| 5.4. Color Picker | ||
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5. Other Tools |  |
| 5.4. Color Picker | ||
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5. Other Tools | |
The Color Picker Tool is used to select a color on any image opened on your screen. By clicking a point on an image, you can change the active color to that which is located under the pointer. By default, the tool works on the active layer, but the Sample merged option lets you grab the color as a composite from all visible layers. Only colors in visible layers are used. A Color Picker Information window opens when you click on the image.
There are different possibilities to activate the tool:
From the main menu: → .
By clicking the tool icon
in the Toolbox.
By pressing the O keyboard shortcut.
By pressing the Ctrl key while using a paint tool. The Color-picker dialog is not opened during this operation and the tool remains unchanged after releasing the key. Nevertheless, you can get information by using the Pointer window.
Ctrl does nothing here. But, when using a paint tool, pressing Ctrl allows you to pick colors without having to switch to Color Picker tool.
If the Use info window (Shift) option is not checked, pressing the Shift key when you click on a pixel opens the Color Picker Information window.
![[Not]](images/note.png)
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Not |
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The Pointer Information gives you the same information permanently. Note that it defaults to Sample merged. |
Normally, tool options are displayed in a window attached under the Toolbox as soon as you activate a tool. If they are not, you can access them from the main menu through → → which opens the option window of the selected tool.
The Radius slider adjusts the size of the square area that is used to determine an average color for the final selection. When you keep clicking the layer, the mouse pointer shows the size of the square or radius.
When enabled, the Sample merged checkbox will take color information as a composite from all the visible layers. Further information regarding Sample Merge is available in the glossary entry, Sample Merge.
The color of the selected pixel will be shown in an Information Dialog, but not otherwise used.
The Foreground color, as shown in the Color Area of the Toolbox, will be set to the color of the pixel you click on.
The Background color, as shown in the Color Area of the Toolbox, will be set to the color of the pixel you click on.
When this option box is checked, the picked color is sent to the active color palette. See Palette Editor.
When this option is checked, the information window is opened automatically. The Shift key allows you to toggle this possibility temporarily.
