Bought XP Pro to fix CS problems. Good news/Bad news

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Two of my major issues with CS are the lack of thumbnail displays in Windows Explorer and a "Save As" file extension bug. Both of these problems have been documented in previous threads, so I will not go in to much detail here.

First, the good news: XP fixed the Save As problem.

Now the bad news: Windows Explorer still will not reliably display CS thumbnails, no matter what options in the prefs are enabled. Some files display a preview, some display a black box, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the behavior. I can't begin to tell you just how (*#@ed up I think this is. Adobe removed functionality that, for me, worked well all of the time; they replaced it with something that does not work consistently, if at all. I will use PS6 and let CS be damned.

[Bill...@adobeforums.com]

As a XP user who sure does have the "save as" bug, it looks likely that CS cured that problem and not M$oft.

Bill

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Bill, which Save As bug are you seeing? There are two, I think.

And, before someone jumps in to tell me to use the File Brower, here is an excerpt from another thread:

"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."

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

I haven't encountered a "Save As" bug, in either PS 6 or CS. I'm using W2K. Ho, what were you using before XP Pro? XP Home?

[H...@adobeforums.com]

No, Larry, I was using W2k. The "Save As" problem I was seeing had to do with the correct file extension not be appended to the new file. XP Pro has cured it, at a steep price

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

ho, it's more likely that just a fresh formatted reinstall of 2k would've cured it.

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

I never saw that. What I did see, and maybe this is similar, is that sometimes I could not save because the file handle didn't release. I had a cure for it that involved a change in the Registry, and so far, CS doesn't seem to have this problem. That old problem occured with 98, ME, W2K and XP.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

That may be so, dave, but a number of problems CS users are experiencing seem to be 2k related, so I bit the bullet. I really don't like installing an OS from scratch, so I was loathe to do it with 2k and end up with the same problems. Now, one of the problems is gone and so I'll give XP the credit whether it deserves it or not.

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

did you turn off all the "fluff" in xp? runs much better in classic mode, imo. also go into my computer> advanced> performance> settings, and set for best performnce. that turns off things like animations and shadows under the cursor etc.

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

Just to be safe, you do have PS set to save images with thumbnails, right?

Bob

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

FWIW, I have all the "fluff" turned on and I still see the thumbs.

Bob

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Fluff is off. I'm going over to Bob's house now to stick my thumb in his eye... :)

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

Wait, did I say it worked it here? I meant it didn't work. Yeah, yeah.
That's right, it doesn't work. So you can stay home Howard. <g>

Bob

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

Hmmm, it seems to me that the problems I see most often are XP related, not W2K.

Different perspectives, I suppose, but, past the initial getting used to, my PSCS runs pretty well in W2K.

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

Here's a weird one and I don't know why I didn't realise this until now but I can only see thumbnails of landscape format images. If they are portrait format, they show with the black mask effect. Rotating and saving them in landscape format shows thumbnails in Explorer but rotating them back causes the black stuff to reappear. This seems to apply only to files I have saved with CS. Older portrait format files show as thumbnails. Completely fluffless OS.

[Dan_Cr...@adobeforums.com]

Mick just discovered the Holy Grail.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Mick,

I thought I noticed the same thing earlier today. I was playing with a file, making changes to it and then saving it, and then observing the result thumb-wise. I noticed that cropping an image in a portrait format tended to give me the black box, but I did not do it enough times to pin it down. Oh, by the way, now I can't make CS generate a thumbnail no matter what I do. :(

What are your system specs? Here are mine:

Adobe Photoshop Version: 8.0 (8.0x118)
Operating System: Windows XP
Version: 5.1
System architecture: Intel CPU Family:6, Model:11, Stepping:1 with MMX, SSE Integer, SSE FP
Processor speed: 1202 MHz
Built-in memory: 768 MB
Free memory: 205 MB
Memory available to Photoshop: 698 MB
Memory used by Photoshop: 75 %
Image cache levels: 6
Use image cache for histograms: No
Serial number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Application folder: C:\Image Editors\Photoshop CS\
Temporary file path: C:\DOCUME~1\hp\LOCALS~1\Temp\
Photoshop scratch has async I/O enabled
Scratch volume(s):
K:\, 30.8G, 16.9G free
J:\, 3.42G, 2.77G free
Primary Plug-ins folder: C:\Image Editors\Photoshop CS\Plug-Ins\
Additional Plug-ins folder: not set
Installed plug-ins: removed
Installed TWAIN devices:
DeskScan II 2.9

