I already post new tutorial about using Refine Edge command in detail, so please check it out.
Step-by-Step: Using Photoshop Refine Edge Command

First of all, you have to understand that both refine edge and feather command work with selection.

You have to make some selection and then use the command to modify the selection.

To apply the change to your image you have to apply the modified selection to layer mask.

Anyway I will post the detailed instruction soon, if this couldn’t help could you please send your example image that you like to feather the edge and also the more detail about the final result. So I will create step-by-step tutorial to working with the feather command.

Thanks

freetime

Please help!!

Anyway, as I state before, the Refine Edge Tool work very similar to Photoshop Feather Selection in earlier version of photoshop. In Photoshop CS3 you can access Feather command by using menu Selection » Modify » Feather or Ctrl(Command) + Shift + D.You can find more info about selection feather here
http://www.freetimefoto.com/photoshop/tips/using-feather.html

when you are finished with your refine edges changes, right click on the layer and apply the mask. seemed to work for me, anyway.

You can try to test the effect of Refine Selection Edge Command by following steps.
1. Open new blank file and use Marquee Tool to make some selection.
2. Fill Color some color into selection using Paint Bucket Tool, you should have solid color hard edge shape.
3. Now with the same selection, use Refine Selection Edge command, enter 10 at Feature box. You should see the smooth edge when preview. then click OK.
4. Use Paint Bucket Tool again and fill some color into selection.

Now you will see the different. If you have further question please feel free to leave comment here.

I hope this will be useful and I will update this post to include the detailed step by step of using this tool soon.

freetime

The easiest way to see the change, after apply Refine Edge Command try to fill some color to layer.

freetime

I am having the same problem as Oliver. Although I apply achange in the refine edge window, the layer remains unchanged. The preview shows the change as I would like to apply it but the layer remains unaltered.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Joe

Thanks for your comment. I have try the refine edge command on different images with different modes. It’s mostly working fine.

As I describe above the refine edge command allow you to preview the selection in different methods. So when you apply the change to the selection, in some cases it may hard to be notice in just the regular dashed line selection view.

So did you check the newly apply selection with quick mask or save it as alpha channel?

If it still not working I think it might be your hardware or software problem. Or did you try this command with other machine?

If you have further question please feel free to leave it here. I’m glad too help

freetime