Viewing PSD files thumbnails in Windows Explorer

WN
Posted By
Wesley_Norman
Sep 24, 2006
Views
284
Replies
12
Status
Closed
First, this may not be the place to be asking this question but, since it has to do with PSD files, I thought someone here might know the answer. I will also ask on the Windows forum. I can vaguely remember that there is a way to view thumbnails in Windows Explorer. I have a friend with a laptop and Windows Media OS and when she clicks on a folder of PSD files, they show up as thumbnails. I have a desktop, running Windows XP, SP2 and a lap top with Windows Media OS. Neither one of them shows thumbnails when I open a folder in Windows Explorer. It seems that there was or is a way to get Windows to show thumbnails but I just can’t remember where I read that. Does anyone have a idea? Thanks.

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BL
Bob Levine
Sep 24, 2006
Search the forum for psicon.dll.

Bob
WN
Wesley_Norman
Sep 24, 2006
Thanks Bob, that was one of the problems that I now remember. However, there were there were warnings about using that .dll file, if I remember. Later, there was another method to get Windows to show thumbnails for PSD files, but my mind will just not remember it. I have searched on Microsoft and just can’t seem to find it. Thanks again for your reply. I will continue to search to see if something will jog this old brain.
BL
Bob Levine
Sep 24, 2006
IIRC, that other method you speak of was to add the dll back into the system. Not a good move IMO. Too much chance of losing work.

Stick to Bridge.

Bob
C
chrisjbirchall
Sep 24, 2006
Wesley. There is something to be said for ditching PSDs in favor of TIFFs.

Not only will they show up in Win Explorer, they can also be opened in pretty much every other imaging application.

There will/should never be any forward/backward compatibility problems either.

Yes they take a little more space than PSDs. But they open quicker – even in Bridge, compared with PSDs saved with "maximize compatibility" switched OFF.

In any case, HD storage is so cheap now, the file size is becoming less and less of an issue.

For my money – go TIFF.

Chris.
WN
Wesley_Norman
Sep 24, 2006
Thanks all for your suggestions. I have also given your idea consideration Chris. Seems like I am constantly adding another hard drive to the computer though. I will not mess with psicon.dll Bob. There is no reason to ask for problems.
BL
Bob Levine
Sep 24, 2006
There will/should never be any forward/backward compatibility problems either.

Not every application is going to support layered TIFs.

Bob
C
chrisjbirchall
Sep 24, 2006
….but would those same applications support layered PSDs?

Even some Adobe people have hinted at TIFF being the file format of the future.
BL
Bob Levine
Sep 24, 2006
Good point.

Bob
JW
John_Waller
Sep 24, 2006
This is the workaround I used and it works fine.
http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/12/13/adobe-cs2-and-the- case-of-the-disappearing-thumbnails

I will not mess with psicon.dll Bob. There is no reason to ask for problems.

For the record, after almost 12 months of daily use, it’s been fine for me. YMMV.


Regards

John Waller
WN
Wesley_Norman
Sep 24, 2006
Thanks for the info John, if I continue to wish to view PSD files in Windows, I will try out your work around. I am still a little leary about using psicon.dll though.
BL
Bob Levine
Sep 24, 2006
I am still a little leary about using psicon.dll though.

You should be. Adobe didn’t pull that feature for no reason.

That’s not to say most people were having a problem…most weren’t. But IMO, it’s not worth it.

Bob
C
chrisjbirchall
Sep 24, 2006
For what it’s worth, I was one of those who experienced data loss and the inability to close/save files when I had psicon.dll in use on an XP system.

I certainly wouldn’t recommend anyone take the risk. The first time it happens, you can bet it will be with a really important image. 🙁

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