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

Ho
For what it's worth specs below minus serial no. I've just got the default plug-ins installed. But I'm also seeing the same on my laptop. I've got all the major Windows updates installed. I have always save image previews set in my PS prefs and no other graphics apps besides PSCS and 6 installed except for the annoying stuff that comes with Windows and Office XP. No registry tweakers like Power Tools and I've never touched RegEdit on this machine. I have left the Thumbnail Cache on in XP (the default). Can't think of anything I've done. The machine is about 2 months old.

Adobe Photoshop Version: 8.0 (8.0x118)
Operating System: Windows XP

Version: 5.1 Service Pack 1
System architecture: AMD CPU Family:6, Model:10, Stepping:0 with MMX, SSE Integer, SSE FP
Processor speed: 2083 MHz
Built-in memory: 1024 MB
Free memory: 661 MB
Memory available to Photoshop: 933 MB
Memory used by Photoshop: 85 %
Image cache levels: 4

Use image cache for histograms: No
Serial number:

Application folder: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop CS\
Temporary file path: C:\DOCUME~1\Michael\LOCALS~1\Temp\

Photoshop scratch has async I/O enabled
Scratch volume(s):

J:\, 55.7G, 55.5G free
Primary Plug-ins folder: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop CS\Plug-Ins\

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

Just a quick note, that if you're going to post those specs the way
Howard did, you should also delete your serial number.

Bob

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Bob, maybe you should post *your* specs for comparison...

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Nothing jumps out at me. What video card are you using?

My XP install is pristine. I loaded the OS (clean) and then CS, and the thumbnail issue was present from the get-go. This is beginning to look like a hardware problem to me...

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

The card is an NVIDIA GeForce 5600. My laptop has an NVIDIA GeForce 440. The machines have similar specs and similar programs installed. Laptop is a 2.4G Pentium with 1G of RAM. WinXP set up is similar as well. You don't seem to have Service Pack 1 installed according to your specs although I don't know what difference that would make.

I've just checked my laptop and I see the same behaviour. Landscape format PSDs show as thumbnails but rotating and saving them brings them up as black. Changing them back brings them back up. The images on the laptop were all created in CS on the desktop and transferred over.

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

Ho
Another discovery: if I open the portrait format files which show as black thumbnails in PS6 and then save them, the thumbnails appear. Similarly for any files which show as CS icons. In other words, re-saving files in PS6 restores thumbnail views for all files apparently.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Mick,

Yes, PS6 has no problem saving a thumb of any file in any orientation. That's why I still use it. For the record I use an ATI card (posted elsewhere, just don't recall where).

RE SP1, I will not install it. There were some people who experienced significant system slowdowns after deploying it, but MS said they didn't consider it a problem so they weren't going to try to fix it. The way my luck is running...

In the meantime, I seem to have lost the ability to generate a thumbnail in *any* orientation using CS and XP. It's enough to make me consider tossing them both out. I sill have 2k installed in a multi-boot configuration, so going back will be simple.

Look for my OS/CS special coming soon on ebay.

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

Right. I thought you having problems with all PSDs, not just those saved in CS. A simple workaround would be to create an action to open and resave all your CS-created PSDs in PS6 or 7. A hassle perhaps but at least it should work.

I've had no problems at all with SP1 on 3 different machines. There have been a few updates which caused problems for some users but I thought all of these had been fixed.

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

> Bob, maybe you should post *your* specs for comparison...

Here you go:

Adobe Photoshop Version: 8.0 (8.0x118)
Operating System: Windows XP
Version: 5.1 Service Pack 1

System architecture: Intel CPU Family:15, Model:2, Stepping:7 with MMX,
SSE Integer, SSE FP, SSE2, HyperThreading
Processor speed: 2657 MHz
Built-in memory: 1023 MB
Free memory: 402 MB
Memory available to Photoshop: 932 MB
Memory used by Photoshop: 50 %

Image cache levels: 4
Use image cache for histograms: No

Serial number: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Application folder: D:\Program Files\Adobe\CS\Adobe Photoshop CS\
Temporary file path: C:\DOCUME~1\RLEVIN~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\

