Fill option in edit not shaded

[mugge]

I have on occasion wanted to use gaussian blur in some of my images and in order to do so I have to use edit and fill. The fill option is not shaded ie not available. I have tried to convert my photoshop from 16 bits to 8 bits, still no result. Another bugbear is that when I go to filter the option of blur is also not shaded.

Can anyone help. I have looked at various options on the net but no one seems to know how to solve it.
Cheers Ole

[pschlute]

I am using version 26.0.0 of Photoshop.

The Gaussian blur tool is certainly available when working on either an 8 bit JPEG or a 16 bit TIFF

[mugge]

I am using version 26.0.0 of Photoshop.

The Gaussian blur tool is certainly available when working on either an 8 bit JPEG or a 16 bit TIFF

I have version 26.0.0 of photoshop. I will show my steps:

Ctrl + j
disable layer below
click mask button
enable the layer below
hold crtl and click in the mask of the top layer
disable the top layer
click select and go to modify, chose expand
in the expand click on (say 20)
open edit and click fill. Here it is the fill is not shaded??
go to to select and select deselect
go to filter and select Gaussian blur. Here it is blur not shaded
enable the top layer

I am going nuts

[DanK]

This is very complicated. Why are you disabling and enabling layers?

When I apply gaussian blur, the process is very simple:

1. Create a duplicate layer
2. On that layer, add the amount of blur I want from the Filter menu. This is what will show on the screen because it's the top layer.
3. If I want to limit the area or the amount, add a mask and/or reduce opacity.

That's the whole process. there is no need for fill.

[Manfred M]

My approach is identical to Dan's. I'm not quite sure why you are using such a complicated workflow.

In general, when function is not available, it is because the operation cannot be applied to the layer your are working on.

[DanK]

PS: I'm guessing at why you use an expansion step, but if it is to make the blur wider, just change the number of pixels in the Gaussian blur dialog box. Gaussian blur is continuous, so the precise meaning of the numbers isn't clear to me, but the bottom line is just "more is wider".

[pschlute]

Ole is using tools I have never crossed paths with !

For blur my approach would be the same as Dan and Manfred..... apply blur to a duplicate layer and paint on a mask for selective application.

I think the actual reason why "Fill" is not permitted in your workflow is because you last clicked on the top layer mask, and then disabled it.