The adjustments panel in CS4 – does this mean that the dialogs now have to live in the palette well and nailed to the edges of the work area? -Deke McLelland has a video claiming that this is true. I’m also not sure about the physical size of the curves dialog, a very complex and important area being shrunk in some way.
Why on earth couldn’t an option have been provided here? I guess I’m maybe jumping the gun, after all I’ve never tried CS4 yet, but strikes me as another interface move in the wrong direction there. Who on earth is it thats taken over interface decisions at Adobe? – they obviously have a Windows background – the point of having the floating dialogs is THAT THEY ARE NEAR THE IMAGE AREA and can be positioned exactly so that the eyedropper is more useful. Its turning photoshop into Illustrator or Indesign, with the continual juggling of a plethora of unnecessary palettes around
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I agree here. I’m initially a bit turned off by the new adjustments panel. They’re on my daily workflow and my first reaction was small shock. Have to see how it turns out with some getting used to.
I use actions to bring up adjustment layers, I just hit a command F key and up pops my adjustment layer dialog waiting for input. Hitting Enter then commits the adjustment, escape cancels it. All done with keyboard, incredibly quick and efficient.
I can slide the adjustment dialog anywhere I want it. I’m still worried by this extra really unecessary panel – I bet its not better than my method I’ve described above, since this new way is going to make me have to FIND the new adjutments panel every time. Theres no way I’m going to want have such a pointless palette open on my screen all the time.
Once again Photoshop spoon feeding updgrades for lazy morons
Mark- If you want modal adjustment layers and your current workflow, it is present; and you can leave the non-modal panel hidden.
You can also use a custom keyboard shortcut to bring the non-modal adjustment panel to display (as a docked panel, or a floating palette). You can also make actions that utilize the non-modal adjustment panel or the modal adjustment panel.
OK thanks, no-ones actually taken the time to explain this in detail yet – how do you get it to use the the modal adjustment panel? a preference? – i guess you can call the new panel up with a shortcut and maybe this would be the quickest answer.
Yes I realise that Pierre, but what if I want the adjustment pane to come up only when I double click the adjustment icon in the layers palette – possible?
Steve or anyone else who knows, could You please let me know how to trigger the CS3-appearance Curves Adjustment Layer-window because in the Adjustments Panel-view a couple of functions dont seem to work the way Im accustomed to, like creating a point on the curve by command-clicking on the image creating points on the curves in all channels by command-shift-clicking on the image highlighting the number-fields for a selected point by hitting tab.
I considered starting a thread regarding this, but hopefully I can get some clarification by adding my query here.
Sorry, I have been unclear in my first entry (number 13) in this thread: I want to know how in CS4 can I trigger the old appearance while editing Curves Adjustment Layers instead of editing within the Adjustments Panel, where some functionalities elude me (list see above)?
Unfortunately not. Ive just recently installed Photoshop CS4 and thats the one point that really bugs me so far as it concerns something I use pretty constantly. But it seems conceivable that I am just overlooking something basic myself (as has happened before).
Further search-results in this forum brought to my attention what Russell Williams pointed out in »CS4 : Accessing points on a Curve from keyboard«: If working in the Adjustments Panel one has to select the Eyedropper Too (I) to add points on the curves.
To place points on a CS4 Adjustment Curve, you use the new "Pointy-finger" tool in the Curves Panel to click on the image and you can then slide the cursor around on the image to modify that point on the curve.
You can keyboard-select existing points on the curve with the + and – keys; and use the Nudge Arrows to adjust their positions or you can drag the points manually.
Well, the only feature in the Curves Adjustment Panel Im still unable to achieve seems to be entering the numeric fields of a point by hitting tab (which has also been mentioned in another thread), but thats a rather minor point, so I guess Im reconciled with Editing the Adjustment Layers in the Adjustments Panel. Hue/Saturation- and Selective Color-Adjustment Layers lose a lot of convenience though if one has to manually enter the numeric fields.
This thing about the numeric entry fields in Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer in CS4 really bugs me and Ive noticed what I consider some rather mystifying behavior: When I select a Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer and hit shift-tab, shift-tab, shift the first entry field gets highlighted but only once, I have to deselect and reselect said layer to recreate the behavior.
These shortcuts work for me but they took a bit of getting used to:
Highlight and cycle through selected points on an Adjustment Curve by using the + and – keys; Shift Tab will cycle between the input and output boxes of the Selected Point.
In the Hue/Sat palette: you have to first click in an input box and can then cycle between them using Shift Tab or Option Tab as long as your cursor remains in a box. You can use the Option 2 (and subsequent numbers) shortcuts to cycle between the different standard colors in the drop-down menu.
Thanks, Ann, for pointing out that the cursor has to be located over the Panel. (Bit of a bother though with Curves Adjustment Layers when one has to pick values from the image.) But the clicking in the input-box with the Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layers annoys me, because it means going from a double-click to a click/move cursor/(double-)click. On the other hand if Youve gotten used to it, others can probably get used to it, too.
You can press Backspace when you’re in the new Adjustments panel to go back to the main screen.
Also, for those who may have overlooked this, you can use all of the old adjustments still (if you want to click more) by choosing Image > Adjustments > [Your adjustment]. For example, you could open Curves this way.
Yes, but on that page I cant find post 21, as only 16 get shown and in case the number 21 was merely symbolic I browsed the posts I did see and did a search of various relevant terms and still couldnt make out the pertinent info.
John lists in the "Some sample panels:" section, that you could have this functionality back (modal dialogs for adjustment layers) by using Configurator. Once you install Configurator, you can download the one he links to and then you’ll be able to do what you desire. Or you could create your own panel.
Actually I superficially read it even back then and overlooked Mr. Nacks panel »Curves Dialog«. It changes a selected Adjustment Layer to a Curves Layer if it isnt one though; but by (quite clumsily) adapting his Script to set up conditionals to treat my favorite types of Adjustment Layers as themselves I finally got the result I had hoped for and could assign a Keyboard Shortcut.
G, I dont think it was answered definitely, but I also dont think that it is possible. I could be wrong though.
PE, my scripting is atrocious and I would prefer not having it on the Adobe-server for years to come (apart from the embarrassing fact that the one time I tried to upload something there I failed, reflecting badly on my net-savvy). But Id be glad to email You the Scripts if You want to give them a try.
Yes, improvements should concentrate on FUNCTION and not on appearance, or juggling things around in the interface. As far as I can see the only functional improvement in this version for professional and advanced users, is the dynamic, within image slider to alter adjustment values. This is a welcome move forward, but when it comes to adjustment layers, in most other ways CS4 has missed the boat.
Another thing that annoys me- why on earth have they introduced a completely new adjustment for Vibrance? much more sensible and efficient to include it as an add on to hue/saturation, with the same color range selection tools that hue/sat has.
