Quick photoshop help/question

[Sylentwulf]

Sorry, if this belongs in artwork?
Anyways, Using photoshop, I re-size using the free transform option.
On a LOT of the files I get, have, download, whatever, the option simply isn't available.
For example, I cut the mame logo out of a marquee, moved it to a different pallette, and tried to re-size it, using free trasnform, but I can't?

There MUST be some other way to re-size other than loading it into fireworks MX and then back into photoshop (Fireworks lets me re-size anything at any time)
Help GREATLY appreciated.

[RayB]

I've been using Photoshop for close to 8 years now, and you're comfusing me.   What do you mean when you say you "move it to a different palette"?

Are you talking about color modes or layers...?

Usually the transform tools will not be available if Photoshop is waiting for you to confirm some other modifications you're doing and perhaps didn't "commit". For example, if you have the text tool active, you have to get out of it first (out of text mode).

Other than that, I can select with the marquee tool, cut paste move around etc, hit CTRL-T and it's working...

~Ray B.

[Sylentwulf]

Sorry, meant that I'm dragging it from one canvas to another, not pallette.
I also hate using marquee tools. If I want to re-size (scale, transform, whatever) the whole layer, why can't I just click on it with the pointer and have done with it without screwing around with the stupid marquee tool?

[Xiaou2]

 I believe this has happened to me before.

 I think it has to do with color depth stuff.

 Goto "Image", then  "mode"  then change from what it is to  RGB color,  at 8bits per channel.   (at least, thats what mine is set up as)    

  If you are trying to edit certain pics and the color mode is different, things to do with anti-alasing will not work- so it disables them.  

 Photoshop uses anti-alaising when resizing things... so that is disabled as well.   I personally do not like that PS uses A.A. when using transform..  so I do my resizing in MS Paint!   Then re-import back into photoshop.

 

[old school gamer]

Make sure you select the item first.

[photorock]

             It doesn't matter what tool you are using, you have to make a selection before you can use the Free Transform Tool. First click on the Layer (F7 in Windows shows layers menu) you wish to alter, then make a selection with the Marquee Tool or Ctrl A (select the whole Layer) and finally Use the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl T) and Enter.

             One thing to be aware off, if you start with a low quality image and scale it up in any Bitmap program the image quality will go down.

[RayB]

OK I know what's going on now dude. First, just ignore everything everyone posted in this thread, cuz it's not relevant to your problem.  

What's happening is that the Free Form Translation tool is not available when your image in the bottom most layer, which is considered the "background" layer.

In this case, just hit CTRL-A which selects ALL, and then CTRL-T for the free form translation tool. That's not very complicated and doesn't involved the marquee tool.  

The alternative is to make sure you have a new layer when you paste in whatever it is you copied from the other image. And perhaps that's one thing you should get used to... Instead of "dragging" the selection to the other "canvas" just do a copy-paste (CTRL-C then CTRL-V in the other window).

~Ray  B

[photorock]

OK I know what's going on now dude. First, just ignore everything everyone posted in this thread, cuz it's not relevant to your problem.

           What!!! That was uncalled for.

What's happening is that the Free Form Translation tool is not available when your image in the bottom most layer, which is considered the "background" layer.

           It is... The free transform tool is allways available on any layer even the Background layer. Most everything in the Edit Menu requires a selection first to be active, including the transform tool.

In this case, just hit CTRL-A which selects ALL, and then CTRL-T for the free form translation tool. That's not very complicated and doesn't involved the marquee tool.

            That's what I said and yes it does involve the marquee tool. Thats what makes the selection of everything. The marquee tool Icon may not be highlighted after a Ctrl A but that's the tool used to Select All.

              The Free Transform tool doesn't work on a selected Empty Layer.

The alternative is to make sure you have a new layer when you paste in whatever it is you copied from the other image. And perhaps that's one thing you should get used to... Instead of "dragging" the selection to the other "canvas" just do a copy-paste (CTRL-C then CTRL-V in the other window).

               Not true at all. A new Layer is created when you paste. Creating a new layer when you use the Ctrl C and Ctrl V shortcuts is a waisted step becouse the pasted image/pixels is placed on a new layer. Drag and Drop is a good way to place an image on a selected layer.

I've been using Photoshop for close to 8 years now, and you're comfusing me.

              Hmmmmm... 8 years photoshop experience, makes me wonder!

[Witchboard]

I can't see this coming.... let the pissing match begin.  

[RayB]

I can see this coming.... let the pissing match begin.  

  OK here we go:

PhotoRock, please follow these directions exactly and you will see what I described:

1. Go to "NEW" and open a brand new "canvas" (or "window")

2. Look at the layers panel. It will show only 1 layer and it will be labelled "background".

3. Do no click the marquee tool or anything. Hit CTRL-T. Does anything happen? No.

4. Go to EDIT, and look at the Transform menu options. They are greyed out.

Now you will say that's exactly what you were saying right? That you HAVE to make a selection first. However this is not true. Only true when PS thinks you're working on the bottom "Background" layer.

Proof of this, follow these directions:

A. Using the same canvas/window opened before, drag the background layer to the "make layer" icon so that you duplicate it, creating a new layer.

B. Now still without making any selections, do steps 3 and 4 from above. See? Now you CAN use the Transform tool without making a selection. And THIS is what is confusing SylentWolf.

Sorry if I offended you PhotoRock. Your post was not wrong, but I wanted Sylent to understand the circumstances where PS would allow transform, and where it would not, because that is the problem he was encountering (as I understand it--I could be wrong   )

~Ray B.  

[photorock]

PhotoRock, please follow these directions exactly and you will see what I described:

1. Go to "NEW" and open a brand new "canvas" (or "window")

2. Look at the layers panel. It will show only 1 layer and it will be labelled "background".

3. Do no click the marquee tool or anything. Hit CTRL-T. Does anything happen? No.

4. Go to EDIT, and look at the Transform menu options. They are greyed out.

            Your right, the Free Transform tool is grayed out when you are working on the Background Layer of a flattened image.

Now you will say that's exactly what you were saying right? That you HAVE to make a selection first. However this is not true. Only true when PS thinks you're working on the bottom "Background" layer.

             It is true. You have to have an Active Layer or Selection on the Active Layer (Background Layer or Copy of Background Layer) to use the Transform tool.

Proof of this, follow these directions:

A. Using the same canvas/window opened before, drag the background layer to the "make layer" icon so that you duplicate it, creating a new layer.

B. Now still without making any selections, do steps 3 and 4 from above. See? Now you CAN use the Transform tool without making a selection. And THIS is what is confusing SylentWolf.

Sorry if I offended you PhotoRock. Your post was not wrong, but I wanted Sylent to understand the circumstances where PS would allow transform, and where it would not, because that is the problem he was encountering (as I understand it--I could be wrong  )

              Yes, your right, becouse you are on the Active layer (the Background Layer copy). I guess the point you are trying to make is that the Free Transform tool is grayed out when you are on the Background layer and available on any other layer even a copy of the Background layer without using the marquee tool.

              So what's your point, everything you said is common knowledge to anyone who has been using Photoshop for awhile. You haven't proved that anything I said was wrong. You disregarded everything that was posted here by myself and others.

[photorock]

Sorry, meant that I'm dragging it from one canvas to another, not pallette.
I also hate using marquee tools. If I want to re-size (scale, transform, whatever) the whole layer, why can't I just click on it with the pointer and have done with it without screwing around with the stupid marquee tool?

             Hey Sylentwulf, sorry we got off track here.

             If you are dragging an image from one file to another file then you should be able to use the Transform tool once you click on the layer of the file you want to alter. If the Layers menu is not on your desktop hit F7 then select or click on the layer you want to transform. Hit Ctrl T to transform and Enter when you are finished.

             If Ctrl T doesn't work, check to see that you are on the correct layer. If you are on the Background layer, Ctrl T will not work without a selection first (Ctrl A). If you are and still have the problem then the problem may lie elsewhere with the file you are using.

             If this or anything posted here in this thread does't solve the problem, then please let us know and we will try to help.

[RayB]

               

[Sylentwulf]

I managed to bludgeon it into submission.
I had about 30 files to re-size, move around and merge, and only ONE of them was giving me a problem (the most important one ironically enough)
I ended up having to use the marqueetool, and couldn't re-size it to the exact pixel I was looking for, and it took MANY re-sizings to get it nearperfect, but it's done

I'll be killing my bandwidth by uploaing it to my site and letting people download it for a day sometime soon.

[freezen2001]

forget photoshop and try adobe illustrator... vector art will never lose its clarity or become pixelized since they use mathmatical formulas to resize.. its the same at 2 inches as it is at 20 feet!  had kinkos print my marquee from a vector file i downloaded off here and it turned out awsome!

[RayB]

Oh SylentWolf... if it was a specific pixel size you wanted, you could have used IMAGE (menu at top) -> then Image Size and set the exact pixel size you needed...