Help with PSE?

[Jen D]

This is Jennifer's husband and my wife has asked me to ask ya'll(hee hee) how to drag a background layer on to a layout and have it be centered, also what is a smart object thumbnail?

you girls are super!!!

Tony

[mugsbigsis]

Hi Jennifer's husband. On my mac I hold the shift key while dragging to center something on a layout and the thumbnail is the square pic in the layers palette on the right. HTH :O)

[sarahorton]

Kelly has you covered on centering the background image - just hold the Shift key as you drag.

You'll get that Smart Object thumbnail if you drag an item UP from the bin in Photoshop Elements 6 or 7. When you do this, it resizes the image and interferes with any transparent pixels. I recommended clicking on the item in your bin to make it the active layer and then drag it DOWN onto your working document in the Project Bin instead of dragging up.

Here's info on the Adobe website about Smart Objects.

[Jen D]

Hello Kelly!! apparently the shift key that you speak of is not working the way you stated(I am such a guy). Jennifer explained it in japanese and this is my interpretation: when she drags the paper onto the layout it shows up as 2 inch x2 inch square it does not center on the layout or cover the layout. (man i need some football right now!)

thank you so much Kelly!!
Do I lose my man card for asking this?

Tony

[sarahorton]

Tony,
If the paper is being resized, be sure to click the object in your Project bin to select it - making it large in the editing window.
Then use the Move tool to drag that large view down onto the document in your Project bin.

Also, check to make sure that resolution is the same on both the paper and the document you are working on. if the paper is lower resolution, it will come in as a much smaller image.

[Jen D]

Thank you Sara. apparently that worked for her. also thank you Kelly for your response. this has been very exciting and interesting and I must go pour a drink and debrief!!

I love that this place has created a passion in my wife that adds a hop in her step.

A happy wife is a happy home and we are happy!!

Tony

[Jen D]

Thanks girls I am home from my crop and that was exactly what I needed to hear! I thought using CS4 I shouldn't have too much trouble just clicking away... had no idea how different it would be!!! So much for helping my newbie friend! You saved me! Thanks!

[esther_a]

Jen, that is the funniest conversation!! Your DH is SO sweet!!

[earlofoxford]

I so enjoyed reading this conversation!

I know I'm probably committing some PSE sin, but I double click items in my bin which brings them to my workspace. Then I just use the move tool to slide them onto my layout. (I'm on PSE6.) It seems so backward to me to drag an item down to the tiny thumbnail in the bin.

[maureenreynolds]

I do it the way you do Linda unless I have a lot of photos there waiting. If I only have one or two I drag from the workspace but usually I drag from the layer icon to the layout page (having selected the spot first).

Jen, you do have a good man there!

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by maureenreynolds

I do it the way you do Linda unless I have a lot of photos there waiting. If I only have one or two I drag from the workspace but usually I drag from the layer icon to the layout page (having selected the spot first).

Jen, you do have a good man there!

This was so much fun, it made me smile! I am really archaic, I select all/copy/paste my stuff in the project bin onto my layout.

[mugsbigsis]

Originally Posted by Jen D

Do I lose my man card for asking this?
Tony

HA! You don't loose any card. You get big points in my book for asking!
Glad Sarah cleared up the thumbnail thing as I missed the "smart" part. lol

Hope you had fun Jen. I was using my brother-in-law's CS4 at the crop in San Antonio since I didn't have a laptop to bring and it drove me nuts! Not a time to have to get use to something new. lol

[KerryMac]

this exchange is making me giggle!

[Crystal]

oh goodness! Glad you got it figured out, but that was so funny! You are one lucky gal to have a hubby come on here and ask for you! lol!!

[deanie]

Jen, we must have another chat and invite your hubby again! What a cool guy!