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USING PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 8
Photoshop Elements workspace
Last updated 7/26/2011
Using keyboard commands and modifier keys
Keyboard commands let you quickly execute commands without using a menu; modifier keys let you alter how a tool
operates. When available, the keyboard command appears to the right of the command name in the menu.
More Help topics
“Keys for selecting and moving objects” on page 283
“Keys for selecting tools” on page 281
Tools
About the toolbox
Use tools in the toolbox to select, edit, and view images; some tools let you paint, draw, and type. The toolbox appears
on the left side of the Full Edit and Quick Fix workspaces. In the Full Edit workspace, you can move the toolbox by
dragging the gripper bar at the top of the box.
You must select a tool in the toolbox before you can use it. Once selected, the tool is highlighted in the toolbox, and
optional settings for the tool appear in the options bar, which is located below the shortcuts bar at the top of the
workspace. Some tools in the toolbox have additional tools beneath them. These are called nested tools. A small triangle
at the lower right of the tool icon signals that there are nested tools. When you select a tool, any additional nested tools
appear in the options bar.
Note: You cannot deselect a tool—once you select a tool, it remains selected until you select a different tool. For example,
if you’ve selected the Lasso tool, and you want to click your image without selecting anything, select the Hand tool.
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. You can click a link in some tool tips to see additional information about
the tool.