For speed, in competitive environments, keyboard shortcuts are essential and not replaceable by user defined flash panels, or tiny icon toggles for essential functionality.
I agree. The Adjustments Panel kinda sucks. Especially because you can’t slide the bottom up and make the panel smaller (who needs to stare at all those presets all the time?). ALL the panels have taken a step backward. They were much better in CS3.
For speed, in competitive environments, keyboard shortcuts are essential and not at all replaceable by user defined flash panels, or tiny icon toggles for essential functionality.
Fine, but I will need a far bigger keyboard than my current one in that case mine just does not have sufficient different keystroke combinations that are recognizable by the CS4 Keyboard Shortcuts.
Seriously, you have the tools in Photoshop CS4 and the Configurator to arrange the GUI in numerous different ways so instead of all this whinging why won’t you make the minutest effort to get to work to arrange CS4 to your PERSONAL satisfaction? ——-
Especially because you can’t slide the bottom up and make the panel smaller (who needs to stare at all those presets all the time?).
You can do all of that if you use the Configurator. Or hit Tab to immediately hide all of the panels.
Don’t necessarily need bigger keyboards, just the ability to recognize the existing mac keys would be helpful, one example, F13 to F16. A ‘Keyboard type’ preference would be useful allowing this increased functionality.
My workaround at the moment is to have ‘unusual tasks’ shortcut sets loaded.
I really like the new adjustments panel! Easy quick and very functional. Thanks ADOBE!
I agree Larry GR and I think if they now were to remove them everyone including those complaining here would rise up in revolt against Adobe for removing them.
The people who complain the most are people who complain the most, always. They are born complainers.
Wade, I beg to differ. Mark Reynolds is a photoshop power-user that has been sharing his knowledge for years. The new adjustment panel made some crucial changes in his workflow, hence this very thread. It is not for the sake of complaining, but to make sure that he does not have to change his whole workflow.
MZ, I hope that I did not step on your toes, but could not let this pass…
Is there a keyboard shortcut to access the Target Adjustment tool of the Curves Adjustment Layer panel?
Having adopted PS CS4 since it became available, and while greatly appreciating the enhancements (of which I’m aware) that it offers, I still find that for the way I have been accustomed to work the panels are a hindrance and I would much prefer the palettes of CS2 (and shortcuts) that were still accessible as "legacy" in CS3.
Perhaps you are correct perhaps he is a power user I would not know.
But that still does not mean that he will et use to it and that this might be a necessary step for further enhancements that will greatly improve a power users work flow.
Time will tell, but I think from my own experience that mark will find that he judge the feature too quickly and will pleased if Adobe does not listen to him in this case.
When I first saw this i was really annoyed by it but then realized that it was a convenience and save me the trouble of using keyboard short cuts that i sometimes screwed up with which only cost me time and made me loose my concentration, this I do not even have to think about I can go from one adjustment type to the other.
I even made a mistake in thinking that there was still use for the Image>Adjustment>Curves, etc when this panels is all that is needed.
I don’t even think there is a need anymore or Layers> Adjustment layers this is going to in the end make Photoshop and very mean and very lean image machine.
And we are all going to be pleased by it. And it will lead to a much bigger integration for the creative suites.
I think Mark will Change his mind especially if he ius a power user.
Wade, I beg to differ. Mark Reynolds is a photoshop power-user that has been sharing his knowledge for years. The new adjustment panel made some crucial changes in his workflow, hence this very thread. It is not for the sake of complaining, but to make sure that he does not have to change his whole workflow.
Gosh, I’ve changed my workflow many times over the years as software has changed and guess what, muy new workflow is way better than it used to be.
This is original post from the photoshop ‘power user’ Mark.
I guess I’m maybe jumping the gun, after all I’ve never tried CS4 yet, but strikes me as another interface move in the wrong direction there.
He’s not even used the very thing he is criticising!!
I found it a bit odd at first, but then going back to CS3 to compare when testing, that previous better version seemed not so good as I remembered.
"I think Mark will Change his mind" – well I’ve been using CS4 as trial now every day for nearly 3 weeks. In most respects its a slight move forward from where CS3 was. In particular the OpenGL screen view certainly has speed advantages. The one feature in my opinion that’s a PRACTICAL move forward is the improved color range, improving the quality of its selections dramatically. Everything else is pretty well window dressing, just other ways to do what you could do before.
I do agree that its not wise to criticize until you have tried something, and would concede that I made a mistake there. But having said this, I’m still not entirely happy with the adjustments panel. Luckily I found a way to bring up the old modal dialog when first making a layer, and can work around the panel for editing . In the panel I don’t like the loss of the old shortcuts like "reset" and command TAB, and shift command to place multiple points, and a complete lack of a shortcut for pointy finger tool have been ignored.
Pointy Finger (strictly speaking I believe that this is called the TAT Target Adjustment Tool but I have a feeling that "Pointy Finger tool" is the name that is going to stick?!) definitely needs to have a shortcut.
I do everything that is "Short-cuttable" with Shortcuts and find the lack of one for the TAT particulalarly irritating!
I realise that we can always click "I" and use the eyedropper to pop points onto a Curve but then you lose the OpenGL draggable controls if you do it that way.
This is not true Mark, and I suggest you give the adjustment panel as they are a chance to help you with your workflow. I do not like to admit it but I am a complainer and I use Photoshop extensively. MY main complaint is that I use Photoshop extensively and would like to spend so much less time using PhotoShop and the best way I can figure this is to make it work for me much faster and the way to that end is a better user interface and a better workflow.
You might find things like the preview for the clone Tool and Rotate canvas and the adjustment panels save a lot of time. And I mean a lot of time not minute but over the course of a day hours.
That is not window dressing.
The Application frame which you probably have turned of, just guessing is a life saver. The ability to move your documents and tools and panels all at one united way really saves incredible time and frustration even if you use two monitors. BTW I have found that using two monitors one for panels and one for the work area is a true time eater and the current method that Adobe has adopted for us is a much faster and better method, turning your eye to the other monitor makes you loose your focus and each time whether you get use to it or not you have to refocus on your work. What is good about two monitors is that you can have a copy of the full image on the extra monitor and your working view in your frame so you can see the effect of the work being done on the whole image while working on the zoomed in or out image.
Or as with applications such as PremierePro or After Effects. Which brings up the advantage of the tabs as you have have several additional windows of images you have tabbed in the frame tabbed on the other monitor. It will be a feature request of mind to have the user dictate whether those tabbed documents come to the front together, allowing you to work on a group of images in a rational way.
But you might be able to see where this is going. This is a great new work flow in the making.
