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Change layer content

 

If you have an adjustment layer and you’ve spent some time painting on the layer mask, the last thing you want to do is start all over again if you decide you should have used a different adjustment layer. Instead, go to the Layer menu and from the Change Layer Content submenu, choose the adjustment layer you want to use. The adjustment layer will change, but the layer mask will be preserved.

4 Comments

  1. Houston Brown said on — December 22, 2009 @ 1:50 pm

    I am not seeing a submenu item called “Change Layer Content” under the main menu item “Layers”. What am i missing.

    Many thanks,
    Houston

  2. Marisa said on — December 22, 2009 @ 2:09 pm

    Can’t you just drag the layer mask onto the new adjustment layer?

  3. David Rogers said on — December 22, 2009 @ 3:35 pm

    Its not available in CS4.
    But someone did make a panel for it. Once installed it is accessible from the Windows > Extensions menu.

    http://www.qtweb.com/photoshop/ChangeLayer.zip
    Unzip and and put the folder into the Photoshop Folder>Plug-ins>Panels.
    Be sure to restart Photoshop.
    If it doesnt work first time. Close all panels then try. After that you can reopen any panels you want.
    Tested on Mac OS 10.5.8

  4. SilverAtom said on — December 22, 2009 @ 7:35 pm

    …it appears that “change layer content” is no longer in CS4 and this tip has therefore a ‘recooked’ feel to it.

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Create A Composite Layer

If you have a multilayer composition and you
want to apply an effect to all the layers at once, don’t flatten the layers–use a composite layer instead. Hide the layers you want excluded, and press Shift-Command-Option-E (PC: Shift-Ctrl-Alt-E). A new layer will be created at the top containing a merged copy of all the visible layers.

Another option is to create a new layer at the top of the stack and make it active. Command-click (PC: Ctrl-click) each layer you want to include to make those layers active, as well. Press Option-Command-E (PC: Alt-Ctrl-E).
by Colin Smith

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