What is the easiest way to do this? For Example, if I have a layer selected (using a template) and I want to put an element on that layer, should I be able to select that layer and drag the element up from the photo bin and have it show up on the selected layer? Or is the element always going to be placed in the middle of the layout? (I hope this makes sense.) TIA
I don't have PSE, but in PS if you want the thing you drag on to be centered above something else, you can select the layer contents, not just the layer. I mean, you need to see the marching ants around the thing from the template, not just have clicked on the layer in the layers palette. Does that help?
I'm going to try this in pse 12... when I drag from photo bin onto my layout, the element is automatically sized the same as the image size.... so I drag a sequin in, and it's 12x12in. Lol. I have to resize everything... if I copy/paste the layer, it's the correct size, but I lose the filename... I'd have to rename the layer instead.
Sorry - but what I found in PSE 13 when I drag, is that it always puts the new layer in the middle of the layout, and not necessarily above the layer you selected it to be above. - and sometimes re sizes according to your layout size ( this never happened to me before 13 so its annoying) i.e say I have an 8.5 by 11 layout instead of 12 by 12 - and I select a new paper and drag it onto the layout - it will re-size and center to fit the horizontal constraint. I find resizing or moving the layer on my own easier than pasting and re-naming though.
Kristina (or whoever), let me know if it works when you do the marching ants. If not, I can try to make an action.
I have PSE 11. When I drag something up from the project bin it ALWAYS appears above the selected layer and it is centered on the document (I think there may be an adjustment for that, however). I've never been bothered by it being in the center, I just press ctrl and hold the right mouse to move it around. The challenges mentioned are exactly why I have not upgraded from 11. I know it, it's automatic and I don't want to mess with it.
12 has a quirk that causes a problem where things resize oddly. Bottle caps become the size of 12x12, etc. In 13 I thought was fixed. I select my layout, and the layer and then drag elements up onto it usually. {at least I think. Now I can't remember whether I drag up or drag down!} I know you can file-place, but I don't do that so I'm not positive how it works.
I can file> place, and it comes in as a smart object, but I would need to do that whole, "find it in the folder, select, open" process for each element. .. pass. Lol I tried the selection with marching ants, but it didn't work... . It almost always brings it in to the file in layer order that I intend, unless I've double clicked by accident and PSE thinks I'm trying to place it on top of the background paper or something.
Something I have just learned (I bought the class from digitalscrappers.com) - Have your layout & elements in the default view (so you have tabs for each file) -with move tool - select your element and drag it onto the layout tab and then drag down until you see layout. Place your cursor where you want element to be on the layout and release. This element should drop into place (I say should because in some cases I have done this and the element drops into the center of the layout) - I was not aware of this method before - hope it helps!
My PSE is v5. Tried v13 - did not like it very much - apart from the actions, which are v cool! Also ...kiss for Bart!
Fyi, I tried your tip kris... i can drop it into the layout. Sometimes it goes to the middle, but I may be doing it incorrectly. I will continue trying.
IN PSE, if you select a layer in your working project and then drag something from your photo bin to drop it into your project, it will put that item in a new layer just above the layer you selected. As for size, it will be dropped in at whatever size the designer created it to be, so some things you might need to resize (they sometimes make them larger than needed, but it preserves image quality that way).