The reason I encourage you to try this new interface out is not so much as to convert you but if you do end as I think you will liking the interface you might also say but it would even be better if and I found that when Adobe takes everyones ideas and puts them together they get some really important ideas. So the"even be better if" is important to my goal of spending a half hour a day maximum on Photoshop and the rest of the time well
Ann Shelbourne – 6:18pm Dec 8, 08 PST (#56 of 57) Pointy Finger (strictly speaking I believe that this is called the TAT Target Adjustment Tool but I have a feeling that "Pointy Finger tool" is the name that is going to stick?!) definitely needs to have a shortcut.
Here, here….. The Targeted Adjustment Tool definitely needs a serviceable shortcut.
I agree, the Adjustments panel might be fun for someone who doesn’t know Photoshop at all, but If you’re a pro, you don’t want that panel to be clogging up your damn workspace when youre not using it! I really hate it and if you make the panel float, then it’s less handy then the old window, as it has a very small "x" on the top and no Cancel button, you can’t even dismiss it with Escape, so you have to click that ridiculously small x button to close it. By the way, it even comes up when you add an INVERT adjustment layer, which is insane, as it then tells you that "There are no settings for Invert. Duh." So why the hell does it come up then?
Adobe should have added an option to use the old style adjustment layer window.
But actually if you don’t like the adjustment panel, you might as well go back to CS3 as there is nothing else in CS4 that is different from CS3, except some ridiculous new bugs in CS4 that keep you busy for some time, that I won’t discuss here as I’m fed up with them…
I know Photoshop extremely well and I say what you say is a sign of someone that does not know Photoshop well and has no need to work faster then they do.
Tr are features in Photoshop CS 4 that really make work much faster even if you can not get a handle on it and features that have improved its integration with the motion graphics a great deal as well.
Not to mention the promising 3D features.
I think you have perhaps taken a narrow approach to what Photoshop is all about.
I know you don’t need motion graphics but Photoshop was develop to integrate with motion graphics.
So these are major improvements even if you have no clue!
No question about it, those close buttons and the miniature arrows for dropdown menus are an absolute disgrace.
If you’re a pro, you don’t want that panel to be clogging up your damn workspace when youre not using it!
Agreed. But, on the other hand, real pros run dual side-by-side monitors and don’t have the adjustment panel in the way. :/
Wade makes a valid point: Just because someone doesn’t use a given tool, that doesn’t mean that tool is superfluous. I very seriously doubt that any single user uses all of Photoshop tools, bar none. But get 1,000 Photoshop users together in a room, and you’ll find it darn difficult to find a single Photoshop feature that absolutely no one uses.
The one thing I personally found utterly dispensable in previous versions of Photoshop was ImageReady, and yet look at how many users complained when they took it away in CS3! Each user has a different set of needs.
They have a lot of advantages and if Ramón you are almost correct about how real pros work sort of.
First of all using two monitors has an advantage but wasting it on panels is not the wisest choice definitely a time consuming and distracting approach.
I generally use the second monitor to show the who image when retouching so I can review at a glance the updated image as I retouch the close up area of the image.
Moving the cursor across the screen to the other screen and hunting though panels is not the best solution. How I think that all came about is that if you ever saw a Paint Box Suite they usually had a Large Plasma screen on the Wall in front of the Suite Artist and a smaller monitor tilted at 45º or so in the Artist’s desktop so he could just quickly glance down to select the tool or what ever he had occupying that screen. Not the same configuration as a Motion Graphics Suite which generally has side by side Monitors and and a Video display over head.
So using the two monitors as I see it from the point of view of someone that does heavy retouching the people complaining about this new workflow one don’t see where it is leading to which will make them champion it or they simply are chaotic works and prefer confusion.
But they will get use to it especially when they get drag and drop for photoshop from a Bridge panel off to the right of you main screen right into you open tabbed Documents.
They will talk a very different story when that happens. I know when will that happen, I would like it for CS 5 but that may or may not happen and I might be retired when it does.
So I wish you guys good luck. And of course what I just wrote about my preference is the way i see it and just my own opinion. Time will tell.
Paint Box was great though it did not have layers and very fast. I first saw it in I think in 1994-95 and even back then it opened a 100MB file in less then a second.
If Adobe had that technology today Photoshop would be more incredible then it is now.
RE:What I love in Panels is how they come back when you hover the sides of your screen when they are "tabbed"
Was that a joke? That’s the worst thing about them. They pop up when you get near the edge of the screen instead of when you tell them to via keyboard. Try drawing that way. The dock jumps up from one side, panels from to other sides.
What I hate about Panels is that you cannot have more than one open at the same time (unless you brake them out of their panels and let them float loose on you display) and that they take up an awful lot of space onscreen. Granted they are better in CS4 than in CS3 but they are still not good.
I do break mine out purely because of the need to have more than one palette open at the same time and I then control the whole lot from buttons on a Configurator Panel.
Ann, Yes the need is real for most users in most Adobe apps to be able to see more than one pane at the time. I really hope to see the ability to have more than one pane active and visible at the same time in CS5 without having to brake them loose (I still miss stashable palettes, which not all Adobe apps had).
It is always hard to get used to a new way of doing things (and annoying when you can’t see how to do it the way you’ve been doing it for years).
A bit of time spent exploring and experimenting will soon show that most of the old ways are possible but, with a little personal flexibility, the new way is as good or even better.
As Ann reminds us, the new ability to make our own panels with user-defined content is pretty damned handy too!
Progress was never made without change and adaptation.
The phrase "Old stick-in-the-mud" comes to mind! 🙂
Yes the little tabs are annoying when there’s so much unused screen space available top left. I just about got used to this now. The way around all these problems for me is to set Workspaces, and one move forward is that these are now quite easily accessible in CS4 with the drop down.
The masks panel SO FAR has only one use really, and thats to non destructively feather masks, and I really like this feature. In some situations this improvement makes vector masks much more generally useful than they ever were. Everything else are not new features and have always been available in better ways with shortcuts such as command I or command L . I would like to be able to feather a mask from the layers panel, so I can avoid the masks panel altogether for this version
It isn’t always a question of old versus new ways of doing things. Adobe apps have changed UI both in CS3 and CS4 comapred to cs2 and earlier. Some of it adding frustration because the UI got worse than it was in CS2 and earlier (panes in CS3 not being possible to use on multiple screens just mention one thing, plus only being able to see one pane at the time if in pane-mode) and lost a lot of functionality and not to mention screen-estate (think MacBook and other portables when away from their big external displays).
I am personally well aware of all the workarounds and setups with workspaces, but tearing a pane loose from the pane-container just to be able to see more than one at the time is a step back, not forward, as having palettes floating around free on screen/s has always been possible but not the most efficient way of handling panes/palettes as it adds to clutter.
CS4 is quite a bit better than CS3, UI-wise (as I see it), but it is still not really there where we were in palette/pane-handling in CS2… and I don’t mean the palette-well (which I hated and never used). The present UI, when it comes to panes/palettes, is less flexible than what we had in CS2.
