nudge, nudge, wink, wink

[Von Grantoven]

I was working on a skin and wanted to make a duplicate layer of the base colors to make some variants. I selected all, and copy merged the layers I wanted. When I pasted it as a new layer I noticed that it was a few pixels down and to the right of the original textures.
So I nudged it into line horizontally but for try as I might, I couldnt get it exactly oriented in the vertical. It was either a pixel high or low.
Not a major difference, but still...

My first question is that surely selecting all and then pasting should make it exaclty the same size (2048 x2048) so why was it off in the first place.
Second, why couldnt I get the pixels to line up with nudges and how can I fix this in future (I have notice this same thing several times)

Any insights and help appreciated

Von G

[Serval]

Ricght click on the layer and select duplicate layer. Then it is exactly placed as it should be. This way you can even copy it to another template.
I often use that to isolate a layer to work on before copying it back to the original image. It's a lazy way when you otherwise should disable a bunch of layers to see that single layer only...
When you do Copy/Paster PS centers the pasted image in the layer. When your pasted image is smaller then the image you past into it gets shifted.
When you somehow must use copy and paste for some reason, then put a pixel in an uppercornder and a lower corner to make PS think the image is full size.

[adlabs6]

Yes the pixel in the corners is an old but good technique for when you must copy/paste. Used it myself a number of times.

But do experiment with the 'Duplicate' command, as Serval notes.

[Von Grantoven]

Ricght click on the layer and select duplicate layer. Then it is exactly placed as it should be. This way you can even copy it to another template.
...

Thanks for the reply.
I'm not sure that duplicate layer is exactly what I am looking for here though, as my aim was to merge a number of vivisible layers into a single composite (while still maintaining the originals).
The trick of the pixel in the corner is a good one, but doesnt "Select all" get the whole canvas? Its pretty clear that somehow it is missing a single pixel row at the top/bottom, though. Knowing that paste centers things explains why a one pixel nudge wasnt getting it aligned.

[Serval]

Select all gets all the pixels in the canvas.
Draw a little bit. Nudge it and you see that the selection gets the shape of the drawing.
By placing a pixel in two corners (left upper and right lower for example) you force the selection to be as big as the canvas.

Well process to merge layers while keeping the originals seperate can be done with duplicate.
First duplicate all layers. Then arrange the layers so you can merge all the copies. That means all those copies have to be on top of eachother.

Advantage of duplicate layer is that all layer properties and effects are copied as well and keep the same settings.

[Von Grantoven]

Thanks Serval, I was trying to use the copy merged as a shortcut, but I guess doing separate duplicates and merging them isnt too much additional work considering the added accuracy benefits.
All the best

VonG

[CzarNick]

I don't know if this is your problem, but I have noticed alignment issues when I'm at a zoom lower than 100%. When I zoom in to 100%, everything is peachy-keen, but if I zoom out I layers don't always render with proper alignment.

It's something worth checking... I know I lost a few hours figuring this one out. Good luck

[Terrapin]

You can also select the layers you want to duplicate in place and hit Ctrl-g and they will go into a group then right click the group and duplicate it. That way they are together and you can move the other layers back if you want.

[Kamikuza]

Merge all > Select all > copy > undo (the merge) > paste as new layer ...? Can do in PSP