Expert: LizaL - 7/5/2006

Question
How do you reselect a selection in PS CS2 in Windows? Clicking on the eye while holding down either the alt or control key doesn't work. I have a mac at home but PC at work.

Answer
Hi again Joanne,

I seem to remember answering this, but maybe I misunderstood you. Let me recap, and please tell me if I'm understanding your terminology here.

I don't have Photoshop CS2, but I can explain this to you for Photoshop CS. I'd imagine the commands would be the same, or at least similar, but I can't absolutely vouch for that, since I don't have CS2. But take a look at this, and if it doesn't work, or if it's not what you're talking about, please post back and let me know.


1. To activate a layer in Photoshop CS 2 -- that is, to select the *whole* layer and everything on it, and to see an active selection marquee around the entire layer -- you hold down Control ( on a PC), and click the "eye" icon in the Layers palette. But now I don't think that's what you want to do.


2. On the other hand -- if you've made and saved a selection, and you want to *reload* that selection, that's another story. This is where I might have misunderstood you. I'll explain that, and you tell me if this is what you want to know.

-- First make your path, which will become your selection. Using the pen tool and the open shapes option, draw the path, and then click on the flyout menu of the Paths palette. This is the little triangle at the top right of the palette. From the submenus of the flyout menu, select Make Selection. Now your path should be activated.

-- Now go to the Select pulldown menu. Select Save Selection, and give the selection a name. Now that you've saved the selection, you can go back and reactivate it (which is maybe what you mean by "reselect"). To reactivate it, go back to the Select pulldown menu and select "Load Selection," and from the popup menu you'll see where you can choose the name you gave your selection.

Take a look at this -- I did it in Photoshop CS, and as I mentioned before, I don't have CS2. But hopefully the commands will be at least similar, if not the same. If not, plese post back. (Might take a minute for the movie to load.)

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

Hope this helps!

Lisa