Photoshop CS4: Restoring pre-CS4 channel shortcuts and curves
In Adobe Photoshop CS4, the keyboard shortcuts for viewing channels changed, and the Curves adjustment layer was implemented as a non-modal panel rather than a modal dialog box. While these changes were done for good reasons, many people are unhappy with them and wish they could do things as they did in Photoshop CS3 and before. Since Photoshop CS4 shipped, a couple of tools have emerged to roll back the changes to some extent.
Use Old Shortcuts plug-in. You can download and install a plug-in that restores the pre-CS4 shortcuts for viewing channels, where Command-1/Ctrl-1 is the composite view of channels. (In Photoshop CS4, Command-2/Ctrl-2 displays the composite channel view, and accordingly, the single-channel viewing shortcuts were all moved up one key.) The link to the plug-in is available on this entry on Photoshop product manager John Nack’s blog. To install it, first unzip the downloaded file, identify the plug-in for your system (Mac or Windows), then drag it into the Plug-ins folder inside the Adobe Photoshop Cs4 application folder. It doesn’t matter where it is inside that folder.
Curves-Dialog panel. This is a panel that lets you add a new Curves adjustment layer or edit a selected Curves adjustment layer using a dialog box, as it was before Photoshop CS4. This panel was built as an extension using Adobe Configurator, and is again downloadable from John Nack’s blog. To install it, first double-click to unzip it, then double-click the unzipped .mxp file. It should open in Adobe Extension Manager, which should install it into the right location automatically. You may need to download and install (or update) Adobe AIR for the extension to work.
Important: It’s still recommended that you learn the CS4 shortcuts and Curves adjustment panel workflow and shortcuts, because it’s the way future versions of Photoshop are likely to work. There is no guarantee that the plug-in or extension will still work or be upgraded to work with versions of Photoshop beyond CS4. Even though I’ve used Photoshop for many years, I’m using the new shortcuts, partly because I agree with the decision to make the Actual Pixels (100% magnification) shortcut (now Command-1/Ctrl-1) match other Adobe and Apple software.
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on photoshop CS4 it will not allow me to add images to the document because the image i created in the program does not have the required composite channels
[I don't understand the question. In any version of Photoshop, two images need to have compatible channels before you can combine them. Have you converted one image to the same Image Mode as the other image? Or are you having trouble switching to the composite channel?
You may also want to ask in the Photoshop forum (http://www.adobeforums.com).
-Conrad ]
Whenever I try to install the curves dialog mxp file (I had it installed before in my CS4 but it has disappeared??) the Extension manager just crashes. I REALLY want the old curves dialog back since i CANNOT handle the CS4 curves panel, I have tried now for 6 months but I will just never like it. This was a solution for me (even if it not the best solution, I know)
Can anyone help me please?
@Anna – just try with Adobe Extension Manager CS4. On my computer by default starts EM CS3 and it’s crashes.