Selecting objects

Dear Members

Can anyone tell me how to directly select objects in Photoshop, the way that you can in Elements and Fireworks? I'm making a transition to PS and find it very irritating that you have to select the layer first then select the object on that layer you want.

It's so much easier to click directly on the object you want to work on even when you aren't currently on that layer.

Thank you for any help anyone can give!

Hi,
PhotShop is a layer based programme and anything that you import is placed as a new layer. If you use the vector tools in PS each effect is palced on a new llayer and any Blending or any other effects are placed on the layer but as a subset of that layer. Can I make a suggestion that you read the help files provided in PS and your learning of the programme will be quicker.

Hi Albacore

Thank you for your reply. I understand that PS is a layer based program. Likewise I understand so too is PS Elements and Fireworks. Nevertheless, Elements and Fireworks allow selecting a layer by selecting an object on that layer -- very convenient in many situations. I'm just wondering if there is a way to do the same thing in PS. I have done some searches for an answer to this question and found nothing. I'm not sure why Adobe allows this in Elements but not in PS.

Thanks again!

I'm not sure what you mean by "objects" usually "objects" refers to vector based things. If you draw objects with the shape tool then even though they are on different layers, selecting them with the direct selection tool *does* select the object and its layer. So Photoshop already does what you want here.

If by "objects" you mean bitmapped things on layers, then there are two ways of doing what you require. For a start you can't select a pixel based object by clicking on it with any tool. However if you want to be able to click on a pixel base object and at the same time select the layer it is on as well, you will find that the move tool has a checkbox in the option bar that says, "auto select layer", when that is checked clicking on an pixel based object, what ever layer it is on, with the move tool will select the layer it is on.

Pressing the Cmd/Ctrl key will temporarily change the checkbox. So that if the checkbox is set to "not auto select" then if you click on an object with the Cmd/Ctrl key pressed, then the move tool will temporarily act as if it were on "auto select". Conversely if 'auto select' is on the the Cmd/Ctrl key will temporarily disable it.

To select a pixel based object you need to Cmd/Ctrl it's ICON in the layers pallete.

Hello Thelonious

Sorry about the terminology. I was referring to anything on a layer (vector or bitmapped).

You did answer my question ... which was right there in front of me ... that "Auto Select Layer" on the options toolbar for the Move Tool. Selecting that does exactly what I was looking for. I see that it's turned off by default.

Thank you (and Albacore) for your replies to my question!