Paste without moving object

C
Posted By
controltheweb
Sep 2, 2007
Views
355
Replies
2
Status
Closed
Pasting sometimes centers an object, other times nudges it a bit from its original location. Is there a way to tell Photoshop CS2 to paste in the same location as the source was, to paste without moving? I’m recording several actions and depending on the image being copied (whether it extends into the corners, mainly) sometimes the paste is in the right position, other times not.
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EH
Ed_Hannigan
Sep 2, 2007
Paste always places in the center. There is no sometimes about it. If you want an object placed in the same place in the same document, Ctrl-J (Layer via copy) or Shift-Ctrl-J (Layer via cut).

Or, if you keep the selection active, it will paste into the selection.

If you have a document the same size that you want ot bring a selection of pixels into in the exact same position, hold down Shift and drag with the Move tool to the other document.
C
controltheweb
Sep 2, 2007
Thanks, Ed!

Of course you’re right—paste always places in the center! I do have a way of achieving what I need that does work, but I wondered if photoshop had some built-in way to align a selection in its original aspect registration after the original selection had been deselected.

I am modifying objects then applying them over themselves to create a variety of masks and effects, all recorded as actions. I need them to align over their original source image when I paste them back as masks or adjustment layers after modifying them.

My current method is to create a layer I call "home position" which can be activated by Ctrl-clicking its icon to create a selection to paste into to get my modified object to align exactly over its source.

Obviously I simply copy/paste with the selection active when creating the original object, and just name the layer created via the paste "home position."

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