Selecting layers

If an image has multiple layers, you must select which layer you want to work on. Any changes you make to the image affect only the active layers. You select a layer to make it active. In Photoshop you can select only one layer. In ImageReady you can select multiple layers at a time. The name of the active layer appears in the title bar of the document window (Photoshop), and a paintbrush icon  appears next to the layer in the Layers palette. You can select layers with the Layers palette or using the Move Tool.

If you don't see the desired results when using a tool or applying a command, you may not have the correct layer selected. Check the Layers palette to make sure that you're working on the desired layer.

To select a layer in the Layers palette:

Do one of the following:

• Click a layer in the Layers palette.
• (ImageReady) To select multiple contiguous layers, shift-click. To select multiple separate layers, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) in the layers palette.
• (ImageReady) To select linked layers, choose Select Linked Layers from the Layers palette menu.

To select layers directly in the document window:

1. Select the Move tool .
2. Do one of the following:
• (ImageReady) In the options bar, select the Layer Select tool . Click in the document on a single layer to select it, in a group to select the entire group, or in a layer in a layer set to select only that layer. Note that you can't select locked layers with this tool.
• (ImageReady) In the options bar, select the Direct Select tool . Click in the document on a layer within a group to select the individual layer.
• (Photoshop) In the options bar, select Auto Select Layer and click in the document on the layer content you want to select. The topmost layer containing pixels under the cursor will be selected. (See Moving selections and layers within an image.)
• Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) in the image, and choose a layer from the context menu. The context menu lists all the layers that contain pixels under the current pointer location.

To select a layer from a set:

1. Click the layer set in the Layers palette.
2. To open the set, do one of the following:
• Click the triangle  to the left of the folder icon .
• Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) the triangle to the left of the folder icon and choose Open This Layer Set from the popup menu. (You can choose Open Other Layer Sets to open those other than what you've selected.)
3. Click the individual layer in the set.