feathering not available?

Osmer_Toby · Apr 7, 2004

whenever i use the actions palette to vignette a selection, the first step is accomplished (taking snapshot), then i get the message "feathering command not currently available, continue anyway?" if i click yes, the vignetting occurs, but with hard edges.

any idea how to fix this?
ps7, btw

drlynn · Apr 7, 2004

Sounds like a flaw in the action, like it's trying to feather the selection before the previous function is finished, or the particular selection tool this action uses doesn't have a feathering option. Is this an action you downloaded, made yourself, or one of the stock Adobe ones?
Try to do it manually and see if you can feather your selection.

Osmer_Toby · Apr 8, 2004

ya- its a stock action. wierd thing is it used to work. i am able to feather manually before i initiate the action, but i'm trying to get the thing to work the way it's supposed to.
thanks for the thoughts...
-t

drlynn · Apr 8, 2004

Most of my experience is in PS 6. Just got CS but am still playing around trying to learn.
Does PS 7 have switchable defaults for certain tools, like the selection tools? I'm wondering if something has been switched off/on that is keeping the action from accessing the feathering option.

Are any other tools or actions having trouble? If it's just this one thing, then I would say it has to be a setting that has been changed. If other functions are screwing up as well, then maybe there is an error on your hard drive and the program needs to be reloaded.

Osmer_Toby · Apr 8, 2004

I'm wondering if something has been switched off/on that is keeping the action from accessing the feathering option.

yup, that's what i'm thinkin, too. guess i just gotta keep diggin...
thanks doc!

drlynn · Apr 9, 2004

Well, I just tried the stock vignette action in Photoshop CS, and it does the same thing if I don't make a selection with my marquee tool first.

The action I have doesn't include making a selection, only vignetting a selection already made.

Is it possible this is what is happening to you?

Osmer_Toby · Apr 9, 2004

nope, i have the marching ants before i click on the action...
(man, i hope nobody from the peanut gallery gets ahold of that statement! :wink:

)

drlynn · Apr 9, 2004

Your secret is safe here! :wink:

But if you have an active selection and it still won't feather, then it's gotta be a setting changed deep down somewhere. I found a website by a guy who writes for Photoshop User that gives a lot of tips as well as some troubleshooting articles. I'll post that url here over the weekend from my home PC. I don't have the site bookmarked here at work.
I belioeve I remember him talking about similar problems he has run into at workshops he was teaching, etc and how he handles them.

Osmer_Toby · Apr 9, 2004

once again, thanks doc! i think you're right on the money re: the problem. it'll be interesting to check out that website- sounds like it's full of nuggets of info...
:drool:

drlynn · Apr 10, 2004

Here you go:

http://www.digitalmastery.com/tips/

This is Ben WIllmore's Photoshop site.

One thing he recommends is to restart the program while holding down shift-alt-ctrl (win) or shift-option-command(mac) which trashes all your preferences.

It might take a while to get all your PS preferences back to where you like them, but it might solve your problem, also.