Need clone stamp help

I am using CS5 and when I try and clone something it tells me this

Could not use the clone stamp because the area to clone has not been defined (alt click to define a source point)

I have tried several things and nothing has corrected the problem. You could make me a happy person if you could tell me the answer, Jeff

hold alt and click with your mouse to define what section of teh image texture you want to clone.

Jeff, there's two different clone tool variations. The Spot Healing Brush Tool is easier to use, as you just select it (set the size, hardness if needed) and click. The Healing Brush Tool gives you more control over what 'fill' will be used; it's procedure is that you select the source by first holding down the <ALT> button and clicking the source area, then clicking the area you want fixed.

Gb

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Originally Posted by Anbesol

hold alt and click with your mouse to define what section of teh image texture you want to clone.

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I am holding down the ALT button and click to select an area but I am getting the message that I put in the original post when I do that. I have done this many times over the years but for some reason it is not working now. Somewhere I must have clicked on something that is preventing me to be able to do it. I have ask Google and tried the answers there and it still gets the same message. I am familiar with how to use it but now I am getting this message every time. I reset the tools and several other things but still get the message. If any of you have any ideas please post them so I can give them a try. Thanks, Jeff

This is what comes up on the screen..... Could not use the clone stamp because the area to clone has not been defined (alt click to define a source point)

I have been able to duplicate the error message, but by alt (option on Mac) clicking an area of the image, it works fine. Not sure what else to tell you that the others haven't already... Can you post some screen shots that may help people see what's going on?

Are you on the correct layer? In the layer, not the mask? - Terry

Make sure you are on the image layer that you want to define the location to start "copying" from.

If you have more than one layer make sure you have content in the layer your trying to pull data from, if its transparent on the layer the stamp is "copying" from it will throw an error as there is no data there to "pickup" from the layer.

Hope that helps?

I am on the right layer and I have been trying to get a screen shot to show you but haven't managed to be able to get one I can post yet, Jeff

Jeff, I think I've had this issue before and it was because I was clicking on an object on another layer, not the one I thought I was. If you only have one layer then that can't be it, but double check on this.

G

Up at the top of the page there should be a drop down that let's you select which layer or all you want to clone. You could be selecting one area and trying to clone on a portion of the layer that has been erased. Adobe has a forum you can join where there is unlimtited help from Adobe techs.
You also can drop the opacity of the top layer and see what's going on under your working layer.

You must first make a selection. Pressing and holding down alt key plus the point where you want to clone. Also this could be helpful if you clone on a separate layer so that you won't have the danger to destroy the image.

If I pull the original picture up without adding any layers it does the same thing when I ALT click, Jeff

Can you upload the image, a screen shot, or maybe both? I've had issues like this before, and I'm pretty sure it was a palm/forehead moment when I figured it out.

When you alt (Option on mac) click, that maneuver should define your source, after the source is defined you should be able to click on the area you want to clone the source to.

If I switch to the clone tool from another tool, and then just try to click on the photo, I get the message: "could not use..." I am guessing you are not holding the alt(option on mac) key. You are a recent mac convert, right?

Photoshop Tutorial: Removing Unwanted Elements - YouTube

Have you verified that the ALT button on the keyboard is working? The reason I ask is that I work IT and sometimes we have people that just can't get the PC to take their password. After troubleshooting it the issue is that a key went bad.

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Originally Posted by Ray Dockrey

Have you verified that the ALT button on the keyboard is working? The reason I ask is that I work IT and sometimes we have people that just can't get the PC to take their password. After troubleshooting it the issue is that a key went bad.

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Somehow I missed these replies. How can OI check my keyboard to see if it is working? Jeff

Photoshop: Could not use stamp because area to clone has not been defined object.

Photoshop polish: Nie można użyć Stempla ponieważ nie został zdefiniowany obszar źródłowy do klonowania (kliknij z naciśnitym klawiszem Alt, aby zdefiniować punkt źródłowy).

Start Photoshop as administrator.

For future starts change:
Attachment 91439

You must first make a selection. Pressing and holding down alt key plus the point where you want to clone. You can also apply this on another layer, but for this you have to make sure that, you are on the image layer that you want to define the location to start "copying" from.