Photoshop "step backward" maintains current layer selection?

How about make Photoshop "step backward" command maintain current layer selection? So that when using the "step backward" to undo something it doesn't select a differnt layer. The current "step backward" layer change issue is annoying.

Seems a lot of people have this problem, and someone wrote a script to fix it.
See here: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1251347#post1251347
Also, note you need to copy the script in the Photoshop/Presets/Scripts folder for it to show in the Scripts menu. Once it's there, you can assign any keyboard shortcut to it - CTRL+Z of course
Photoschop CS3 and up i think.

Similar Messages

Make "step backward" command maintain current layer selection (like the "undo" command's behavior)...

Please make Photoshop's "step backward" command maintain current layer selection (like the "undo" command's behavior). So that when using the "step backward" to undo something it doesn't unnecessarily select a different layer . The current "step backward" layer change issue is inconvenient because it causes unnexpected layer selection change.

Has this happened yet ( an upgrade that fixes the step back layer switch problem ) in any updates?
Arghhh very annoying.

"step backward" command maintain current layer selection

It is said that even in past versions of Photoshop,Please make "step backward" command maintain current layer selection (like the "undo" command's behavior).
The current "step backward" layer change issue is inconvenient because it causes unnexpected layer selection change.
When I was talking about this issue on Twitter,over 200 persons' approval was obtained in one day.
I know how to avoid in the script,but we hope as a standard feature.

Yeah, I noticed that too.
For those who don't know what this is about, here's a sample scenario. Let's say you're working on an image.
1. You happen to have an adjustment layer selected.
2. Now you want to work on an image layer below, so you click on it.
3. You use the Clone Tool on the image layer a couple of times.
4. You don't like how it came out, so you click on the same History step that was active during step 1.
5. You try to Clone again, but you find that the History change has caused the Adjustment layer to be selected as it was before step 2.
The real base issue is that since the Clone Tool is still selected, we tend to think we can just keep cloning after going back in the History, when in fact we really need to repeat step 2 again. On paper this seems pretty straightforward, but in practice one almost never remembers to check which layer is selected.
Maybe an option to store the layer selections as History steps would help with this. Then we would tend to go back to just after the proper layer was selected.
-Noel

Eyedropper Current Layer sampling problem.

Using the "current layer" sampling setting for the eye dropper before I apply any top layer adjustments (adding a top layer with a different blending more or adding an adjustment layer) it works fine. When I use any adjustment layers or any layer that has a blending mode, it affects the way the eyedropper picks color especially when set to current layer.
For instance, If I paint a new blank layer with random colors, I create a black and white adjustment layer on top of that one, I select the first color layer I go to pick a color using the eye dropper with the current layer sampling set, it picks a grey color (which is wrong). BUT!! if I open up the color picker with the color layer selected it picks the correct color. Now, if I delete the black and white adjustment layer, and I am back to only having the color layer, I then go to pick a color with current layer sampling still set, it chooses a grey color again?!?! There are no more layers on top of the original color layer I painted first, and yet it chooses a grey color?!?! I hope this makes sense, any ideas on why this is happening?
I am working on Photoshop CS5 12.1 64bit

I'm having the same problem in CS5.
With current layer selected and a not visible layer of curves (contrast) and trying to pick from the current layer it picks as if the curves layer was visible.
I have attached 2 images: first trying to pick with the curves layer off (you can see that it's picking a black color where brown should be picked. Second one with the curves layer on.
After restarting Photoshop every thing work fine again. So I have assumed that the problem is vinculated with the action done before:
Duplicate image 2 times
Gaussian blur of 6px to the first image
Apply image of the gaussian (RGB channel) inverted in mode "Add", scale 2, displacement 0.
And I create a group as you can see on the screen shots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh6eIyrzbt0&t=1m8s
I can reproduce this issue every time I use this technique...

Step backward, undo and automatic layer changes.

