Adobe PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 2 User Manual page 20

12 CHAPTER 1
Looking at the Work Area
Using the tools
You use tools in the toolbox to select, edit, and
view images; other tools let you paint, draw, and
type. You can view information about any tool in
the toolbox by positioning the pointer over it. The
name of the tool appears below the pointer—this
is called the tool tip. Additional information about
the tool appears in the Hints palette. (See "Using
the Hints palette" on page 16.)
You must select a tool in order to use it. The
currently selected tool is highlighted in the
toolbox. Some tools have additional tools beneath
them—these are called hidden tools. When you see
a small triangle at the lower right of the tool icon,
you know that there are hidden tools.
A
B
C
Selecting a hidden tool
A. Toolbox B. Active tool C. Hidden tool D. Shortcut key
To select a tool:
Do one of the following:
Click a tool in the toolbox. If there is a small
•
triangle at a tool's lower right corner, hold down
the mouse button to view the hidden tools.
Then click the tool you want to select.
Press the tool's keyboard shortcut. The
•
keyboard shortcut is displayed in its tool tip.
For example, you can select the move tool by
pressing the "v" key (see "Using keyboard
commands and modifier keys" on page 19).
To move the toolbox:
Drag the toolbox by its title bar.
To set tool preferences:
1 In Windows or Mac OS 9.x, choose Edit >
Preferences > General.
2 In Mac OS X, choose Photoshop Elements >
Preferences > General.
Set one or more of the following options:
3
Select Show Tool Tips to show or hide tool tips
•
and rollover hints in the Hints palette.
D
Select Use Shift Key for Tool Switch so you can
•
hold down the Shift key in order to cycle
through a set of hidden tools. When this option
is deselected, you can cycle through a set of
hidden tools by simply pressing the shortcut key
(without holding down Shift).
Click OK.
4
Using the options bar
The first thing you should do after you select a tool
is set its options in the options bar. By default, the
options bar appears below the shortcuts bar at the
top of the work area. The options bar is context
sensitive, which means that it changes as you select
different tools. Some settings in the options bar are
common to several tools, and some are specific to
one tool.