I have Photoshop 7, XP Home Edition, 512 megs RAM. My problem is that certain Tools just wouldn’t work, specifically the Healing Brush. I found a solution in the FAQs which said the problem was probably caused by the Preferences File. I followed the steps to delete my Prefs File and restart Photoshop forcing it to create a new, uncorrupted Prefs File but it didn’t fix the problem. I feel sure the solution is probably related to the Prefs File but I’m not sure what to try next.
What exactly does "wouldn’t work" mean. Can you click on them from the tool palette? Are you able to sample an area with the healing brush? Do you see a cursor? What are the settings in the option bar when you select the tool?
I can click on the Healing Brush and my cursur becomes a band-aid. In the Options bar, I have selected 19 pixel brush size, Normal Mode, Sample Source, Aligned is not checked. I press Alt and hold it while clicking on the area I want to use as my sample, then let go of both and try to click on the area I’m trying to cover with the Healing Brush and it does nothing but click. Nothing happens. I don’t have a pen or a tablet, just using my mouse. Caps are not locked.
If you want to use all layers, there’s a tick box in the options bar for the healing brush. Otherwise, sample from the layer that contains the image data, then heal.
I thought ps 7 you had to heal only on the same layer. cs introduced healing to a new layer. (and you really wouldn’t notice healing on an adjustment layer anyway, although i think it’s possible…)
cs introduced healing to a new layer. (and you really wouldn’t notice healing on an adjustment layer anyway, although i think it’s possible…)
Healing on an adjustment layer doesn’t work, but, if you create a new, blank layer and tick the us all layers in the menu, you can heal on the blank layer.
I thought ps 7 you had to heal only on the same layer
Yeah, you’re right Dave. I misspoke when I said to click the tick box for use all layers. But as Shel said, what the OP is experiencing is healing on an adjustment layer – which you *can* do, it’s just that there’s no image data there to do it with. I know you know this, I’m just articulating it to be clear.
I know you know this, I’m just articulating it to be clear.
no, i didn’t know. i was guessing. same way you can dodge and burn etc on the adj layer, but you won’t see much diff. unless you really work at it. by then you slap yourself in the head and go, duh! i’m on the adjustment layer!* and reach for the undo key. 🙂
It sounds like you all know what you’re talking about and I know so little that it’s over my head. Okay, the image has 2 layers, a Curves layer and a Levels layer. I need baby step-by-step instructions on what to do. I’m trying to remove a tear in an old photo. In the future, should I have done this first before starting any layers on the picture?
No, not necessarily. The point is, if you have adjustment layers, like curves or levels for example, when you sample (alt Click) make sure you are not on an adjustment layer when you attempt to heal/clone/patch. Select your layer from the layers palette first, then alt-click on an area, then heal.
"……..make sure you are not on an adjustment layer when you attempt to heal/clone/patch. Select your layer from the layers palette first, then alt-click on an area, then heal."
I need a little clarification. Is it correct that I can’t make changes on the background either because that didn’t work either; so, I double-clicked on the background layer and it became layer 0 and then I was able to Heal. Have I got that right or is there still something funky going on?
If the background is locked, you won’t be able to clone to it or heal it, so you did right to convert it to a normal layer.
One trick you might want to try is to create a new empty layer above the background, set the healing or clone tool to "use all layers" in the option bar, and use the empty layer as the target for your healing/cloning. This will sample whatever is visible and paint it on the new empty layer, ensuring that your original image in the background layer is unchanged.
Hmm. My first step is always to duplicate the background, so I simply don’t even think about changing its pixels by cloning or healing. I assumed, based on the lock symbol on the background, that you couldn’t. I was wrong, as you note based on your own experience. This gives rise to a conundrum:
If a layer is locked, you can’t change its pixels. The background layer has the lock symbol, which can’t be removed except by changing it to a normal layer. However, despite the lock symbol, you can indeed change the background layer’s pixels.
Yeah, I don’t claim to know the rationale; you can’t move it, you can’t group it, you can link it, but it won’t go into a set, but you can paint on it. It’s kind of like "What has a tongue but cannot speak?" <grin>.
I simply don’t even think about changing its pixels by cloning or healing.
My workflow is different. We scan, burn originals to CD, edit, then process images, mostly in batch operations. Six of one half dozen of the other. I’m used to working on copies.
Still though, it doesn’t explain why Sylvia couldn’t heal until she converted it to a true layer. <twilight zone music>
900 images a day! What do you do?! I’m trying to learn Photoshop on my own and I’m seeing that it’s taking me so much more time than it probably would with an instructor. I’d love to find some sort of Photoshop Bootcamp that I could invest a few days learning with an instructor’s help. Any suggestions?
Heh, not from me. I’m one of those guys that will read a manual right before going to hell. Instructors? Bah, that’s not how I learn – not software anyway. That isn’t to say I wouldn’t like to attend some seminars, but formal classes aren’t for me.
All I need is the software, the help file, and this blessed forum. But that’s me <grin>.
But enough about me, let’s talk about you. What do you think of me? <kidding>.
Photoshop has a long learning curve. It fits into so many aspects of digital media creation that it’s really hard to say "here’s how you learn photoshop". Most regular forum visitors, most of them professionals, are STILL learning.
That’s why I come here. The visitors are the best in the business and if you really want to know something, they spend time and help.
Not all the forum regulars are professionals in the digital media biz. Dave Milbut’s an applications programmer, I’m a lawyer, and Deebs is a philosopher or mystic or whatever. We all learn from each other.
Well, you all have been so nice. This is a good forum. Let me try to recap what I think I’ve learned.
You may not be able to Heal if the image is locked or if you’re on any layer other than Layer 0? Otherwise, I’m really not sure what I did to get the Healing tool working again but I’ve enjoyed the exchange with everyone.
