Smart Object

A great new feature in CS3

How to convert a layer to Smart Object layer?
There are three ways to do that
1- Layer>> Smart Objects >> Convert to Smart Object
2- Filter>> Convert for Smart Filters
3- File>> Open As Smart Object...
Also this can be done when you import a file from Illustrator, you can see in your layer palette that the icon of the layer has changed to indicate that this is a smart object layer.

Advantages
1- For transformation: your objects original data will not be altered and neither will the quality of the image be lost.
2- For filtering: each filter you apply to the smart object will be add in a sub layer of that smart object and they can be turned on/off, edited, deleted very easily.
3- Auto Update: making changes to the original image will automatically affect the smart object from that image.
4- Vector graphics: now you can work with vector based graphics in Photoshop without rasterizing them.

Disadvantages : You can’t perform some modifications on the smart objects like paint, erase, heal, dodge, smudge, clone...





New Smart Object via Copy This option is used to duplicate the smart object layer.
Edit Contents Smart objects cant be edited, so what you have to do is to edit the source layer (original image), when you click on this option a pop up message will tell you that have to save the source file for the effect to appear in your smart object layer, when you click ok the file opens in Photoshop (or illustrator if the source file is .ai) and from their you can make your changes.
Export Contents your smart object layer to your computer
Replace Contents Replaces your smart object layer with an image or file on your computer
Stack Mode : The stack mode operates on a the transparent areas in a channel basis operation. This is an advanced option in Photoshop that we will be explaining later.

Rasterize Converts a smart object layer to regular layer.