Layer selection on history?

[Samuele Granzotto]

Hi everyone, just a simple question because in every years I never seen a way for this problem.
Why when I go back in history photoshop skips the step of the layer selection? It's an annoying thing for a digital artist because when you select a layer, draw on it, jump to another selecting it on layer panel, draw on this last one with 1 history step (just one stroke) and you were wrong and press ALT+CMD+Z to go back, you jumped directly on the previous layer and if you paint on... you painting on the wrong layer!
:banghead:

Is there a way to bypass this trouble? (The single CMD+Z is not accepted because it's ok only for 1 step)
Thanks!

 

[iDad]

on a mac it's command+option+ Z for multiple step backs one step at a time

 

[Felder]

Go to Windows --> History
If you haven't done anything then it should be blank, other wise you will see the limited amount of History (1 to 1000) to go back and forth.

 

[ibclare]

I think I understand your question because I have had it happen to me. When you return in history and undo what you have done, such as add a layer and paint on it, you have indeed undone your later work. So your new layer doesn't even exist.

For instance. You added a layer mask to an image and painted on it. Then you applied the mask. Now you make another layer and do some cloning on it. Then you make another change. Now you wish you had not applied the layer mask, so you undo using the history palette. Anything you have done since, any layer you made, blend mode changes, filters, etc. will be gone. So if you were on the cloning layer and continue cloning, you'll be working somewhere you don't want to be -- that layer is gone.

Like I said, just an example. No way around this that I know of, except to make non-destructive changes so you don't have to undo as much.

 

[Samuele Granzotto]

I think I understand your question because I have had it happen to me. When you return in history and undo what you have done, such as add a layer and paint on it, you have indeed undone your later work. So your new layer doesn't even exist.

For instance. You added a layer mask to an image and painted on it. Then you applied the mask. Now you make another layer and do some cloning on it. Then you make another change. Now you wish you had not applied the layer mask, so you undo using the history palette. Anything you have done since, any layer you made, blend mode changes, filters, etc. will be gone. So if you were on the cloning layer and continue cloning, you'll be working somewhere you don't want to be -- that layer is gone.

Like I said, just an example. No way around this that I know of, except to make non-destructive changes so you don't have to undo as much.

Yes. That's a perfectly example of what I said. No chance to have a trick? It's a big annoying thing because so we need to control the layers every time without freedom...

 

[ibclare]

OK, so No. No workaround. Just watch the layer you have selected. It's just logic and programs are based on logical algorithms (don't know if that's the right expression for what happens when you go back in the history palette). History takes you back to place you were working at the time you have designated returning to. I just don't know how better to express this.

My advice is to do things non-destructively and you will find less necessity to use the history palette, just the undo or ctl/cmd + alt/opt + Z to go back a few steps, as in erasing or painting, etc. I hardly ever use the eraser anymore on a vital image. As I said, use non-destructive methods. So instead of eraser, add a layer mask and paint with black which serves the same function, but does not remove parts of an image, only hides them and you can reveal them again by painting over on the mask with white.

By the same token, when you make adjustments do it with a clipped layer adjustment. If you are going to add a filter and are not absolutely certain of the results, convert your layer to a smart object (choosing smart filter is the same thing) then the filter will be displayed for you to edit or delete later. Then when you are perfectly satisfied (100% I'd say), rasterize the layer.

With a smart object, you can always increase and decrease the size of the object without destroying pixels. Great advantage. No need to go back in history log to get the original back. I also advise keeping all originals, duplicating, renaming, then hiding the originals in a group or below a solid BG layer, or just turn the eyes off. I prefer groups and often move the whole group below a solid color layer (even if the solid color is not an integral part of the image; it can be deleted or turned of later). This organization keeps your document organized and easier to see. Try to group layers whenever possible and be sure to name the group.

Naming layers and groups with recognizable terms my sound unnecessary, but wait till you have 20, 30, 40 layers or more.

Smart objects make your document bigger, but to me it is worth it. If for some reason, things slow down, then take the originals out and put them into a new doc. You can even do that with your smart object layers: duplicate in your working document, move the original smart object over to new doc, rasterize your working file S.O., and so on. Don't forget, especially if you are working with a psd that is so large it might slow PS down (depending on your RAM) to save frequently. I have lost half an hour's work or more a couple times because I didn't save frequently enough -- very easy to get caught up in what you're doing and forget to save -- and PS crashed.

Work smart, not hard. Forget history, live in the moment.