3 Messages
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300 Points
Photoshop: Don't understand the undo/redo system
Unlike most modern apps, Photoshop only has a single "undo". If you press command-z a second time, Photoshop will redo the change instead of continuing to undo. Not even Illustrator or InDesign works this way at this point.
To work around this issue, I customize my keyboard shortcuts to use "step backward" (command-z) and "step forward" (command-shift-z). For the most part this works great and I've been very happy with it.
But it brings up a new problem: if I change the selected layer, then press command-z ("step backward") then the layer change is undone as well. This is a constant frustration for me, and it seems there's no solution to get both the behaviors I want.
To me, there are two possible ways to fix this problem:
• Adopt a standard undo/redo system with multiple levels of undo/redo
• Make layer selection a separate step in the history
Personally I don't care that much, I'd be happy with either. But adopting a standard undo/redo system makes more sense to me, for consistency amongst the CS apps (as well as other apps). Perhaps it could be an option if there's disagreement over what works best for people.
To work around this issue, I customize my keyboard shortcuts to use "step backward" (command-z) and "step forward" (command-shift-z). For the most part this works great and I've been very happy with it.
But it brings up a new problem: if I change the selected layer, then press command-z ("step backward") then the layer change is undone as well. This is a constant frustration for me, and it seems there's no solution to get both the behaviors I want.
To me, there are two possible ways to fix this problem:
• Adopt a standard undo/redo system with multiple levels of undo/redo
• Make layer selection a separate step in the history
Personally I don't care that much, I'd be happy with either. But adopting a standard undo/redo system makes more sense to me, for consistency amongst the CS apps (as well as other apps). Perhaps it could be an option if there's disagreement over what works best for people.
Responses
yoann3d
39 Messages
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664 Points
7 years ago
Ideally, you could setup the things you want to have integrated into this stepbackward: brush strokes, layer selection, layer visibility, selecting a color, whatever.
A menu with boxes to thick or unthick would just be perfect and solve everyone's problem i guess.
0
fruityth1ng
55 Messages
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1K Points
7 years ago
1
lim_wei_chung
7 Messages
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72 Points
7 years ago
0
0
allen_w
88 Messages
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1.6K Points
7 years ago
a better approach to the default undo system is to make it work more like "step backward" and give users single-key shortcuts for each undo and redo [such as press Z for undo and press X for redo]. this will maintain the convenience of toggling back and forth while simultaneously allowing the convenience of multiple undos and redos.
if adobe will ever make the default undo system work more like "step backward" as outlined above, perhaps adobe will have more incentive to fix this "wrong layer selection" problem.
1
0
lim_wei_chung
7 Messages
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72 Points
7 years ago
0
0
timbentley
5 Messages
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142 Points
6 years ago
I am constantly stepping backwards. One of my biggest gripes with PS is when you select a layer, mark the layer some how (with a brush stroke for example), then step backwards, it does not stay on the layer you selected, instead reverts back to the layer you were on previously. Please Adobe, revert the change made to the layer, not the layer selected prior to the mark. That is two actions in my opinion and should be treated as such.
Is this a known issue? Something Adobe is currently fixing? Am I making any sense?
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0
allen_w
88 Messages
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1.6K Points
6 years ago
adobe seems to be more focussed on adding new features than to reexamine and improve workflow.
0
timbentley
5 Messages
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142 Points
6 years ago
Not unlike most folks posting in this community, I use Photoshop more than any other program and have used it for going on 20 years, give or take a year.
There is one hangup I have that I constantly run into that bugs and frustrates me that I wish could be addressed. It seems to be a simple issue on the surface.
I tend to use dozens and dozens of layers when creating illustrations. If I select a layer to edit, make an edit to that layer then Step Backward (that is, I undo the change I made), Photoshop undoes the change and takes me back to the layer I was on before making the change. If I want to continue to work in the layer I selected, I have to find it again and, as most of you know, finding the layer again can be a bit time-consuming.
When I Step Backwards, I expect to undo the change I've made to the layer I am on and NOT undo the change *and* take me back to the previously-selected layer.
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allen_w
88 Messages
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1.6K Points
6 years ago
0
0
james_marcrum
2 Messages
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80 Points
6 years ago
Why does stepping backwards change what layer you're working on? Say I'm editing layer 2 and then switch to layer 3. Then I make two brush strokes on layer 3, and realize I don't like them. If I "step backward" twice, I'll be back on layer 2, even though I want to be working on layer 3. At best I have to annoyingly reselect layer 3, and at worst I might accidentally do work on the wrong layer. "Undo" is useless here because it bafflingly only ping-pongs between your last change.
Why on earth would it work this way? Why, at the very least, do we not have more options for either keeping layer selection immune from any changes or adding a layer change to history, so that in my above example, I'd have to "step backward" 3 times to be back on layer 2?
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0
dermot_power_6581626
11 Messages
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222 Points
6 years ago
0
allen_w
88 Messages
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1.6K Points
6 years ago
btw, can we get an update to also fix it for Photoshop CS6? many of us are not ready to go CC yet.
6
gener7
102 Messages
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2.2K Points
5 years ago
I did dig up the polycount link for CC 2014 and earlier users. You will have to use the "Smart Step Backward" script if you own earlier Photoshop versions.
Use this link, the older one no longer works.
http://polycount.com/discussion/78932...
And yes, thanks for fixing this.
Gene
0
0
dermot_power_6581626
11 Messages
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222 Points
5 years ago
anyway.. . hate to moan but I wonder if anyone else has this problem?
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0
stephanie_chergi
4 Messages
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156 Points
2 years ago
0
0