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Yes. Using the bracket keys [ ] and combinations with Shift, Command and Option you can move up and down, move the Layers themselves and jump to the top or bottom, etc.
I think there’s a shortcut missing from the linked PDF.
And it’s one that I don’t remember off the top of my head. There’s a shortcut for making a new layer from all of the other visible layers. (It’s sort of like flattening the image, but all layers remain intact.)
I recall that it’s a handful of keys, something like Command-Shift-Option-E.
Merge visible is Command-Option-Shift-E. This will merge everything that is visible to the current selected layer. It’s often better to create a new layer first. I tend to use Command-Option-Shift-N, then Command-Option-Shift-E. That way everything that is visible is merged to a new layer, not an existing one.
I’m using CS4 on a Mac and just confirmed that Command-Option-Shift-E will put all visible layers onto a new layer. In other words, that single command creates a new layer, puts a merged copy of all visible layers on that new layer, and leaves all of the other layers alone.
Jaddie, in the past, one needed to create an empty layer first, with Command-Option-Shift-N, as Scott described. Then one was doing a Merge visible to fill that empty layer with the content of all layers with Command-Option-Shift-E.
Starting one or two versions ago, Command-Option-Shift-E is now automatically adding a layer on top of the currently selected layer IF no empty layer is targeted. That means that indeed, one can do it in one stop now, without risk of affecting a layer as Photoshop senses if there is pixel content, or even a layer mask, then creates a new layer for the merge.
Hold habits makes most of us create a transparent layer first, so that we can move it where we want it, then we merge visible. Brings control earlier in the creation process. But it is not so necessary, as we can move the merged layer after its automatic generation.
Extremely difficult to understand the way you have explained it. Its going to be difficult to help without a better description of what you are trying to do
See if this helps you can command click a layer MASK or a layer thumbnail – they both do different things, one loads the mask as a selection, the other loads the layer TRANSPARENCY as a selection.
Yes, you can set one up in this way- record an action to "set selection to current channel" this is done by clicking once on the current layer mask. Then assign a keyboard shortcut to your action.
There is also an item in the new Masks panel drop down called "add mask to selection" – you should be able to assign any keyboard shortcut to this, but I just checked and as yet they haven’t uncluded the new Masks Panel in Keyboard Shortcuts yet
Learn how to optimize Photoshop for maximum speed, troubleshoot common issues, and keep your projects organized so that you can work faster than ever before!
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