[SOLVED] Photoshop 7. Cropping Tool Won't Work Properly !

fatheroflies · 04-02-2009, 07:50 AM

Hello there,
I am not computer literate however I can use Photoshop 7 for 1 thing only, cropping a photo.
My problem is, I have done this many times in the past however recently I must have changed a setting or something as now the cropping tool won’t work like it normally does.
When I drag the curser down, the cropping area will only get larger if I move the curser across the screen as well, Before it would do oblong shape crops & now it will only crop a square shape !

Please could you help me to adjust my setting so that I can make the tool work like it did before ?

I have sent a small clip to show you what I am trying to do – See Link
http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=2r7o4t3&s=5
On it I am trying to crop the words in the photo, as you can see on it, the cropping tool stops going any further down even though I am moving the curser down – So frustrating !

Many thanks

Regards Richard.

**koala** · 04-02-2009, 08:16 AM

It looks like the crop tool's aspect ratio is being restricted, the way it would if you were to hold down the Shift key while dragging. Is the Caps Lock on?

fatheroflies · 04-02-2009, 08:28 AM

Hi Koala,

No I've Checked

DonaldG · 04-03-2009, 05:51 AM

Looking at the video, it appears that you have set the two dimention boxes in the crop tool bar at the top. Clear these two boxes and all should be well.

When these two boxes are set, it forces the crop to the aspect ratio of the setting. Hence not letting you drag to the aspect ratio you need.

I have fallen into this trap many times.

This is from Photoshop CS3 but it should be very similar in V7.

If you use the clear button and are doing printing from the crop, you may need to re establish the appropriate resolution (300dpi is the usual for printing)

EDIT:
I note that yopu are cropping text from a web page. If you just need the text for reference or notes, you can copy the text by highlighting it, do a single right click and select copy. You can then paste the text down into words, notepad etc...

fatheroflies · 04-03-2009, 06:30 AM

Thank you DonaldG

You were right, that was the problem

Regards Richard.

DonaldG · 04-03-2009, 06:36 AM

Great - glad it is sorted!

04-02-2009, 07:50 AM	#1 (permalink)
fatheroflies Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: UK Posts: 45 OS: XP Service Pack 2	[SOLVED] Photoshop 7. Cropping Tool Won't Work Properly ! Hello there, I am not computer literate however I can use Photoshop 7 for 1 thing only, cropping a photo. My problem is, I have done this many times in the past however recently I must have changed a setting or something as now the cropping tool won’t work like it normally does. When I drag the curser down, the cropping area will only get larger if I move the curser across the screen as well, Before it would do oblong shape crops & now it will only crop a square shape ! Please could you help me to adjust my setting so that I can make the tool work like it did before ? I have sent a small clip to show you what I am trying to do – See Link http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=2r7o4t3&s=5 On it I am trying to crop the words in the photo, as you can see on it, the cropping tool stops going any further down even though I am moving the curser down – So frustrating ! Many thanks Regards Richard.

04-02-2009, 08:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,315 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Re: Photoshop 7. Cropping Tool Won't Work Properly ! It looks like the crop tool's aspect ratio is being restricted, the way it would if you were to hold down the Shift key while dragging. Is the Caps Lock on? __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

04-02-2009, 08:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
fatheroflies Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: UK Posts: 45 OS: XP Service Pack 2	Re: Photoshop 7. Cropping Tool Won't Work Properly ! Hi Koala, No I've Checked

04-03-2009, 05:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,164 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Photoshop 7. Cropping Tool Won't Work Properly ! Looking at the video, it appears that you have set the two dimention boxes in the crop tool bar at the top. Clear these two boxes and all should be well. When these two boxes are set, it forces the crop to the aspect ratio of the setting. Hence not letting you drag to the aspect ratio you need. I have fallen into this trap many times. This is from Photoshop CS3 but it should be very similar in V7. If you use the clear button and are doing printing from the crop, you may need to re establish the appropriate resolution (300dpi is the usual for printing) EDIT: I note that yopu are cropping text from a web page. If you just need the text for reference or notes, you can copy the text by highlighting it, do a single right click and select copy. You can then paste the text down into words, notepad etc... __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner . Last edited by DonaldG; 04-03-2009 at 06:22 AM.

04-03-2009, 06:30 AM	#5 (permalink)
fatheroflies Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: UK Posts: 45 OS: XP Service Pack 2	Re: Photoshop 7. Cropping Tool Won't Work Properly ! Thank you DonaldG You were right, that was the problem Regards Richard.

04-03-2009, 06:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,164 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: [SOLVED] Photoshop 7. Cropping Tool Won't Work Properly ! Great - glad it is sorted! __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .