Navigating the CS4 Adjustments Palette

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Photoshop CS4 Making Adjustments Video question...

Submitted by mangobananas on 24 March 2011 - 1:17pm.

Specifically the hue saturation adjustment. The video tells you to turn on colorize and then select the drag inside the image button...when I try this in my version and turn on colorize it disables the drag directly inside the image control. However if I do not select colorize the drag inside the image control works.

What am I missing?

Thanks!

A Question about the Photoshop CS4 making adjustments video...

Submitted by mangobananas on 24 March 2011 - 1:09pm.

In the Hue saturation adustment the video turns on colorize and then the drag directly inside the image control.When I try this in my vesion of Photoshop CS4 turning on colorize disables the drag inside the image control. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks!

Adjustment Panels hell

Submitted by koshime on 12 October 2009 - 3:59am.

I really hate the way CS4 has nerfed the adjustments panels.

1/ Its far too large.
2/ It cannot be resized
3/ The adjustment preset - cannot be removed (although the possibility of someone making a lovely script for this,....would be great)

Overall if CS4 would allow us to produce our own non factory UI, that docked cleanly and minimasitically away, to allow us to get on with the job of painting or tweaking to hearts content, that would be great!

I altogether agree!

Submitted by deke on 13 October 2009 - 3:46pm.
If someone at Adobe is reading this, please take note: I'm not the only one displeased with this screen-gobbling palette. The very idea that a persistent, non-modifiable palette is somehow more convenient than a tidy, self-hiding, non-modal dialog box is about as upside-down as ideas get, IMHO. You forgot to mention: 4) You can't tab into numerical fields without first clicking and 5) you have to memorize a bunch of new keyboard shortcuts. I know some fixes are on the way. But size, Adobe, size.

Apply Adjustment Layer to a Folder

Submitted by jfrancis on 6 March 2009 - 3:55pm.
I can't believe I've gone this long without knowing how to apply an adjustment layer to a set of layers. I know how to affect everything from the adjustment layer on down. (duh.) And I know how to affect the single layer immediately below.(alt-click on the thin line between the adjustment layer and the regular layer below.) But how do you apply an adjustment layer to, say, the next 3 layers on down? Linking? No. Selecting them all first? No. Folders? No. You cannot alt-click an adjustment layer to a folder. (that would be too logical and obvious a workflow) -- so I gave up for a long time and wished I were compositing in Shake. Finally I got it -- and I literally got it like, an hour ago. Make a folder. Throw an adjustment layer INTO the top of the folder. Now everything on down is affected, as usual. Then change the weird 'folders-only' blend mode of 'pass through' to anything but 'pass through.' 'Normal' is good. Now the adjustment layer effect stops at the bottom of the folder. I can't believe how many weird workarounds I've done from not understanding that before.

This is interesting

Submitted by Archee on 6 December 2008 - 1:12am.
Add Mask by Default - in cs3 we could turn this off by clicking on Panel option in the layers menu. Now it's in Adjustment menu. Well, it's actually on both but in Layers menu it doesn't work the way it worked in CS3. I wonder if this is a bug.

Interesting

Submitted by fabulacious on 6 December 2008 - 6:36am.
indeed, I didn't notice they changed that behavior. I don't remember exactly how it worked in CS3 but didn't the panel options dialog say something like "use Default Mask on Adjustment Layers"? Maybe they just separated the Default Mask option for adjustments and fills and put them into their respective menus. I agree though that it is pretty confusing, I probably wouldn't look for the fill layer Default Mask checkbox in the panel options. It doesn't feel very consistent to have one option in a dropdown menu and a similar one hidden in a dialog box.

CS4 repeats the same bug like CS3

Submitted by Archee on 6 December 2008 - 9:12pm.
it seems that this came as an new dialog but the old one from CS3 is still there in layers Panel option. They also didn't fix the bug with the LAB mode, smart object emboss filter high saturation. The one you correct then if you click on the emboss filter again and it corrects to right color. Deke's know what I'm talking about, He can comment on it.

