Fast hotkey for adjustment layers?

[oni...@adobeforums.com]

hi,
would anyone know if there's any way to set feasible hotkeys for adjustment layers?

I know there are actions as well as the main menu commands, but both have drawbacks of their own - actions are limited to F-keys (afaik), and commands from the main menu always show a pop-up dialog which i never managed to quell.

my idea was to try using adjustment layers whenever possible instead of the destructive operations - simply map ctrl-b to color balance adjustment layer, ctrl-u to hue/saturation adj. layer etc.

[oni...@adobeforums.com]

yeah, but that lets me change hotkeys only for the "Layer > New Adjustment Layer > xxx" commands. when used, this command first displays a bothersome modal pop-up. this removes any advantage (speed-wise) i might have gained thanks to the hotkey.

[John Joslin]

You can do it in Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts ... if you are prepared to substitute for other functions.

[Danny_...@adobeforums.com]

A combination of Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts ... and a nifty and relatively low cost Windows add-on utility like "PTFB" might be the ticket. (Google: PTFB for info). PTFB can be easily programmed to recognize and automatically respond to application generated dialogs.

So, the custom PS keyboard shortcut would initiate adding the adjustment layer and PTFB would auto-reply to the annoying interim dialog, resulting in the adjustment layer dialog ready to accept whatever settings one would want to apply.

[chrisjb...@adobeforums.com]

Go to Trevor Morris' site ( <http://user.fundy.net/morris/?404.html> ) and download his advanced set of Keyboard Shortcuts.

He has set them up as (IMO) they should have been in the original release. Ctrl+L creates a Levels adjustment layer, Ctrl+M a Curves adjustment layer and so on.

You can then go into this and make further changes to suit your own way of working.

For instance I've never used Ctrl+P to Print in Photoshop, so I've set this shortcut to invoke the "Place" command, which I do use a lot.

Chris

[Danny_...@adobeforums.com]

Chris...

The way I'm reading this is he wants to bypass having to deal with the New layer dialog, which AFAIK won't happen by assigning a keyboard shortcut.

------------

onikage:

As an alternative to assigning keyboard shortcuts to actions, display the Actions Palette in 'button mode' (an option in the Actions palette dropdown menu). This way you would just need to click an action's corresponding Actions Palette "button" to launch it.

When recording the action:
* Record the addition of the adjustment layer of choice as you normally would
* Change "any" setting slightly and click OK to close the AL dialog
* Next step: Double-click on the AL thumbnail to open the AL dialog again.
* While holding down the "alt" key, click the button temporarily labeled 'Reset,' then 'OK.' This restores the AL to it's default settings.
* Click the modal control (embossed checkbox) to the immediate left of the last command recorded. This causes the AL dialog to display.
* STOP recording

When the action is played, the AL dialog will open with default settings in effect.

[Yrb...@adobeforums.com]

I don't understand why you want to apply an adjustment layer without viewing the dialog. They do nothing until you view/change the dialog anyway...

[chrisjb...@adobeforums.com]

Ah! If I understand this correctly, onikage wants the Adjustment dialogue to open without having to first go through the dialogue which pops up asking whether or not you want to make it a "clipping" layer.

To be honest, hitting Enter to accept that dialogue straight after Ctrl+L (in the case of Levels) doesn't slow the process down at all. In my own work I quite often do need to make it a clipping layer, in which case the sequence is: Ctrl+L Alt+P Enter

Danny's "button mode action" idea would provide a one-click solution as an alternative to the HotKey solution onikage is looking for. But you'd need two buttons (clipped/not clipped) for each type of adjustment - and I'm not convinced searching for those buttons in a whole palette full of actions would be quicker than the Ctrl/Enter keystrokes.

It all depends on your own favored methodology, I suppose.

Chris.

[oni...@adobeforums.com]

hey guys, thanks for the input!

now, first to make myself clear:
- all I want is the effect of "new adjustment layer > Levels/Curves/Color Balance/etc" command that you get under the _icon_ in the Layers palette (at the very bottom).

- however, I don't want to reach it via this tiny icon (and its dropdown menu), but via a hotkey of Ctrl+L/M/B/whatever (identical to "the real but destructive command" of Levels/Curves/etc).

as to your suggestions:
Danny R.: I already got most of the F-combinations taken. plus, it seems a great idea to me, to keep the original hotkeys for these operations (and leave the program do the work for me - make it create adjustment layers instead of destructive operations).
The use of PTFB or similar utilities is a good idea, though I consider this a last resort...

Chris: thanks for the url - it doesn't point to the file you mentioned though. after a quick search on the web I only found a set of Action hotkeys (which i don't need, see above) and then another set called "Trevors_Shortcuts" where (according to the attached PDF) Ctrl+L is assigned to Levels, not Levels Adj. Layer).
And yes, hitting Enter bothers me very much ;), I'm a bitch of a user, I know ;))
+ I only scarcely use clipping masks

YrbkMgr: it's the New Layer Dialogue (not the Levels (or any other) dialogue) that appears when you use the Adjustment layer command from the main menu.

just to explain my reasons - i work with photographs a lot and much of the repetitive work cosists of adjusting colors, contrasts, levels etc..

