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For years, Photoshop users have been able to select a layer by Control/Option/Command clicking directly in the image. Depending on what you click on, the corresponding Layer will become selected in the Layer list.
This always worked, regardless of what tool (eraser, paintbucket, selection…etc) was in use when the command described is invoked.
What g ballard is talking about is the fact that this function no longer works as it did in previous versions of Photoshop. It no longer works globally with any tool selected. Only some.
For instance, Cnt/Opt/Cmd clicking with the Fill tool will work while the Eraser no longer works. As a matter of fact if you do this while the Block Eraser is selected, you can crash Photoshop (yes, I sent a crash report in).
The two links above do not mention this long standing key command. You were even able to turn this behavior on and off back in PS7. As of the CS series, it just became embedded in the "always on" state
Again, any tool can be selected in CS-3 or 2 or 1 and you can select a layer directly from the image. Not so in CS-4.
I’d also like to add that this was a incredibly useful shortcut…especially when working on an image with hundreds of layers and foldered layers. I’d like to see it restored/fixed.
One of the layers is a small pixel logo in the corner I want to highlight in Layers pallet.
I used to be able to CONSISTENTLY Control+Option+Command+Click on the logo in the image window and the logo layer is highlights.
Now it doesn’t work consistently depending what tool is active, for example, if the Clone Stamp tool or Eraser tool is selected, it doesn’t work anymore, I have to select the Move tool before for the old key combo to work…
+++++++
Select layers in the document window Select the Move tool . Do one of the following:
In the options bar, select Auto Select, then choose Layer from the drop-down menu, and click in the document on the layer you want to select. The top layer containing pixels under the cursor is selected.
In the options bar, select Auto Select, then choose Group from the drop-down menu, and click in the document on the content you want to select. The top group containing pixels under the cursor is selected. If you click an ungrouped layer, it becomes selected.
Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS) in the image, and choose a layer from the context menu. The context menu lists all the layers that contain pixels under the current pointer location.
Well, I hadn’t used that even in prior versions (I’m hopeless when it comes to memorizing more than the basic shortcuts), that’s why I was clueless.
I’ve just gone over all "changes" and "missing stuff" sections in all pertinent chapters of Ben Willmore’s "up-to-speed Photoshop CS4", which concentrates in new features, changes and missing stuff in Photoshop CS4, and I find no mention of that keyboard shortcut at all.
This old shortcut has now been replaced with the new BRUSH hardness resizing shortcut. You now have to activate the move tool V, first. Then using the command key (to temporarily enable Auto-select) you can still select or activate layers this way.
I find the new brush resizing so useful, that the loss of this shortcut that I used also, is not so much of a problem. Would be nice to have an alternative though – even if it were the all FOUR modifier keys together.
Ah, just found while playing around that there IS a shortcut replacement for this old behaviour. First hold down your V key (don’t press it just keep it held down) and then hold down the command key. Its only two keys, now clicking will activate the layers as was the case with the old (cntrl,alt,command). When you release the keys, the original tool will still be selected.
This uses the new Spring loaded keys, along with the old Command modifier (which I hope they don’t decide to change, since its beginning to look like almost anything is possible with some of the daft decisions being taken at present)
