drivers and then reinstall the tablet. after I did that. Photoshop found all of my files and opened just fine.It was only then that I found out about the freezing proplem with the 64 Bit version.
A number of the helpful people here have tried to advise this to me but I have already be down tha road.
(2). I have the latest drivers for the BFG Nvidia Geforce 9600 Gt, released in April of this year and I had already new that the were necessary for the open GL so this is one of the first things that I tried.
Some one from our cousin Mac's side of the famaly and (Noel just suggested) that I try turning off the open GL. As soon as cousin Mac asked us to try this I did it (Them being famaly and all).
I was able to give it a try on the 32 bit system on Thursday 7/8/2010.
I was able to work on a very large file with a multitude of layers, channels and paths for about 5 hours before if froze. after the reboot I found that the file was fine and retained everything up to my last save.
But this test is only good as circumstantial evidence because the freezes are somwhat random. They mosly happen after I have been working with a large file for quite some time but some times it can happen very quickly, maybe 25 or 30 minutes.
Bye the way I really enjoy the humor, the Mac people are very serious people.
the Mac users are just grouchy because they expect their computers to "just work", and of course they don't.
We PC users have been given no such expecatations. THANKS NOEL
Oh, don't worry about them mean old grumpy PC wanna be Mac peoples. Gota luv it THANKS dec9
and Eight thousand dollar papper weight says it all. THANKS $8000paperweight.
(3) the memory, CPU and mother board can not be ruled out completly, just yet
As for the memory I have used the on board windows 7 diagnostics and it passed. but this is a unreliable test for hevy-resource dependent applications and a load or stress test would need to be done to be confidend.
I have a number of computers with the same kind of ram but after swaping them around I can not say that I have had any lasting results and it is compecated by experiences like what happened to me after turning off the open GL. What if I had of only worked for 4 hours? I would of thought that the problem was solved thats what would of happened
Do any of you work with files like I have been talking about? and if so do you experience any problems?
The motherboard can not be rulled out by any tests that I know of other then process of elimination which is at the heart of all sound diagnostics.
I downloaded a utility that is helpful called (Cupid Z) that gives real time monitoring and idenification of components.All the voltages seem fine.A.
I hope I will be able to up load the screen shots so you all can have a look see.
The CPH is more than likely not the problem.
I do have the option to install Photoshop on a third computer that has most of the same components but has a different Intel CPU. this would rull out any compatability issues (CPU with the Board) but if that were the case I dought that every other progrem under the sun works fine except Photoshop.
dec9, I did delete the prefs on the 32bit system but I have not had time to test the operation of Photoshop as of yet.
Lastly I will try to upload the screen shots of (Cupid Z) you will see that the latencys and the frequency are correct. Under the SPDscreen the plausible timinigs for verious common frequencies are given,, all seem to be with in range. The lantency are inside the spec.given by Corsair;s website
Asus provides a utility that allows you to monitor Temptures and voltages and I hope to send you a screen shot of this and you can see that they all are correct.
I would like to send the event log but I am not sure how to do that if someone could give me the 411 on how to do this I will send them to you I have saved the errors in several file formats but I cant see how you cold read them on this little page Thanks again POBOX119 signing off

Photoshop CS4 and save as PDF

Is there a way to make Photoshop CS4 save layers in a PDF that are accessible in Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator?
I had to do an ad layout for a weekly newspaper and when I saved it as a PDF from photoshop, it retained the layers as long as it was opened in Photoshop but not in other programs. In desperation, I opened the file in Illustrator and saved it and the layers were there in Acrobat and Illustrator but of course not InDesign. I have InDesign CS2 which was part of the CS2 suite, so I can't upgrade to CS4 unless I purchase the full version. I rarely do ads, so investing the money and time in InDesign doesn't seem like a cost effective solution.
Any thoughts?

No. But you can save a PSD who's layers will mostly work in Illustrator and InDesign.
The problem is that Acrobat, InDesign and Illustrator use a different transparency/compositing model than Photoshop and the video apps use. So the appearance can't be completely preserved.

Photoshop CS4 type tool and paint bucket

I am teaching Photoshop CS4 to my students and have started having problems I've never encountered.
Problem #1 - Type tool won't work. We can create a text box and type in it. Text does not show on the document but does show in the layers palette. I've made sure the layer is on top, text is not too large for text box and font color contrasts the background. I've looked at the character and paragraph palettes looking for something unusual but have found nothing.
Problem #2 - the paint bucket is "stuck" on one color. No matter which color swatch I choose, the color does not change. I have created new documents and also shut down and re-opened the program but that didn't help either.
Has enyone encountered these problems? How did you solve the problem?

the_wine_snob wrote:
The Reset Preferences "three-finger salute" is for Windows. Press and hold all there, BEFORE you launch PS. Keep holding them down THROUGH the ENTIRE loading process.
Depending on how you start Photoshop, holding the keys down ahead of time won't work on Windows 7, Bill (and I'm not sure, but possibly other versions of Windows as well).
For example, double clicking an icon on the desktop with Control-Shift-Alt held down brings up the Properties of the icon.
You actually have to press and hold the keys as soon as humanly possible after starting the app. You have to be quick, but when you're quick enough you'll get...
-Noel

Photoshop CS4 Layers

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