Adjustment Panel Fly-out menu options.

The Adjustment Panel was added to Photoshop in CS4 and two of its Fly-out Menu options seem to be more a problem then useful.

 

These options are:

"Add Mask by Default" Adobe checked this option by default

"Clip to Layer" Adobe un-checks this option by default

 

The Adobe sets theirs defaults so that the current version of Photoshop will work the way all versions of Photoshop prior to CS4 behaved. When Adjustments Layers are added to a document they are added with layer mask. Additionally adjustment layers were added un-clipped by default but the user had an option to clip the adjustment layer being added in the new adjustment layer dialog. There was no way for users to change Photoshop default behavior prior to CS4.

 

The biggest problem is these options do not work as advertised, as stated.

 

For example if I un-check "Add Mask by Default" and I add and adjustment layer when there is no active selection the adjustment layer is added without an layer mask. However there is an active selection the Adjustment Layer is addled with a layer mask. When Action that contain make adjustment layer steps are played the Make Adjustment Layer steps work the same way. The is no indicator in the action steps that there should be or should not be a layer mask. So when there is no active selection all make adjustment layer steps will play the way the panel option is set, when there is a active selection a layer mask will be added to the adjustment layer no matter how the option "Add Mask by Default" is set.

 

For example if I check "Clip to Layer" and I add a adjustment layer it will be clipped to the layer. If I play action the have make adjustment layer the will all be clipped. However if I un-check "Clip to Layer" and play actions that contain make adjustment layer step some of the adjustment layer will be clipped for some make adjustment layer action steps have an indicator that the layer should be clipped.

 

I do not know if a solution can be found for these problems. Action should play like they are recorded. While there is and indicator that indicate that the adjustment layer should or should not be clipped in the make adjustment layer it is not always followed when the option "Clip to Layer" is checked or not checked. There is also no indicator in make adjustment layer action steps that there should or should not be a layer mask. No matter how the option "Add Mask by Default" is set if there is an active selection a layer mask will be included.

 

It has also been pointed out by an Adobe employee that most users do not know these option exist or if they do know these exist don't use them. Who can blame them for all these options seem to do is cause problems.

 

Perhaps its time to remover these to options and go back in time before CS4, CS5 and CS6 where all add adjustments layers were added with layer mask by default. A time where users had no problem adding and record adding adjustment layers un-clipped or clipped. Back to a time when Photoshop worked correctly.

 

I simple silly little action olen an image and run it with the options set the default way then run it with other settings. http://www.mouseprints.net/old/dpr/AdjustImage.atn