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Simone
May 2nd, 2007, 11:13 AM
Hi, Have a question for the gurus out there...

Am using PSE5. Is it possible to use the Free Transform options (default, or Skew, Distort, Perspective) on a file which has many layers including adjustment layers, masks, copied layers with blend modes, etc. --> and have the effect be applied to ALL the layers?
I believe the tool works such that it applies to only the active layer (a non-adjustment layer), then of course your other layers are no longer in synch.

What happens is that I work alot on an image then realize I need to do some transforming, for example to correct/straighten some walls that are tilted from camera distortion. Or, transform for an artistic reason. The regular straighten tool isn't for this situation, here I would need Skew applied to one corner, for example.

I know I could do these alternatives --
-- At the end: Finish, Flatten then do the transform, which is what I've been doing (keeping a separate copy of the layered file for reference). But ideally I'd like to do the fix, preserve the layers, and keep working all in the same file.

-- AT the beginning: Plan and do my transforms up-front before I start doing layer work-- live and learn! But sometimes you don't realize it until your into it.

But just to inquire if there's any way to have it apply to all the layers. PSE would have to do *alot* of adjusting/calculating, so I think probably not... Any help would be appreciated ... Thanks :) --S.

Byron Gale
May 2nd, 2007, 01:31 PM
Simone,

What if you select all of the layers in the Layers Palette (click the bottom layer, then SHIFT-click the top layer) and then apply Free Transform?

Or maybe Link the layers first? (This works in PSE3, as long as the Background Layer is not linked. I'm currently away from my PSE5 machine, so this is the best I can do, ATM)

Byron

Simone
May 2nd, 2007, 01:45 PM
Byron - THANK YOU! Your first suggestion works, I just tried it on something with tons of layers, masks etc. They were all adjusted correspondingly.

I never thought to try this because I thought only one layer could be selected/active at a time. I didn't know it was possible to select more than one layer....duhhhhh... I should have just tried it!

Well - problem solved - Thanks so much :D