Background Locked In PhotoShop 7.0 (amoungst other things)

[Mad_Cow]

Now, I opened my PhotoShop for a spot of butchering, to find that I can no longer start with a white background.

The background is locked, so it cannot be edited. In order to use it, I have to start with a transparent background and then choose a colour once there.

Also, it changes the colours set from RGB to Black and White.

Any ideas?

[winstun]

To unlock your background simply double click the locked layer and select 'OK' to make it editable.

The RGB to B/W change is strange, however.

I know that if you open a .gif the default is Index color.

Either way, just go to Image -> Mode -> RGB and that should fix it up.

[winstun]

I just thought if you are opening a new document, when you get the dialog to confirm your dimensions, etc. make sure that in the Mode combo box be sure that RGB is selected.

In the same dialog in the Contents sections select Transparent to have your first layer empty.

[Mad_Cow]

I had already tried your suggestions.
There was no way of actually re-activating the background and I already knew how to change the colours.

Thank you for that, anything else? Other than uninstall/reinstall?

[jimbo_mac]

I know it sounds dumb, but have you tried restarting the computer.
I had a similar problem a few days ago and restarting did the trick.

[Mad_Cow]

Lol, I have it always starts the same.

[jimbo_mac]

ok, go to photoshop preferences and reset to default.
If this doesnt clear it up, i would probably reinstall.
Are you on Mac or PC?

[Mad_Cow]

I'm on a PC. It's a work PC as well, so I am limited to what I can do as well.

[noenemy sithlord]

if i understand it right? youre not talkin about an existing image - a new file? ok. i have an non-elegant way if i have a locked bg in a psd or jpg file: just grip it into waste-bin, then create a new layer -> done.
hope that helps you...

[Mad_Cow]

That's right, a new file.

[Mad_Cow]

Thank you for you advice, yes it has worked.

Is there any other way to have the layer permanently unlocked without uninstall/reinstall?

[smokeyb]

I always thought a "background" should be locked? If I open a file with a white BG or an image, it is always locked in the layers, but is specified as a "bg". To resolve this (and most preset design procedures start like this, so I guess your not alone) Open an image, drag it to the duplicate icon, delete the original. I have PS training books that have tutorials that start like this, so I've never questioned it and presumed a BG was a BG?

[smokeyb]

I meant to say that if I want an image with a white bg, I create a new transparent file and fill it white.

[smokeyb]

I've worked out a quick way to get around this problem. Open your image, jpg or whatever and see that it is "partially locked". Then drag the workspace box a little so you can see a border round the canvas, then select the "Background eraser tool". Then, click somewhere off your image but in the expanded workspace, and voila, the image is unlocked.

[Mad_Cow]

What I do at the moment it just open a transparent background and fill it.

If I open as white background, the background is fully locked, you cann't do anything with it at all.

It's useable but just wondering how to change it. Thanks everyone for your help though.

[smokeyb]

The method I worked out in my last post, also works if you've opened a document with a white background. Try it and you'll see that your layer becomes "Layer 0" instead of a "Background".

[Mad_Cow]

Interesting! Thanks!