how to avoid moving layers while resizing brushes?

[killerzombie]

i use the click and drag method to resize my brush in painter 9 (where you hold down ctrl and alt keys on the wacom board and drag your desired brush diameter). its fast and convenient so im resizing constantly. the problem is that the ctrl key also serves as a hotkey for the layer adjustment tool which moves layers. so sometimes I accidently move the layer a bit when resizing. usually i catch it, but sometimes I dont and it totally screws up the painting.
so i tried to lock layer position but you cant (i dont think) do that in painter. i also tried to get rid of the hotkey for layer adjuster but i cant find it in the customize keys menu or anywhere. if someone could help me out here i would be extremely grateful. im assuming it has to be a quick fix but i can't find it. its causing me major headaches. thanks.

[joeparis]

sometimes I accidently move the layer a bit when resizing. usually i catch it, but sometimes I dont and it totally screws up the painting.

Happens to me too. Actually, Painter does have a layer lock. There's a little padlock at the top of the Layers Panel, select the layer and click.

[hecartha]

It never happens to me because I use alt+ctrl the same way I use space+alt to rotate canvas. I mean I press the first key and only after the second key. With rotate feature you cannot use it in another way, you just need to learn to resize brush pressing the keys in the right order.

[killerzombie]

joeparis - thanks, but if i use that lock then i cant paint on the layer unless im doing something wrong? in photoshop, you can lock just the position but still paint.

hecartha - it just might come to that - being really careful, if i cant find a solution. thanks.

[joeparis]

in photoshop, you can lock just the position but still paint.

Oh, yeah, silly me. Not thinking straight this morning.

[Arshes Nei]

To assign commands to keys
1 Do one of the following:

• (Mac OS) Choose Corel Painter IX menu > Preferences > Customize Keys.

• (Windows) Choose Edit menu > Preferences > Customize Keys.

2 Choose a key set from the Key Set pop-up menu.

The default key set is named “Default” and is not editable. When you change any shortcut in the Default key set, another set is created and named “Custom.”

3 Choose one of the following from the Shortcuts menu:

• Application Menus to create or modify menu bar command shortcuts

• Palette Menus to create or modify palette menu command shortcuts

• Tools to create or modify tools shortcuts

• Other to create or modify non-menu, non-palette menu or non-tool command shortcuts

4 Choose a command from the Application Commands list, and type the shortcut keys you want to assign.

If the shortcut you assigned is already in use, a message appears below the Application Commands list.

5 Do one of the following:

• Click Accept to assign the shortcut to the command.

The conflicting command that previously had the keyboard shortcut now has no keyboard shortcut assigned to it.

• Click Accept and Go To Conflict to assign the shortcut to the new command, and to assign another keyboard shortcut to the conflicting.

[killerzombie]

thanks for trying joe!

arshes, thanks for your help but i still cant get it to work. sorry if im being dense here... when i go to customizing keys under preferences, i cant find any place that lists this particular action. (holding down the ctrl key will change any tool to the layer adjuster when you click) i cant find any of these types of shortcuts listed there - like the eyedropper (alt - click) or the resize shortcut.

I also tried to set the ctrl key to some other (harmless) function using custumize keys, but they wont let you assign ctrl to anything.

[Arshes Nei]

thanks for trying joe!

arshes, thanks for your help but i still cant get it to work. sorry if im being dense here... when i go to customizing keys under preferences, i cant find any place that lists this particular action. (holding down the ctrl key will change any tool to the layer adjuster when you click) i cant find any of these types of shortcuts listed there - like the eyedropper (alt - click) or the resize shortcut.

I also tried to set the ctrl key to some other (harmless) function using custumize keys, but they wont let you assign ctrl to anything.

Ok I see what the problem is, but there is a solution if you're an intuos/wacom user.

1. Painter doesn't allow modifier keyboard shortcuts to be used, these would be shift, ctrl, alt

2. The thing you were actually looking for was under the Tools Category of shortcuts, Layer Adjustment, which is also assigned the F key.

I did however, discover something. If you have an intuos3 you can program the express key to use a "Modifer" In this case, I added alt+ctrl. Sure enough enabling that express key allows me to do what you wanted, without the layer adjustment hotkey conflict.

Now it actually may be possible if you use wacom duo switch. You can also program the back switch of the grip pen to also use modifier (I can't confirm this is the same for older intuos) by going to Modifier and checking off both alt+ctrl

Now you have a hotkey on your intuos grip pen and/or express keys for what you'd like to use.

I think this may be a more viable solution for you since this means your hands are not touching the keyboard and now you can adjust to something a bit more "intuitive" while panting. Just depends on your style.

[killerzombie]

arshes- it works!!! thankyou! brilliant solution, exactly what i needed.