draw circles from center

[Topher2010]

I'm looking at "Create a shape on a shape layer" in the documentation for Photoshop CS6 (PDF) on how to draw a circle from the center. It states that to do this for Windows press Alt [not hold?] but when I do this the tool changes to the eye dropper or if I hold Shift and Alt the behavior is the same as if I simply hold the Shift. If I happen to be on a shape layer when I hold the Shift a "+" shows next to the cursor and if I hold the Alt as well as the Shift then an "x" replaces the "+" then if I release the Shift the symbol the "x" changes to a "-". In any case I end up drawing a circle or an ellipse and in both cases I don't draw from the center. What am I missing?

Thanks,

Chris

[Norman Sanders]

Click and and down the Shift key. Now, with the Shift key still held down, click and hold down the Alt key as you drag diagonally.

For a concentric circle create a dupe layer. Then Edit > Transform > Scale

Once again first hold down the Shift, then click and hold the Alt as you drag the bottom-right corner handle inward diagonally

[Topher2010]

This didn't quite do it. I found that if I did the first part of you instructions it sort of worked. I did: Click and hold, then hold Shift, then start to drag off at an angle. The ellipse/circle would draw from the center but as soon as I held down the Alt the shape moved and continued to draw from the edge. Dragging horizontally produced no shape at all. This is almost like learning a dance step. <grin>

[Norman Sanders]

Drag diagonally. (My typo. A lesson not to talk on the phone while typing.)

You wrote:

I found that if I did the first part of you instructions it sort of worked. I did: Click and hold, then hold Shift, then start to drag

I will edit your reply for the correct method:

"I found that if I did the first part of your instructions it sort of worked. I did: Click and hold the Shift key. Then while still holding down the shift key also hold the Alt key, and start to drag diagonally.