Why can't clip mask a folder?

[Jobsmxli]

I needed to clip several layers to one. So I had to turn'em it into a smart object in order to make this work.

Just wondering why clipping a folder cannot be done.

[Noel Carboni]

Can you please be a bit more specific?

It's certainly possible to have two layers "clipped" to one, making it unnecessary to do things a different way, but it occurs to me I'm likely not understanding your specific goals based on your description, possibly because the "clipping mask" terminology is at best a bit confusing.

But per the second part of your message...  Have you tried creating the layer above the group first, then choosing Layer - Create Clipping Mask from the menu?

-Noel

[артёмл39819703]

Sometimes you want to apply clipping mask to a folder, not a layer. IT's not the same as applying clipping mask to layers inside the folder. Inside the folder I have diffrent clippng, with effect and stuff - I want to clip all this folder as a whole to whatever is below. For example Clip Studio Paint allows to do it, but in Photoshop you can't - you have to merge group into layer. 

[conroy · Accepted solution]

Yep, requested at:

Adobe Forums: Ps CS6 Request: Allow clipping of Group to ...

You should add your voice to that thread because there is a high probability that nobody at Adobe has noticed it, or taken note of the request.

[Jobsmxli]

@Noel Carboni

To reduce ambiguity I'd say that 'I need to clip several layers to one layer'.

I have several layers with properties (order, opacity and blending modes) that results into a unique "composed" image that I just don't want to flatten. I need to only show a portion of this composed image, so I'm clipping them. For some reason, clipping all this masks to one dissorts this "composition" (won't look the same). So I said, instead of clipping them individually,  let's clip'em as a whole, so I group'em, but you can't clip a layer group to a layer.

Your second image is what I want to do, but at the inverse. The group to a layer, not a layer to a group.

@conroy

In these sense,  this is exactly what I need.

[conroy]

Jobsmxli wrote:

@conroy

In these sense,  this is exactly what I need.

Then mark my answer as helpful and add to the request thread that I linked. There's no chance of Adobe adding a feature when I'm the only person requesting it.

[Jobsmxli]

Already worte it just had not sent it, checking grammar.

[conroy]

Sorry for my impatience.

[Harvid 22]

A solution is to convert your layers/folder to one smart object, and then set the smart object as cliping marsk.

[Kapik]

Hi there, is it possible to not converting the folder to one smart object before clipping mask it? I don't want the folder to merge as a single layer because I need to edit the layers inside it individually later on.

[Cyan_282]

Hello,
I sent the same request here!
You can vote positively, in the hope that the developers hear us 😉

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-ideas/clipping-mask-folder-to-a-layer/idi-p/14991...