CS3 nor any previous version of Photoshop released memory when closing a file. Once Photoshop has the memory allocated, Photoshop keeps the memory and reuses it. The memory will not be released to the OS until the OS says it is running low, or Photoshop quits.
Yes, CS4 might use more RAM by default – it’s doing a bit more (especially the GPU support). Yes, manipulating a file can consume a lot of memory – it depends on what you do, and the contents of the file. Each history state could be a complete copy of the image!
If a filter plugin gives an out of memory error, then most likely that plugin failed to follow the directions in the plugin SDK about how to allocate memory. Reducing the memory allocation percentage in preferences will sometimes allow memory hungry plugins to run. It is also possible that the plugin has some other error that just manifests as an out of memory error.
CS3 nor any previous version of Photoshop released memory when closing a file. Once Photoshop has the memory allocated, Photoshop keeps the memory and reuses it. The memory will not be released to the OS until the OS says it is running low, or Photoshop quits.
Sorry Chris, I was confusing the file closure with what happens at the end of a filter process. In the case of a Topaz adjust filter I can get the situation where memory in use is say 700Mb, the filter goes to work and it goes up to 1.7Gb and falls to 1.3Gb at the end of the process. After closing that file the 1.3Gb does indeed remain in use but when I try to apply the same filter on another file I get the ‘out of memory’ messages.
I can’t make Topaz or any other filter or indeed any process in CS3 produce an ‘out of memory’ error. Maybe I’m just trying filters that incompatible with CS4.
It’s possible that Topaz has some bug that makes it not work with CS4. But generally any plugin that worked with CS3 should work with CS4 in 32 bit. (64 bit requires updated plugins)
Hi Chris and others,
I am using approximately the same configuration as you (4 GB RAM, XP SP 3). I have allocated PS CS 3 all the memory it can take. My hard disk virtual memory is in a separate 500 GB Hard disk. When I am trying to merge into HDR more than three Canon EOS 1D3 Raw files I run "into out of memory" message. I can undestand that the 1.7 GB limit is easily reached, but shouldn’t PS take advantage of the hard disk virtual memory
Kari Pietila
I have allocated PS CS 3 all the memory it can take
That’s never a good idea, cut it back to 75% or so.
Out of memory can mean scratch disk as well as RAM. When you say "HD virtual memory" do you mean PS scratch or Windows pagefile? In any case, go to Preferences > Performance and check again what the settings are for scratch disk.
If Chris comes back, he can explain this much better than I can.
Thanks,
For the first I have tried with percentages starting from the recommended value to 100%. It does not matter. To the second. Yes I meant PS scracth disk.
Yours Kari
In my experience, "out of memory" usually means one of two things. Either the percentage is set too high, or the scratch disk configuration is not optimal. Aside from having enough space, that space also needs to be defragmented and consolidated into contiguous blocks.
With a dedicated drive for scratch, you should be in the clear. Do you have anything else on that drive? If so, it could be an idea to partition it and use the first partition for scratch.
I am running CS3 on Vista home premium sp1 32 bit with 3gb ram. I have been doing photo merges out of my Canon 1Ds MkII (13mb raw files) and had good luck rendering up to 12 shots. Recently that has changed and I am having problems with even 5 shots. When processing it gets to the auto alignment step and pops up the out of ram box. At his point it is using 1.25 gb ram. I have a 600 gb hard drive portioned with 180 gb available on scratch. Why can’t the process continue on the drive. Also after closing the file I can’t do a manual auto merge on even two layers. If I close the file, nada. If I close ps and reopen I can merge 3 layers manually at a time. After two or three bouts of this I again run out of ram. This is making photomerge inoperable. I have my ram usage preferance set to 70%.
Frumpy
Frumpy: Optimal usage would be to have the PS scratch on a separate drive. To really run these apps you need more than one drive.
Dear ToM and Bart,
I have the same problem as Tom (exactly although I have XP with SP 3 and 4 GB RAM). The PS scratch disk indeed is on a separate drive but the way things are going are as described by Tom. This is a real problem and I think a new one, which should be addressed by Adobe.
Kari
Yes Kari and the big point is that none of this happened with CS3. If it were a generic problem with the scratch disk surely it would have affected CS3 just the same.
Actually xrdbear if you read closely I am using CS3. However I think I have found my solution in the Adobe knowledge base. If you set you ram usage too high in pS preferences, you get the run out of ram error before it gets a chance to go to scratch. I lowered my preference to 45% and it went back to working fine (great relief). I can tell it is going to scratch as it slows down a bit, but continues with out error. Kari I hope this helps.
Tom,
I’m pretty sure that if you put scratch disk on a dedicated drive, or a (first) partition on a drive other than your system drive, you’ll do even better.
Roger freeagent. I have set to my second partion (E:Drive) first which is 296gb free and not the same drive as my system, then second to my system drive (C:) which is 185 gb free. Thanks for the response.
Indeed reducing the CS4 memory setting to under 700Mb (as suggested by the Topaz people ) gets rid of the out of memory messages. Topaz apparently uses memory from the 2Gb pool which is the max that can be allocated to a particular application. Topaz say they are working to reduce its memory requirements because of this problem.
I have defragged the CS4 scratch drive which makes things a little snappier but I think I shall have to spring for a small velociraptor.
have set to my second partion (E:Drive) first which is 296gb free
The reason you should put the scratch on the first partition is that is the fastest part of the drive and will give you the best performance.
Tom,
Your solution for the problem really did work although it is hard to understand why. By setting the percentage to what you suggested allowed PS to use virtual memory and at least 7 Canon EOS 1D MIII raw files could be merged to HDR. Thanks
Kari
