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Inspiring
July 13, 2011
Released

P: Don't understand the undo/redo system

  • July 13, 2011
  • 81 replies
  • 5378 views

Unlike most modern apps, Photoshop only has a single "undo". If you press command-z a second time, Photoshop will redo the change instead of continuing to undo. Not even Illustrator or InDesign works this way at this point.

To work around this issue, I customize my keyboard shortcuts to use "step backward" (command-z) and "step forward" (command-shift-z). For the most part this works great and I've been very happy with it.

But it brings up a new problem: if I change the selected layer, then press command-z ("step backward") then the layer change is undone as well. This is a constant frustration for me, and it seems there's no solution to get both the behaviors I want.

To me, there are two possible ways to fix this problem:
• Adopt a standard undo/redo system with multiple levels of undo/redo
• Make layer selection a separate step in the history

Personally I don't care that much, I'd be happy with either. But adopting a standard undo/redo system makes more sense to me, for consistency amongst the CS apps (as well as other apps). Perhaps it could be an option if there's disagreement over what works best for people.

This topic has been closed for replies.

81 replies

PimpOfPixels
Participating Frequently
July 27, 2012
Actually, you don't seem to understand the problem Kris.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqWe8c...
PimpOfPixels
Participating Frequently
July 27, 2012
Since there was some confusion as to whether we were all crazy, I decided to make a video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqWe8c...
PimpOfPixels
Participating Frequently
July 27, 2012
Kris... You're a condescending douche-bag who thinks he knows Photoshop a lot better than he does.

You have to actually paint in the layers.

New Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqWe8c...
Participating Frequently
July 27, 2012
Kris Hunt thinks we are all imagining it
Known Participant
July 27, 2012
still a problem in cs6
Inspiring
June 1, 2012
Hi Kris. This is interesting. I don't have CS4 but you're saying that CS6 works the same as CS4 for you. This is the first time I see PS works as everyone in this thread want to. I wonder how is it possible?
Participating Frequently
May 31, 2012
You don't have the problem- good for you!
May 31, 2012
> step backward not undo

Gosh, I could have sworn I said twice now...

Fine. New video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBMMwu...
Participating Frequently
May 31, 2012
bit low res but hopefully makes the point http://dmoxia.blogspot.co.uk/
Participating Frequently
May 31, 2012
step backward not undo