Using the "undo" feature (ctrl+z)

[Roln]

As a newbie.....I frequently use the "undo" feature...using the "ctrl+z" keys.
Is there a way to have the "ctrl+z" keys continue to repeat the "undo" by holding them down?

I realize this isn't a life or death situation, but I often want to undo more than a few times to get back to the beginning of an edit.

[Sepiana]

Hi Roln,

There is a command called "Revert." It takes your image back to the way it was -- back to the last time you saved it.

EDIT: This command is located in the Edit menu.

[Roln]

Hi Sepiana,

That's not exactly what I want...... Say I've done twelve adjustments to an image and I want to back up seven. Rather than kit the ctrl + Z keys seven times, I thot there might be away to hold the keys down and undo the last seven steps.
This is not a big deal, but I've goofed a few times and let my fingers hit the ctrl + X keys by accident or something similar.

[Sepiana]

Hi Roln, ok, I understand it now.

I think we have to keep pressing Ctrl-Z. I never use this shortcut -- I always end up pressing some other key combination. I prefer to use the "Undo" button.

But let's see if someone else comes up with a better solution.

[WayneS]

Ctrl + Y will take you forward, just as Ctrl + Z takes you back!

Wayne

[Sepiana]

Hi Roln, your question intrigued me. So I went back and experimented with PSE7.

Suppose you have opened an image and you have done the following adjustments:

Open image
Duplicate layer
Remove Color
Levels
Photo Filter - Sepia

and you want to undo all the adjustments you made after "Duplicate layer."

Try this:

1. Go to Window > Undo History
2. Right-click on the first adjustment you made after duplicating the layer (in this case, "Remove Color") > Choose Delete.

Adjustments following the one you selected will also be deleted. You'll be back to when you duplicated the layer.

I hope this makes sense.

[cats4jan]

I have my undo history always open.

It lists the last 20 or so moves so I can choose a point 8 steps back with one click - and then move forward from there.

The only thing is - once you move back and then do anything new - all the other steps are gone. That's serious, but for me, the undo history has been the easiest way to go back in my work process.

I don't have Elements open, but in CS3 you can access this palette and keep it open in the edit area by clicking the checkmark in window> history

[Roln]

Oh, my....I think I opened a can of worms with my silly question. I didn't mean to cause a rukus. LOL
I'm getting used to using the ctrl +Z key and the Y key, the "revert" and history thingies. I sometimes just delete the last layer or two or three too. I've even closed the image and reloaded it a few times....to start over from scratch.
I'm getting along okay and learning a little bit each day and I feel I'm getting a few good edits, etc. Things are not so strange anymore and that is comforting. You know the saying, it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks!
The main thing is....I'm having loads of fun.
Thanks to all that posted reply messages....

[Sepiana]

Roln, thanks for asking this question. I'm glad you did. It led me to research and experiment with the Undo History feature -- I hadn't used it before.:o I owe you one.:)

[Diana]

I recommend the Undo History palette if you haven't tried it. It really comes in handy sometimes when you want to revert back to a certain point in time in your image.

By default, the Undo History palette lists 50 steps. Your can change (increase or decrease) from Edit > Preferences > Performance.

Diana

[Roln]

Thanks, Diana.....I will give the History palette a try...next time I edit something.

[Wendy]

I always use the Undo History Palette ... its just so easy to step back using it :)

Wendy

[ladybug]

I use the undo history a lot also, it really comes in handy.

[TonyW]

The only thing is - once you move back and then do anything new - all the other steps are gone. That's serious, but for me, the undo history has been the easiest way to go back in my work process.

One Undo History trick I use from time to time is to go back to an earlier step and then use File>Duplicate. That makes a copy of the image as it was at the earlier step. Now if you go back to the first images Undo History you can click back to where you originally were because it hasn't lost the other steps.

Helpful if are working on an image and decide you want to try something different in the middle but don't want to lose what you've done so far (or just want to compare two or more alternative ways).

Tony

[Wendy]

That a good tip Tony ...

Thanks
Wendy :)

[Diana]

Yes, great tip, Tony.:)

Diana