A feature of Photoshop that has always annoyed is the way the Photoshop handles stepping backwards. It's taken me years to finally get motivated enough to post something about it, but so be it, lol.
Say I'm working on layer 2, and switch to layer 3. I then make two brushstrokes on layer 3. I decide I don't like these brushstrokes and remove them by "stepping backwards" twice. I'm now back on layer 2. At best, in this very common scenario, I have to annoyingly reselect layer 3 to continue working, and at worst I might accidentally do work on the wrong layer if I'm having an off day. The default undo is obviously useless in this scenario because of it's mutation in Ps as a method of comparing single changes. There is apparently no option to simply go back two steps and continue working on layer 3. I contacted Adobe support and was told so, more or less. I"ve also requested a feature change. My current workaround for such methods is to habitually do some form of a useless edit to layer before doing actual work so that I never undo back to the wrong layer or waste time reselecting the layer I want.
Why on earth does Ps not give us the option to turn off this behavior? I'm baffled as to why Ps even works this way in the first place. As someone that primarily uses Ps to paint and illustrate, it would be amazing to be able to lock your selection from everything except manual changes. For what it's worth, I've seen people that have raised this issue elsewhere get unfairly buried by quite a few PEBKAC replies. That being said, it should be obvious that there's nothing I could do differently, in the way I'm working above, to alleviate this problem. When you find yourself having to work around a mandatory "feature", perhaps it's time is should be addressed?
Furthermore, I've read that there is a script available that will eliminate this problem, but I have my suspicions that it may be outdated for the most current form CC. Does anyone run such a script for the most recent version of Ps?

This has indeed been discussed many times in the past. Alas, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for changes.
The thing is, these are user forums although some staff sometimes drop by, so not a conduit to address Adobe officially.

I suggest maintaining the "Layer" and "Group" concept as in Photoshop

Another one I see many people asking about is the ability to "Name" the boxes. Box. Box, Box, Box, is not too intuitive.
I am also going to suggest maintaining the "Layer" and "Group" concept as in Photoshop to soften the learning curve for new users.
I currently have boxes that are NOT grouped, but behaving like a group if I try to move them. Kinda frustrating.

You can double click on a Div in the DOM panel to rename any 'layer' or 'group'
You can also degroup and regroup grouped elements by clicking on the little grouped icon which might be why your group isn't behaving like a group.

Step backward hotkey not working while using brush tool? - Photoshop CC 2014

Hi,
I'm using Photoshop CC 2014 in Mavericks. I've tried using the step backward hotkey (command+option+z) and it seems to work fine. Then I use the brush tool and it stops working until I switch to another tool. I'm a digital artist, so I move very quickly while painting, and switching out of the brush tool to step backward on something slows me down terribly. I'll switch and the hotkey works as intended. I've tried changing it to a different set of keys (for example command+z) with the same results. Is this a bug or a feature?

Usually it turns out for tablets that aren't mainstream that they just haven't updated their drivers to work with photoshop cc.
For example, most people don't have problems with wacom tablets in photoshop cc.
One other thing that could possibly be the cause besides the tablet driver is your graphics card driver.
If in photoshop cc you go to Edit>Preferences>Performance and turn off Use Graphics Processor and then restart photoshop cc, does that make a difference?
If it does then perhaps your graphics card driver needs to be updated from the maker of the card.
(not through windows updates)

I recently upgraded our iMac to Yosemite OS and now have a problem with Photoshop Elements 11: the move tool selects an image or text layer, but then I try to drag the selection somewhere else on the page and it snaps back to the original location, howev

I recently upgraded our iMac to Yosemite OS and now have a problem with Photoshop Elements 11: the move tool selects an image or text layer, but then I try to drag the selection somewhere else on the page and it snaps back to the original location, however the arrows will move it OK. Also I cannot drag the selection to another photo in the photo bin as before.

Hi,
Please refer: http://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/pse-stops-responding-yosemite.html
Thanks,
Anwesha

Why after the last Photoshop CC Update the Lasso Tool not more have the Backspace step backward -Fun

Why after the last Photoshop CC Update the Lasso -Tools not more have the Backspace-last-point-step-backward -Funktion?? This is terrible!!
So i can not work more. Please change immediately with a next update!! Please..

