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maviskav
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grayed out features

Sep 6, 2012 1:54 PM

I was working in Elements 2.0 using Selection features, etc. now all of the sudden these features are grayed out, including some editing features too.  What could have happened?

642 Views   8 Replies   Latest reply: R_Kelly, Sep 6, 2012 10:46 PM
 
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  • 99jon
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    Jan 6, 2010
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    1. 99jon,
    Sep 6, 2012 1:59 PM   in reply to maviskav
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    If using a 16 bit image switch to 8 bit.

     

    Image >> Mode >> 8 Bits/Channel

     

     

     
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  • maviskav
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    2. maviskav,
    Sep 6, 2012 2:14 PM   in reply to 99jon
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    When I go to Image> Mode> the choices are: Bitmap, Grayscale, Indexed Color, & RGB Color (which is checked)

    Color Table is grayed

     
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  • 99jon
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    Jan 6, 2010
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    3. 99jon,
    Sep 6, 2012 2:23 PM   in reply to maviskav
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    You need to have an open image but if RGB is checked it's probably 8 bit already, if jpeg. Are you trying to make selections on layers - you may need to simplify.

     
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  • maviskav
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    4. maviskav,
    Sep 6, 2012 3:09 PM   in reply to 99jon
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    I am a beginner and tried to work with a layer.then saved the image.  Now

    when I open a new image - the features are grayed out.  Do you think I still

    have a layer open?!  How do I delete all layers?

     

     

     

    Thank you so much for all of your help.

     

     

     

    Lori Kavanaugh

     

    Marketing Director

     

    Ken Kavanaugh Golf Course Design

     

    520-323-8232 

     

    www.kenkavanaugh.com

     
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  • R_Kelly
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    5. R_Kelly,
    Sep 6, 2012 5:56 PM   in reply to maviskav
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    Elements 2 won't even open a 16 bits/channel file without converting to 8 bits/channel so that's not the problem.

     

    Certain selection features will be grayed out unless you have an active selection.

    Since you already in the RGB Color mode, do you have an adjustment layer, type layer or shape layer selected when some of the features are grayed out?

     

    Maybe posting a screenshot would better illustrate the problem.

     
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  • maviskav
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    6. maviskav,
    Sep 6, 2012 8:54 PM   in reply to R_Kelly
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    I feel really stupid, but I finally understand the concept!  I must have

    something selected before these features will work!!

     

     

     

    Can I ask one other unrelated question?

     

     

     

    My original images are jpgs from my photo card, and they are approx. 5 MB.

    When I open in Elements and do basic color corrections, then I do a "save

    as" to rename photo - the image is

     

    reduced to approx 1.5 MB.  Why would this be when I am not resizing the

    image - I am only doing simple brightness/contrast corrections?!

     

     

     

    Thank you again for all of your advice, guidance, suggestions.

     

     

     

    Regards,

     

     

     

    Lori

     

     

     

    Lori Kavanaugh

     

    Marketing Director

     

    Ken Kavanaugh Golf Course Design

     

    520-323-8232 

     

    www.kenkavanaugh.com

     
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  • photodrawken
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    7. photodrawken,
    Sep 6, 2012 9:11 PM   in reply to maviskav
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    When you use PSE to save a JPG, you're prompted for the JPG options -- the "Quality" setting determines the size of the saved file:  a low "Quality" setting will give a smaller file size.

     

    Ken

     
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  • R_Kelly
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    8. R_Kelly,
    Sep 6, 2012 10:46 PM   in reply to maviskav
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    That's due to compression that the jpeg format uses to keep file sizes smaller.

    Jpeg compression compresses the image data and doesn't change the pixel dimensions of the image.

     

    A setting of 8 to 10 in the jpeg options dialog should give you fairly good quality with a setting of 10 being a good compromise between quality and file size.

    The 12 setting is overkill for most uses and will actually increase the file size most of the time when resaving jpeg files.

     
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