What I hate about Panels is that you cannot have more than one open at the same time (unless you brake them out of their panels and let them float loose on you display)
Not exactly an accurate statement take a look here
Wade, 2 column panes takes up even more onscreen space than leaving the palettes floating free of the pane-containers. I know you can do it like that but I like to have some space left on my MacBook alu screen (when it is off my 242 display at work) to work on as well… My regular stationary machine at home (iMac 20" with extra 17" display) is no problem, the smaller screen on the MB is. And using buttons only I find difficult and next to impossible to differ between the different symbols on them. I need the text too to know which pane I am choosing. Many of the symbols are not all that self-explanatory.
and Joslin, if with "adapting" you mean we have to accept to have a less flexible UI than we used to have in previous versions (pre cs3) then I don’t see it as something desireable which I have to adapt to. I know there are workarounds. I know my way around the UI and I use the workarounds. But I don’t like having a less flexible UI than we once had.
Adapting? Don’t forget that you pay for it. I’m not Hiob, I don’t have to take whatever I’m given. Nini is right about the two panel columns, that’s even worse. If something worked and is becoming worse you shouldn’t just adapt to it and since enough people complained about CS3’s GUI, CS4’s isn’t as terrible anymore, so keep complaining and coming up with better solutions and don’t just adapt.
I can guarantee that I will still be using a Configurator panel in a year’s time.
This is only the first version of this most useful accessory and I am very much hoping that it will be developed to support the other Applications in the Suite as well.
I did work with the regular CS4 GUI for many months but, although it is usable, it does not provide the optimal environment for people who only have a single monitor.
The Configurator has solved that problem: One click on a button and a palette pops into view another click and it removes itself again. And I can have as many as I want open simultaneously or none at all.
An adjunct to Ann’s advice on the Configurator panel (which I use and am still tweaking to my needs) is the use of saved workspaces, each with its optimum panel configuration.
With one click I can switch to my retouching workspace, or over to my image adjustment workspace. A barebones workspace with all panels "iconised" against the right border gives a clean area.
Of course, making full use of ACR and the much-improved Bridge also relieves basic Photoshop of a lot of the workload too.
Wade – I only change my mind about the UI if I am convinced without doubt and if there is real improvement (like in Bridge). I haven’t seen that improvment yet (its gone better from cs3 to cs4 but..).
As for the Configurator, I feel one should not have to use a configurator to get to what one wants the UI to be. And I will not use that until it is out of beta. (I’ve presently run out of harddisks to test things on). I feel it should be one with the application. Particularly as it works only on Photoshop today as far as I know ?? I don’t use Photoshop only. I also use Illustrator and InDesign (and GoLive CS2 and DreamWeaver and Fireworks). The things that I find a hindrance in the UI are there as well (except in GoLive CS2). When (if?) the configurator will work on all Adobe apps, then I will be willing to try it out. I am very tired of having the UI behave differently between the different adobe apps. Granted, it has improved over the years and versions, but we are still not there.
Nini, I would like to recommend that You reconsider waiting for cross-Suite implementation of Configurator before using it; You are missing out on a great new feature. And so far I cant remember coming across any complaints about its performance.
You have absolutely nothing to fear from Cofigurator "beta" or non-beta.
No need to "test" it because it does not cause any conflicts with Photoshop CS4.
The whole point is that it allows the User to configure the GUI to fit their own requirements; and you can create several different Configurator Panels to go with your various customized Workspaces.
As far as I can see configurator doesnt really allow you to fully CONFIGURE the Gui at all. What it allows is the user to make customised panels, which can be loaded into workspaces. These custom panels have the same problems as the rest of the UI (small difficult to locate panel buttons, transparent flimsy movement of panels, difficult to resize).
I think all in all, CS4 is an improvement over where we were in CS3. I just think that generally reshuffling the interface unecessarily, introducing NEW panels (masks for example) without fully consolidating and extending whats there already, is a mistake.
The layers panel for example, with all its power, shortcuts and functionality is flawlessly well implemented at present. I just hope that this doesn’t get altered in future. It ain’t broke… don’t try and fix it
I’ll have a look at it some time during this week as I am off this week and might get some spare time before regular work hits me again on Monday the 5th (night-work-week then). Any direct link to it?
Ramon said – But, on the other hand, real pros run dual side-by-side monitors and don’t have the adjustment panel in the way.
Unless they are using laptops on location or a single large screen,as many do now.
Wade said – First of all using two monitors has an advantage but wasting it on panels is not the wisest choice definitely a time consuming and distracting approach.
But that’s how I and many others do it and I find it very fast and easy to use and certainly not distracting, anything but. Not sure how you think it’s time consuming, as for me it’s the fastest way of accessing the panels I use.
More importantly, what these two very divergent views illustrate is that we all have differing ways of working. What suits one person will annoy another.
I’m a "real" professional – both as a photographer and as a high end digital imager and retoucher. Everyone I know who does this for a living uses two monitors – one for the main image and one for palettes. I don’t know anyone who uses Wade’s setup. I’m very very fast at what I do, often confounding those in the room with me when they’re trying to figure out what’s going on.
So far I’m not exactly liking this new adjustment panel. There’s no way in hell I’m going to keep it on my main screen, but having on the palette monitor is proving so far to be very frustrating.
My frustrations are similar to Mark’s but perhaps a little different and if anyone has a workable suggestion, I’m all ears.
I don’t really have a problem clicking on the Curves icon to get my Curves Adjustment Layer, but I really want the physical interface to be on the main screen on top or right next to the image I’m working on. Even keeping the panel as close to the middle edge of the monitor forces me to look back and forth which is just distracting.
Secondly, while I know there are small icons to preview, revert and even cancel, etc. they’re just not as quick and easy to access as the Cancel button with or without the Option key. The old dialog box, which you can still access just using the non adjustment layer Curves, is what I’d prefer, and I have a feeling, a lot of other folks too.
Is there a way to accomplish this?
BTW, the two things I do like so far are the 1500 pixel brush in Liquefy and support for Device Link Profiles.
What you say today of course is not what you will be saying in the future so I know you will be changing your mind.
There is no place that this phenomenon has been demonstrated more then here on the Photoshop forum. I am leased to know that this feature will be making you all more efficient professional and more profitable business craftsmen.
Sorry Wade, but you have not made the case how this could possibly help me, and you have no real idea how I work or the level of complexity with which I work. For you to predict how I might feel some unspecified time in the future is pure conjecture on your part.
I’ve explained in pretty good detail the problem I’m having with the interface at this point. If you have any useful suggestions other than "you’ll get used to it", I’d love to hear them. Until then, you’re not exactly helping any of us to don’t see it exactly the way you do.
