PS Shortcut/Tip Share

A

aggiefamily

New member
A spin off of sorts from Emmy's thread.

What is a PS shortcut, trick or tip that you have learned?

I overuse ctrl + ' to get the grid. And shift ctrl ] to move to front.
 
I don't have PS in front of me right now (I'm at work goofing off, lol), but you can create your own shortcuts for things that don't already have one and I think that's pretty cool. I've been trying to get better about using shortcuts.
 
A while back someone posted something about using Ctrl-Alt-W to close everything that is open and I use that ALL the time now when I finish a LO.
 
Some of the ones I use a lot:

Holding down shift when you drag something into onto your layout from another file (like say a paper) will center it for you. So useful when dealing with papers.

When you want to resize something that is larger than your canvas, you can hit Cmd+0 (that's a zero) (I think it's Ctrl+0 on a PC) while using the Transform tool and it will zoom out the canvas so you can see the edges of the object.

Also when you resize if you hold down Shift it will resize proportionally but if you hold down the Alt/Option key too it will resize proportionally from the center of the object.
 
The only ones I find myself using all the time are
] to make brushes bigger
[ to make brushes smaller
Ctrl+Alt+G for clipping masks
Hugs Crystal xx
 
I just found out you can use Ctrl Q to close PSE :thumbup:

I also use Ctrl ) all the time to get my LO to "fit the screen".
 
I LOVE shortcuts! Here are the ones I use a lot (In PSE)

CTRL+Z = UNDO!!! I use that one A LOT! lol

CTRL+Y = Redo

CTRL+U = Adjust hue/saturation window (for recoloring)

CTRL+G = Clipping mask (clips selected layer to layer below it)

CTRL+E = Merge (when only one layer is selcted, it will merge with the layer below it... more than one layer selected, merges all those layers)

CTRL+N = New Canvas

SHIFT+CTRL+N = New layer

CTRL+J = Duplicate layer

SHIFT+CTRL+J = New layer via cut (after selecting part of an element, usually use the lasso tool to select a piece and want it on its own layer)

CTRL++ = Zoom in

CTRL+- = Zoom out

CTRL+D = Deselect (usually when I've used the magic wand tool to select something... deselects the "dancing lines".... lol)

CTRL+] = Bring forward

CTRL+SHIFT+] = Bring to front

CTRL+[ = Send backward

CTRL+SHIFT+[ = Send to back

CTRL+S = Save

CTRL+SHIFT+S = Save as
 
Yeah, mostly I use Ctrl+Alt+Z for undo, Ctrl++ (zoom in) Ctrl+- (zoom out), Ctrl+D (deselect).

I don't actually use Ctrl+G...I hit Alt and move my mouse over to the layers palette and hover between the layers that I want to clip...I see the cursor change and then I just have to click and it's done.
 
PSCS2 (and probably other PS programs, not PSE though as far as I know) actually have the list right in them. And you can set up shortcuts to do things that you regularly do (without making them into an action). It's somewhere in the edit menu...I think.
 
i don't really use a lot of shortcuts except for ctrl+T to nudge stuff (PSE 6). i use that one all the time. i may try some of these that have been posted though, lol.
 
Oh, to nudge I just use my arrow keys. Love that feature...I discovered it by accident once, lol...now I use it all the time.
 
In PSCS2 and CS3, Ctrl+G is for group. Ctrl+Alt+G is for clipping masks. I always just do what Bree does holding Alt between the two layers.
 
Oh and learning the shortcuts for the tools is really useful too. Like V for Move, T for Type, Z for Zoom.
 
Another one is when you're using the Move tool, if you press the spacebar, you'll see a little hand and it will let you drag around your layout. I use it more in InDesign than Photoshop but if you're zoomed in a bit and want to quickly get to another part of the page it can be useful.
 
ditzyscrap said:
Oh, to nudge I just use my arrow keys. Love that feature...I discovered it by accident once, lol...now I use it all the time.
Click to expand...

well, in PSE 6 you have to hold ctrl+T and then use the arrows. in PSE 5 you could just hit the arrow keys. they had to make it and a few other things harder in PSE 6, lol.
 
LOL, Corey! I hate it when they do that! ;) I didn't mean that you were doing it wrong, either...your post just reminded me that I nudge too (I do so many things automatically that I forget about them when asked). :)
 
junebug said:
well, in PSE 6 you have to hold ctrl+T and then use the arrows. in PSE 5 you could just hit the arrow keys. they had to make it and a few other things harder in PSE 6, lol.
Click to expand...

This was KILLING me when I first got PSE6! Now I've discovered that the arrow keys will work as long as I haven't used any of the effects (i.e. actions, drop shadows, etc...). Once I've used one, then it's crtl+T to nudge (until the next time I open PSE).

I now save all the shadowing until I'm nearly done so that I can nudge all I want until I'm mostly done moving things around!

One thing I do quite often is ctrl + click on a layer to select everything in the layer...
 
One of my favorites that no one has mentioned is Ctl-Tab, which scrolls through all the files you have open.
 
I'm embarrassed to admit that I only learned CTRL+T like a month ago, and now I love it!

I like using my arrows to nudge as well, and of course CTRL+ALT+G :)

It's not a shortcut, but I use it all the time (some of you may even use a variation of it): with Windows Explorer (or ACDSee or Bridge) open to the folder of materials I wanna use I just click the item, drag it to the PS window and it automatically opens. Beats having to go to the open menu time and time again :)
 
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