Photoshop Extended suggestion

Submitted by Rob777 on 3 December 2008 - 2:19am.
Interesting or just plain weird? You be the judge of that. With Adobe trying to "bridge" 2D and 3D in Photoshop Extended, maybe they should take a few pages from Pixologic's book, and introduce "The Pixol" into the mix. Yes The Pixol, or the concept of it under another name,"Ohh Noes, what is this Pixol he is talking about!? Make the strange man stop its utterance at once". Pixols are 2.5D "pixels" with material, depth, and lighting data, and are more easily witnessed than explained with text. Ppl can paint and "sculpt" in 2.5D on the canvas, and use several tranforms and brushes, and alphas on the pixol, so.... whats the difference you ask? The introduction of the Z axis in a "painting program" thus making the said program more than a painting program. If you want to see what its all about go check out an application called ZBrush, do a Google search for Pixologic ZBrush, I dont know if I can post url's here so I dont. It uses pixols in 2.5D and 3D.... Come to think of it I guess Pixologic "invented" the Pixol....BUT....Did they really?!, I mean it was just a matter of time before someone stumbled upon the concept, perhaps "discover" is better a term than "invent" is in this case. I mean it would be like saying Colombus "invented" the new world, he discovered a place already full of ppl who discovered it wayyyy before he did, but I'm wandering away from the point The point is, I dont think they can claim monopoly over the concept, maybe the name Pixol, but not the concept I mean it would be cool and could serve as an "inhouse" 2.5D/ 3D generator within Photoshop Extended, I'm bringing this up in here on your page because I know you are at the foreforont of anything Adobe. Whether its relevant to you is....your decision Thank you Rob Photoshop users should be nice to everyone....Or take a picture of them and have revenge in Photoshop

links

Submitted by Archee on 3 December 2008 - 3:26pm.
LDC has ZBRUSH tutor and it's actually nice presentation. I just saw some maniac pixoling sculptures with his wacom tablet on presentation. The tablet look like a control panel to space shuttle hooked up to his mac and projector. It's amazing that many people go from 2D to 3D talk about 4D but in general completely skip 2.5D which I think in terms of animation is the best way to go. I love Toon Boom DIGITAL PRO where I hardly find similar matching product. Maybe RETAS but TBDP and the way the composition works is just without comparison. My personal preference is to take 3D out of photoshop and let adobe create similar soft with full 3D integration. 2.5D etc. Do it right, don't do it half way. It' s like video. Will I work on video in PS? NO. I can retouch few things but I rather use AE to fix segments and then to export timeline to AP and then to Encore. One of the reasons for that is that PS is going to consume more and more hardware resources and unless you keep the pace with current models the system is going to be so sloooooow. Even though that's why Adobe came with extended versions right. It should be called extended by one menu. Don't get excited.

Yes Archee a standalone app would be the way to go

Submitted by Rob777 on 3 December 2008 - 5:19pm.
I used PS Extended as an example to get the ball rolling, I could have used AE as well, the point was to get the ball rolling, I used PS Extended because at first "it" claimed to bridge the gap between 2D and 3D, but a rope "however well intended" across a canyon, does not a bridge make If Adobe claims they want to tackle the market, they should come out with all they can dish out, without declaring war on other contenders, but rather coming up with an innovative product with innovatives "out of left field" revolutionary concepts, and put 3D and 2.5D in the hands of different crowd than Mr voted most likely to become a astrophysician or Algebra teacher Of course, a standalone app would be the way to go, some sort of app that would include the workflow between PS and a 3D modeler that is based on a "non parametric" way of doing things, by non parametric I mean, an interface that would be geared towards modelling with a painting and artistic manner, as opposed to the parametric input boxes where you type values and hope you calculated it right and press enter, kind of like ZBrush and Mudbox, you know, the "heres a ball of clay, now go nuts using tools that makes you feel like your hands are actually touching the thing". Of course the thing would need a GOOD render engine, not some half assed "shut up and use this" kind of thing. Ppl could bring the models in PS or access PS with and edit in PS function and texture the heck out of it with painting tools using bitmaps and alphas for polypainting and surface deformations based on grayscale of bitmaps, and so on All tied in with an Adobe workflow, e.g : Compatibility with PS, AE, Flash, and the likes Adobe, its time to get in the ring, I mean with Autodesk buying almost every 3D program that stood in the way of 3DS Max....These programs were bought to "put the breaks" on their developpment,or to be carefully examined and have their features redistributed across each other.... A market share with no competition means users will stand in front of a stagnant pool of price ranges and nonexistent variety, no real innovation at the profit of monopoly....Ok I digress Photoshop users should be nice to everyone....Or take a picture of them and have revenge in Photoshop

