I recently ‘upgraded’ from Photoshop 7.0 to Photoshop CS (on Windows XP) and have been disappointed to note that I seem to have lost a feature that I’ve come to take for granted.
When using Windows’ Explorer shell (basically any general OS folder view including the File|Open box within Photoshop), I enjoy viewing all my files as Thumbnails. I use this as my default view for all folders. (This shows thumbnails of all major file types like JPGs, GIFs, etc. — even file types like Word and HTML show thumbnails of their fully-rendered selves within this view.)
Anyway, Photoshop (PSD) files used to show up in this view in perfect preview forms just like the other file types. But after CS, all I see for PSD-type files is a giant Photoshop CS icon.
How do I re-activate Explorer-based thumbnails of PSD files? If this feature has been removed for some asinine reason, what could I do in the way of a 3rd-party download (or maybe even something from Adobe) to add back in that functionality. I use Photoshop as my primary image creation tool and find myself suddenly flying blind through most of my file browsing. I hope this isn’t caused by the supposedly new and improved file browser built into CS. Please let me know what you can ASAP.
Anyway, Photoshop (PSD) files used to show up in this view in perfect preview forms just like the other file types. But after CS, all I see for PSD-type files is a giant Photoshop CS icon.
It seems that you haven’t read the Photoshop CS ReadMe file.
Before, I reply, I have read the ReadMe.wri file and am aware of what it says. However, I am getting some of the .psd files to show as thumbnails in WinXP. When I do a search on *.psd files, about 80% of them will show as expected and some will not. I checked the dates of the files and it doesn’t seem to make any difference whether they are 2002 or 2003 files. Some I have saved with PSCS and some with older versions. They still show thumbnails in the explorer. Can someone explain why this is occurring? I have read several threads related to this and still don’t understand why some show and others don’t.
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It seems that you haven’t read the Photoshop CS ReadMe file.
I think they should rename it the DontOpenMe file. That should get folks to read it.
I thought I readthe readme file but, also having this problem with Explorer thumbnails, when I tried to reread it I couldn’t find it. Where is it? Regards – John Joslin
Photoshop CS ReadMe.wri in the Photoshop CS folder:
"Thumbnail Icons for .psd files
Photoshop CS no longer provides thumbnail icons of .psd files through operating system folder windows. Please use the File Browser to view your ..psd thumbnail files."
[a cry in the wilderness] Photoshop CS no longer provides thumbnail icons of .psd files through operating system folder windows…
[annoying little voice replies] It seems that you haven’t read the Photoshop CS ReadMe file…
Blah blah blah… I say we pass out the torches and pitchforks and march on the Adobe tower. This should be a user pref. If it causes problems, turn it off. How hard can it be?
Oh, c’mon dave. It worked for many of us without a hitch. All I’m asking is for Adobe to put it back like it was and let the user decide whether to run that "little stand alone app". Ironically, your describing it in that manner makes it seem even easier to accomplish.
as I said in the last thread on this, i’d not be adverse to a little "unsupported" reg hack to get it running again. But I’m sure we’ll see no such thing until the dot release for cs is done. Busy. Busy. Busy!
This must be a weird bug but I get thumbnails of my PSD files in thumbnail view in WinXP. A few of them are black or partially black (look like layer masks), a rare few have the big CS icon but the vast majority are pristine thumbnails. Funny thing is, I never normally use thumbnail view. Now if only I could figure out why this is happening – £££$$$?
Let me know if you figure it out. I have hacked my registry to display thumbs, but most of them are black, a few of them look as they should, and none of them are the CS icon. I hate it. I’m just about ready to pull the plug on CS until the patch comes out, or maybe until CS2 ships in eighteen months…
I really don’t understand this as it does the same on my laptop. I’ve done nothing to the registry on either machine. Both are XP Home with no tweaks or weird programs installed. I bought CS directly from the Adobe site (UK) a few days after it appeared. The only thing that springs to mind is that I installed over PS6 and I’ve left this on both machines.
There doesn’t seem to be anything specifically different about the files which display as black either. I always save channels and adjustment layers and most files (say 95%) are displaying full thumbnails both in Win Explorer and all are showing in the CS File Open dialog.
Phew! Glad there is somebody else who is seeing this.
My old PSD’s show the proper thumbnails. It’s the new ones that I saved under CS that don’t show them. The File Browser is stupid, you can’t jump right to where you want to be, you have to do all those "open folder" icons, where’s the function that lets you paste in a path name? And why doesn’t it show previews of acrobat files if its supposed to be so cool?
I’ll probably have to re-install an old version of Photoshop on here to edit my edit my normal stuff. I already have to drag along 2 versions of Illustrator to keep past features, so now I guess I’ll always have to keep two versions of Photoshop.
I’ve not upgraded to CS yet, but I use a prog called ACDsee to browse all types of graphic files including psd’s. It even converts between file format and previews .avi’s and .mpegs, Has anyone tried it with CS psd’s ?