[chrisjb...@adobeforums.com]

"Trevors_Shortcuts" where (according to the attached PDF) Ctrl+L is assigned
to Levels, not Levels Adj. Layer

A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since I installed Trevor's Shortcuts. It is more likely that I modified them myself to make Ctrl+L (M, H, etc) open an adjustment layer. It's easy enough to do.

You get so used to your own particular way of working. I personally crash around like a headless chicken when using someone elses flavour of Photoshop!

To download Trevor's Keyboard Shortcuts:
<http://user.fundy.net/morris/downloads/PSCS2_Trevors_Shortcuts.zip>
and to get the PDF:
<http://user.fundy.net/morris/downloads/PSCS2_Shortcuts.pdf>

i work with photographs a lot and much of the repetitive work cosists
of adjusting colors, contrasts, levels etc..

Have you not considered doing these initial adjustments in Adobe Camera Raw. Not only does it do a better job, you can apply the adjustments to a whole set of similarly exposed images at the same time. Give it a try. It really is a much quicker way of working.

Chris.

[PECour...@adobeforums.com]

Don't forget that if you re-map those, you won't be able to apply, say levels, to a mask...you'll be forced to use the drop-down.

If the problem is the size of the button, then the drop down box, hy not setting actions (I know) but then displaying the palette in button mode?

[oni...@adobeforums.com]

chris: thanks man, but this is exactly what i already can do - i know how to assign a hotkey to the Adjustment layer command from the main menu. however, i need to get rid of the "new layer dialogue" which appears after you choose this command (as opposed to the same command invoked via the icon in the layers palette - then there is no "new layer" dialogue).
Camera Raw is not an option for me, as I do other graphics as well and i really feel like a fish in water in PS and i would miss many of its tricks.

PECourtejoie: yeah, i realise this. but i think it could be solved via ctrl+shit+L/M/U, ain't it?

why not actions? well, i'm already used to hotkeys. i press them almost subconsiously ;)

[chrisjb...@adobeforums.com]

could be solved via ctrl+shit+L/M/U

Careful where you tread :-)

[Yrb...@adobeforums.com]

why not actions? well, i'm already used to hotkeys. i press them almost
subconsiously

Since actions can be assigned to F keys, it should be a natural...

[Roland...@adobeforums.com]

much speed in editing layers can be done by just right clicking the layer you want to edit and your there alredy by selecting the layer's name specially if your working with so many layers with small details as you can see in your monitor.

[Yrb...@adobeforums.com]

<http://milbut.org/smilies/dontknow.gif>

[oni...@adobeforums.com]

chrisjbirchall: :))) yeah, i noticed right away, but for some reason there's no "edit" option underneath that message to correct the blooper ;)

YrbkMgr: yep, but i meant the ctrl+L/U/M hotkeys.. like i mentioned before 1) these are faster and more logical to use 2) i already got most of the F-combinations assigned.

roland: that's true, but how does it relate to adjustment layers?

[Yrb...@adobeforums.com]

I say, adapt, improvise, overcome. Life is full of little tradeoffs.

[Karen_...@adobeforums.com]

I am at my wits end. I scanned several documents into Photoshop CS2 and then went into the file info to place the metadata. I clicked okay and suddenly all of the photoshop went gray. I have access to nothing. The file info window disappeared and nothing will work. Is there a hotkey that will bring up the file info window again.

This has happened several times, and I am just about ready to uninstall Photoshop CS2 and tell Adobe they can go straight to you know where. At this point, I am just not going to buy anymore of their products. Their Dreamweaver 8 is full of bugs as well.

If there is anyone out there in computerland that can help me before I have to forcefully close photoshop and rescan everything, please send me a solution at document...@yahoo.com

[Phos....]

Karen...

You should start a new topic for when your question has nothing to do with the original subject.

Perhaps you need to spend a little time learning how to navigate around these forums?

Not to even mention that I already answered your question when you first posted it a week ago:

(Hold onto your hat...I gave you a bit of a drubbing)
Karen Needles, "File info window has disappeared and Photoshop is locked" #, 27 Mar 2007 12:22 pm </cgi-bin/webx?14@@.3bc383fa>

[oni...@adobeforums.com]

YrbkMgr - 5:27pm Nov 29, 06 PST (#17 of 19) I say, adapt, improvise, overcome. Life is full of little tradeoffs.

-- oh you were so very right ;)
I simply got used to the dialogue asking for name / clipping layer... i even started to use clipping layers much more thanks to this :)
well, one learns new stuff every day ;).