Correct

Submitted by Archee on 3 December 2008 - 6:44pm.
Yep, that's the way to go or integrate a plug in that would bring all functions of PS to that specific soft. Funny part that any rendering engine would need quadro cards. If you look at Maya 2009, 3dSM, XSI, Lightwave or Solidworks all need high end cards and that cost like the pc itself. I just built up my dream pc on dell site. Built it not purchased. Quad Xeon 2 chips with quadro 4 GB and 16 GB RAM , ouuups 12K. Ouuuu. So no thank you. But in general PS 3D would work. I don't need it and you hardly get people using Maya go with PS but it's the same politics with autodesk. They bought Maya because of one fact. People either prefer Maya or 3DSM. Same way Adobe secured themselves with MX and Corel with all other garbarge. Nuance Omnipage and Paperport etc. So the discussion is very open

You didn't tell us

Submitted by deke on 3 December 2008 - 3:01am.
What you were listening to, man. How can we make a decision without that? This post created while listening to: David Byrne & Brian Eno, "Strange Overtones"

Keyboarding through the Adjustments Pal

Submitted by track_40 on 1 December 2008 - 10:16pm.
Deke, Is there a way to "activate" the adjustments palette once you envoke an adjustment layer? Basically, if you choose "hue/sat" is there a way to get to the first field (hue) to become active by using the keyboard, instead of having to drag the bloody mouse down to click on it? If not, this mouse stuff is really puttin' the hurt on what once was a super fast keyboard-based workflow. PS - If you have multiple documents loaded in tabs, do you know of a way to flip between the document tabs using the keyboard? PPS - If it weren't for all of your awesome videos (yes, I own them all), I wouldn't be so mouse-averse.

Just got word from John Nack

Submitted by deke on 2 December 2008 - 12:15pm.
PM for Photoshop and all around great guy. After confirming that there is currently no way to activate a numerical field in the Adjustments palette from the keyboard, he wrote: I'm not sure how we could accomplish what you're requesting. If the numerical fields of an adjustment layer took focus when you created or selected the layer, you'd lose the ability to set brush or layer opacity by tapping the number keys. We could make that a preference (kind of bleh), and/or we could add some obscure shortcut (Shift-Return, maybe?) for putting focus on the first field, after which you could type in values and tab around. Would anyone find that, though? My response: Forget the preference, Shift-Return, baby! I think that'd be just the ticket. Thoughts?

I second & third that motion...

Submitted by track_40 on 3 December 2008 - 2:01am.
The 'Shift-Return' shortcut would work fine for me... So would an 'option+tab' (Mac). Now that we've solved the mystery of the universe without crossing the streams or shorting-out the flex capacitor, I'd like to motion that we pass this mod. All in favor, say "i" 11.0.1 -- bring it, baby.

I agree

Submitted by Archee on 3 December 2008 - 4:14pm.
I just hope that CS5 is not going to introduce new shortcuts including changes like CS3. You know what I'm talking about. Ctr-1, Ctr+~ etc in channels this is goner. So why not. Maybe adobe should develop special keyboard for use with PS. I've seen these things on Gamers PC. Keyboard for Doom 3, Keyboard for Halo. Buy Buy Buy. Heh that would be good. Coming with sets for AE, AP etc. I like that. Than you just load the preset shortcut menu for the Photopad and here we go. We could have numbers in 2 raws one representing 10s and second the numbers between. Even though the opacity set works just fine. Press quickly 8 twice and you have 88%. but in general all Deke's keys could be covered and even more. It would be good thing to attach to my Cintiq so I wouldn't have to touch keyboard at all. Can you just image that work? Ahhh. Then all you need is big flashing screen like they have who wants to be a millionaire with shortcut pop ups to remember. Adobe look into this. The new wacoms have more express keys now so you can eliminate keyboard for certain work. Or Wacom should do this, to intergrade numerical touch strip on the top of the screen. Am I asking for too much??? Yeah but X-mas is coming. Please