Blah blah blah… I say we pass out the torches and pitchforks and march on the Adobe tower. This should be a user pref. If it causes problems, turn it off. How hard can it be?
Well, let’s see, is it a feature request or a bug fix? This concerns a function, thumbnail icons, that was removed from CS (and not coming back, according to the programmers). In its place we are left to choose between something that works only some of the time, Thumbnail View in Windows Explorer, and something unwieldy, the CS File Browser.
Some people apparently are having no problem with Explorer, and others, myself included, are having not only problems but issues as well. The problem is that viewing thumbnails in Windows Explorer does not work with all CS files. The issue is that this has disrupted my work flow and I am highly pissed. Further, I do not consider the File Browser a substitute or an alternative to the way I am used to working. I may embrace it six months or a year from now, but for now, I do not; I continue to use PS6 for what needs to be done.
I have no intention of debating the issue with you unless you are in a position to do something about it. I did not single you out for a personal attack by referring to your remark as an "annoying little voice", so don’t take it that way. Just understand that I am growing more frustrated with CS with each passing day, and the last thing I want to hear is RTFM. I even bought XP Pro in an effort to solve these problems, to no avail.
Well, let’s see, is it a feature request or a bug fix?
I guess it depends on whom you’re asking. Some miss it, some don’t.
I have no intention of debating the issue with you unless you are in a position to do something about it.
Well, then there’s nothing to debate.
I did not single you out for a personal attack by referring to your remark as an "annoying little voice", so don’t take it that way.
I must admit that I took it that way at first, but I understand now that I shouldn’t have.
Just understand that I am growing more frustrated with CS with each passing day, and the last thing I want to hear is RTFM.
I know that you’re frustrated but I can’t see what’s wrong in referring to the readme-file. I could have pointed Robert Holtz to an earlier thread in this forum instead. Both you and I know, that it isn’t the first time the PSD icon problem has been discussed in here. It seemed to me that Robert wasn’t aware of the change in Photoshop CS and that’s why I told him about the readme-file. I’m sorry that my answer to Robert annoys you (and maybe others too). That wasn’t my intention.
Well, let’s see, is it a feature request or a bug fix? <<
It’s a Feature Request and one that has already been rejected by the engineering staff as you rightly point out. As such, you are quite right in saying there’s nothing to discuss, there isn’t. You’ve had your answer from the horse’s mouth, so-to-speak, which could well be paraphrased into "It’s not going to change, so get used to it"
you are quite right in saying there’s nothing to discuss, there isn’t…
I beg to differ. I only said there was no reason to debate anyone who could not address the problem. Adobe, in my opinion, took away something that worked perfectly well and replaced it with a piece of crap. The standard answer to the lost icon functionality is either, "use the File Browser or thumbnail view in Windows Explorer." I DO NOT want to use the FB, I don’t care how grand you think it is. I DO want to use the second option, Windows Explorer, except that it is inconsistent to the point of being worthless. Some CS files display thumbnails, many do not. I bought XP in the vain hope that my issues were W2k related. Now I have spent more money than I care to think about to upgrade both Photoshop and Windows, and I have only grief to show for it. Then you pop up and declare that there is "nothing to discuss"?
If your attitude is representative of Adobe’s, then maybe they are becoming the Quark of this decade. In any event, there is plenty to discuss, but apparently you have nothing of value to add. Do us both a favor and restrain yourself from any further remarks.
I understand your frustration, but you seem to be taking it personally. As a shot in the dark, what video card are you using? What do you have your display settings at?
As I’ve already said, I have no problem viewing PSDs or TIFs in Win Explorer with XP Pro.
I’m using a Radeon 7500 with full acceleration. I tried disabling the hardware features and installing a newer driver. Didn’t work.
I am glad it works for you, only because it gives me reason to hope that it may one day work for me. As far as my taking it personally, you bet I am. I depend on Photoshop. A lot. I don’t take kindly to someone sabotaging my tools.
I will use PS6. If this is not fixed in the patch, you will find my copy of CS on ebay.
I only said there was no reason to debate anyone who could not address the
problem<<
But the folks who COULD address the problem have given you their reply already, so there isn’t anything further to discuss here.
, I don’t care how grand you think it is<<
In truth the only comments I have made on the FB have been slightly on the negative side of the equation – mainly on it’s cache being at a fixed location – but that’s where good old M$ say it has to be……
If your attitude is representative of Adobe’s<<
My attitude is that of a realist, and that is all. If the engineers say something isn’t going to happen then it isn’t going to happen and it will take a lot more than solo bleating to alter that.
The only good thing about banging your head against a brick wall is that it is much more pleasant when you stop…..
I just noticed the lack of thumbnails for PSD files in Windows as well. They only disappear if you uninstall your previous version of Photoshop.
Unfortunately, I had already done so. Restoring the system (System Restore) brings them back, but you have to REACTIVATE Photoshop CS again! Even if you undo the System Restore, i.e., if you return to the exact same system configuration, reactivation is requited.
Although I have nothing against product activation, this one’s a little too sensitive for me.