Photoshop scratch has async I/O enabled
Scratch volume(s):

J:\, 14.6G, 14.3G free
K:\, 14.0G, 10.9G free
Primary Plug-ins folder: D:\Program Files\Adobe\CS\Adobe Photoshop
CS\Plug-Ins\
Additional Plug-ins folder: D:\Program Files\Adobe\plugins\
Installed plug-ins:
ADM 2.84pe69a 02.06.17-00:03:36h
ASDStrm 1.02x7 02.02.15-01:45:06h
AV Bros. Puzzle Pro 1.2 1, 0, 0, 1
Accented Edges 8.0
Acrobat TouchUp Image 8.0 (8.0x115)
Angled Strokes 8.0
Antimatter 4.0.2
Average 8.0 (8.0x115)
BMP 8.0 (8.0x115)
Baked Earth 1.0
Bas Relief 8.0
Bevel Boss 4.0.2
Border Stamp 1.0.5
Burnt Edges 2.0.0
Camera Raw 2.0
Chalk & Charcoal 8.0
Charcoal 8.0
Chrome 4.0.2
Chrome 8.0
Cineon 8.0 (8.0x115)
Classic Mosaic 2.0.0
Clouds 8.0 (8.0x115)
Color Halftone 8.0 (8.0x115)
Colored Pencil 8.0
CompuServe GIF 8.0 (8.0x115)
Conditional Mode Change 8.0 (8.0x115)
Constellation 1.0
Constellation 2.0.0
Contact Sheet II 8.0 (8.0x115)
Conté Crayon 8.0
Corona 4.0.2
Cracks 2.0.0
Craquelure 8.0
Crop and Straighten Photos 8.0 (8.0x115)
Crop and Straighten Photos Filter 8.0 (8.0x115)
Crosshatch 8.0
Crumple 1.0
Crumple 2.0.0
Crystallize 8.0 (8.0x115)
Cutout 4.0.2
Cutout 8.0
Dark Strokes 8.0
De-Interlace 8.0 (8.0x115)
Difference Clouds 8.0 (8.0x115)
Diffuse Glow 8.0
Displace 8.0 (8.0x115)
Distress 1.0
Drip 4.0.2
Dry Brush 8.0
Edges 1.0.5
Electrify 1.0
Electrify 2.0.0
Embed Watermark 1.70.19
Export Transparent Image 8.0 (8.0x115)
ExtensisLibrary 1.0.0.2
Extract 8.0 (8.0x115)
Extrude 8.0 (8.0x115)
FastCore Routines 8.0 (8.0x115)
Fibers 8.0 (8.0x115)
Fill Stamp 1.0.5
Film Grain 8.0
Filmstrip 8.0 (8.0x115)
Filter Gallery 8.0
Fire 4.0.2
Fit Image 8.0 (8.0x115)
Flag 1.0
Flag 2.0.0
Frame 1.0.5
Fresco 8.0
Fur 4.0.2
GIF (RD) NO VERSION
Generic EPS 8.0
Generic PDF 8.0 (8.0x115)
Glass 4.0.2
Glass 8.0
Glowing Edges 8.0
Gradient Glow 4.0.2
Grain 8.0
Graphic Pen 8.0
HSB Noise 4.0.2
Halftone Pattern 8.0
Ink Outlines 8.0
Jiggle 4.0.2
KPT Equalizer 1, 0, 1, 33
KPT Gel 1, 0, 1, 33
KPT Goo 1, 0, 1, 27
KPT LensFlare 1, 0, 0, 12
KPT Materializer 1, 0, 0, 14
KPT Projector 1, 0, 0, 12
KPT Reaction 1, 0, 0, 12
KPT SceneBuilder 1, 0, 5, 9
KPT SkyEffects 1, 0, 0, 7
KPT Turbulence 1, 0, 0, 13
Lens Blur 8.0
Lens Flare 8.0 (8.0x115)
Lensdoc 1, 1, 0, 1
