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cav0227
Participating Frequently
June 21, 2009
Question

Can't edit layer

  • June 21, 2009
  • 2 replies
  • 41389 views

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can help me shed some light on the issue I'm having, and I'll try to describe the problem as best I can.  I'm fairly new to photoshop and am just starting to work with layers.  My problem is that when I make more than one copy of the background layer, I can't seem to make changes to the newly created layer.  I've done some experimenting, and it seems that I can do things like crop, etc., but when I try to paint or use the clone or healing brush tools, the changes don't show up at all.  My layer is not locked so I'm not sure what the problem is.  Basically, I start by either doing a duplicate layer or a copy of the background layer.  The first time I do this, the new layer works fine.  However, if I try to do another copy/duplicate of the background layer, the second copy doesn't allow me to make the kinds of changes mentioned above.  If I copy the original copy of background layer it seems to work fine.  I'm not sure what I'm missing here, but would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks,

Christine

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    Phil Griffith
    Phil Griffith
    Participating Frequently
    June 21, 2009

    layer one is on top of the layer your editing. As the  opacity is 100%, you can't see thru it.Click on the eye to turn it off.

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    cav0227Author
    Participating Frequently
    June 21, 2009

    Hi - thanks Phil.  I think I'm starting to understand a little bit more about how layers work (plus I found a great link at Adobe's main site) that walks through the concept of layers.  For some reason I thought you could always see all layers as long as they are enabled, but now I understand that Opacity also plays a part.  Thanks for the feedback.

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    Anonymous
    June 21, 2009

    It is hard to tell from here, but the first explanation that comes to mind is that the  newly created target layer is not selected in the layers palette.


    Or maybe it is turned off with the "eye" symbol.


    However, it may not be that simple. Could be a live selection outside the target area or an odd blending mode set for the tool.


    shrug.gif

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    cav0227Author
    Participating Frequently
    June 21, 2009

    Hi - thanks for the reply.  I have made sure that the layer is visible (eye turned on) and that the layer is selected.  It's weird because I can crop and I can move the layer, but I can't make any other adjustments. 

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    Anonymous
    June 21, 2009

    Hi John - I tried to do the reset and that was successful, but I'm still having the same problem.  What I did find out, however, is that if I have 2 copies of the background layer, the first copy works fine but the second one looks like it isn't taking my edits.  However, I just realized that if/when I delete or just hide (eye not selected) the first background layer copy, all the edits I had been making to the second copy are then visible.  I don't know why this would happen, though, since I have them both set to "Normal" blending mode and 100% opacity and fill.......


    cav0227 wrote:

    What I did find out, however, is that if I have 2 copies of the background layer, the first copy works fine but the second one looks like it isn't taking my edits.  However, I just realized that if/when I delete or just hide (eye not selected) the first background layer copy, all the edits I had been making to the second copy are then visible.  I don't know why this would happen, though, since I have them both set to "Normal" blending mode and 100% opacity and fill.......

    Apparently the layer that is getting the edits is below (and therefore hidden by) the layer you turned off.


    That goes back to the need to have the corrrect target layer selected when making the edits.


    This is definitely your problem.


    (Layers sometimes change when undoing or going back in history – it catches everyone out now and then.)


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