I’m not above learning new ways, but so far, I’m only seeing several layers of roadblocks in my way in exchange for a couple of features that don’t add a ton of real functionality to me.
You’ll get use to it is a very useful suggestion and there is no way to let you see what I see as being obvious since you cannot see it right now.
I wish you could see it but somethings take time and this is one of them. You are asking me to give you a reason when you are not quite ready to accept the reason as a positive step forward and an asset to your workflow.
It will take time, I hope you have the patience and if you don’t there is little you can do about it as I am fairly certain this is the way Adobe must go.
I met someone hat had knowledge of the application frame the new gui and they tell me there were users who also had access that at first hated the new approach and that in a few months they began to change their minds about it and actually found a lot of cool things about it. The users were all very heavy users of many of the Adobe applications.
That is why I am pretty sure with time you will see it differently.
Ok so now you will tell me that you work differently then all these other people so it does not apply. Then of course you are an unusual rather than a typical user, which means the other users will get use to it and probably like it or you will be very unhappy.
That is how I see it. My source is very reliable btw.
The old dialog box, which you can still access just using the non adjustment layer Curves, is what I’d prefer, and I have a feeling, a lot of other folks too.
Count me in as one of those other folks! The old dialog box was perfect as it was. After several months, I STILL don’t see a single benefit to an "always on" adjustment layer. Not only that, but some of the adj layers have LESS functionality than the previous versions and aren’t even consistent with their pixel-altering counterparts. Plain and simple – a step backwards!
I’ve found you can keep the adj layer panels closed and call them up as before using the layer pallet icon, you can move them around where you want, but dismissing them is far less convenient because you have to manually close them with that minute close button rather than pecking the Return key.
The ONLY reason I can see Adobe taking this approach is an attempt to dumb things down for new users.
Wade- I’m "used to" the change – I don’t like it – the old way was better.
My recipe for taming the CS4 GUI (float all Palettes and show/hide them as needed through a Configurator Panel) works very well for me with one exception that horrible Adjustments Panel.
It is totally superfluous with its unneccessary list of Presets and plethora of adjustment layer selection symbolsall of which are more effectively managed through the single icon on the bottom of the layers palette.
I have the Application Frame on a Keyboard shortcut so I can flick that on and off as required.
But that Adjustment Panel does need to be modifiable so that we see ONLY the actual Curve, levels, Hue/Sat sliders etc., when appropriate, and have the option to keep the introductory "Add an Adjustment" part of it CLOSED permanently.
"Time might tell" Adobe to redesign the Adjustments Panel because it is an atrocious waste of space and is entirely superfluous for anyone but a Photoshop neophyte!
Wade, why don’t you please tell us all about your superior and much faster method of working where you don’t waste a second monitor on all those pesky pallettes?
Also constantly repeating you’ll get over it without explaining why it is better, is simply annoying and a tad patronizing. Adobe has tweaked the interface numerous times and sometimes has reverted to the previous method or dropped new features as the ‘improvements’ turned out to be waste of time. Some new tweaks do indeed take some adjustment, however some simply are not an improvement. For me, I’d rather the adjustment panel vanished when not being used, but as it takes up so little space on my very useful second monitor, I’m not that bothered. However when using a laptop when space is a premium, then less pallettes is a good thing.
Colour work is usually something you generally need to do CAREFULLY, and precisely. Related to this, a more serious problem compared to CS3 the Scrubby sliders, especially with the option and shift shortcuts do not refresh properly any more. On higher res files the sliders and curve points don’t seem to move that smoothly, being held up perhaps by graphics card refresh?
Having said all this, the new panel is actually useful for some limited tasks , but has enough problems at present that its good to have the old option still Pfigen, the old dialog is actually still available if you are prepared to work through Actions, a copy of CS3, and F key keyboard shortcuts. I posted the solution for this in another thread.
Unfortunately Its not accessible in an easier way through the interface anymore.
To try and be constructive an improvement would be this: Either a menu item for creating a new adjustment with the modal dialog, and editing an existing adjustment, so that this could be Actioned more easily. Or even better, a Preference, or maybe a toggle on the adjustment panel drop down, bringing back the old behaviour.
After several months, I STILL don’t see a single benefit to an "always on" adjustment layer.
Agree with Phil.
The new always-on adjustment panel reminds me of a poor sap standing in his underwear on his front porch, not quite ready to go for work and not quite smart enough to go back in the house. :/
Weird, the post I made a couple of hours ago never showed. Hmmmm…
Mark – Thanks for that info. I made F-key actions for Adjustment Layers and yes, they do bring back the old dialog box in the middle of my main screen, which is great. Unfortunately, that’s only for the initial adjustment, as any additional adjustments to that Adj. Layer only brings up the new dialog box in the Adjustments Panel. So, we’re halfway there – still not good enough for me.
Pfigen, there is a way to edit various types of Adjustment Layers in the old modal dialog via one single Script and assign that a Shortcut. Plus I seem to remember from the thread Mark mentioned that one can edit in the old dialog through Actions but if I remember correctly one would have to create one Action for each type of Adjustment Layer. Maybe You should try to locate that thread.
For some reason (that I dont understand) it seems inadvisable to post more than a few lines of JavaScript-code here but I could email You the Script if Youre interested.
Yes I’d be interested in that script just to check it out Chrisoph, can you link to it?
As far as I see it, scripting takes longer to activate, because there’s always a slight delay while it reads the script off the disk. John Knack also posted a Configurator button "Adjust Curves Layer" that you can use to open an existing curve within the dialog. It would be possible to make one for any adjustment.
The best solution is probably Fkey to create a new adjustment (different fkey for each adjustment type). And command (the same Fkey) to edit an existing adjustment.
The only minor disadvantage with this is the action step "set current adjustment layer to ", if its activated on the wrong layer will change the adjustment TYPE. But you would really have to be asleep to make this mistake, and there’s always command Z.
I’ve been frustrated by the adjustment panels, too. My primary complaint about them is their poor interaction with history and undo. With modal dialogs it was obvious when a history state would be created: when OK was clicked. The preview mode for a modal dialog is always relative to the previous state. The meanings of the preview and revert buttons on the new panels are rather ambiguous.