Good day!
This is a user to user Forum, so you are not really addressing Adobe here, even though some Adobe employees thankfully have been dropping by.
Also I can not reproduce the issue you claim to have with 14.2 on Mac OS 10.8.5.
What is your OS?
Regards,
Pfaffenbichler

Photoshop Shortcut for Layer Selection

Hi,
[Not sure where to post this question] I've come from a windows background using photoshop. There was a shortcut in that version where I could select a layer outline by holding down control and clicking on the layer in the palette. On photoshop on the mac this does not work the same. Command+click does not seem to work either.
Anyone point me in the correct direction?

In case anyone else is stuck on this:
http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3bba7ffa
Command+click on the layer ICON not just on the layer will select it as a layer selection. Cheers Adobe for making it so obvious! :/

Photoshop CS6 Layer selection problem

In a layerd PSD file when trying to move the content of a layer with a mouse upon clicking in the work space my selected layer becomes unselected and the layer that I have my mouse over becomes seleted and tries to move that layer instead. Trying to move the layer with up and down and left and right works fine. I also have PS5.1 and it works fine. This is quite frustrating. Don't see anything in preferences about layer selection.

Disable autoselect in the Options Bar for the Move Tool.

Belle - A big step backwards.

Nokia Belle is a big a step backwards.
1. Battery life has gone pathetic. My phone does not last 4 hours, while with anna, it lasted 18 hours.
2. No way for user to kill background tasks. (App stop is not available for belle)
3. No augmented reality apps. (No wikitude, not even Nokias live view, or city view)
4. Top icons are not responsive anymore. I cannot click on battery icon and go to power saving mode.
5. App installation takes twice as long.
6. Many apps install, but do not work. (e.g. astroller).
7. Six screens have too many apps running.
Somebody PLEASE advise how to go back to anna?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Carman58 wrote:
The whole Belle experience is vastly improved from Anna, more versatile , quicker, modern, feature filled and functional, try searching the user guide on the phone, spend some time exploring it, you may find you're being over critical, The update is a MAJOR software change, not a slight update, it's like getting a brand new phone, spend a couple of days tinkering and you may turn out to really like it
I cannot for the life of me recognise the Belle improvements.
Experience is vastly improved=> can you name some of the improvements?
more versatile: examples?
quicker=> No noticable difference as far as I can tell.
modern=> you mean ugly
feature filled=> What features? I only miss features I had with Anna
                                  (eye candy isn't a feature in my opinion)
functional=> How is removing features functional?
My experience:
Widgets are bigger and clunky and cannot be configured. I have tried everything, but
      I cannot make my homescreens look as nice and neat as I had them with Anna.
     Moreover, I need MORE homescreens for the same info.
The highly functional date/clock/profile widget I enjoyed in Anna is no longer available.
      Now all I get is a BIG ugly clock and an ugly grey profile widget that does not show self-
      created profiles (I created an Outdoor profile, because the Anna standard one is no
      longer there!)
Ugly text under the shortcut icons that cannot be removed (a choice would have been
      nice)
Widget online/offline toggle is no longer available.
I can only access 'Open applications' by long pressing the menu button. I liked the
     menu option better. I do not want to wear out my menu button or have the bottom of my
     phone drop off. I love my N8 and do not want to lose it anytime soon. Forcing me to use
     hardware buttons when there perfectly fine menu options in Anna is just plain annoying.
I can no longer create folders within folders. (Yes I liked that feature!)
I can no longer switch homescreens by clicking on the software button on the bottom
      middle of the screen. (Yes, I used that a lot)
I can no longer turn on battery saving by clicking on the battery. Now I have to either
      press the power button or dive into the menu.
I liked the notification widget much better than that eyecandy slide down notification bar.
I can no longer access the connectivity menu via the homescreen. I need to go to
      menu/settings/connectivity.
With Anna, connection settings were easier. When on the road, my 3G connection was
     automatically selected and whenever I was within range of a known WiFi connection,
     that connection was automatically selected. With Belle I have to set the internet
     connection to ask what connection I want. The only other option is to hardcode either
     3G or a specific WiFi network. If that selected connection is not available, the
     connection fails. So now when I access the internet I first have to select the desired
     accesspoint. How's that an improvement?
I do not have more RAM available than I had before (80MB-90MB) and my phone does not run smoother/faster than under Anna (which was just as smooth/fast on my phone, I had no complaints!). And yes my phone was empty when I upgraded. Before I upgraded I synchronised my contacts/messages/photo's and uninstalled all apps I had installed and then performed a soft reset. The phone was empty, like I just got it from the store. I currently do not use a microSD and install all apps on the mass storage (not on C.
I am the kind of person that buys and uses the phone that I like and that gives me the functionality that I need. I do not feel any need to impress my friends. If they don't like my phone, tough! I am the one using it, so I am the only one who has to like it. All this added Eye Candy is therefore useless to me. Couldn't they just have added the eye candy without removing the handy Anna features? Then everybody would have been happy.
Someone please tell me what it is that I am, judging by your comments, obviously missing!!! Let me know what I have overlooked, because I love Nokia and I love Symbian and I want to love Belle, but I just cannot. :-(

