Photoshop CS5 For Dummies

To use Photoshop CS5, you need to know more than the basics, but also how to troubleshoot problems and use selection and layer-merging tricks. Also become familiar with Photoshop's filter gallery and its colors.

Troubleshooting in Photoshop CS5

When you run into a problem with Photoshop CS5, like the program won’t do what you want it to, or Photoshop simply won’t do anything, try these quick fixes to troubleshoot:

Tools don’t work

  1. Deselect. Unless you’re trying to work within an active selection, press Command+D (Mac) or Ctrl+D (Windows) to deselect. An active selection elsewhere may be restricting your work.
  2. Reset the tool. Right-click (Control+click for a trackpad) on the tool icon at the left end of the Options bar and select Reset Tool.
  3. Check the Layers and Channels palette. Make sure you have the correct layer active and that the layer (not a layer mask) is active. Check the Channels palette to make sure you have the color channels active.

Commands aren’t available

You move the cursor to the menu and click, only to discover that the command you want is grayed out! Your next stop should be the Image→Mode menu. Check to make sure that the image’s color mode and color depth are appropriate for the command you want to use. (Many of Photoshop’s filters, for example, can be used only with 8-bit/RGB images.)

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