re PS CS

Hi
I am using Photoshop CS version and find the positioning of the various toolbars a little problematical. With the editing screen up, the image sits fairly and squarely in the centre of the screen so many of the tool boxes overlap

I have tried all ways to position these boxes to no avail. In fact apart from the "actions" box I try to avoid using them now which rather defeats the object.

There seem to be four possible solutions

Buy a separate monitor for all tools - great idea but expensive and anyway the real estate on the desk is severely limited already

Second, buy a wide screen monitor - not so expensive on desk space. but may not solve the problem

Third, downsize the image for editing - not very inspiring when I really want to get full screen or as big as possible anyway.

Fourth - find some way of repositioning the image so that it is off centre, thus leaving a wider margin for the various tool boxes. This seems to be the best solution

Do any of the genii out there know a way to reposition the image?

Cheers

In the standard view there is a blue bar on the top of the image, click and hold to move it anywhere you like.

If you are using a different view you can toggle the various boxes on and off using the tab key, but I'm not sure that you can decentre the image.

I would just go for a bigger monitor. We use 19" CRTs and that's a pretty good size for most purposes.

Graham,
I tend to switch image modes with the "F" key (there are three modes, BTW - "Normal", "Full screen Black", and "Full screen Grey".

In full screen mode it's helpful to hold the space bar down and click and drag to move the workspace. This mode is great for when you're using lasso and pen tools right to the image edge

Also, pressing Ctrl-0 (zero) will resize the image to fit the screen. When there's the "bar" above the image ("Normal mode" this will automatically fit the image around the tools laid out.

BTW, Ctrl-Shift-0 (zero) will show at 100%. I use these shortcuts all the time!

Hope that helps
Matt

Get two screens. They don't have to be side-by-side. You could mount one on the wall above the other, maybe.

I've used dual monitors for years and it makes a huge difference to your efficiency in all sorts of jobs.

Also, everyone in the office has dual monitors, too. It is simply not worth messing about for the cost of an extra monitor these days.

Im with John and use a 19" monitor. I hate it also when the toolboxes overlap with the image but the 19" suits me perfectly. But i suppose if you go out and buy the 19" you will have 2 monitors anyway so you may as well use lenscape's idea its a catch 22 i guess.

If Only.... there comes a time when life is all about priorities

I guess life is not perfect (invites cryptic comment from George ) so even if I had two monitors I have no room to use them both - other than on the ceiling perhaps.

Obviously the software contains co-ordinates dictating where the image will appear so there must be a way if you are a PS programmer.

The tiled (standard?) view with the blue bar holds its position to some degree, but I usually load 5 or 10 images at a time and work through them which means the tiled view becomes a bit cluttered.

Nil desperandum, I don't suppose it is the end of the world.

Cheers

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned using the Tab key to toggle the palette's on and off.

Chris

Oh that's brilliant, didn't know you could do that, thanks screwdriver !
I have a 19" TFT and most times find it roomy enough, but on reflection wish I had got the widescreen.

Lilly

this is a problem I have from time to time and I don't know why it happens or how to fix it, sometimes it just fixes itself.

If say when you use the burn or dodge or any brush type tool, you set the pixel size of area you want to cover with the tool, sometimes when I place the tool over image no matter how small or large tool is set, instead of say a circle I get just cross hairs, it is very annoying, then for seemingly no reason it fixes itself!

confused?

It's not random - you have the CAPS LOCK on

Turning CAPS LOCK on will go to "precision" mode where there's a cross hair so you can get exact placement. Caps Lock off will go back to showing the brush outline.


Matt

Thank you Oh Great mine of information

I think that there is an alarming chance that Matt knows everything !!

Tim do you think he might be some super computer and not flesh and blood as we are lead to believe

All I will say is this

(Hint: there's always a good Google search that'll find what you don't know already )

Well, I do know this... I've been in a serious creative slump for the past few months and can't shift it

Glad to help out here though
Matt