I wrote the following Javascript to open the modal dialog for an existing adjustment layer. It works with any flavor of adjustment layer. I use it by defining an action to run it and then binding that action to F2. Here is the code:
// // Script to open modal dialogs for adjustment layers. First it checks to see // whether current layer is an adjustment layer. If it is, the appropriate model // dialog is opened. // // Common usage: add an action that runs the script and assign a function key to // the action. //
// // Open a modal dialog for adjustment layer type "kind" // function adjustModal(kind) { ErrStrs = {}; ErrStrs.USER_CANCELLED=localize("$$$/ScriptingSupport/Error/UserCancelled=User cancelled the operation"); try { var setD = charIDToTypeID("setd"); var actDesc = new ActionDescriptor(); var nullId = charIDToTypeID("null"); var actRef = new ActionReference(); var contentLayer = stringIDToTypeID("contentLayer"); var ordn = charIDToTypeID("Ordn"); var trgt = charIDToTypeID("Trgt"); actRef.putEnumerated(contentLayer, ordn, trgt); actDesc.putReference(nullId, actRef); var t = charIDToTypeID("T "); actDesc.putClass(t, kind); executeAction(setD, actDesc, DialogModes.ALL); } catch(e) { if (e.toString().indexOf(ErrStrs.USER_CANCELLED) == -1) alert(e.toString()); } }
// // Figure out type type of the current adjustment layer and open appropriate // modal dialog. // switch (activeDocument.activeLayer.kind) { case LayerKind.BRIGHTNESSCONTRAST: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("BrgC")); break; case LayerKind.LEVELS: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("Lvls")); break; case LayerKind.CURVES: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("Crvs")); break; case LayerKind.EXPOSURE: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("Exps")); break; case LayerKind.VIBRANCE: adjustModal(stringIDToTypeID("vibrance")); break; case LayerKind.HUESATURATION: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("HStr")); break; case LayerKind.COLORBALANCE: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("ClrB")); break; case LayerKind.BLACKANDWHITE: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("BanW")); break; case LayerKind.PHOTOFILTER: adjustModal(stringIDToTypeID("photoFilter")); break; case LayerKind.CHANNELMIXER: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("ChnM")); break; case LayerKind.POSTERIZE: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("Pstr")); break; case LayerKind.THRESHOLD: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("Thrs")); break; case LayerKind.GRADIENTMAP: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("GdMp")); break; case LayerKind.SELECTIVECOLOR: adjustModal(charIDToTypeID("SlcC")); break; }
I wish I could figure out how to bind the script to a double click event on an adjustment layer, but I don’t believe there is a double click event. There is a select event, which corresponds to the first click if the layer isn’t yet selected, but no event for the second click. So far the F2 binding is the best I’ve come up with.
The real solution is for Adobe to accept that in addition to all the hype about Configurator and the ability to build our own widgets, the base GUI should also be configurable! Given that the modal dialog code is still in Photoshop it ought to be trivial to add a preference that controls whether adjustment layers are modal or panels.
Michael, why do You record the Script in an Action and not simply assign the Script a Keyboard Shortcut of its own?
Mark, Michaels Script looks a lot less unnecessarily convoluted than mine, so give his a try first; moreover I left some types out completely. I hope the Script places correctly:
//opens the modal dialog for editing selected adjustment layers of some types, not all though; based on john nacks panel;
#target photoshop;
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var checksOut = false;
var theKinds = ["LayerKind.CURVES", "LayerKind.HUESATURATION", "LayerKind.SELECTIVECOLOR", "LayerKind.LEVELS",
if (String(myDocument.activeLayer.kind) == theKinds[k]){
var id365 = theVars365[k];
theModalDialogue ()
var checksOut = true
}
else {}
};
if (checksOut == false) {
alert("selected layer is neither curves, hue/saturation-, selective color-, levels-, black and white-, posterize-, gradient map- or threshold-adjustment layer")};
function theModalDialogue () {
ErrStrs = {};
ErrStrs.USER_CANCELLED=localize("$$$/ScriptingSupport/Error/UserCancelled=User cancelled the operation");
Well, the response to Ann’s pleas in the jnack discussion seems to indicate Adobe has a "like it or lump it" attitude regarding the new adj panel. Not much vindication in that …
Don’t think thats fair at all. At least in the past.
Most applications fall hugely short of Photoshop, for its both their implementation and ease of use. As an example I’ve recently been making the first steps into the world of 3D software (Maya), and believe me its a different world; complex functionality has been piled in, seemingly with very limited concern, or maybe talent, for accessibility or interface design. Also having made the first steps into web design software before, (Flash, Dreamweaver), comparative to Photoshop, the same holds true.
Maybe only InDesign comes close in its interface, customizeability and thoughtfulness. The reason for all this? – certainly in the case of Photoshop and Indesign, they listened. And hopefully, they seem to still be listening.
We are not talking about the past. Ever since the Macromedia acquisition, Adobe has become a gargantuan, unresponsive bureaucracy that views any customers who dare question its practices as adversaries.
complex functionality has been piled in, seemingly with very limited concern, or maybe talent, for accessibility or interface design.
Most applications fall hugely short of Photoshop, for its both their implementation and ease of use. As an example I’ve recently been making the first steps into the world of 3D software (Maya), and believe me its a different world; complex functionality has been piled in, seemingly with very limited concern, or maybe talent, for accessibility or interface design. Also having made the first steps into web design software before, (Flash, Dreamweaver), comparative to Photoshop, the same holds true.
Mark – is that simply because a lot of the complexity is to do with the fact it’s a new area for you to work in? Even if the software is very good, it would still be horribly complex to learn and that may make the software seem more difficult than it is. Web design for example, is a complete pain in the posterior, even before you get near the software to create it.But don’t forget many people regard PS as intimidatingly complex when first using it. Like you, I also think PS is one of the better programmes around, could it be better? Yes, could Adobe be less monlithic? Yes, could PS be more customisable? Yes. Also I have noticed with software complaining, is that quite often, the moaner doesn’t actually know how to use the programme properly. Now sometimens that’s becvause the software design is not good and it’s hard to learn, but so very often, it’s user laziness.
"Also I have noticed with software complaining, is that quite often, the moaner doesn’t actually know how to use the programme properly. " – I can assure you that in my case I know, to a complete and painstaking degree, how Photoshop works Troyhark. I even knew to the same degree how curves worked in CS3 which is WHY I’m annoyed that in CS4 its smooth functionality available since Photoshop 5, has been compromised.
When in Maya I’m looking for things like contextual menu’s, Proper comprehensive allocation of keyboard shortcuts, clean and uncluttered interface, proper representation of its function within the interface not there. ALL THESE THINGS have been built into Photoshop making it possible to work fast, inuitively and allowing concentration on the task in hand.
(Of course maya has been built as Windows software, and just crudely ported over, whereas Photoshop was originally the other way round which may in itself explain a fair amount)
Of course Maya has been built as Windows software, and just crudely ported over, whereas Photoshop was originally the other way round which may in itself explain a fair amount
I think that the original OS has zero bearing on the matter here, particularly as you criticize Maya for the lack of contextual menus. Right click contextual menories in particular are very much a Windows thing, which Mac software has thankfully adopted more, particularly now Apple have grudgingly added a second mouse button, even if hidden and off by default. Context sensitive tool bars and general UI customisation are things that I found were more common in Windows software than in Mac software. Many things I liked in Windows originated software, I feature requested for years before PS finally incorporated them – context sensitive toolbars for example. Maybe it’s just Maya that is badly ported or simply not very good in first place – I cannot really comment as I’ve never used it. Being a popular programme does not mean it’s actually any good. Just look at Quark, a dreadful cack handed programme, but until InDesign appeared it ruled the roost. Though I believe it’s a lot better now.