Make it so "Step Backward" does NOT change layers

Just migrated from CS to CS4. The one change that is KILLING my productivity is Adobe's decision to make "Step Backward" also revert to the prior layer. Previously, I could (when drawing with a brush on my tablet) just click "Step Backward" if I messed up a brushstroke, and give it another try. Now, if it's my first stroke in that layer, I often find myself 5 minutes later having spent all this time drawing in the wrong layer, because PS was "helpful" and not only undid my action (brushstroke), but ALSO undid my layer change!
Here's a simple solution for your programmers: Record layer changes as a separate step in History. That way, when I go into a different layer, draw, and then Step Backward, it undoes my brushstroke but NOT my layer change; a SECOND Step Backward would be necessary for that.
It seems what you're doing now is recording layer changes in the History in the one direction but not the other. Please make this consistent.

Seems a lot of people have this problem, and someone wrote a script to fix it.
See here: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1251347#post1251347
Also, note you need to copy the script in the Photoshop/Presets/Scripts folder for it to show in the Scripts menu. Once it's there, you can assign any keyboard shortcut to it - CTRL+Z of course
Photoschop CS3 and up i think.

Creating slider to control current layer opacity in HTML?

Hi! I wanted to create a slider in custom panel which changes the for eg opacity of the current layer.
Here is what I used in HTML5
<div>
<input type="range" min="0" max="100" value="0" step="1" id="opacity" name="opacity" onChange="sliderChange(this.value)"/>
</div>
Here is the javascript function
$._ext_OPACITY={
      run : function() {
       app.activeDocument.activeLayer.opacity = 50;
Now can you please tell me how to link that HTML slider with this function so that user can change the opacity using the slider. Thanks alot.

Hi thanks alot for replying. Unfortunately it's still not working.
js/main.js
var csInterface = new CSInterface();
function outputUpdate(value) {
   csInterface.evalScript("setLayerOpacity('" + value + "')");
jsx/Photoshop.jsx
run : function setLayerOpacity(layerOpacity) {
    app.activeDocument.activeLayer.opacity = setLayerOpacity;
index.html
<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<script src="./ext.js"></script>
<script src="./lib/CSInterface-4.0.0.js"></script>
<link id="ppstyle" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="./style.css">
<title>Test</title>
</head>
<body onLoad="onLoaded()">
<div id="content">
<input type="range" min="0" max="100" value="0" step="1" id="opacity" name="opacity" onChange="setLayerOpacity(this.value)"/>
</div>
</body>
<script src=’js/main.js’></script>
</html>
Slider is displaying in photoshop also moving but doing nothing.

