P: Don't understand the undo/redo system

Hi Sergey,

That would have been easier :)

I don't think this script is going to work for me because I don't use the shortcut key to undo. I use the history tab because I usually go back several steps and it's easier for me to just select the history level I want to revert to.

This issue is a bad decision by Adobe. It wasn't a problem with PS2 (I upgraded to PS5). It's is an irritating "feature" that should be changed or at least given the option of disabling. I see from all the threads, here and elsewhere, that I'm not alone. It seems like Adobe is starting to behave like Microsoft. They take something that was working fine and make it worse and then refuse to fix it, no matter how many people complain.

Hey Gene,

Well I guess the fastest way would be just right-click on the .jsx file on polycount's web page and hit 'Save As..' and save it to your PS's Scripts folder, but saving through Notepad'd work too.

The script doesn't just stop undo from jumping on layers, it basically replaces 'Step Backward' functionality: it does the same plus remembers the layer you've been on. So the logical choice for a shortcut key would be the same key you've previously had for PS's 'Step Backward' command: for me that was cmd+Z

Sergey.

Hi Sergey,

Thanks for the reply. I copied the code provided in the link to Windows notepad and saved it as a text file. Then I renamed it to a .jsx extension. Is this the correct way to do it?

When you say "assign the key of your choice", are you referring to the keyboard (like a shortcut key)? If so, does that mean every time I want to run the script (i.e. stop undo from reverting to the previous layer) I have to remember to push the key?

Thanks again

Allen, it didn't.

Gene, copy the .jsx to scripts folder of PS (for Mac: /Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Presets/Scripts, I guess for win it's almost the same), restart PS, navigate to Edit > Keyboard shortcuts and Menus, find the script under File > Scripts > StepBackwardSmart and assign the key of your choice.

did this make it into CS6?

Hi Jeffery,

Any instructions on how to install and use the script you provided?

Thanks.

will this make it into CS6?

If you are working on a layer and you select another layer and perform an action there and then you hit "Undo", Photoshop doesn't just undo the last action but "takes you" to the previously selected layer too.

So, if you have made say a brush stroke and you want to just undo it and try again, you have to take the extra time and reselect the layer.

Anyone else with the same "problem"?

Dear Adobe Gripes #15685 & #12793

"Why does the "Step backward" command also switch back to the layer that
was previously selected? It forces me to make dummy strokes before
painting on a new layer so I don't accidentally switch back."

"Please stop photoshop going back to the previous layer when undo, it gets tiresome having to reselect the layer over and over again when experimenting with changes."

Say you have 2 layers in a Photoshop document:
[] layerA
[] layerB

And you have layerB selected:

[] layerA
[] layerB < selected

Then you select layerA:

[] layerA < selected
[] layerB

Then you paint a brush stroke on LayerA

[] layerA < selected, now with one brush stroke
[] layerB

Then you undo that brush stroke. (CTL+Z)
What you get is:

[] layerA < brush stroke removed
[] layerB < selected,

It undoes not only the brush stroke but the layer selection operation.
What I'd prefer would be to end up with:

[] layerA < selected, with brush stroke removed.
[] layerB

I can't tell you how many times I've been working on an image with multiple layers, selected a new layer, painted something that I didn't like, undone that operation, and then discovered sometime later that I've been painting on the wrong layer for a while because of this behavior.

It's not a huge deal of course, and there are plenty of workarounds, but the behavior seems a bit strange and unintuitive. Lesser programs could not be bothered with such minor issues, but Photoshop, and the near pinnacle of perfection that the program represents, might have the motivation to address this tiny blemish on it's smoothly polished interface.

It's like a chip in the paint of a car. For an ordinary car, this wouldn't matter, but Photoshop is a Lamborghini, and it needs to shine.