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As pointed out in the thread subject line, both the clone stamp tool and healing brush are not working for me in Photo Elements 7.
When I am attempting to use it, I get the message: "Could not use clone stamp tool because the area to clone has not been defined". Well, this is not the case since I did define it with command Alt + left mouse click.
Background:
Photo Elements 7 is installed in Windows XP Professional SP3. The latter runs as a virtual O/S with Sun VirtualBox on host SuSE Linux 11.1 (Gnome).
I have run out of ideas as to what the problem could be, so I am requesting assistance from the forum community. Thank you very kindly in advance for replies.
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Has it ever worked right?
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No it did not work. It is actually a pity since I find this tool quite useful to remove unwanted objects in a photo.
Thank you for replying.
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Okay, it sounds from your posts like you know to be sure you're not alt-clicking an adjustment layer or something. Start by deleting the preferences. Quit the editor, then restart it while holding down ctrl+alt+shift. Keep holding the keys till you see a window asking if you want to delete the settings file. You do.
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Thank you again Barbara for swift reply. I followed your recommendation to the dot but to no avail. I just got the same message to the effect that an area to be cloned was not defined.
I should add to my original background info that both the Linux host O/S and Sun Vbox runs as 64 bit software but not Windows XP (guest O/S) which is 32 bit. I doubt it that it matters any but I may be wrong.
So, what now?.
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I would try uninstalling/reinstalling with all antivirus, antimalware, and anything from Symantec disabled.
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Following your recommandations Barbara, I still have the same message and the clone stamp tool is not functional.
In order to isiolate the problem I installed PSE 7 in the pre-view version of Windows 7 (64 bit). Result: same old same old. In other words the same message appears telling me to define the area to be cloned.
I don't know what to try next. It seems to me though that somewhere in this forum there was a note from a Linux user who had the same problem but the windows system of the host O/S was KDE. I use GNOME. I do not recall the exact detail and I wonder if it could be the same kind of problem as Alt+right click of the mouse is simply not being recognized.
I wonder if you recall seeing this thread/note. As always, thank you for your attention and assistance.
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I'm not sure if this would apply to you or not:
http://technologytales.com/2008/10/24/alt-click-problems-in-ubuntu-hosted-virtualbox-windows-guests/
and I found this ... look at the first post on this page.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=678851
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Thank you very much Terry for the link to the Technology Tales. Yes it does apply and I am happy to report that the Clone and Healing tools work.
Here is the fix for SuSE 11.1: In SuSE 11.1 with Gnome the following needs to be done to reassign the Alt key to the "Super" key"
Select application 'CompizSettings Manager' (located in the Utilities applications), scroll down to section 'Window Management', then click on 'Move Window' icon, click on icon <Alt Button1>, and select Super Button1. The finished edit must show <SuperButton1>.
Bye with a big sigh 🙂
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OH MY GOODNESS, It would mean A LOT TO ME IF YOU HELPED ME. I HAVE THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, EXCEPT MINE IS ONLY THE CLONE STAMP.
I don't have a mac. I use a Windows Vista and use Adobe Premiere Elements 7.0 on it.
I have the same exact problem now, the clone stamp randomly stopped working, a week ago. I tried resetting, doing everything else you can think
of and its just not working. Now I also tried doing that trick you did that helped yours work, but since I have a windows vista I am so lost and
don't know how to get to those settings or where to go. Anyone know anything about how to help fix mine, please reply to me. It would mean so much
to me. What also makes me sad is that I misplaced my cd-rom to uninstall and re-install, thats why I want to get through this naturally and try to fix it without
re-installing it and stuff. Please help me.
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Do you mean photoshop elements 7 and not premiere elements?
The fix posted above only applies to linux os systems, which is
different from mac and windows.
On windows vista Alt+left click is to set the clone source.
Try the following steps one at a time.
1. reset the clone stamp tool by clicking triangle on the far left of the
tool options bar and select reset tool.
2. Go to Edit>Preset Manager and click Done in the dialog that appears.
3. Reset the elements 7 preferences by holding down the Shift+Alt+Ctrl keys
at the same time you start elements 7. In the dialog that appears, click yes.
Hope this helps.
MTSTUNER
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Thank you so much for the reply. However, I have tried that too, and it still doesn't work. And yes, it is for photoshop elements 7.0
I really don't know what to do anymore, none of those stuff work. This is so frustrating. :*(
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Could you describe the problem with the clone stamp tool?
