Smart Objects General Question

[NorfolkPete]

Hi there,

I see on sites like Pixaden where you have an object like an iPhone where you can edit the screen, the screen at an angle.

When you click the little Smart Object Thumbnail in layers it opens a new window where you can place an image.

My question; how do I create an object, where it's angled and in position on a screen, that when I click the Smart Object Thumbnail the image is editable not angled.

I have a rectangle on screen, in layers click Convert to Smart Layer. All great however when I click to edit it opens in a new window, at an angle making it no easier to edit than it would using the free transform tool.

Hope this makes sense.

Thank you, Pete

[War Unicorn]

?

When you make a transformation on a Smart Object, the transformation is applied to the smart object itself as it sits in your composition. If you double-click that Smart Object in the Layers panel, the object in question should open up as it was originally before any transformation. Only after doing any edits and saving do any updates appear in your document/composition.

[NorfolkPete]

Hi there,

You say, "the object in question should open up as it was originally before any transformation".

I see things like this: 3D View iPhone 6 Psd Vector Mockup | Psd Mock Up Templates | Pixeden

The iPhone screen is an angled, perceptive object. When in layers you click the screen opens in another layer flat, face on, no angle or perspective making it real easy to add and edit.

It is this process I can't understand.

[War Unicorn]

NorfolkPete wrote:

Hi there,

You say, "the object in question should open up as it was originally before any transformation".

I see things like this: 3D View iPhone 6 Psd Vector Mockup | Psd Mock Up Templates | Pixeden

The iPhone screen is an angled, perceptive object. When in layers you click the screen opens in another layer flat, face on, no angle or perspective making it real easy to add and edit.

It is this process I can't understand.

It is as I explained: Those assets were designed before they were transformed in the main document.

For example, "screen3.psb" was made as you see it, THEN it was placed and transformed in the "isometric view" document.

The workflow in this case would be:

• Create the phone screen.
• Create your main "isometric view" document.
• Place the phone screen and transform it in the isometric view document. If you need to change the appearance of the phone screen, just double-click it in the Layers Panel.

[NorfolkPete]

Ok so I've been doing this i the wrong order?

So I say, create a rectangle in one doc.

Then create an isometric view of the same rectangle in another doc.

What connects the two together.

Sorry I just can't picture the flow of this.

[War Unicorn · Accepted solution]

Yes, you would create the asset you intend to use in your comp first. (e.g., The rectangle, as it is.) Then you would place that rectangle (File > Place Embedded (if using Photoshop CC; File > Place otherwise).

You can then freely transform this rectangle in the comp. You can edit as you see fit (like adding layers if using a format like PSD) by double-clicking it in the Layers panel. After saving, any changes made should be reflected in the main comp.

[NorfolkPete]

Thanks VERY much ref this.

It was the (File > Place Embedded (if using Photoshop CC) I didn't know about however like everything, now I see, it's more than obvious.

Works a treat, just what I was after.

Again, thanks very much. Pete

[JJMack]

NorfolkPete wrote:

I have a rectangle on screen, in layers click Convert to Smart Layer. All great however when I click to edit it opens in a new window, at an angle making it no easier to edit than it would using the free transform tool.

If by a rectangle on screen you mean you have an active selection. That will not be part of or used when converting a layer to a smart object.  The full layer will  be made a smart object.  When you double click on the smart object layer to edit it.  Photoshop will create a temp work document for you to work on containing the content of the smart object be it a single layer a group of layers and embedded or linked file.  When you update and commit the work file Photoshop will update the original object you start with.  The Active selection should still be there  however the full smart object layer show be updated.

[NorfolkPete]

Hi there,

All I am wanting to do is create a template of rectangles. These all so I can add images to for projects.

If I create a smart object of one of these and open to edit, it opens at the same angle as on the doc.

I trying to make it that every time I want a different set of images I can just click, a layer opens, square on to the page, I insert my image, click save it is saves to my main doc at an angle. Just like many of these things you get a Pixeden.

[JJMack]

Try using Place>embedded or Plave>Linked to create the smart objevt layer and transforming it the way tou want. The create your Smart Object layer.  Then use  menu Layer>Smart Objects>Replace Contents... to use youer other images.  You could create an action to create an interactive replace content action.