Cannot copy selection

538 views7 repliesLast post: 9/21/2006
I have two scanned images I want to join. Each is saved as a PSD file (~195MB each) with only one layer. When I open the files and do a "Select All", there is no option to copy. In fact, most of the menu items are greyed out. I notice that the layer lock symbol is active, but the entire layer menu is greyed out. The files are not "read-only", so what can I do to get access to the image data? I treid saving as TIFF, but still get the same problem when I reopen.

Thanks!
#1
wrote:
I have two scanned images I want to join. Each is saved as a PSD file (~195MB each) with only one layer. When I open the files and do a "Select All", there is no option to copy. In fact, most of the menu items are greyed out. I notice that the layer lock symbol is active, but the entire layer menu is greyed out. The files are not "read-only", so what can I do to get access to the image data? I treid saving as TIFF, but still get the same problem when I reopen.

I suggest opening them, increasing the canvas size of one and dragging the other image onto it. If there is overlap between the two images, then if you temporarily reduce the opacity of the new layer you've just made by doing that, you should be able to line them up nicely

(To promote a backgound image to a normal layer, double-click it in the layers palette.)

Andrew
#2
wrote:
I have two scanned images I want to join. Each is saved as a PSD file (~195MB each) with only one layer. When I open the files and do a "Select All", there is no option to copy. In fact, most of the menu items are greyed out. I notice that the layer lock symbol is active, but the entire layer menu is greyed out. The files are not "read-only", so what can I do to get access to the image data? I treid saving as TIFF, but still get the same problem when I reopen.
Thanks!

Are they 16 bit/channel files in an older version of Photoshop?
#3
It's Photoshop 7 and the picture was imported from within Photoshop. I tried simply dragging and dropping, but it only dragged a blank square. That would explain why nothing copies, etc.... nothing is there to select. And yet, I see the image, which appears in the "Background" layer. What would cause it to not select anything, even though there is only one layer available?
#4
In article ,
wrote:

I have two scanned images I want to join. Each is saved as a PSD file (~195MB each) with only one layer. When I open the files and do a "Select All", there is no option to copy. In fact, most of the menu items are greyed out. I notice that the layer lock symbol is active, but the entire layer menu is greyed out. The files are not "read-only", so what can I do to get access to the image data? I treid saving as TIFF, but still get the same problem when I reopen.

Click on the Image menu. Point your mouse pointer to the Mode command. A popout menu will appear. Read that popout menu carefully. Is there a check mark next to 16 bits/channel?

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#5
There was. When I moved it to 8b/ch, I was able to copy. I don't quite understand why this was an issue, however. Can you please explain?

Thanks!

tacit wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

I have two scanned images I want to join. Each is saved as a PSD file (~195MB each) with only one layer. When I open the files and do a "Select All", there is no option to copy. In fact, most of the menu items are greyed out. I notice that the layer lock symbol is active, but the entire layer menu is greyed out. The files are not "read-only", so what can I do to get access to the image data? I treid saving as TIFF, but still get the same problem when I reopen.

Click on the Image menu. Point your mouse pointer to the Mode command. A popout menu will appear. Read that popout menu carefully. Is there a check mark next to 16 bits/channel?

--
Art, photography, shareware, polyamory, literature, kink: all at http://www.xeromag.com/franklin.html
Nanohazard, Geek shirts, and more: http://www.villaintees.com
#6
cb78 wrote:
There was. When I moved it to 8b/ch, I was able to copy. I don't quite understand why this was an issue, however. Can you please explain?

Older versions of Photoshop have limited support for 16 bit/channel files ... I told you to look for this in my first post 5 days ago ...
#7
.... and until I returned home from traveling I was unable to check. Did it make you feel better to say "I told you so?"

Thank you also to the folks who more humbly offered their suggestions.

Bill Hilton wrote:
cb78 wrote:
There was. When I moved it to 8b/ch, I was able to copy. I don't quite understand why this was an issue, however. Can you please explain?

Older versions of Photoshop have limited support for 16 bit/channel files ... I told you to look for this in my first post 5 days ago ...
#8