Changing default tools

JS
Posted By
Jeremy_Stroud
Oct 31, 2003
Views
361
Replies
7
Status
Closed
Hi folks. I’ve been asked to figure something out for a coworker, and I don’t know the answer so I’m turning to everyone here.

She is in our digital archiving program and is scanning lots of materials. She would like to set her eyedropper tool to default as the ruler. We can select the ruler, and I thought that PS7 retained your last set of tools used, but when we open a different or new document, it changes back to the eyedropper (my own copy does it about 50/50, never know when it’s going to default back).

Any thoughts on how to get the ruler to show up instead of having to click, hold, and select (hotkeys are beyond her, I’ve tried)? Thanks!

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P
Phosphor
Oct 31, 2003
Hmm…It sticks for me.

I just opened Photoshop 7.0.1, chose the Measure Tool, and quit the application. I didn’t even open a document. Relaunched Photoshop and my Toolbar showed the Measure Tool cycled frontmost from its fly-out and ready to go. Could be an OS thing—I’m on Mac OS 9.2.2. Could it be your preferences are somehow getting corrupted every time?

If it turns out you can’t figure out how to get the Measure Tool to "stick" between launches, tell her that there is NO way to change the default. Then open the preferences, and in the first pane, UNCHECK the button for "Use Shift Key for Tool Switch." All she has to do then is tap the "I" key three times (only twice if the Eyedropper is already selected) to bring up the Measure Tool. If she can’t learn that to the point of it being automatic within one day, she has bigger meatware issues that shouldn’t fall on your shoulders to coach her through.
JS
Jeremy_Stroud
Oct 31, 2003
We aren’t having the problem until we open a new document. On launch, it’s usually fine (though not always). However, if we open a document, it reverts back and that’s where the trouble is.

As for the hotkey issue…. I work in a library, almost everyone around me is three times my age and have a very difficult time picking up on new things (I’m surprised she knows how to use PS, but it’s pretty basic stuff that she does with it).

Thanks for the reply, any other thoughts?
P
Phosphor
Oct 31, 2003
Age isn’t the issue. If the spirit is willing, even Grandpas and Grandmas can learn a simple keyboard shortcut or 12.

Just ask my Grandad, who’s 88. He’s learned tons of them in the past couple years.

Anyway…just tried your scenario. Selected the Measure Tool. Quit Photoshop. Relaunched Photoshop by dragging a .psd file in which I never used the measure tool to the Photoshop icon. Application launches, the .psd file appears, and—still—the Measure Tool is ready to go.

Did the same with a newly scanned photo, which came into Photoshop as a TIFF. Measure tool was ready to go.

I can’t get it to NOT remember.
JS
Jeremy_Stroud
Oct 31, 2003
I’m not sure, it usually (but not always) works right for me as well. I’m thinking about resetting the prefs on her computer, shouldn’t affect her overly much. Maybe something was set up wrong. It’s rather sporadic on mine when it does happen, but I have seen it happen. I have noticed, it will happen while it’s opening the file, it will seem to select the eyedropper on it’s own, then shoot up and select the marque tool (as in, the eyedropper will be highlighted for a few moments). Very strange.
DM
dave_milbut
Nov 1, 2003
I’ve seen tools that seemed to be sticking (say sharpen for example) suddenly without apparent reason revert to default (blur in that case). I always just <shrug> and hit the shortcut key. That seems to make it stick for a couple of days. 🙂
JS
Jeremy_Stroud
Nov 3, 2003
It’s never really impacted me. I think I’ll tell her to live with it, and (repeatedly) remind her of the shortcut key for it until she gets it down. Thanks folks!
JH
Jake_Hannam
Nov 3, 2003
I just found something curious. Selecting the measure tool and quitting PS does ‘stick’ UNLESS I select the horizontal mask type tool instead of the default. In that instance, reloading PS returns to the eyedropper and the default type tool. There are probably other variations that cause the same behaviour but I did not try them. No time to try other combinations …

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