OPT + SHIFT Resize proportionately from centre

Hi @csscms can you share a screenshot of your preferences general window? 

@jane-e Totally confused sorry.

I fully understand the maintain aspect ratio button in ID/Ai but clicking it in Photoshop doesn't give me the behaviour shown in @Kevin Stohlmeyer 's recording, nor does 'Show transform controls'.

Just incase I'm misunderstanding you, I'm selecting the layer, hitting CMD + T, then holding OPT + Shift and dragging the top handle which in ID, Ai (and in PS in Ken's video), resizes the object proportionately from the centre. But it doesn't for me.

Clicking the 'Maintain aspect ratio' button before or while the free transform tool is active, does nothing (in fact PS turns it off automatically as soon as I start dragging a handle). Clicking it after the free transform operation, resizes the layer to the original aspect ratio but changes the size of the layer.

Ticking 'Show Transform Controls' doesn't seem to have any effect (not sure I understand why it would?). No matter what I do, the layer isn't resized proportionately.

What am I missing here? Is there another setting that @Kevin Stohlmeyer has turned on/off somewhere?

Does holding OPT + SHIFT and dragging the top handle resize the layer proprotionately for you?

@csscms wrote: But if OPT + SHIFT worked the way it does in InDesign, Illustrator, AE and other apps

The corner handle has stuck with me because I work with beginners and before the change I would spend 5 minutes teaching them to scale without distorting, then stand in the back 15 minutes later and watch some stretch first a side handle, then a top handle.

You also said you want PS to be like Illy and InDy (I don't use After Effects.) All three have a toggle to constain the width and height or let them work independently. Photoshop was the last to come on board. I've made screenshots for you:

Illustrator Control panel

InDesign Control panel (both W&H and also Scaling)

Photoshop options bar for Edit > Free Transform

One more thing: the reason Kevin's video did not work for you was most likely because he was using Show Transform Controls (options bar for Move tool) and you were using Cmd+T  for Edit > Free Transform.

Option still works the same way. Shift varies, depending on what you have set in the options bar. Try it and let me know it this works for you! 😊

Jane

@jane-e Sweet, my bad. I've used this shortcut for decades just obviously not in Photoshop (although, I swear I have).

However, this seems standard across CC so is up there with pointing and clicking! After all, the constrain modifier works, the re-size from centre modifier works, why wouldn't they work together like they do in other apps? It's logical/faster/better - right?

@Kevin Stohlmeyer It works for you though - is that right or am I missing something?

@csscms wrote: But OPT + SHIFT doesn't work on top/bottom/side handles...

It didn't ever work in the old days on the top/bottom/side handles — only the corner handles. Here is a tutorial from CS5:

https://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/free-transform/

Jane

OK, still can't figure this out. I mainly use PSBs so tried this with PSDs, pixel layers, smart objects but same issue.

I must be missing something basic - right?

OK, what the heck is going on? This defintely doesn't work for me.

Here's a screen recording, I added the Keyboard viewer so you can see that I'm holding OPT + SHIFT... Screen Recording - OPT + SHIFT Not Working 

Also attached are my specs and settings. What am I missing here? 

Awesome, will update Photoshop and Ventura and test.

Hi @csscms it works for me on Mac v 24.5 on Ventura 13.3.1

Here is a screen record I did.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rqbksxn6d2nmiqyymt0zr/Screen-Recording-2023-06-22-at-4.52.33-PM.mp4?dl=0&rlkey=5d9xq6gps7yq9pgb7ylcjelb8

You can see:

1. scaling without shift corner

2. scaling without shift top handle

3. holding shift+opt with corner handle - works as expected

4. holding shift+opt with right-side handle - works

5. holding shift+opt top left corner - works

Thanks @Kevin Stohlmeyer. Yes, legacy transform is on (does anyone use new transform, it only works on pixels!).  

But OPT + SHIFT doesn't work on top/bottom/side handles like it does in InDesign, Illustrator, AE etc.

See the top/bottom handles in the image from original post. Have you tried this on non-corner handles? Because it hasn't worked for years (for me on Mac).