P: Don't understand the undo/redo system

i really hope adobe officially fixes this in the next version!

but in the meantime, someone make a script you can use to workaround the issue...
http://www.polycount.com/forum/showth...

Please make Photoshop's "step backward" command maintain current layer selection (like the "undo" command's behavior). So that when using the "step backward" to undo something it doesn't unnecessarily select a different layer . The current "step backward" layer change issue is inconvenient because it causes unnexpected layer selection change.

I also would like to voice my opinion of hating it when Photoshop changes the active layer. I decide which layer I want to paint in, dammit!

Thanks a lot for the script, but would it really be so hard to make a "don't switch layers automatically EVER!"-tick in the preferences menu?

edit:
AWESOME!
The script works perfectly! I can't stay mad, this thing did everything I wanted. Thank you Jeffrey!

Often when I undo a step in Photoshop, a different layer is selected from the layer I was working on. How can I turn off this super-annoying feature?

It even happens after I've done several steps on the current layer but only undo one step. WHY would it jump to a layer from 3 steps ago?

Brett Gilmour
Brett Gilmour Photography

Right now selecting a different layer doesn't show up in History.

The common issue with this looks like that:

You change current layer from A to B. You make a stroke. You hitg 'Step Backward'. Photoshop undoes stroke AND selects layer A. You continue to work on layer A thinking you're actually on layer B.

This thing bugs _lot_ of people.

Can you please consider to add an option to make layer selects undoable?

It could be the same History option like with 'layer visibility' right now: turning this on allows you to undo layer visibility changes.

Please please please

Very helpful, thank you!

You can try this script as a workaround (remap the step backward keyboard shortcut to the script):

http://www.polycount.com/forum/showpo...

Thanks for the response John. I'm not sure I agree with you on 1 but you do present a good case where the current behavior makes sense for some people.

Sounds good on issue 2 though, I'd be very happy if that was changed. If there's some disagreement, perhaps an option could be added in the "History Options" section of the History palette. There's already an option "Make Layer Visibility Changes Undoable". Adding a "Make Layer Selection Changes Undoable" option could be one way to address this.

You're touching on two separate issues:
1. The keyboard shortcuts used for undo/redo
2. Layer selection changing upon undo

1. Photoshop's unusual Cmd-Z mapping is due to the fact that the app lets you toggle across multiple history states in one keypress.

For example, you might do something, then click 10 steps back in the History panel. Let's say you then hit Cmd-Z. Would you expect Photoshop to undo the most recent operation (getting you back to where you'd been prior to the last click), or to go to the 11th-back history state (that is, to go further back in time)? I'd expect PS to do what it does now: it undoes the click instead of digging me deeper.

I'm not sure it's possible to preserve the current (and to my mind correct) behavior while also making Cmd-Z work in the more common way (which is also correct). Of course PS could ask customers to make a choice via a dialog, but that's just a recipe for blank stares.

2. I can't think of a good reason for the current behavior. It seems like a rough edge that didn't get polished when PS added multiple layer selection. It's worth asking the team whether it can be changed.