Stupid Question

[Crippler]

Trying my hand at Photoshop with some text effects, coming unstuck with what Im guessing is a very simple problem.

Link below is the tutorial I'm attempting;

http://robouk.mchost.com/tuts/tutori...utorial=chrome

Part 1 posted here;
Create a new image 500x500 px with a dark gray background. Using the type tool create your text in white make it as big as possible, I used times new roman font. Click OK. Go to Layer>Type>Render Layer. When done hold CTRL and click on the text to select it. Now go to the channels palette and create a new channel.

I create the image, set the background, add my text. But when I go to the menu to render the layer, the type option is not available - still greyed out, why?

I have tried after unselecting the text as well as it selected it and since this is an procedure tha has to be followed a by a vast number of the text tutorials I've seen, Im guessing I'm missing somethign very simple, but I can't see it, anyone able to help me out?

[Nitrogen]

Right click the text layer and select 'render layer'.

[Crippler]

Hmmm don't get that option either, I must be missing something big.

Let me go step by step, using one layer only, set the background, use text tool to add text, set text colour and apply by pressing alt-backspace, deselect text........got it, just went back to look, I was using mask type tool.

Still doesn't solve my problem entirely, type menu is open to me, but it says nothing about rendering, options available are;

Converrt Work Path
Convert Shape
------------
Horizontal
Vertical
------------
Anti-Alias None
Anti-Alias Sharp
Anti-Alias Crisp
Anti-Alias Strong
Anti-Alias Smooth
------------
Convert to Paragraph Text
------------
Warp Text
------------
Update all Text Layers (greyed out)
Replace all Missing Fonts (greyed out)

Right clicking the text layer provides me with;

Layer Properties
Blending Options
----------
Duplicate Layer
Delete Layer
---------
Enable Mask Layer (greyed out)
---------
Resaturize Layer
---------
Copy Layer Style
Paste Layer Style
Copy Layer Style to Linked

Clear Layer Style

Is this supposed to be right?

[KelliShaver]

You want "Rasterize Layer" it was called "Render Layer" in v5, Rasterize in v6+ .... since Rasterize is the correct term.

[Crippler]

Ah right, great thanks.

I knew I should have looked exclusively for Photoshop 7 tutorials.

If I may slide in one more Q, what exactly does Rasterize/Render Layer mean/do?

[Nitrogen]

My understanding is that it converts the object/text from vector to 'raster'. Therefore resizing the object/text after it has been rastered will results in blurring just like any other rastered object.

However, im sure someone else will give a much more technical explanation.