You can transform the raster data rather than the path by selecting the Move tool as you have done in the past and additionally clicking on the Vector Mask thumbnail in the Layers palette to deselect it.
Thank you for your reply, however, I know that by deselecting the vector mask you can transform the raster part of the information.
Here’s the issue. I need to tranform the vector path and have the raster data transform along with it. The vector and raster data are linked together, but the vector transforms independently (even when the two are linked).
I know I can deselect the vector path and transform the raster data, but the vector path has key corners that I need to line up and enter dimensions for.
Shouldn’t the raster data transform along with the vector path if they are linked? It did in 7.0. Is there some way to do it in CS?
In the above scenario, both the raster data and the path are transformed. Here is what I did:
1) Created a new non-flat doc
2) Created a gradient
3) Used the Freeform Pen tool to create a path (not a shape layer)
4) Created a vector mask from that path
5) Selected the Move tool
6) Clicked once on the vector maks thumbnail to deselect it
7) Cmd + T to bring up Free Transform
At that point I am transforming both the raster and the path data.
Thank you for your reply, but that does not solve the problem. I think I have a bug here.
The raster data that I have is not a fill layer
The the free transform box aligns with the entire raster data, including the invisible
I need the transformation box to conform to just the visible part of the raster data with a vector mask. This used to work in 7.0 and 6.0 by default.
In a seperate but related issue fill layers won’t rotate using the free transform tool. So in order to rotate a fill layer, I have to rotate the masks. Record the degree of rotation. Double click the fill layer and enter the new degree of rotation.
In the above scenario, the raster data was not a fill layer either actually, just a gradient. As for the bounding box, what do you mean including the invisible? The bounding box encompasses the entire raster data, not just the raster data that is exposed by the vector mask. In both 7 and 8, if you are transforming both the path and raster data, the bounding box encompasses all of the raster data, regardless of what is exposed by the vector mask. If you are only seeing the bounding box around the exposed raster data, then you are only transforming the vector mask. At least that is the situation I see here.
EXACTLY, but I need the bounding box to match the size of the vector mask OR just the visible area. The raster data may be very large, or may be smaller than the vector mask.
I can transform the vector path and that will give me the correct bounding box and dimensions, but if I do that it won’t transform the raster data.
And in the second issue, Fill Paths will not rotate with any free transform.
Does anyone else get what I am saying?
For the first issue, Photoshop 7 (and most likely all prior versions) do not allow you to do that so you are requesting a change in behavior.
For the second issue, at first you were speaking about Fill Layers and now you are talking about Fill Paths. If you are talking about Paths that you have filled, the raster data is just filled in given the current path and is not tied to the path like it is for a Shape layer for example, so that is as designed.
You are right, I went back into Photoshop 7.0, and it wasn’t the way I was remembering it I do Photoshop work in my sleep. Sorry to waste your time, I really appreciate your help and patience.
I am going to submit this as a feature request, because it would be useful (at least I really need it) to define the free transform bounding box by a specific layer or clipping path and have all linked items transform with it, including rotation transforms of fill layers.
Also, I found a way to do free transforms with paths visible (I use the paths as guides for transformations).
With the paths visible, I selected the move tool and checked "show bounding box" from there I was able to perform the transformations. A regular ctrl+T would have free transformed the paths if they were visible. The bounding box in the move tool option keeps the paths visible and transforms the raster data.