Lighting Effects 8.0 (8.0x115)
Lightning 1.0
Lightning 2.0.0
Liquify 8.0
Little Fluffy Clouds 1.0
Little Fluffy Clouds 2.0.0
MMXCore Routines 8.0 (8.0x115)
Marble 4.0.2
Melt 4.0.2
Mezzotint 8.0 (8.0x115)
Mosaic Tiles 8.0
Motion Trail 4.0.2
Multi-Page PDF to PSD 8.0 (8.0x115)
Multiprocessor Support 8.0 (8.0x115)
NTSC Colors 8.0 (8.0x115)
Neon Glow 8.0
Note Paper 8.0
Ocean Ripple 8.0
Online Services 8.0x100
Origami 1.0
PCX 8.0 (8.0x115)
PDF Image 8.0 (8.0x115)
PNG 8.0 (8.0x115)
PNG Icons 1.21x7 2001.12.14-1602h.21s
Paint Daubs 8.0
Palette Knife 8.0
Patchwork 1.0.5
Patchwork 8.0
Paths to Illustrator 8.0 (8.0x115)
Pattern Maker 8.0 (8.0x115)
Perspective 1, 1, 0, 1
Photo CD 8.0 (8.0x115)
PhotoFrame 2.5 2, 5, 0, 0
Photocopy 8.0
Photomerge 8.0 (8.0x115)
PhotomergeCylmap 8.0 (8.0x115)
PhotomergeRender 8.0 (8.0x115)
PhotomergeUI 8.0 (8.0x115)
Picture Package 8.0 (8.0x115)
Picture Package Filter 8.0 (8.0x115)
Pinch 8.0 (8.0x115)
Pixar 8.0 (8.0x115)
Plaster 8.0
Plastic Wrap 8.0
Pointillize 8.0 (8.0x115)
Polar Coordinates 8.0 (8.0x115)
Poster Edges 8.0
Puzzle 1.0
Puzzle 2.0.0
Radial Blur 8.0 (8.0x115)
Read Watermark 1.70.19
RedeyePro NO VERSION
Resize Image 8.0 (8.0x115)
Resurface 1.0.5
Reticulation 8.0
Rip Open 2.0.0
Ripple 8.0 (8.0x115)
Rough Pastels 8.0
Rounded Rectangle 1.0
Save for Web 8.0
ScriptingSupport 8.0
Shadowlab 4.0.2
Shatter 1.0
Shatter 2.0.0
Shear 8.0 (8.0x115)
Shower Door 1.0
Smart Blur 8.0 (8.0x115)
Smoke 4.0.2
Smudge Stick 8.0
Solarize 8.0 (8.0x115)
Spatter 8.0
Spherize 8.0 (8.0x115)
Splat! Frame File 1.0
Splat! Stamp File 1.0
Sponge 8.0
Sprayed Strokes 8.0
Squint 4.0.2
Stain 1.0
Stain 2.0.0
Stained Glass 8.0
Stamp 8.0
Stamper 1.0
Star 4.0.2
Sumi-e 8.0
Swirl 4.0.2
Targa 8.0 (8.0x115)
Television 1.0
Television 2.0.0
Texturizer 8.0
Tiles 8.0 (8.0x115)
Torn Edges 8.0
Twain Acquire 8.0 (8.0x115)
Twain Select 8.0 (8.0x115)
Twirl 8.0 (8.0x115)
Underpainting 8.0
VariFocus 1, 1, 0, 1
Variations 8.0 (8.0x115)
WIA Support 8.0 (8.0x115)
Water Drops 4.0.2
Water Paper 8.0
Watercolor 8.0
Wave 8.0 (8.0x115)
Weave 4.0.2
Web Photo Gallery 8.0 (8.0x115)
Wind 8.0 (8.0x115)
Wireless Bitmap 8.0 (8.0x115)
Wood 4.0.2
ZigZag 8.0 (8.0x115)
Installed TWAIN devices:
EPSON TWAIN 5
Dell Image Expert Supported Camer