I can assure you that in my case I know, to a complete and painstaking degree, how Photoshop works Troyhark.
But your original complaint was made before you even used CS4. Tsk, tsk!
Let’s not even attempt to make this personal, Mark. You wouldn’t like it.
Looks like the usual Ramon apoplexly is about to erupt. 😉
The only Macromedia like thing in PS, that I can think of is the handy tabbed interface, a long overdue improvement, particularly with the App frame on the Mac version. Something I requested a loooong time ago. Oh and saved workspaces, Macromedia did that very useful feature first I believe. PS currently is much nicer to use than it was before Adobe bought out their rival. And Ramon, a lot of people liked Macromedia products – Freehand being killed off in favour of the clunky Illustrator annoyed a lot of people. Though as I never used Freehand and Illustrator only very rarely, I don’t really know how they compared, but I’ve never liked illustrator as it always seemed very fiddly and with a very poor UI and why I don’t bother with it. So Adobe aren’t exactly alays very good at UI design. PS always seemed a lot better than all other Adobe products. I remember using Premier years ago and it was simply shocking clumsy and slow to use.
THe main problem Adobe has, is however it changes PS, it will upset some people. Even if 80% think a new tweak is much better, that’s still 20% who are not impressed. So as Adobe cannot leave PS as it is forever, some changes will have to be made, sometimes they don’t work as well in the real world as expected or another idea is thought of and the new tweaks disappear, like the dock [very useful on laptops]and the pointless extra screen mode that was dropped this time around. Maybe the next iteration of PS will have a temporary adjustment pallette option [my preference] and/or the new pallette will be made to work better.
Trying hard to leave the spineless kippers, and other entertainment aside
I was an advanced user of Quark, in terms of functionality yes it was obviously rubbish compared to Indesign now. Skilled people though, could use Quark at tremendous speeds, because certain smarter developers worked on shortcuts, and had an interest in usability. Main problem with Quark was Management, appropriate investment and here’s my point, not listening to customers or most likely, to their most capable developers.
80 and 20% on the Adjustment issue? I don’t think so. On a truly high res file today with the new curves panel, it takes ages for the view to update, the points don’t move efficiently. Struggling with toggling points is a pain. If you have a file with many adjustments above and below, its almost unworkable – I have a Quad processor machine with 7 gigs, and a Nvidia 7300.
Nvidia 7300 they say does not support advanced drawing, I never tested it as I replaced the 7300 with the 8800 immediately on ordering the Master Collection for CS 4.
So this might be a problem, I strongly suggest you upgrade the card. it’s $300 but you might see a performance boost you did not have before. I know I can open 15 Open GL documents of 100MB or more while I understand with the 7300 you could only open 8 documents so there is a boost.
I just resized an image file to 1.13GB and had live update for the curves, I would say this might be hardware related.
Hmmm, the 7300 works just fine and fast on most things, zooming is fine. Refresh is lightning fast, no problem. Just the updating of adjustment values especially when there are adjustments ABOVE the layer in question, that is slow.
I used QuarkXPress Passport Pro very intensively for many years. I practically lived in that application for a while, before my interests changed in another direction. By the time I switched to InDesign, my needs for a page layout applications decreased dramatically.
Main problem with Quark was Management, appropriate investment and here’s my point, not listening to customers or most likely, to their most capable developers.
I have no problem here with the adjustment layers and I did get a chance to use it for on time before switching the card and they worked fine with the 7300 as well.
I would say you have another issue but definitely not a normal one and not one for which I would blame PS.
80 and 20% on the Adjustment issue? I don’t think so.
I wasn’t talking about that particular problem, but changes in general, where say 80% prefer the new way and 20% don’t. Does Adobe change back to the old way and please 20% and now annoy 80%? Any change is difficult as someone will be peed off. Though why would speed of update be altered by whether the panel is permanent or temporary? That sounds more like a bug/computer issue, rather than a simple UI alteration problem.
I was an advanced user of Quark, in terms of functionality yes it was obviously rubbish compared to Indesign now. Skilled people though, could use Quark at tremendous speeds, because certain smarter developers worked on shortcuts, and had an interest in usability. Main problem with Quark was Management, appropriate investment and here’s my point, not listening to customers or most likely, to their most capable developers.
Quark was a classic example of no competition breeding arrogance, a p1ss poor product and inflated prices. It also relied on expensive addons to introduce basic functionality that should have been in programme to start with And how long did they insist on just one undo level?!! Grief!
As for me hating Ramon, news to me! I just find his ranting and explosive outbursts most amusing. And the unintentional irony or crazyness of his posts can brighten up even a dull January day. Though anyone who comments on typos/spellings online as a witty comeback is rather sad. It’s also a tad ironic as he likes to make a point of mispelling my name at times.
Smelly, two-faced, yellow, spineless kipper, this is none of your business.
This I think is my favourite Ramonism yet. Made me laugh out loud and will keep a smile on my face for the rest of day. Thank you Ramon. 🙂
This topic is very important. There are three or four of us participating that are trying to raise legitimate questions and are really trying to get usable workarounds to a huge problem. Please don’t freeze it because a couple of kids can’t control themselves. Just cut out there inappropriate comments.
"pfigen" can’t possibly be THE Peter Figen. I don’t think he would have ever typed "there" for their. But if I were wrong, it would be good to know his new user ID.
Yeah Ramon, I screwed up. Normally I double-check my spelling. It’s the internet. No biggy.
Something happened to the default browser on my laptop at home that I have not been able to figure out. In the meantime, I’m using Camino, as Firefox will not run on this OS. I had to re-register as the Adobe site didn’t recognize either my username or password. For now, I’ll go by pfigen.
Neil, please keep this topic alive, Mark raises good questions, interesting workarounds are being given. Please ignore all the banter made by the usual suspects.
I haven’t installed CS4 yet so I don’t want to join in on how unpractical it is YET, but I really question the purpose of the panel. If you’re a beginner you will defenitely be intimidated by the adjustment layer either way, and the presets are just as confusing when you’re new. I remember John Nack claiming every addition will be optional, liar.
The only tolerable way to co-exist with the Adjustments Panel that I have found is to dock it to the bottom of a free-floating Layers Palette; and then control the Layers Palette through a Configurator Button.
Then I can hit the "minimize" bar on the Adjustments Panel each time that I finish working in an Adjustments layer.
The implementation of the intrusive Adjustments Panel is a truly horrible thing!
