Help with PSE

[Angela]

I have just started using PSE 2 (after my pscs trial ran out), and I'm having problems moving my layers. Everytime I select and try to move one of my lower layers it just moves the top layer, (I hope that makes sense ) Does anyone know a way around this?

[elizabethlmccoy]

I'm sorry, I understand what your saying but not sure what to do to help...are you clicking on the layer and holding and dragging up or down?

[bpalmer]

Originally Posted by Angela

I have just started using PSE 2 (after my pscs trial ran out), and I'm having problems moving my layers. Everytime I select and try to move one of my lower layers it just moves the top layer, (I hope that makes sense ) Does anyone know a way around this?

Hi Angela,
You probably are not in the layer you want to move. If you go up to the layers pallete, click on the layer that has the object you want to move then you should be able to move it. You will only be able to move in an "active" layer from what I have found. Hope this helps...I'm still learning too!

[Angela]

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I'm actually trying to move an active layer (it has the blue box around the thumbnail) around in the layout. I click the layer I want to move to select it, it shows the bounding box around the object I want to move, and then when I go to move, it activates one of the top layers in my palette and moves that instead.
I hope that this makes more sense.

[elizabethlmccoy]

Oh I understand what you are saying..sometimes that happens to me too...my solution don't know if it will work for you but is to hide that object that overlaps the one you want then you can move the one you want freely

[Angela]

Thank you for that, I tried it but it didn't work. The only way I can move it is if I move it up on the layers palette, but then I can't see how the whole LO looks.
Could it have something to do with masks? (Bear with me because I'm new at the whole mask thing!!) I followed the quick class on layer masks for PSE and I have the mask for an object below it on the palette, with an arrow pointing to it.
Does this arrow mean that it is connected to all layers below, because maybe this is what is happening, as my top layer has a mask.
I never had this problem when I was using PSCS, and this is the only thing that I'm doing differently. Shame PSE dosen't have the same mask function.

[Angela]

I finally got it to work. I searched the adobe support site and got a link for free samples of "the hidden power of elements". It has a mask function that makes life a whole lot easier . It also has some other stuff on it too, go and have a look:
http://www.hiddenelements.com/freetools.html

[Amanda]

It sounds like you had the autoselect layer button on. If you turn that off, you shouldn't have that problem. If you click on the move tool it is up on your options bar.

[Emma]

I agree with Amanda that your Autoselect Layer box is checked in your Options Bar at the top of your screen. The FIRST line of defense in troubleshooting is checking to be sure you're on the right layer (which you've done) and then check the options in this bar; the options change depending on the tool you're using.

Either uncheck the box or just hold the SHIFT key while moving to disable it and move the active layer. Or just click the move tool on the object you want to move, not any objects over it.

Autoselect moves whatever layer of the object you click on, and often that's the top layer.

Thanks for the link to the Hidden Power, been wanting to check that out and I prefer free samples before I purchase!

Have fun!

[Emma]

The PSE mask is just a clipping mask, it's only clipped to the one layer, the one directly beneath it.

The Autoselect Layer box is checked by default in PSE: PS has the same option, it's just unchecked by default so you probably never noticed it. PSP has autoselect, and you just have to hold down the SHIFT key to move the active layer if you click on an object on another layer.

Glad you got the mask tutorial working for you! It's a nifty little trick to overcome that major limitation in PSE.

[Angela]

Amanda and Emma, thank you soooooo much. That was the problem. I feel like such an idiot . It was such a simple solution.