Adobe 13102498 - Photoshop CS3 - Mac User Manual page 329

Note: By default, masks applied to Smart Objects aren't linked to Smart Object layers.
• To unlink a layer from its mask, click the link icon in the Layers palette.
• To reestablish the link between a layer and its mask, click between the layer and mask path thumbnails in the
Layers palette.
Apply or delete a layer mask
You can apply a layer mask to permanently delete the hidden portions of a layer. Layer masks are stored as alpha
channels, so applying and deleting layer masks can help reduce file size. You can also delete a layer mask without
applying the changes.
1 Click the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
To remove the layer mask after applying it permanently to the layer, click the Delete icon
2
Layers palette, and then click Apply.
3 To remove the layer mask without applying it to the layer, click the Delete icon at the bottom of the Layers palette,
and then click Delete.
You can also apply or delete layer masks using the Layer menu.
Note: You cannot apply a layer mask permanently to a Smart Object layer when deleting the layer mask.
See also
"Save and load selections" on page 273
Load a layer or layer mask's boundaries as a selection
You can select all the non-transparent areas on a layer, or, if a layer mask exists, all the unmasked areas. This is useful
when you want to select text or image content that is surrounded by or contains transparent areas, or to create a
selection that excludes masked areas on a layer.
Do one of the following:
1
• To select only the non-transparent areas on an unmasked layer, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click
(Mac OS) the layer thumbnail in the Layers palette.
• To select the unmasked areas on a layer that has a layer mask, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS)
the layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
2 If a selection already exists, you can do any of the following:
• To add the pixels to an existing selection, press Ctrl+Shift (Windows) or Command+Shift (Mac OS), and click the
layer thumbnail or layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
• To subtract the pixels from an existing selection, press Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or Command+Option (Mac OS), and
click the layer thumbnail or layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
• To load the intersection of the pixels and an existing selection, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or
Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS), and click the layer thumbnail or layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette.
If you want to move all the contents of a layer, use the Move tool without loading a transparency mask.
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