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How do I select _all_ pixels in a layer?


Mansson

Mansson

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I've noticed that I get a good flow painting over a textured canvas (blank canvases are not for me) when doing so I work with a brush with the opacity set to about 45 and two layers, the bg textures and the actual image.
When I feel I'm done with my sketch I want to exclude the bg layer but still use the texture seen through the actual image i.e. I want to select all pixels in the top layer, merge this with the bg texture and then cut it out.

I've tried a couple of techniques (incl. ctrl + click on the layer icon) but not found any technique that selects _all pixels_ in a layer without me having to manually add some here and there.
Anyone have a clue how to?

Example:
example.jpg

Many thanks in advance.
/Mansson
 
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Try this:

Make your marquee selection however you need to and then use Edit > Copy Merged......(Shift + CTRL + C)

This will copy everything within the marquee regardless of which layer it is on into the clipboard.

From here you can use CTRL + V to paste that onto its own layer or whatever you want to do with it.

Regards.
MrTom.
 
Thank's MrTom! That sped up the procedure but it didn't answer the question I had with the select all pixels issue (a quick way).
My own solution was to Ctrl+ click the layer icon and then right click and "Add transparency mask" (just a wild guess), copy the merged layers and paste it multiple times (>3 times) on a new canvas.
There's got to be a better way/function hidden in there some where. :)
Best,
Mansson
 
In that case I'm not understanding the question correctly.

CTRL + Click thumbnail creates a marquee based on ALL the pixels in that layer....regardless of transparency (Opacity).

If you then COPY that and paste it you'll find its exactly the same as the original.

What you may be getting confused with is how PS DISPLAYS the marquee......it will only place the 'marching ants' around pixels with 50% opacity or greater.

To test this, click in a new layer with a large soft brush.
CTRL + Click the new layer thumbnail. The marquee boundary will be around halfway between the extremes of the pixels.
CTRL + C to copy the pixels.
CTRL + V to paste the pixels on a new layer.

The two layers should be identical...proving that all the pixels were included in the COPY command despite the marquee DISPLAYING only around those over 50% opacity.

EDIT:
I think the penny has just dropped and I now see your problem......scrub the above, hold the phone...I'll be back!

Regards.
MrTom.
 
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Mansson said:
Thank's MrTom! That sped up the procedure but it didn't answer the question I had with the select all pixels issue (a quick way).
My own solution was to Ctrl+ click the layer icon and then right click and "Add transparency mask" (just a wild guess), copy the merged layers and paste it multiple times (>3 times) on a new canvas.
There's got to be a better way/function hidden in there some where. :)
Best,
Mansson
Click to expand...

Right click in the layer (in the layer pallet) -Select Pixels. Ctrl J will make a new layer
 
My apologies....after some testing I now see the problem you are having.....the penny has finally dropped.

I don't think there is an easier answer than the solution you already use but I'll play around with it a little further and see what I can come up with.

Don't hold your breath though, it may be just the way PS 'works'....or doesn't, as the case may be.

Sorry again for misunderstanding the question....I have it now!:thumbsup:

Regards.
MrTom.
 
Hi Mansson
The penny has not dropped for me as it has for Mr Tom yet let me give this a go.

I am assuming that for you image Layer there are pixels that are partially transparent where you see through to the texture. You want to preserve this partial transparency yet cut out around the edges of the image Layer where there is full transparency and do this as efficiently as possible.

So here is my take on this
- Duplicate the Image Layer (this is going to be used to create a hard mask around the Image and then this Layer will be thrown away)
- Turn off visibility of the original Image Layer
- On the duplicated Image Layer: Layer > Layer Mask > From Transparency This will create a Layer Mask based on the Transparency in the Image
- Adjust the Threshold Adjustment until it shows the correct boundary around around the image
- Right Click on the Layer Mask and choose Add Layer Mask to Selection (this will give a hard boundary mask only around the whole image)
- Turn off visibility or Delete the duplicate Image Layer
- Turn on visibility to original Image Layer and select this Layer
- Merge down to combine with Texture Layer
- Cmd/Ctrl + J copies the hard outline of the Image with merged texture to its own Layer

No need to paste multiple times

Nor sure how much easier this is yet thought it was worth mentioning.
 
LOL.....excellent answer there thebestcpu, and is more or less the conclusion I've just come to.

As you've explained it already I'll skip that bit and just offer an alternative way of doing more or less the same thing...

[video=youtube_share;gk4dvtyKaEs]http://youtu.be/gk4dvtyKaEs[/video]

I'll only add that you could record this as an action to make things a little easier.

Regards.
MrTom.
 
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This is quite complicated, it had me thinking for a while - just what am I trying to do here :) The threshold is still a weak part but also crucial, I don't think there's a simple solution unless I linework the whole image.
Thanks for taking time to help out! Much appreciated.
/Mansson
 
Mansson said:
This is quite complicated...
Click to expand...
LOL....never a truer word spoken!

It doesn't help by the way Adobe have implemented things......I guess they reckon nobody would ever want to use all the pixels on a layer to make a marquee but as you've proven there is a fully justified reason for doing so.

On further investigation this appears to be an on-going annoyance....and knowing Adobe they'll ignore it until someone with a big comfy chair and a 6 figure pay packet suggests it as a 'new feature' for the 2040 CC 2014 update SP37. (Revised)

For now, we'll just have to live with a 'work round'.

Regards.
MrTom.
 
ALB68 said:
Right click in the layer (in the layer pallet) -Select Pixels. Ctrl J will make a new layer
Click to expand...

Sorry, I over simplified. Didn't read :banghead:
 
How interesting. There's a lot of features used in a whole other way than intended I reckon.
Thanks again MrTom, you've been a great help.

Best,
Mansson
 
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