Adobe Photoshop CS5 for Photographers - Martin Evening [9]
Figure 1.13 This shows the window layout of a Photoshop document as it appears on the Macintosh. If you mouse down in the Status Information box, this displays the file size and resolution information. If you hold down key as you mouse down in the Status Information box, this displays the image tiling information. Lastly, if you mouse down on the arrow icon next to the Status Information box, you can select the type of information you wish to see displayed there (the status items are described on the right).
Version Cue
Current Version Cue status.
Document Sizes
The first figure represents the file size of a flattened version of the image. The second, the size if saved including all layers.
Document Profile
The profile assigned to the document.
Document Dimensions
This displays the physical image dimensions, as would be shown in the Image Size dialog box.
Measurement Scale
Measurement units (extended version only).
Scratch Sizes
The first figure displays the amount of RAM memory used. The second shows the total RAM memory available to Photoshop after taking into account the system and application overhead.
Efficiency
This summarizes how efficiently Photoshop is working. Basically it provides a simplified report on the amount of scratch disk usage.
Timing
Displays the time taken to accomplish a Photoshop step or the accumulated timing of a series of steps. Every time you change tools or execute a new operation, the timer resets itself.
Current Tool
This displays the name of the tool you currently have selected. This is a useful aide-mémoire for users who like to work with most of the panels hidden.
32-bit Exposure
This Exposure slider control is only available when viewing 32-bit mode images.
Rulers, Guides & Grid
If you mouse down on the View Extras menu in the Application bar (circled in Figure 1.15), you can switch on the following view items: Guides, Grids or Rulers. Guides can be added at any time (providing the Rulers are displayed) and flexibly positioned anywhere in the image area. To add a new guide, you just mouse down on the ruler bar and drag a new guide out and release the mouse to drop the guide in place. Once placed, guides can be used for the precise positioning and alignment of image elements. If you are not happy with the positioning, you can select the move tool and drag the guide into the exact required position. But once positioned, it is sometimes a good idea to lock the guides (View Lock Guides) to avoid accidentally moving them again. You can also position a guide using View New Guide… and enter the exact measurement coordinate for the horizontal or vertical axis in the New Guide dialog (Figure 1.14). The Grid (Figure 1.16) provides a means for aligning image elements to a horizontal and vertical axis (to alter the grid spacing, open the Photoshop preferences and select Guides & Grid).
Figure 1.15 This shows an image displaying the rulers and guides. To place a new guide, select Show Rulers from the menu list shown here or choose View Rulers. You can then drag from either the horizontal or vertical ruler to place a new guide. If you hold down the key as you drag, this makes the guide snap to a ruler tick mark (providing View Snap is checked). If you hold down the key as you drag this allows you to switch dragging a horizontal guide to dragging it as a vertical (and vice versa). Lastly, you can use to toggle hiding/showing all extras items, like Guides.
Figure 1.16 This shows an image displaying the Grid view, which can be used to help align objects to a horizontal and vertical axis. The Grid view can be enabled via the Display options