Adobe Photoshop CS4 - Manual (Page 302)

295 USING PHOTOSHOP CS4
Layers
Last updated 1/10/2010
Apply lock options to selected layers or a group
1 Select multiple layers or a group.
2 Choose Lock Layers or Lock All Layers In Group from the Layers menu or the Layers panel menu.
3 Select lock options, and click OK.
Managing layers
Rename a layer or group
As you add layers to an image, it’s helpful to give them names that reflect their content. Descriptive names make layers
easy to identify in the panel.
❖ Do one of the following:
• Double-click the layer name or group name in the Layers panel, and enter a new name.
• Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and double-click the layer (not its name or thumbnail) in the Layers
panel. Enter a new name in the Name text box, and click OK.
• Select a layer or group, and choose Layer Properties or Group Properties from the Layers menu or the Layers panel
menu. Enter a new name in the Name text box, and click
OK.
Assign a color to a layer or group
Color coding layers and groups helps you locate related layers in the Layers panel.
1 Do one of the following:
• Select a layer or group, and choose Layer Properties or Group Properties from the Layers menu or the Layers panel menu.
• Press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), and double-click the layer (not its name or thumbnail) in the Layers
panel.
2 Choose a color from the Color pop-up menu, and click OK.
Rasterize layers
You cannot use the painting tools or filters on layers that contain vector data (such as type layers, shape layers, vector
masks, or Smart Objects) and generated data (such as fill layers). However, you can rasterize these layers to convert
their contents into a flat, raster image.
❖ Select the layers you want to rasterize, choose Layer > Rasterize, and then choose an option from the submenu:
Type Rasterizes the type on a type layer. It does not rasterize any other vector data on the layer.
Shape Rasterizes a shape layer.
Fill Content Rasterizes the fill of a shape layer, leaving the vector mask.
Vector Mask Rasterizes the vector mask on a layer, turning it into a layer mask.
Smart Object Converts a Smart Object into a raster layer.
Video Rasterizes the current video frame to an image layer.
3D (Extended only) Rasterizes the current view of 3D data into a flat raster layer.