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Chapter 1--Using Tools
Photoshop provides an integrated set of tools for producing sophisticated graphics for print, Web, and mobile viewing. You'll start gaining experience by configuring and using a few tools on a sample project. Every lesson will introduce you to more tools and ways to use them. By the time you finish all the lessons in this book, you'll have a solid foundation for further explorations of the Photoshop tool set.

**Selecting and using a tool from the toolbox**
The toolbox is the long, narrow palette on the far left side of the work area and contains selection tools, painting and editing tools, foreground- and background-color selection boxes, and viewing tools. To select tools use the toolbox, or press the tool's keyboard shortcut. A selected tool remains active until you select a different tool.

**Selecting and using a hidden tool**
Photoshop has many tools you can use to edit image files, but you will probably work with only a few of them at a time. The toolbox arranges some of the tools in groups, with only one tool shown for each group. The other tools in the group are hidden behind that tool. A small triangle in the lower right corner of a button is your clue that other tools are available but hidden under that tool.

**Using keyboard combinations with tool actions**
Many tools can operate under certain constraints. You usually activate these modes by holding down specific keyboard keys as you move the tool with the mouse. Some tools have modes that you choose on the tool options bar.

**Changing your view**
Choose commands from the View menu to zoom in or out of an image, or to fit it onscreen; or use the zoom tools and click or drag over an image to enlarge or reduce the view. The quickest way is to type in a specific zoom percentage. You can also use keyboard shortcuts or the Navigator palette to control the display of an image.

Zooming and scrolling with the Navigator palette
The Navigator palette is another speedy way to make large changes in the zoom level, especially when the exact percentage of magnification is unimportant. It's also a great way to scroll around in an image, because the thumbnail shows you exactly what part of the image appears in the image window.