I guess so but how do we get them to bring back the standard way of using Adjustment Layers (additionally to the new panel) instead of slightly improving the Adjustmen Panel for the next update? Shouldn’t it be easy for them to make them work the old way without a full update to CS5? I mean they still work the same way, you just don’t get the same window once the channel is made.
I have to say, the panel makes sence for some uses but not for all, it would be good as an option, not a must. One of the things I like most about Ps is that there are many ways to get work done. Sometimes I work just with the keyboard, sometimes just with the mouse etc.
I moved the Adjustments Palette (it’ll always be a palette not a panel) back over to my main monitor and then closed it so it disappeared. Now, I can pull up the adjustments with an F-Key, which is fine, and it’s the old good dialog box. Now, when I need to re-tweak the adjustment, double-clicking opens the dialog back on the main monitor where it’s easier to use, but I had to make another F-key just to close the damned box, as that’s easier than trying to hit the little pin prick of a close button. I’ll see how that flies for now, but not for about a week. I’m in the middle of an 800 print order that’s going through CS3 and haven’t started tackling any of the printing issues yet. Pin prick pretty much describes whoever designed this.
Schmidt, Pfigen, the modal dialog is still present, one just has to invoke it with a Script or an Action, so basically only the ability to raise it via double-click is gone. When assigning the Script a Keyboard Shortcut thats conveniently placed for the hand that one doesnt handle the mouse or pen with basically changes the old way of invoking the modal dialog for an Adjustment Layer (mousing over, double-click) to mousing over-click-keystroke. (Assuming one navigates the Layers Panel by mouse instead of Keyboard Shortcuts that is.) Admittedly thats one step more, but I at least consider that no reason for a headache.
So, are you saying that once you have an Adjustment Layer in place and you now want to re-edit it, you can access the old dialog box via a script? Would that be one of the scripts that were posted earlier in this thread? If that’s so, I’ll try it and see.
But there is one point that does inconvenience me occasionally: White, grey and black in the Selective Colors cannot be addressed by shortcuts anymore but one has to use the cursor. What with the channels shortcuts moved two numbers up, command-7 and command-8 are now assigned to Blue and Magenta, command-9 has been dropped.
As Pfgen ha found, the best way to invoke adjustment layers is the same as it always was with shortcuts. It took me a little while back in photoshop 6 to work that out, and how to create them so that the dialog doesn’t come up. If you earn your living doing color correction as I did for 2 years, not having a trick like this is profoundly stupid IMHO.
Another problem with the panel which is more of a bug, with which I will mention again: With the scrubby sliders, especially in Hue/saturation where this is necessary, holding down the ALT key used to move in small increments. Now it just jumps all over the place. Impossbile to use.
Pfgen – you can set up command Fkey to bring up the modal dialog when editing an adjustment.
With the scrubby sliders, especially in Hue/saturation where this is necessary, holding down the ALT key used to move in small increments. Now it just jumps all over the place.
Mark:
This is not happening running CS4 with OpenGL on my G5 with OSX 10.4.11.
Could it have something to do with your video card?
I hope not, because I’m screwed if I’m replacing a practically new video card. No, if I turn off open GL, its still a problem.
Did some more investigation They changed something if you now OPTION click on the word hue in a hue/sat adjustment it takes the value back to zero. It works this way with all the adjustment panel sliders.
Looks like some IDIOT thought it would be a smart idea to introduce this as a new function. Unfortunately it interferes with existing functionality and the subtle operation of the sliders. Its now bloody difficult to make minute slider adjustments, because they keep resetting to 0 when you don’t want. Again it looks like someone who doesn’t understand existing functionality being given too much go-ahead
For me, it takes an Option double-click on a name to reset the slider to zero and I actually prefer that to the old cmd click on the slider to do the same thing.
If a field in a palette is targeted, the Option Scrubbies seem to work as they did previously.
No they don’t Anne. Whatever you have highlghted if you are holding option and trying to make subtle slides especially in Hue/saturation, where this is necessary, unless you click and DRAG it doesn’t work. If they wanted to change the shortcut for this they should have made option DOUBLE CLICK reset the values to 0.
To reset a value to zero in Hue/Sat, a simple double-click (no Option key required) on the adjustment name does the trick. Option single click does nothing. (Mark – perhaps an issue with a Wacom’s double-click tolerance?)
Using the Option key to invoke fine adjustments has no affect on the triangle sliders – but works fine with using the adjustment name. (this feature could also work unexpectedly with wayward Wacom prefs)
I totally agree with the stupidity of the Adjustments Panel. At first I though "Oh well as for that feature, the first thing I’ll do is turn it off…" Then I realized that you can’t… The old dialog is only available if you want to make a RASTERIZED adjustment to the current layer, not an Adjustment layer, and I will never use that.
Plus, when you aren’t in the middle of an adjustment, that stupid panel still sits there taking up 50% of the dam palette well. When you use dozens of layers, you need that space!
I won’t go on since you all know how annoying this is!
They really could have made a tick box in Preferences saying "Use Legacy dialog box instead of Adjustments Panel" or something like that, I think it would only take a line of code for them… But I bet you right now that they will never, ever do that or anything similar, ever! They are convinced that the Adjustments Panel is the best thing on earth and that you just have to get used to it, and realize how awesome it is…
There is a workaround for solving this issue though: Uninstall CS4 and reinstall CS3!
Yep, it’s John Nack’s baby and he seems as pleased as Punch with it; and will apparently brook no adverse comments about this plug-ugly Monster to which he has given birth!
Mate, while I appreciate Your frustration with the Adjustments Panel, which I also dont consider much of an improvement, there are workarounds utilizing either Actions or Scripts, so I think it is unnecessary to forego the other new features and improvements of CS4 and keep working with CS3.
All in all CS4 is an improvement over CS3 mainly for the advantages in painting, the FEEL of painting the speed of zooming, the ability to rotate etc. And Color range which, although its a little carelessly implemented, has advantages in quality.
As far as adjustment layers goes, I discovered when I loaded in my CS3 adjustment layer actions, triggered the fastest way using F keys – that the old modal dialog comes up as it always did.
For a certain quite limited TYPE of low end design work I can see that the adjustments panel could be an advantage, because of its suck-it-and-see editability. But if you know what you are doing working precisely on high res files, its going to be a pain. That combined with the "nailed down" and rushed design of the panel.
Best solution to keep everyone happy? A preference Modal Adjustments or Panel. Should be easy enough, because the FUNCTIONALITY of the old modal dialogs still exists within the software. Lets hope Cocoa migration doesnt screw that all up.
I simply don’t like having extra panels always open that aren’t used constantly.
The F key trick seems to work for many things removed from CS4. I’d really like the options of modal dialogs back as a preference as well as the ability to convert a layers content without having to write actions in CS3 to get that functionality.
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