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

> What video card are you using?

I'm using a Matrox G400 Max.

Bob

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

> RE SP1, I will not install it. There were some people who experienced significant system slowdowns after deploying it, but MS said they didn't consider it a problem so they weren't going to try to fix it. The way my luck is running...

I don't recall anyone having a problem with SP1. I would strongly
encourage you to install it. In fact, I'm surprised you were able to buy
a copy of XP without it already there.

Doesn't MS update the retail packages?

Bob

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

ho, bob's right. no prob w/sp1. it was a single patch that was causing slowdowns. long since fixed. upgrade asap. many security fixes!

[Thomas...@adobeforums.com]

> Now the bad news: Windows Explorer still will not reliably display
> CS thumbnails, no matter what options in the prefs are enabled.

I'm not sure if you've already done this, but in another group,
I've just received the following tip, which apparently fix the
problem with Photoshop CS not showing thumbnail icons of .psd
files (I haven't tried it yet though).

1) Photoshop CS => Edit => Preferences => File Handling => Maximize
PSD File Compatibility => Always
(this will generate the composite image for layered Photoshop files)

2) Copy psicon.dll from a previous version of Photoshop to C:\Program
Files\Common Files\Adobe\Shell (if it does not already exist)

3) Create a reg-file and import this into the registry and reboot

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDLLs]
"C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Adobe\\Shell\\psicon.dll"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.psd\ShellEx]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.psd\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11d1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]
@="{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}]
@="Photoshop Icon Handler"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0B6DC6EE-C4FD-11d1-819A-00C04FB69B4D}\InProcServer32]
@="C:\\Program Files\\Common Files\\Adobe\\Shell\\psicon.dll"
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"

--
Regards
Madsen.

[Nick_...@adobeforums.com]

Ho, I've considered doing what you did with going to XP Pro from Win2K. I'm seeing considerably slower performance with CS on my Win2K machine, that I'm not seeing on my XP Pro machine. But like you, I hate OS installs. And if it's a hardware issue on my Win2K machine, I'd most likely be wasting my time. For the time being, I'll just muddle along on Win2K and hope Adobe is able to fix the problem with an update.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Ok, everyone, thanks for the input. Bob, that is one long list of plugins... I bought XP from a local vendor who doesn't care if he opens his shop or not (still lives with his mom), and his prices are often so high that no one buys much from him anyway. I've helped him in the past, so he made me a deal on this dusty version of XP Pro. I bought is specifically because it did NOT include SP1. Looks like I was misinformed about its worth.

Madsen, I tried a reg hack under W2k which worked only partially. I will compare your post line for line with my edit here in a few minutes.

Nick, I don't know what to advise. If this IS a hardware problem, then I (we) are likely hosed. I will not buy a new computer to make CS happy, although I would consider a video card. That is the only minor upgrade that I see having a bearing on this at all.

[Bill...@adobeforums.com]

Ho,

I have the FILENAME.TIF.STN.JPG filename bug.

Bill

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

Yeah, forgot to trim that part of the post. Most of them are loaded in a
secondary folder and I've been experimenting with some of them.

Load SP1 and let us know if it helps.

Bob

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Okay, I've done some testing on the question of landscape vs. portrait orientation and its effect on thumbnails. On my system, the generation of a good thumb does indeed depend on the aspect ratio of the image. The magic number seems to be 1.25; in other words the width must be at least 1.25 times the height in order for accurate thumbnail generation to take place. I can get away with a number fractionally smaller than 1.25, say 1.243 give or take, but if the ratio falls below that, the thumb turns into a mostly black box. Mick, maybe you could try this to see if the 1.25 number is consistent.

Thomas, no luck with the reg edit... still get garbled thumbs if the aspect ratio is less than 1.25.

I will download SP1 tonight.

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

Howard,

Again, just for the record, orientation doesn't seem to matter for me.
I'll fire up my laptop sometime in the next little while and copy some
files there to see what the story is.

The laptop only has CS, where my desktop has 7.0 and CS.

Bob

[Rick Moore]

Ho(ward) - I just bought CS today and installed. Because PS7 was left
installed I was able to still see PSD thumbnails in Explorer, I checked the
registry and psicon.dll was providing the thumbnail. I exported all of the
reg items for psicon.dll and the image handler CLSID just as a precaution
and uninstalled PS7. After rebooting I still get thumbnails from CS files
not matter what aspect ratio. However, even though PS7 was uninstalled the
psicon.dll file remained in the Common Files / Adobe / Shell folder, and it
is still being addressed in the registry as the shell extension, but doesn't
show as a tab in the properties of the PSD files as before.
BTW, I didn't have any problems with psicon.dll before because I removed the
association from all image types except PSD, and for PSD's I turned off
thumbnail generation (for small icons, not to be confused with large
thumbnails).

