ptg 122 Chapter 5 The Layer Properties dialog box gives you control over two very impor- tant characteristics of a layer: the layer's name and its identifying color. For example, if you're working on a document with 20 layers and you're not naming the layers, after a while you'll lose track of each layer's contents. When you name your layers, you have a visual identi- fier of the information contained within that specific layer (assuming you name the layer correctly). In addition, you can use the Colorize option to apply a color to a specific group of layers—coloring all the type layers red, for example. Layer properties may not seem that impor- tant, but they go a long way towards helping you organize a complex, multi-layered document. Changing Layer Properties Change Layer Properties Select the Layers panel. Click the Layers Options button, and then click Layer Properties. TIMESAVER Hold down the Alt (Win) or Option (Mac) key and double-click a layer name to open Layer Properties. Change the name of the layer. Click the Color list arrow, and then click a layer color. Click OK. 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 5 4 1 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 5 Working with Layers 123 Layer Comps are an image or snapshot of the current state of the Layers panel. When you create a Layer Comp, you're recording layer visibility, a layer's position within the document, and any layer styles applied to the image. Making changes to the layers in your document and then updating the Layer Comps panel creates a new Layer Comp. Any time you want to view a particular Layer Comp, just select it from the Layer Comps panel. Layer Comps create different versions of your document and saves them all in one file, giving you different creative options for the same document. In addition, they give you the option of printing the same document with different variations, by choosing dif- ferent Layer Comps during printing. Working with the Layer Comps Panel Work with the Layer Comps Panel Open a document. Click the Window menu, and then click Layer Comps to open the Layer Comps panel. Click the Create New Layer Comp button to create a snapshot of the current state of the image. Select check boxes to adjust a layer's visibility, position, or appearance (layer style). Click OK. Click the Create New Layer Comp button to create another snapshot of the current state of the image. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to create as many layer comps as you need. Click the left and right arrows to cycle through the current layer comps. Click the Update Layer Comp button to update the selected layer comp to the current state of the image. Click the Layer Comp icon to change the active image to the selected layer comp state. To remove a layer comp, cli ck the Delete Layer Comp button. 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 4 5 3 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 124 Chapter 5 Photoshop gives you the option of exporting and saving layers as indi- vidual files using a variety of formats including PSD, BMP, JPEG, PDF, Targa, TIFF, and PNG. When exporting layers to files, one format is applied to all exported layers. The Export Layers to Files script com- mand gives you the ability to create individual files from the individual layers and select options specific to the file format you want. Exporting Layers as Files Export Layers to Files Open a document. Click the File menu, point to Scripts, and then click Export Layers to Files. To specify a destination for th e files, click Browse, and then select a folder location. Enter the name you want at the beginning of the files. To export onl y visible layers, click the Visible Layers Only check box. Click the File Type list arrow, and then select an output option: PSD, BMP, JPEG, PDF, Targa, TIFF, PNG- 8, or PNG-24. To embed a color profile, s el ec t the Include ICC Profile check box. Specify the options you want that relate to the selected file format. Click Run. Upon completion, click OK. The files are named with the prefix you specified and numbered in sequential order. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 3 5 4 6 8 7 10 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg Chapter 5 Working with Layers 125 Photoshop doesn't have a lot of options for controlling the Layers panel itself; in fact, there is only one—changing the size of the layer thumb- nail and how it fits within the thumbnail box. You can choose to view the layer thumbnail in a small, medium, or large size, or you can select to have no thumbnail shown at all. When you change the size of the thumbnail, you're instructing Photoshop to spend either more, or less, processing time on the display of the image. The larger the thumbnail, the easier it is to see, but the longer it takes for Photoshop to draw the image in the Layers panel. If you're experiencing performance issues with Photoshop, and you're using the large thumbnail size option, you might consider choosing a smaller thumbnail size. Setting Layers Panel Options Set Layers Panel Options Select the Layers panel. Click the Layers Options button, and then click Panel Options. Click a thumbnail size or the None option. Click the Layer Bounds or Entire Document option. Select the options you want: ◆ Use Default Masks on Fill Layers. Select to automatically insert a mask when creating a new Adjustment layer. ◆ Expand New Effects. Select if you would like to view Smart Filters or Layer Styles in the Layers panel. You can also click the triangle next to the Smart Filter or Layer Style icon in the Layers panel. ◆ Add “copy” to Copied Layers and Groups. Select to add the text “copy” to copied layers or layer groups (New!). Click OK. 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 6 1 4 5 From the Library of Wow! eBook ptg 126 Chapter 5 Photoshop gives you the ability to use Smart Guides to help align shapes, slices, and selections as you draw. They appear automatically as you draw a shape or create a selection or slice, and then disappear after the shape is drawn. They enable you to visually align one object to another with a minimum of effort. Smart Guides are automatically turned on by default. Using Smart Guides Use Smart Guides Open or create a multi-layered document. Select a layer that contains an object. Select the Move tool, and drag the object. As you move the object, Smart Guides appear to help you align the objects. Release the mouse and the guides disappear. 4 3 2 1 1 3 2 Smart Guide Did You Know? You can turn Smart Guides on and off. Click the View menu, point to Show, and then click Smart Guides. From the Library of Wow! eBook . instructing Photoshop to spend either more, or less, processing time on the display of the image. The larger the thumbnail, the easier it is to see, but the longer it takes for Photoshop to. and then updating the Layer Comps panel creates a new Layer Comp. Any time you want to view a particular Layer Comp, just select it from the Layer Comps panel. Layer Comps create different. In addition, they give you the option of printing the same document with different variations, by choosing dif- ferent Layer Comps during printing. Working with the Layer Comps Panel Work with