Custom Shapes won’t load – all options grayed out

MB
Posted By
Mitchell_Bentley
Jan 22, 2009
Views
388
Replies
3
Status
Closed
I am on a Mac, Intel core duo, Leopard, using Photoshop CS3

I cannot seem to select a new set of custom shapes from any of my libraries; the menu drops down from the little round arrow in the shapes palette, but all options such as save shapes, load shapes, reset shapes, etc, are grayed out and cannot be selected. I am on a fresh layer and the custom shape tool is selected. Having shape layers or paths in the tools or any style selected doesn’t matter. All I can do is use the shapes currently loaded into the palette, which do work… I just can’t change them: I am stuck with the current library loaded.

I am a long time Photoshop user and have never had this kind of problem. I feel quite dumb, like something changed and I can’t figure it out…

This is so silly, what is up here? Anyone, please… help!

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P
Phosphor
Jan 22, 2009
Have you tried trashing/resetting Preferences?
MB
Mitchell_Bentley
Jan 22, 2009
I did reset the tool, nothing changed. Funny thing is, if I have no document open I can load any of the shape libraries I have… it works like it always did in CS1. The minute I open a document, all the drop down menu options are grayed out. I see all the libraries, but cannot select them.

I noticed this kind of thing in CS1 when I first switched to it from PS7; the libraries for brushes show up in the drop down menu accessed from the top tool bar, but are grayed out and do not function – they can only be loaded from the brushes toolbox palette on the right. I just assumed it was a quirk of CS and adjusted my selection process. I have the same deal with brushes now in CS3. I have been wondering why they even kept the drop down menu in the brush tool area along the top… now I think it is an issue that has not been noticed? How is that possible? This has been true since day one of my installation, both versions, both computers, both clean installs.

The custom tools do not have their own palette to work around it like the brushes do…

I could try that but I would rather not have to reset all my cache, scratch disk, color settings… etc, without some indication that would fix it. Frankly, I would like to know first: why would the brush library not be changeable from the top tool area, either? Is this something others have seen?
MB
Mitchell_Bentley
Jan 22, 2009
I have found that I can get libraries loaded through the Preset Manager. Just FYI for this discussion.

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