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ibexx
Known Participant
February 22, 2015
Answered

Basic eraser tool no longer produces transparency

  • February 22, 2015
  • 2 replies
  • 37563 views

Photoshop CS6: In the past, basic eraser tool produced transparent areas when run over the background layer. Now it producers background color. Magic eraser tool and background eraser tool work as they should, that is they produce transparency wherever I select. How do I get the basic eraser tool to behave?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer gener7

    Yes, I see what is happening from trying it out. I create  a New File and it comes with a basic locked layer called "Background"  A locked layer will not allow you to erase to transparency until it is unlocked. So far nothing unusual.

    1. Same here, eraser uses background color. That's because the Background layer is locked. The background layer must be changed to a floating layer.

    2. Yes, same here. What happens is that it changes the background layer into a floating layer. You see the layer name change from 

         "Background" to "Layer 0" in your layers panel. Then it erases to transparency.

    3. Because the it's no longer a Background Layer, your basic erase tool can erase to transparency.

    4. The magic erase tool does the same thing: changes Background into Layer 0.

    So yes, the Eraser tool can produce transparency, but the layer must be unlocked first. The eraser tool does not unlock like the others.

    I don't know what you were doing before, but so far nothing is broken in Photoshop, the Eraser tool works as expected.

    2 replies

    R
    Ronald Keller
    Legend
    February 22, 2015

    The eraser tools erases to transparency only when used on a layer. It erases to background color when used on a Background because a Background does not support transparency.

    I
    ibexxAuthor
    Known Participant
    February 23, 2015

    Photoshop CS6 for PC

    Thanks for your replies. Resetting tools did not work. This is what happens when the three eraser tools are applied to background layer of a grayscale, .tif image with no other layers created.

    1. Select basic eraser tool and apply to background layer background color (white in this case)  is applied to background layer wherever basic erase tool is applied to image as if it were the brush tool.
    2. Select background eraser tool and apply to background layer. Transparency appears wherever background erase tool is applied to image.
    3. Go back and reselect basic erase tool. Now, transparency appears wherever basic eraser tool is applied.
    4. The same thing happens when the magic erase tool is selected, that is if I select it, use it and then go back and reselect the basisc erase tool, transparency results wherever basic erase tool is applied to image.

    In the past, basic erase tool has worked with background layers.

    Complicated circumstances. Any other thoughts?

    R
    Ronald Keller
    Legend
    February 23, 2015

    Sorry but I have Photoshop since version 2.5 and the eraser tool never resulted in transparency on a Background.

    What you describe is because the background eraser tool and  the magic eraser tool turn the Background into a regular layer without you having to make a layer of the Background.

    gener7
    Community Expert
    gener7Community Expert
    Community Expert
    February 22, 2015

    If by chance a setting was knocked off, a simple reset will clear it up. Right-click on the Eraser Tool.

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