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Posted on 22/10/09 5:02:30 PM |
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Mark Goodwin
**** Posts: 261 Reply  |
Background Delete
Why is it please that, I can make a perfect selection with (whatever) tool, and then when I hit 'delete' nothing happens. However, if I go into Edit>Clear the background is immediately dispatched with! Mac G5. Could it be the way the keyboard is configured? Thanks in advance Mark _________________ Mark Goodwin If you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got! |
Posted on 22/10/09 6:35:44 PM |
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Deborah Morley
Makeover Magician Posts: 1319 Reply  |
Re: Background Delete
Hello Mark, Are you working on the Background layer? If you are, just go to Layer, new layer from background, call it something else and then PS will let you delete. You can't delete from the background layer. Hope this is what you meant! |
Posted on 22/10/09 10:38:41 PM |
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Mark Goodwin
**** Posts: 261 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Hi Deborah Many thanks for the reply. I though you may have hit upon it then. However, I have just tried it and that doesn't appear to be the answer. I nearly always start by double clicking the background layer, this turns it from a background into a layer? I Usually then dupe that layer incase I have any serious problems, I can then go back to the original. Am I correct in my assumption that double clicking the background layer, is basically the same as, making a layer from background? Should I not be double clicking the background layer to start? It's the silly little things like this that really get me going!! I am having great success (so far) with the Pen Tool, but just this silly delete is foxing me. Many thanks Mark _________________ Mark Goodwin If you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got! |
Posted on 22/10/09 11:40:17 PM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply  |
Re: Background Delete
Yes double clicking does turn a background into a layer and therefore you should be able to press delete to create transparency not really sure what's at the root of your problem can you post a screen grab of your layers. |
Posted on 23/10/09 00:12:48 AM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
I noticed doing some tests that you can also use the [Backspace] key to Clear. Try this Mark and if it works then you can use that as an alternative. |
Posted on 23/10/09 00:38:43 AM |
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Mark Goodwin
**** Posts: 261 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Thanks Becky. Just tried it but still no luck. The method I just tried was as follows (maybe you can tell me if this method is OK or not). A photo of a single tower Mill in a field. Outline around the mill with the pen tool. Make a selection. Hit delete! or Hit Backspace, Nothing. Still on this one layer pic as above, only this time, Edit>Clear. And the background is gone! I would send you a copy of the pic, if I only new how to attach it!! 
Regards _________________ Mark Goodwin If you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got! |
Posted on 23/10/09 00:51:03 AM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Well doesn't seem that you're doing anything wrong. When you say you made the pen tool path you sucessfully turned it into the "marching ants" selection by pressing [Cmd]+[Enter] - if so then I can only think it's a fault with the default key binding within Photoshop. |
Posted on 23/10/09 00:58:22 AM |
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Mark Goodwin
**** Posts: 261 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Oh well, at least I know I am doing something right! I shall continue to experiment. Thanks again _________________ Mark Goodwin If you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got! |
Posted on 23/10/09 01:06:02 AM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Well you seem to know what you're doing - most people who haven't a clue about Photoshop wouldn't even be attempting to make a selection using the Pen Tool that's pretty advanced. Option+Cmd+Shift+K will bring up the Keyboard Shortcuts have a look around there and see if anything is out of the ordinary. |
Posted on 23/10/09 01:09:22 AM |
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Mark Goodwin
**** Posts: 261 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
 Hey Bex! It works!!
I went back and tried again exactly the same as before, and again tried the backspace. Out went the background! The delete still didn't do it, but I'm fine with that as long I now know backspace keystroke will work. Thank you very much both Becky and Deborah for your input. Cheers Chaps! _________________ Mark Goodwin If you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got! |
Posted on 23/10/09 01:10:41 AM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Glad you found at least a solution that works.  |
Posted on 23/10/09 07:51:13 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7072 Reply  |
Re: Background Delete
Mark, I've always called the Backspace key the Delete key - I think most people do. Recently I've noticed that some get confused, so in later versions of the book I've changed the word to Backspace. You're thinking of the key that deletes forwards, right? Different thing entirely! Glad you're sorted steve |
Posted on 23/10/09 08:25:29 AM |
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Nick Curtain
Model Master Posts: 1768 Reply  |
Re: Background Delete
Very strange, as delete works fine on the PC with CS3. I use Alt / Ctrl and backspece to fill with foreground and background colours. Nick |
Posted on 23/10/09 09:42:18 AM |
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maiden
Golden Gif Gagster Posts: 471 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Yeah Same here, Nick. Delete or Backspace works on the PC - didn't realise it was different for the Mac. |
Posted on 23/10/09 12:29:35 PM |
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Mark Goodwin
**** Posts: 261 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Steve, Thanks for that, actually I should have realised because although my keyboard on the G5 has both Backspace & Delete keys, I was surprised recently when I bought a MacBook Pro to find that it only has the Backspace key. At first I found it odd trying to delete words and stuff. I had to keep reposition the cursor so that I could delete to the left! However, as you say, I'm now sorted, and so glad that I found a) your books and b) this site. Thank you, one and all  _________________ Mark Goodwin If you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got! |
Posted on 23/10/09 1:59:54 PM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7072 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
If you hold the "fn" key as you press Backspace, it will delete forwards. There's always a workaround! |
Posted on 23/10/09 2:08:19 PM |
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Mark Goodwin
**** Posts: 261 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Brilliant!!
Thanks Steve On another subject, I have had a very crude go at the Fri Challenge. Where do I go to read how to upload etc please? Thanks _________________ Mark Goodwin If you do what you have always done, you'll get what you've always got! |
Posted on 23/10/09 3:07:38 PM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7072 Reply |
Re: Background Delete
Delighted to see you've chosen to enter the Challenge! It really does seem to be the best way to improve your Photoshop skills - tackling work you've been set stretches you much more than tinkering with your own images. First of all, you need to use Save for Web (File menu) to reduce the size of your image to under 100K (to save my bandwidth). Choose JPEG as the file type, and lower the quality setting till it comes in right. Then reply to the initial post on the Friday Challenge page, and click the Attachment button beneath the word Message on the left. Choose your file, and that's it! |