4 reasons why Photoshop CS4 isn't environment-friendly

Submitted by flyboy on 3 December 2008 - 1:26am.
My criticism here is 100% constructive. Honest to God!

Adjustments panel: -Adjustments panel presets aren't part of the preset manager; I can't even delete the default presets to reduce clutter or replace them with my own. I can only add my own, but what about recycling? Adjustment panel is the only place in the entire program where I have no control over the factory presets. If preset manager were a person, he'd be promoted ('cause that's what we do with incompetent leadership in America*). Now, that's a good idea! -No way to select values in the adjustments panel using a keyboard. I gotta scoot all the way there with my mouse. All those calories burned for nothin', how is that green and environment-friendly? (I happened to write this before I saw Deke's response, but here it is anyway. And a big YES to Shift+Enter). -Where are my dialog boxes? Out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new is such an 80's concept (I want my DeLorean back). And we all know boxes should be reused (save the rainforest). "Legacy" option in the general prefs would have been a nice touch, and here's why: My students have no problems graduating to adjustment layers since they interface the same way as destructive adjustments. It's familiar ground. But now, it's a whole new interface for the same function. We should have the option to choose it ourselves. It's one scary panel for a veteran, let alone someone new to a program. -Introduction of Lightroom's Target Adjustment Tool to Photoshop is a real boon - thank you Adobe! Still, I see no reason why the behaviour of a tool should be different between curves vs. hue/saturation/lightness. Up vs. down makes sense. Left vs. right makes sense too. But having one tool work one way and another the other way makes as much sense as a thong on a plumber. A good compromise would be bottom left to top right: That way the tool will behave the same in both situations, AND it would still respond to both horizontal drag as well as vertical. Pure genius, eh?

Performance: It's slow. I have been following the chat on Adobe forum regarding the slowdown issues, and it's a series of things that seem to have something to do with graphics card driver incompatibility. But ultimately they still don't know for sure what the issue is. Works fine on most machines, but on those where it's slow, it's SLOOOOOOOW (first-mouse experience)! Which sucks since I bought a new 64-bit Vista computer, with all the bells and whistles JUST FOR CS4, and I landed one of those configurations. Playing with prefs won't do anything. Back to CS3 for now. Buh-humbug! -Flyboy *here in Canada too. .

I have to say

Submitted by deke on 3 December 2008 - 3:20am.
You rather summed it up. With the exception of the slowdown issue -- to me, it hasn't felt faster or slower (but feelings are such sluggish things to begin with) -- I think you have four lovely points. I believe I've made it clear, I regard the Adjustments palette as a significant but prickly advent. Very much a case of a feature that has its heart in the right place. But to quote Fats Waller, "The Adjustments palette's feets too big!" By which I mean, it might one day be regarded as CS4's biggest growing pain. Which is funny, because adjustment layers had a similar effect on Photoshop "no CS" 4, back before most you chillin were born.

You know, that's a good question

Submitted by deke on 1 December 2008 - 11:31pm.
I am shocked and appalled that this did not occur to me before. I've tried everything I can think of (including assigning a keyboard shortcut to the Adj palette), but nothing short of a physical click seems to shift focus to the palette. So I emailed your question to the highest authorities. WIll let you know what I hear back. Re cycling through image windows: Cmd-tilde on the Mac, Ctrl+Tab on both platforms. Add Shift to go backward.

