Expert: LizaL - 11/28/2006

Question
Lisa, I did that but all I get is a rectangle with a broken line. I finally went over to the layers and highlighted it there.
-------------------------------------------
The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I'm stuck in the first lesson, I can't get the type tool to highlight the text. What am I doing wrong?
-----Answer-----
Hi Pam,

Highlighting text is a pretty universal thing -- that's is, the procedure is pretty much the same in most applications. Select your text tool, then click your mouse button (preferably at the beginning or end of your text), then, while holding down your mouse button, drag horizontally either to the right or left, depending on what you're selecting. If you're selecting a whole paragraph, you might drag diagonally. The text will highlight and as such, be in an editable state.

Like this:
http://little-works.com/all_experts/highlighttext.mov

Hope this helps!

Lisa

Answer
Hi Pam,

Are you sure you're using the text tool? It sounds to me like you're using the marquee selection tool, which would result in what you're describing -- a rectangle made up of broken lines. It would look like this:

http://little-works.com/all_experts/using_marquee.mov

That's what you DON'T want to do. Make sure you've selected your Text tool. There are several options here -- the one it sounds like you want is the top one, the Horizontal Type Tool.

Like this:

http://little-works.com/all_experts/typetool2.mov


Now if you're sure you're using the right tool, it might be that you have something wrong with your program. In that case, it might help to reinstall. What platform are you using, Mac or PC? If you're using a Mac and you trash and reinstall Photoshop, there are several sets of user preferences you'll need to trash, as well. So if you go that route, post back and I'll tell you how to go about reinstalling and trashing the prefs.

BTW -- are you taking a class online? Have you mentioned this to your instructor?

Lisa