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Jim_Palik
Jim_Palik
Inspiring
May 14, 2017
Answered

Copy layers in one file to another file

  • May 14, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 50189 views

I am using Photoshop CC 2017

 

I have a photoshop file with 7 layers These layers contain text and images. I want to copy selected layers and paste them into another file. How do I do this?

 

Jim

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer D Fosse

    Just drag from the Layers panel over into the other file. Hold shift to center the layer in the file.

    2 replies

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    JJMackCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 14, 2017

    There is also menu layer>Duplicate Layer...

    JJMack
      Jim_Palik
      Jim_PalikAuthor
      Inspiring
      May 14, 2017

      Duplicate layer duplicates them in the same file.

      [please refrain from PII and 3rd party URLs in this area - Moderator]
      Stephen Marsh
      Community Expert
      Stephen MarshCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      March 8, 2023

      I decided to test two similar features:

      A. Edit > Paste Special > Paste in Place command vs Layer > Duplicate Layer command

      B. Documents of different pixel dimensions…

      Top left and top right: 4032 x 3024 px

      Bottom left: 6000 x 4000 px (larger document pixel dimensions than original)

      Bottom right: 2100 x 1500 px (smaller document pixel dimensions than original)

       

      All four tabs are set to the same magnification.

       

      What I found is that they paste differently, and I couldn’t figure out the pattern for where they paste.

      The coordinates of the original layer are x 2090, y 2205.

       

      The results, for top right, bottom left, and bottom right respectively, are:

      For Paste in Place

      2090, 2205

      3110, 2916

      1088. 1093

       

      For Duplicate Layer

      2090, 2205

      2090, 2205

      1050, 750

       

      In the top right example, you see only the magenta object because the green one is exactly behind it (same position).

       

       

      So both are consistent and exact when pasting into a document of the same pixel dimensions as the original, but not when pasting to documents of different pixel dimensions. Sorry this post is more of a question than an answer, but I wondered if Paste in Place would help more or less than Duplicate Layer. The result is that I’m not sure exactly how to expect what each feature will do when the destination document has different pixel dimensions.


      @Conrad_C 

       

      Interesting, I didn't take this "departure" as in my tests, even if Doc B is smaller than Doc A, using Layer > Duplicate Layer results in the layer being duped to exactly the same position (of course, both documents have the ruler "zero point" origin at the default upper left).

       

      So until @N_Kampf can provide more detail, this appears to be a solution in search of a problem.

       

      There is nothing to fix in my tests when duplicating to a smaller or larger doc.

      D Fosse
      Community Expert
      D FosseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      May 14, 2017

      Just drag from the Layers panel over into the other file. Hold shift to center the layer in the file.

      Jim_Palik
      Jim_PalikAuthor
      Inspiring
      May 14, 2017

      I have both files in Photoshop showing on the top but I can only display one at a time. I do I display both in order to drag my layers over?

      [please refrain from PII and 3rd party URLs in this area - Moderator]
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