Sharing Channels

Unlike the layer sharing functionality in the Layers menu and palette, channel sharing doesn’t have a menu option in either the context menu or Channels menu. Sharing channels is different from sharing layers, in that the functionality is much more limited. Channels can be, however, be shared into the layer stack of other layers. Follow the steps below to share channels into layers.

To share a channel into the layer stack of another channel in the Channels palette:

1.

Select the channel (channel A), press Shift and drag the channel you want to share over another channel in the Channels palette (channel B).

Channel B becomes highlighted, to show that it is now the current selected channel.

2.

Don’t drop channel A on top of channel B. Once channel B becomes highlighted, drag channel A into the layer stack in the Layers palette.

Channel A is now shared and appears in channel B’s layer stack as a layer of the same name. Both the shared channel and layer display linked icons in the palette.

Tip:  It is much easier to share channels into a layer stack if both the Channels and Layers palettes are open, not only simultaneously, but side by side or near each other in your palette configuration.