CS4 Actions change "Show Current Layer, Toggle With Others" MIA

Greetings forumers,
I have been using Photoshop for years as a hobby and professionally. My employer recently upgraded our Mac Pro Quad-Core Intel Xeon computers to Photoshop CS4. The transition has been mostly painless accept for all the changes to the keyboard shortcuts (I'll live).
Recently we have come across an issue with one of our customer's workflows that we have not been able to get by using CS4. Or customer has a workflow that we must work within in order to provide them with the artwork files in a way they can use for other processes. The main parts of this workflow involve layer structure and a set of actions that they have been using since Photoshop 7. Our customer uses Photoshop CS3.
With the transition to Photoshop CS4 in our shop, one line of their action does not function in CS4.
Show Current Layer
Toggle With Others
What needs to happen is at the end of the action all layers need to be turned visible. In CS3, in the layer palette, by Control & Clicking the eye and selecting "Show/Hide all other layers" produced the recorded action 'Show Current Layer, Toggle With Others'. The names of the layers are not recorded. This is good because the action will work on any layer no matter what the name of the layer is. In essence all layers are made visible.
In CS4 performing the same above clicks produces a recorded action 'Show , ...' The diference is that in CS4 the action is recording the name of every layer that it is showing/hiding. Simply change the name of one of your layers and running the action again produces a verbose error box.
So any thoughts on how to make visible all layers in a document using an action that will work on any layered file?
We are constructing our files in CS4 and opening them in CS3 to run the action for our customer as a work around. Or we are manually toggling the visibility, but what fun is that when it used to be automatable?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You could try this script (CS4 only) to make all layers/groups visible. If it works for you, you could then call it as part of your action.
selectAllLayers();
var sl = getSelectedLayersIdx();
var sLayers = new Array();
for( var i = 0; i < sl.length; i++ ){
   makeActiveByIndex( [ sl[ i ] ], false );
   sLayers.push( activeDocument.activeLayer.name );
ShowAllLayers(sLayers);
function ShowAllLayers(layerNames) {
    var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
        var list = new ActionList();
            var ref = new ActionReference();
   for(var a in layerNames){
            ref.putName( charIDToTypeID('Lyr '), layerNames[a] );
   $.writeln(layerNames[a] );
        list.putReference( ref );
    desc.putList( charIDToTypeID('null'), list );
    executeAction( charIDToTypeID('Shw '), desc, DialogModes.NO );
function selectAllLayers(){
   var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
        var ref = new ActionReference();
        ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" ), charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" ) );
    desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref );
executeAction( stringIDToTypeID( "selectAllLayers" ), desc, DialogModes.NO );
   function getSelectedLayersIdx(){
      var selectedLayers = new Array;
      var ref = new ActionReference();
      ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Dcmn"), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
      var desc = executeActionGet(ref);
      if( desc.hasKey( stringIDToTypeID( 'targetLayers' ) ) ){
         desc = desc.getList( stringIDToTypeID( 'targetLayers' ));
          var c = desc.count
          var selectedLayers = new Array();
          for(var i=0;i<c;i++){
            try{
               activeDocument.backgroundLayer;
               selectedLayers.push( desc.getReference( i ).getIndex() );
            }catch(e){
               selectedLayers.push( desc.getReference( i ).getIndex()+1 );
       }else{
         var ref = new ActionReference();
         ref.putProperty( charIDToTypeID("Prpr") , charIDToTypeID( "ItmI" ));
         ref.putEnumerated( charIDToTypeID("Lyr "), charIDToTypeID("Ordn"), charIDToTypeID("Trgt") );
         try{
            activeDocument.backgroundLayer;
            selectedLayers.push( executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(charIDToTypeID( "ItmI" ))-1);
         }catch(e){
            selectedLayers.push( executeActionGet(ref).getInteger(charIDToTypeID( "ItmI" )));
      return selectedLayers;
function makeActiveByIndex( idx, visible ){
   for( var i = 0; i < idx.length; i++ ){
      var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
      var ref = new ActionReference();
      ref.putIndex(charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " ), idx[i])
      desc.putReference( charIDToTypeID( "null" ), ref );
      if( i > 0 ) {
         var idselectionModifier = stringIDToTypeID( "selectionModifier" );
         var idselectionModifierType = stringIDToTypeID( "selectionModifierType" );
         var idaddToSelection = stringIDToTypeID( "addToSelection" );
         desc.putEnumerated( idselectionModifier, idselectionModifierType, idaddToSelection );
      desc.putBoolean( charIDToTypeID( "MkVs" ), visible );
      executeAction( charIDToTypeID( "slct" ), desc, DialogModes.NO );

Photoshop "step backward" maintains current layer selection?

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