Alternative for cycling through image windows for non-us keybrds

Submitted by Gfx-Dzine on 2 December 2008 - 3:48am.
I work on a non-us keyboard most of the time where the tilde (~) key doesn't work to cycle through image windows (it became a modifier_key+key combo). As I soon got pretty tired of going to the Windows menu and choosing my doc from there I went key-hunting (back on cs2) and found that on windows you can use the Ctrl + Tab combination in all Adobe applications. I actually came to that keycombo because it's a commonly used one (at least) in windows to cycle through documents in multi-document window applications. It even works in for instance Firefox. Actually that common that it might be a good idea to mention in your books and video training Deke? .. oops just too late :s I wanted to say 'maybe in a revision' but that would be doubting your perfectness your highness so I will not even begin to suggest!.. (oops just did..) ;) Take care, Mike. P.S. a bit off-topic maybe but does someone know a shortcutkey to reset the view after using the R key to rotate the canvas? Now I have to either use the Reset View button in the control panel on top of the screen or by double clicking the Rotate View icon but a key would really be better. Thanks a lot in advance :)

Instead of ~ (tilde)

Submitted by ReneDamkot on 15 December 2008 - 3:15pm.
try the ' key. Seemed to work on a Finnish keyboard instead of tilde for a different issue in PSCS2... (Cmd/Opt/~ to select highlights became ctrl-alt-ยด. Which should be Cmd/Opt/2 in PSCS4 I think) I think some other strange things might be happening for localised versions. I know that a Dutch version of CS3 uses the * on the numeric keypad instead of the \ to show a mask for instance... Not sure I like the new keyboard shortcuts, since I also use CS3 a lot. At first I surely didn't like the fact that you cannot for instance put a point on a curves adjustment layer by using (Shift/)Cmd/click, or even put down a color sampler while in curves by Shift/Opt clicking, unless selecting the "TAT" first. Then I found out all of this does work, by selecting the eye dropper tool first... These points can then also be moved with the arrow keys, and selected with + and - :) Lastly: I'm all for a shift+Return

Ctrl+Tab

Submitted by deke on 2 December 2008 - 11:55am.
Is universal for Adobe apps under Windows, and for Photoshop on either platform, but it doesn't work inside, say InDesign on the Mac, where tit switches between the arrow tools. It's all rather more ad hoc than I wish it were, frankly. Illustrator CS4 has a really weird one that I documented in my Illustrator CS4 One-on-One video -- which isn't done so isn't up yet. To answer your PS, hit Esc. You know, Esc.

Thanx

Submitted by Gfx-Dzine on 3 December 2008 - 9:41am.
Okay, well at least those on Windows ('are you on something - yeah, windows') havin' such a keyboard are out of the woods then. Thanks for the Esc tip.. will file it under ouchh_so_obvious_it's_painfull_I_didn't_come_up_with_it_myself drawer... :)

Whoops, there it is!

Submitted by utm on 1 December 2008 - 9:52am.
Thanks for these tips. I still haven't completely acclimated to the adjustment palette er, panel but I can appreciate what Adobe is attempting to do. The thing is: while I used adjustment layers for all kinds of useful non-destructive things, I tend to use adjustment commands for specific permanent "destructive" adjustments - like repairing the tone and contrast of an image so that I can use the stamp or heal tools. Adjustment layers can give you weirdly unpredictable results if you use those tools (especially ones with masks). My biggest problem is that I continue hitting the shortcut key "R" for blur but get the new rotate tool instead. Doh! The soundtrack for this comment was "Clipper" by Autechre.

You interviewed yourself extremely well...

Submitted by Petra on 1 December 2008 - 7:00am.
You should do it more often, because I like the way you dont let yourself off the hook too much. Its very refreshing. And I learned several things, so thank you. The preview thing is a bit weird, for sure. I ended up just depending on snapshots in the history palette to go back and forth because I found that the eye icons were inconsistent in the behaviour. Or perhaps they were actually consistent, but just in such a narrow band of usability that they only appeared to be craptacular in their application. That said, I still love Adobe and Photoshop and appreciate your discretions. I can't wait to get back onto my own pc and play. The frustrations are merely temporary. :) This post brought to you by John Coltrane's Song of the Underground Railroad. :)