locked background layer

LM
Posted By
L_M_Fashoway
Aug 23, 2006
Views
330
Replies
8
Status
Closed
Alex Ross:

I have used PS for years, but today discovered "locked" images, and cannot find any FAQ, forum query, help file or KB to tell me how to unlock them, so that I can move an image. Any luck on your end?

BTW, I sometimes cannot move one image over another, even though the image resolution and window size % is matching. What do I do to ensure being able to paste one image into another?

Leonard F
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background layer lock

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C
chrisjbirchall
Aug 23, 2006
but today discovered "locked" images

Could you expand on what you mean by "locked" images? Post a screen grab perhaps?
EH
Ed_Hannigan
Aug 23, 2006
Backgrounds have been locked by default since version 5 I believe. This is covered in Photoshop Help under backgrounds>converting to layer

Double click on the icon on the Layers palette to unlock. Hold down Alt to skip the naming dialog.
LM
L_M_Fashoway
Aug 23, 2006
Chris:

I have a jpeg, image size 6.75 x 8.75 of a WWII submarine veterans group I want to put into a canvas size 8×10 green border that I scanned from a scrap of colored mount board, and I cut from the center an opening 7 x 9 for a white border effect. Normally I can open both files and move one on to the other. In this case, the moved image does not respond at all, and a warning comes on, the image is "locked" and cannot be moved. Neither image will move.

In the past, the moved image might be dragged into the second image, and then jump back when the mouse is released, for some reason, file incompatibility I assume. This time, no movement at all.

I checked that the files both had the same printing res,I use 288 LPI, and set the windows both to 25%.

Layers window has a series of icons to lock various features out, but there is no visible way to unlock any. I checked Help, Adobe’s online Help, your FAQs, three PS textbooks, even Adobe’s, all no help.

I then found "alexross" had a similar problem, but no response to his question, so I added mine to the pile.
………………….
OOps, I just saw Ed’s post…will do some research…but I have used 5.5 and 6.0 for a long time and never saw this before.
……………………..
OK, Ed, I double-clicked on every part of the Layers widnow, tried that before also, nothing happens. One choice is still left unchecked, but it will not allow locking either.
EH
Ed_Hannigan
Aug 23, 2006
If your image is "jumping back" I would suspect that you are not using the Adobe Color Picker and might be using the Windows one instead?
LM
L_M_Fashoway
Aug 23, 2006
Ed:

I do not know what Color Picker does here, in moving images around; I have done several moves in various projects, but never encountered C.P. in this operation.
EH
Ed_Hannigan
Aug 23, 2006
I seem to remember the "snapping back" issue in earlier versions being related to having the wrong Color Picker chosen. It doesn’t come up in the operation; just an odd phenomenon.
C
chrisjbirchall
Aug 23, 2006
Are both files RGB?

The screen grab showing both images together with the layers palette would help here.

You shouldn’t have to convert the BG layer to a proper layer to drag and drop. However, what happens if you duplicate the BG layer and drag that instead>

Don’t know anything about Ed’s colour picker theory. When it come to "odd phenomenon" however, resetting the Preferences (as per the FAQs) often acts as a cure-all.

Let’s see the screen grab.
EH
Ed_Hannigan
Aug 23, 2006
To unlock in CS2 double-click the thumbnail icon in the Layers palette.

Indexed files (like gif) will not move until the Color Mode is changed.

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