Selection Modify commands grayed out

[Andrew B.]

In PS CS5 Extended latest version. I select all, then go to Select|Modify, and all choices are grayed out other than border. This is an 8 bit RGB image. The layer is selected. I also tried flattening it. I also tried creating a new image, RGB 8 bit depth. Also 16 bit. Nothing works.

I double checked CS3 and this works in CS3, but not CS5.

[Jeff Arola]

Yeah cs3 is the only version that has that. In cs5 you can select>all, quick mask, edit>stroke-inside the amount you want contract the selection, exit quick mask.

Or use Select>Transform Selection.

[Andrew B.]

The stroke is grayed out, and with transform, I can't specifiy the number of pixels. I upgraded to CS5 because Adobe was threatening to charge me full price when CS6 came out. So I did, only to find out this feature is broken. There is no logical reason to gray this out.

[Jeff Arola · Accepted solution]

Sorry i should have said select>all after going to quick mask.

In the transform boxes you can set the width and height values to pixels.

Actually the feature is not broken, but apparently some people didn't like it, so it was put back the way it was before.

[Jeff Arola]

Here's a script that should make it easier to contract the selection:

http://morris-photographics.com/photoshop/scripts/contract-selection.html

[Andrew B.]

Thanks. The stroke suggestion works. And thanks for the link to the scripts.

As for the feature being fixed in the next version, the new version doesn't contain enough other improvements to justify an upgrade. And because this will force me into paying full price for an upgrade the next time, it will be a long time before I upgrade again. I have skip more versions now to offset the higher price.

[MeredithStotzner]

Today's (10/6/14) release of Photoshop CC 2014 contains an "Apply Effect at Canvas Bounds" option for the follow features:

Select > Modify > Smooth...

Select > Modify > Expand...

Select > Modify > Contract...

Select > Modify > Feather...

Users now have the option to have these commands apply to an entire selection or just the portion of the selection that is not touching the canvas bounds with the "Apply effect at canvas bounds" checkbox.

The checkbox option is remembered for each, individual selection modification option. The checkbox default is "off" on first launch and with preferences deleted.

With the "Apply effect at canvas bounds" checkbox ON, the behavior is equivalent to Photoshop CS3 behavior.

Thank you for your feedback!

Meredith