PS Copying a selection and keeping the different layers intact

[Jelle Strybosch]

Hi Guys

I'm making an atlas for a fictional world, but I'm stuck on some technicall Photoshop problems...
I've made several smaller maps to exercise, and now I started on the real project. The idea is to have this world map with several different regions, and then make different maps of those regions and even maps of the countries. I thought it was a good idea to start with making the world map and than select the regions and copy them to new files in which I could add more details...

Now, I fear I dind't think the whole thing true and now I'm stuck. I thought it was possible to use a select tool and then copy the selected area on the multiple layers - in one simple click, but whatever I try, the layers always get merged.

Does anyone have any idea on how I can do this withouts spending houres copying the layers one by one?

Kind regards

Jelle

[Chick]

If you want to keep the layering intact, make a new image file of the size you want for the copied result. Copy the layers of interest to that file, they will of course hang out the edges, but once you have centered the area you want to keep, then Crop the image to that size.

Notes:
1. To copy multiple layers, highlight all the layers and then drag them to the new file.
2. To move all layers at the same time (to center the area), highlight all layers, click the Move tool, then hold the CNTL key down while you drag the entire set of layers.
3. To crop the image, highlight all layers, select the entire image with CNTL-A, then Image>Crop will remove all the excess hanging out the sides, leaving you with just the region you wanted to copy.

It takes a lot longer to type than to do this


And by the way, Welcome to the Guild!!

[Chashio]

You could also make a new document from the current state... should be two buttons at the bottom of the history palette--one of them takes a snapshot and the other copies the whole document with layers intact. Do that and then just crop to the area you want and save it under a new name.

[BraveSirKevin]

There is a way to do what you're trying to do but it's slightly more complicated than just a single click, and involves some of the more expert features of Photoshop.

1. Group all of your layers.
2. Duplicate that group of layers
3. Make your selection, with whatever tool suits you.
4. Use the selection to add a layer mask to the new group you created in step 2.

This will give you a group of layers that occludes all of the stuff outside of the selection, but keeps the layer structure in tact without having to use multiple documents.