"copy" a layer or "duplicate" it?

I'm reading an article about layers in Photoshop and they show to use Ctrl-J to make a "copy" of a layer. This also works in PS Elements, and the result is a new layer with the label "layer 1".
But if, instead of using keyboard shortcuts, I right-click a layer in PSE, a menu pops up and one of the choices is to "duplicate" a layer. (No mention of "copy.") If I do that, the result is a layer with a label that's the same as the original layer but with the word "copy" added to it. (If I "duplicate" the background layer, the new layer is "background copy.")

Is there a difference between a "duplicate" layer and a "copy"? If not, it seems weird that doing it with a keybd shortcut would produce a layer with one label and doing it with a right-click menu would produce one with a different label.

I don't know, maybe others here do. You could also do a Help search for the two terms and see if it gives any clarity. One of the good Elements books could too, I suppose.

I use the Ctr-J to copy selections so I can have only part of a layer on its own layer. If I want the whole layer to be copied/dup'ed. I drag it to the new layer icon and I get the entire thing copied.

Using Ctrl+J duplicates whatever you have chosen on the layer you're currently working in - if it's the whole pic, then that's what's duplicated, but if it's just a selected section, that's what's duplicated onto the new layer (try selecting a chunk, hit Ctrl+J and you'll see what I mean).

Right clicking on the layer and choosing Duplicate Layer will do just that, regardless of what's selected.

Example: picture of a dog park with some dogs. You're working on adjustments for one particular dog, and have a selection marquee surrounding it (the "marching ants").
Hitting Ctrl+J copies just the dog into a new layer (surrounded by emptiness).
Right clicking and choosing Duplicate Layer gives you the whole picture again, in a new layer.

Hope that helps.

So, ncjohn, it sounds like the semantics of the label are dictated by the method. But if you are copying the whole layer, then I figure the end results are the same. It's just that the Ctl-J method is designed to copy any portion of the original, even if it's the whole layer.

So, it looks like the authors of the article I was reading could have been a little more specific about the Ctrl-J.
Thanks a lot folks.

ncjohn wrote in post #11500924
So, it looks like the authors of the article I was reading could have been a little more specific about the Ctrl-J.
Thanks a lot folks.

Like you, I have learned the Ctrl-J trick by reading and studying how-to articles. I have searched and searched through the official Adobe help documentation for Elements and have never found even the slightest mention of Ctrl-J. (It may well be there, though; I have a bad tendency to overlook things. I'm absolutely helpless when shopping unless my wife is along. )

As I understand this as long as they are plain layers, ie no smart objects, masks etc. the two functions are the same. However if your layer happens to be a smart object and you use ctrl-J or duplicate it will retain the reference to the original *.psb that resides behind a smart layer or other information. If you use copy layer then that reference is dropped. I can remember this being discussed at a NAPP class that I took and believe this is correct. I do know for a fact that there are some differences once you start to use some of the more powerful antics of layers.

Rimmer wrote in post #11502132
I have searched and searched through the official Adobe help documentation for Elements and have never found even the slightest mention of Ctrl-J. )

You must know about more Elements documentation than I do. The only Adobe docs that I've found can be searched in less than a minute! (I think that's why that book series called "The Missing Manual" is so popular.)

Doing a search for "photoshop shortcuts" (include "elements" if it helps) could give helpful info maybe.

I have found a reference that says:
Duplicate - duplicates the selected layer
New Layer via Copy (ctl j) - copies the contents of the clipboard into a new layer.

This would say that if you have the entire layer selected, the two commands are the same. If you have an active selection, duplicate will still give you the entire layer but New Layer via Copy (ctl j) will create a new layer with the selection.

ncjohn wrote in post #11503123
You must know about more Elements documentation than I do. The only Adobe docs that I've found can be searched in less than a minute! (I think that's why that book series called "The Missing Manual" is so popular.)

Hmmmm... I downloaded the Photoshop Elements 9 and Elements 9 Organizer manuals from Adobe. They run just over 500 pages all together (327 and 180, respectively).

Keyboard shortcuts are listed on pp. 296-307, and I can't find Ctrl-J listed anywhere (previous disclaimer regarding my ability to overlook the obvious still applies).

rbeene wrote in post #11503617
I have found a reference that says:
Duplicate - duplicates the selected layer
New Layer via Copy (ctl j) - copies the contents of the clipboard into a new layer.

This would say that if you have the entire layer selected, the two commands are the same. If you have an active selection, duplicate will still give you the entire layer but New Layer via Copy (ctl j) will create a new layer with the selection.

Yeah, I'd say that's the gist of it.

Rimmer wrote in post #11503733
Hmmmm... I downloaded the Photoshop Elements 9 and Elements 9 Organizer manuals from Adobe. They run just over 500 pages all together (327 and 180, respectively).

Is that the same help that you find if you click "help" while in PSE and then click "this page on the web" ?

ncjohn --

In the Editor workspace select Help > Photoshop Elements Help to get this window, then click View Help PDF, which you can then download for future reference.

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