photoshop editing question/ move tool

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/10/2014 01:23:04 PM · #1

I have been working a lot with illustrator lately. So maybe I am just so used to the way things work in there, and I am getting things mixed up. But I swear I used to be able to select objects to move and resize with the move tool in photoshop.

I am working on a collage, and I have a template open that I made in illustrator and I am just dragging and dropping photos in. I can select the different photos in my layers panel and then once selected I can resize them with the move tool. But I can't seem to just select the different photos or layers with my move tool. Am I crazy or should I be able to do this?

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

02/10/2014 01:38:09 PM · #2

Traditionally in Photoshop you need to select the object (or the entire layer if the target is the only thing on that layer -- use SelectAll) in order to use the Move tool. If you just want to scale the layer you can use the menu Edit > Transform > Scale (or Numeric) and the selection will be made automatically.

It may behave differently in newer versions if you are using Smart Objects (not so familiar with those). To select only an object on a layer you might have to use the "Magic Wand" tool.

Message edited by author 2014-02-10 13:40:20.

02/10/2014 01:57:43 PM · #3

If you hold down ALT and RIGHT-click on something that is on the layer you are trying to get to, it will go to that layer (make it active). If you are on a Mac, you'll have to translate that to whatever the Mac equivalent is. Hope that helps.

sjhuls

Canon EOS-7D

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/10/2014 02:05:41 PM · #4

Thanks, I figured it out, I just had the auto select button unchecked, duh. Sometimes just little things like that can just drive you crazy trying to figure them out. For the longest time I would accidentally have my caps lock on and be so mad because my brushes wouldn't work right. Could only fix it by turning my computer off. Finally I googled it and felt really stupid becauce the fix was as simple as turning off the caps lock.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

02/10/2014 02:10:45 PM · #5

Originally posted by sjhuls:

For the longest time I would accidentally have my caps lock on and be so mad because my brushes wouldn't work right.

You and about four million other Photoshop users ... :-)

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

02/10/2014 02:16:48 PM · #6

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by sjhuls:
For the longest time I would accidentally have my caps lock on and be so mad because my brushes wouldn't work right.

You and about four million other Photoshop users ... :-)

It's one of the "features" they put in for customers to justify the cost of PS. They say "It's expensive, but worth it because it's so complicated." ;-)

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/10/2014 04:01:41 PM · #7

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by sjhuls:
For the longest time I would accidentally have my caps lock on and be so mad because my brushes wouldn't work right.

You and about four million other Photoshop users ... :-)

It's one of the "features" they put in for customers to justify the cost of PS. They say "It's expensive, but worth it because it's so complicated." ;-)

It's a VERY useful feature when you want to draw precisely with the brush, as it generates a cross-hair which can be placed exactly where it needs to be.

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

02/10/2014 04:14:57 PM · #8

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by sjhuls:
For the longest time I would accidentally have my caps lock on and be so mad because my brushes wouldn't work right.

You and about four million other Photoshop users ... :-)

It's one of the "features" they put in for customers to justify the cost of PS. They say "It's expensive, but worth it because it's so complicated." ;-)

It's a VERY useful feature when you want to draw precisely with the brush, as it generates a cross-hair which can be placed exactly where it needs to be.

So does a one pixel brush size and zoom. I've never found a use for capslock/crosshair and I've done LOTS of precision work in PS.

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/10/2014 04:41:30 PM · #9

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

So does a one pixel brush size and zoom. I've never found a use for capslock/crosshair and I've done LOTS of precision work in PS.

That's as may be, but I can precisely center a heavily feathered 100-pixel brush, for example. It's easy enough to get in and out of the mode, and I find it handy every so often...