P: Grouping layers clipped in a clipping mask.

I have the same need.

Creating a simple form text field with an icon and its separate background like these
http://i1-scripts.softpedia-static.com/screenshots/Mini-Collection-for-Prefix---Postfix-Input-Form_1.png

Firstly creating the outer text field container with a border radius and then positioning the icon's own square background shape flush left and then clipping that to the field so that it stays inside the border radius.

Works fine until I want to organize the icon & the square into its own group. Being able to clip the icon group to the layer below would be useful, instead of having to then put a border radius on the square's top and bottom left.

With the improvements made to the vector object transforms (rounded corners that maintain size when transforming, etc) I find I am using shape layers as clipping masks a LOT, but the limitation of not being able to clip a layer-group to an individual shape layer would make that even better.

Case in point, I can make a dialog frame using a shape layer and styles. I can then make a layer group with a bunch of background elements and clip it to that same frame shape layer. DONE.

As it stands now, I would need to make an alpha or vector mask for the group that would need updating if the frame size changed.

I know this is a year old, but I also would like to see this happen as well.

I also have the same opinion that it's nice that Photoshop does 3D now, but honestly I would rather see better functions for smart objects, masking, and groups.

If I want to do 3D I can go to Blender, Maya or Cinema 4D, but if I want to make a seamless background asset for my 3D environment, I need to use Photoshop, and a lack of some key functions makes it that much harder.

Yes, I was suggesting that an option would be to group all 4 items (the curve, the 2 flags AND the ellipse), and then using the shape of the ellipse, set that as the vector mask on the group.

But I see that this would be less than optimal in your case because you would like the flexibility of resizing the ellipse or moving it and automatically changing the mask.

In your example file here my approach might be to replace Ellipse 1 altogether. In fact, you don't really need it, do you? Instead of an elliptical base layer, use an elliptical vector mask on the group.

But I'm sure this is a simplified example. The better example would be some close-cropped Smart Object - say of a person or something complex - that you might want to be able to go back later and re-edit its transparency.

In that case, the only real option is to select all 4 layers and just Group them up. This at least cleans up your workspace a little and keeps them organized.

This will probably be pretty low on Adobe's list, but I certainly can confirm a use case for letting a Group be clipped by a base layer. Just the other day I was wishing to be able to create nested clipping groups - I wonder whether allowing a group to be clipped would as a secondary benefit, enable a reasonable UI for nested clipping?

Tom, scenario number one is not possible: you cannot put a group inside a clipping mask, hence this very request.
Scenario two is not what I'm after.
In the attached image, I might want to group together some of the clipped layers.
Or I might want to mask the three highlighted layers. Right now, I would have to mask them three with the same layer mask. Would they be grouped, one mask would let me control them together.

Or do you mean that I can group everything, and replace the clipping mask by a vector mask? Yes, But I might have a smart object as the base of the clipping mask, and there are no smart masks...

Definitely have had the need for that!

I'm not 100% sure I understand PECourjoie's use case, but could you not have grouped all those layers together, and then added your clipping mask to the group as a whole? This works in CS6 and CC, but not in versions older than CS5 if I recall.

There are 2 scenarios I can think of - you've probably tried them and they're not what you're looking for, but here they are in case you haven't:

1. Take all your layers that are clipped plus the base layer that they're clipped to and throw them in a group (CTRL-G). Now, drag the mask / shape of the base layer and make it the clipping mask for the entire group. As of CS5 (I think) you can apply layer f/x to the Group itself, so any f/x you had on the base layer might need to be moved to the Group.

2. Take all your layers plus the base layer, and just group them all together (including the base layer). This should not change the clipping or the f/x in any way as far as I can tell.

I’d love to be able to clip a group to a layer. Layer nesting indentation is getting very confusing though! I bet we could make some documents that would trip up other designers who weren’t paying close attention.