MTSTUNER
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Alright, I will make a snapshot/screenshot right this second and reply to you again. One second, let me make it right now and link it and send it to you here.
Okay, I got the screenshots. So this is what basically happens by step:
1: I haven't clicked the alt the clicked the left button on the mouse yet, so its on normal mode of the clone stamp:
http://i36.tinypic.com/eo9ao.png
2: I have clicked alt now, and the left button on the mouse trying to get some clonage, but the point isn't even moving.
http://i38.tinypic.com/nyegbb.png
3: Last but not least, after pressing alt and all the stuff in order to clone, and if I press to clone on the image this is what happens:
http://i38.tinypic.com/282micx.png
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Do you have wireless mouse? If so check the battery.
Also regardless of how mouse is hooked up, check the mouse settings from
the control panel. Look at the left and right button settings to see if something has changed.
MTSTUNER
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Are you using a WACOM tablet?
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Hi guys, I am usually using Phoshop Elements 8 running on a PC/Win7 with a WACOM Tablet. I have this problem too, I am hoping you guys could help me please.
I am trying to use this functions with out the tablet and is not working...any ideas?
Thank you in advance...
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sorry for replying late and thank you or taking your time to help me with this.
anyways, my mouse is fine and doesn't have a problem since I checked and all that stuff, so basically nothing has changed.
yet the clone stamp isn't still working, and it frustrates me so much because I've got so many photos I've got to edit and turn in for some early college work and all.
I don't understand why this randomly happened though, it used to work so fine, beautifully, and properly. It just sucks what happened this passed week. I'm going insane.
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A couple of other things to try.
1. Duplicate your background layer
Layer>New>Layer via Copy
Try the clone stamp on the copied layer.
2. Try the Healing Brush Tool (just to see if you can
set the clone source with the healing brush)
MTSTUNER
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A while back I had a problem exactly as you describe--clone stamp and
healing brush not working. I spent a great deal of time trying to determine
what was causing the problem to no avail. I use a WACOM graphic tablet and
eventually found that leaving the WACOM mouse on top of the tablet caused
the problem. I tried recreating the problem when I saw your post and could
not get a failure but this is one of those problems one could have
intermittently that comes and goes based on where the WACOM mouse is placed.
Good luck!
Bob
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hey, thanks, also do you might know when that will start working anytime soon? i am so lost with this, especially the whole WACOM thing? I went on my mouse properties and nothing seems to be wrong with it, but basically for the passed 2 weeks it has been bothering me and i need to fix it soon cuz i have college stuff on photoshop to do and i really need the clone stamp, its so frustrating, is there any way you might know how it can be fixed or something fast? i have windows vista and i use a laptop without a mouse attached i use the mouse on the laptop and it is not an apple computer for me to use the easy steps in fixing. thank you for the help, im just so confused and dont know what to do right now,can you please explain to me some more about this so i can get it fixed? it never had this problem for a year and now it randomly started to have that problem.
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Wacom was a reference to a wacom tablet, which wouldn't apply,
as you said you just had a mouse or the track pad on your laptop. Correct?
Have you installed any other programs in the past 2-3 weeks?
If so, one of the programs may be stealing the Alt key shortcut.
If you have not installed any other programs, you may have uninstall
photoshop elements 7 and then reinstall photoshop elements 7.
(there may be a corrupt file or dll in pse7)
MTSTUNER
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This problem seems to have been around for years but it's strangely intermittent. Incredibly annoying because of that too. Yesterday I used the tool on a photo and it worked fine; today on a similarly unprocessed photo from the same camera it refuses to work and gives this unhelpful message.
Using Alt changes the cursor as you'd expect, which I take to mean that it's correctly receiving/interpreting the keypress from Windows. Why it then ignores the mouse-click is a mystery. The mouse works fine otherwise.
[Edit: none of the suggestions on this page help, by the way. Windows 7, Photoshop CS (i.e. 8.0)]
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@aarrepaa99 hey, it seems you check a lot and have tried lot of steps. DO check the below one.
1) Set the total % PSE can use of available RAM. Increase if you have available RAM.
2) reduce the number of history states (Undo states).
3) Under scratch disks area in case you have more than 1 drive do check so it can use memory from more than 1 drives of your machine.
After making this changes close PSE and launch again.
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This worked for me! Thanks!