Need help in Photoshop

[Kevin]

I've been working on a rather complex skin retouching technique and I've run across one step that is frustrating me. I'm not sure if there's a mistake in the instructions or not. So I'm hoping some of you who are familiar with PS can help.

I'm working on an image and have about 5 different layers of things I've done to this point. The next step is to create a composite layer: a single layer containing all of the layers below it merged into this new layer while leaving the layers below intact.

The instructions say to do a Ctrl+Shift+Alt + N (to create the new blank layer,which works) then do a E to copy all the layers beneath into this new blank layer. So when I do Ctrl+Shift+Alt + N then E all I get is a blank new layer. I read further and there's addt'l info that says to make sue you hold down Ctrl+Shift+Alt when you press the E.

So I've tried Ctrl+Shift+Alt +N then E while still holding the Ctrl+Shift+Alt and it doesn't work. So then I tried Ctrl+Shift+Alt +N then Ctrl+Shift+Alt +E and it doesn't work either. In either case I only end up with a blank new layer, not the composite like the Figures represent in the instructions.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong? Or know another way to create a new layer and "roll up" all layers beneath into this new blank layer?

[MGlennn]

What you want to do is the "stamp" visible layer technique....

I am away from PS at the moment but I thought what you do is to create a blank empty layer leaving it active then hit cntrl+alt+shift+E together.....

That merges all visible layers into the new layer leaving the old layers intact :)

[MGlennn]

Here it is.....


To stamp all visible layers:

Select the layer or layer set that you want to contain the new contents, and press Shift+Ctrl+Alt+E (Windows) or Shift+Command+Option+E (Mac OS).

alternately, you can hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and choose Layer > Merge Visible. The modified Merge command merges all the visible data into the current target layer.

[Kevin]

I just tried it again, making sure the blank layer is active and the cntrl+alt+shift+E does nothing.

I'm working on a 16-bit tiff image so tried to change it to 8 bit...still did nothing. All my lower layers are visible so that's not the issue.

I'm baffled. If one keyboard shortcut works then the other should as well but I must be doing something different or have something set up wrong. Just can't get it to merge everything together.

[MGlennn]

Did you try it the alternate way...?? (hit alt key and select "merge visible") :confused_1:

[Kevin]

Just came back. Yeah, the alternate method of merge visible did the trick. It's pretty funky though. You have to hold the Alt key down, then click on the menu Layer and without releasing your mouse button, slide the cursor down to Merge Visible then it copies all the layers into the blank one. Still not sure why the keyboard shortcut doesn't work. Doing shift+ctrl+E merges visible but when you add the Alt, nothing happens.

But thank you, that did give me a way to accomplish what I needed and far better than the method I had to use previously. :)

[cspringer]

Don't know why but some PS installations do not recognize that shortcut and reinstalling the program doesn't fix it nor does resetting preferences. Perhaps the previous version hadn't been completely deleted. I made an action and assigned F3 as the shortcut which I actually like better. Don't forget to SAVE your actions.

[MGlennn]

Don't know why but some PS installations do not recognize that shortcut and reinstalling the program doesn't fix it nor does resetting preferences. Perhaps the previous version hadn't been completely deleted. I made an action and assigned F3 as the shortcut which I actually like better. Don't forget to SAVE your actions.

Interesting :) thanks for the tip Chip :cheer:

[David Cramer]

The action sounds like a good idea. I use this technique for create my final layer of sharpening. An action for this would make photoshoping a bit easier.

[Kevin]

THanks for the idea. I'll give it a whirl tonight and see how it works.