Yes I’m still on CS1 but I’m interested what the other peoples opinions of the new layers set-up is – when I read it it doesn’t sound really like a move forward to me and would stop me upgrading, theres not a lot else in CS2 which we actually need.
Honestly, I love the revised layers pallete. Instead of linking, I can now select the top layer and hold down the CTRL key to select other layers also. Then I can press CTRL+G to instantly group these (just like illustrator). Or, I can just click the link button once after I’ve highlighted my layers. Seems way easier to me.
Also, if I have one layer at the top, followed by 20 or so other layers that I would want to link — in the past I needed to activate the link for each of these (or click one link, hold down the mouse button and just move it down quickly). But now I can simply highlight the first layer, go to the last layer at the bottom and hold the SHIFT button while clicking the last. All of the layers above are now highlighted and again, I can either press CTRL+G to combine these as a layer folder group or just click that link button once.
I don’t agree biznotcher. More shortcuts and key commands is very welcome indeed. But it absolutely doesn’t validate taking away the entire link column. There are some of us who want to perform complex linking and merging actions and CS2 makes it insanely frustrating.
I for one work with Photoshop on a daily basis, and sometimes I end up with very messy documents. Very seldom do I have 20 or so layers neatly stacked on top of each other. What has saved me has been the auto select move tool and the very functional linking system.
There is no reason why the features you just summarized and the old linking system couldn’t coexist. At the very least Adobe could leave an option in the palette menu to switch it back on.
/Stefan
Stefan, you can still link layers in CS2, but more often than not, you’ll find it’s no longer necessary. Once you try and get used to the new (more intuitive IMHO) workflow, you’ll find it hard to use an older version of PS. Personally, I love the new Layers palette!
Although one may keep their hand readily close to the modifier keys for use with other commands, I personally don’t like having to Ctrl+Click to select multiple, non-contiguous layers. I agree that getting rid of the link column was a mistake and only resulted in a loss of convenient functionality when it could have easily been retained along with the new features.
Daryl
At the first I was also struggling with the new layers thing, after several days working I think it works pretty good and I can live with it, but I agree that it was a mistake to remove the link column.
Stefan,
I’m just curious what kind of complex linking and merging actions you are doing that cannot be accomplished just as easily with the new layers palette behavior??
What visual indicator is there that layers are linked if the icon has been removed?
Biznotcher,
I don’t think it is actually a matter of not being able to do exactly the same kind of complex layer linking as it is just the sense of convenience in using only a click of the pen or mouse to define a link. Having to use a Ctrl key modifier is not difficult at all, but it is unquestionably more cumbersome since two hands are now involved (ignoring the use of mouse button remapping or other strategies).
Mark,
When the layers are linked in PS CS2, a link icon appears on each layer. That link icon can then be clicked to temporarily disable a link if desired.
Here is a demonstration I made up a short while back of how linking works (about 1 minute into the video) in PS CS2: <
http://jazzdiver.com/photoshop/cs2_layers.htm>
Regards,
Daryl
Thanks for that link Daryl that just about explains it all. It seems less cluttered and more logical to me. Its put some of my fears to rest, although lets face it by now I should have more trust right?
One question – let say you’ve shift selected two layers and you start editing – which layer is active?
Mark, some functions won’t be available: with MLS (multiple layer selections) you can transform, move layers, trash layers, group them, or link them. If you want to apply a filter or paint, you’ll need to have only one layer active.
I have not used CS2 yet, but in looking at the video clip, it seems like there still is a "link column" on the right on the layer so it still uses real estate — just that it is no longer clickable to set a link. I understand the convenience of ctrl-click for some things, but it also seems silly to remove the ability to click in the "link column" to set the link also.
Mark,
For what I can tell, if you have multiple layers selected, edits that might normally be performed on a single layer are unavailable until you ensure only a single layer is selected in the Layers Palette. However, if you have multiple layers selected, you can perform operations that manipulate the layer orientation, positioning, etc. In other words, it seems to me that multi-layer selections work similarly to how linked layers work in prior PS versions.
Daryl
Ok thats logical – I can just see another frustrating "why are my brush tools not working?" glitch to add to the list of interfering factors like Quick mask and active selections.
Well, i agree with Stefan.
Not only the layer sets appear with the same size of the layer itself, which is only a waste of space, as to add the new "smart" layer selection, they disabled the shortcuts for the load selection by holding ctrl and alt keys and clicking over the layers, without even having to switch to them.
For game makers like me, this is terrible, my workflow was reduced dramatically and i had to setup a new shortcut for the load selection box (a box always take more time then a fast shortcut), and also i have to change the layer for that.
It’s ok for Adobe to try new things, but they could at least give an option to people setup the layer box in the old way, which they didn’t.
LC – no, loading a selection from transparency has not been disabled. Control click on the layer thumbnail.
Managing layers is now much easier in CS2 — but it may take you a few days to find the changes and get used to it.
Hello,
I agree that it was a mistake to remove the link column. What visual indicator is there that layers are linked if the icon has been removed? They could at least give an option to people setup the layer box in the old way, which they didn’t. Bekor.
I completely agree with Stefan and Bekor. Removing the "Link" column not only made it more complicated to link layers, but it’s now visually very difficult to see which ones are linked. Yes, there’s still a tiny link icon to the bottom-right of the layer name, but when you have dozens of layers in a complex document, and the linked ones aren’t right next to each other, it’s really a pain scrolling up and down trying to find the linked ones. The column made it SO easy to work with linked layers, AND to see which ones were linked.
I also don’t like having to alt-drag to copy layer effects. It was so intuitive to just drag an effect onto another layer.
I’m sure there are "workflow improvements" in this new layer palette, but to me, it is cluttered, messier, and more difficult to use. I agree with those who say Adobe should have (a) left well enough alone, or (b) given users the option to turn the link column on or off.
I find another a BYG problem now.
The merge linked layers, with CS2, this is not more possible!!! BAD NEWS.
Bekor.
I hesitate to put it this way, but they’ve finally made the Layers Palette work the way I expected it to the first time I ever used Photoshop, (version 3). The ability to select multiple layers with the Windows-standard modifier key convention brings valid layer selection logic to the palette. In other words, it should have worked this way all along. Some of you may have to resign yourselves to the fact that your problems are not related to lost functionality, (none was lost), but rather to your own resistance to change.
bekor, to merge layers, select the ones you want to merge and press Ctrl+E…just like it should be.
bekor, to merge layers, select the ones you want to merge and press Ctrl+E…just like it should be.
Thank you for that one.
Bekor.
While the missing link column will take some getting use to, I do like the new concepts, and i am not sure I will need to use the link feature much. I can group layers, and i can either cntl click or shift click multiple layers to link them tempoararily. Seems like a godd concept.
I do however egree that …
when you merge your linked layers, the merged layer always ends up where the top linked layer was. This makes absolutely no sense, as layers stack upwards, and the "original" layer is more than likely at the bottom.
I do this hundreds of times a day, and it has seriously slowed me down. I keep having to undo, move the named layer to the top and merge again, real pain not to mention just plain counter intuitive.
changing a text layer does not result in the layer name changing to the new letters…
Maybe you have some other problem there, Chris. It still works here as it did in 7 and CS…layer name updates to the new text as soon as a tool other than the type tool is activated.
John,
Wow, one of those things where it didn’t work for a while and now it does….strange. But glad it still works!
