eyedropper

[lovaas rich]

my eyedropper is stuck in gray scale. when I click on black in a picture, it turns the (square)indicator from black (default) to white. when I click the swatches, it changes but only in shades of gray. when I use the paintbursh after eyedropper selection I get red, although the red varies in intensity according to my swatches selection. I need the eyedropper to choose colors other that black or white.

[ninjasavant]

The most likely cause of this is that your Image Mode is set to greyscale. Check your Image Mode by clicking on Image>Mode and check to see what mode your image is set to. If it's set to greyscale, then change it to RGB, CMYK or whatever mode you need to use. Also check that you are not in Quick Mask mode. Underneath the color switcher, make sure the box with the white circle is selected.

[YrbkMgr]

And... make sure you aren't on an adjustment layer.

[Colin Walls]

It does sound like QuickMask to me. Type "Q" to toggle out [I think?].

[lovaas rich]

ninjasavant got it right. I was not in greyscale but cycling the Quick Mask (boxes under the color switcher) suggestion apparently did the trick. thanks