Maybe you should try installing 7 first, then CS, then uninstall 7 (remember
to leave all shared files alone)

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Bob,

I don't expect you'll have the aspect ratio problem. I wish I knew what makes your install (and most every one else's) work and mine bork, but I don't have ESP or xray vision. I hope Adobe can replicate this so they can do something about it.

Bill, I feel your pain. Are you using W2k?

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

Well here's laptop report.

No thumbnails in Win Explorer on PSD files. TIFs are fine.

BTW, the PSDs on the laptop were created in PS 7.0. I resaved a few in
CS format with thumbnails and maximize compatibility and still no thumbs.

Whether or not this is good news or bad, I'll leave up to you.

Bob

[Rick Moore]

I think that's to be expected (per the readme) if you didn't have a previous
version of PS installed

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

It is pretty much what I expected, but I figured I'd check it out and
report on it.

Bob

[Bill...@adobeforums.com]

Ho,

I'm using XP-Home. I can work around it by erasing the suffex (spelling?) and typing it in before I choose what format to use.

Bill

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Bill,

Well, I guess XP is not without its share of the blame for this bug, although you're the first person I've run into who has seen it with that OS. Most people running 2k didn't see it however, so this will take some sorting out. I know Adobe is looking at it; I hope at the end of the day the news is good.

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

Actually, I get no CS thumbnails in Windows Explorer on W2k either. It doesn't seem to be a platform issue. I do not have any other PS installed. When I installed CS, I did a format and re-install of W2K first. I do get Jpeg and Tif.

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

Ho, the magic number is 1.25. Any aspect ratio jsut below this causes the thumbnail to disappear. It reappears as soon as I hit 1.25.

[Rick Moore]

Lawrence, you should try installing the previous version first, then
installing CS. With my machine I still get Explorer thumbnails even after
uninstalling PS7 - the file that displays them is still installed and
addressed in the registry. For the record, I am running XP Pro and responded
"no" to uninstalling shared files during the uninstall of PS7, I didn't have
to do any other registry tweaking.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Mick, I think that's good news... at least it's consistant. Now if we only knew what to do about it. I hope Adobe can put this on .01 patch to-do list.

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

The vast majority of my images are square, so that won't help me.

I suspect I would have to uninstall CS, then install 6, then install CS........ I think I'll leave well enough alone!

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Larry,

Supposedly, if I understood correctly, you should be able to view PSDs in Windows Explorer simply by enabling Max Compatibility (and maybe Generate Preview--not clear on that). Are you saying you've done these things and still see no image thumbnails?

Robert, just as with Larry, I don't know what kind of news your lack of thumbs represents until I research the validity of the scenario in the first paragraph.

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

Ho, from what I understand from previous posts here, Adobe have no intention of reintroducing psicon for CS so I don't believe that this will be fixed in a patch. I think it is a matter of keeping psicon.dll installed and perhaps doing a bit of registry hacking (which I haven't done). The easist workaround that I see is to simply resave files created in CS in an earlier version which produces thumbnails of any aspect ratio on my machine. I don't save anything in CS that can't be opened in 6 but obviously this approach wouldn't work if one wanted to save some of the new types of adjustment layer or whatever.

I'm not using Max Compatibility by the way and if I do I still get the aspect ratio problem. I assume that having Image Previews is the important thing, not Max COmpatibility.

[Robert...@adobeforums.com]

> Robert, just as with Larry, I don't know what kind of news your lack of thumbs represents...

Neither do I. I just gave you facts. Fortunately for me, I don't really
need tha capability, but I certainly understand your frustration.

Bob

[H...@adobeforums.com]

"Ho - if you include the composite image (maximize compatibility), then the OS should show the preview. If it doesn't, then it is a problem with the OS." (Chris Cox, Nov. 8, CS Bug/Complaint Dept., post #5)

Took me awhile to find it, but that quote from Chris is plain enough. Previews should show up in Explorer with or without the psicon.dll. The problem is, they don't... at least not for everyone. As far as it being an OS problem, I couldn't make it work in 2k or XP so, other than OSX, I'm not sure what my options are now.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

BTW, SP1 didn't turn my computer into a slug (whew!), but it didn't do anything for the thumb problem either.

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

Max compatibility has been alternately never and always. No difference.

I cannot find a choice for generating previews. Do you mean "Allow Backround Processing"? If so, O don't have that checked. I'll give it a try.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

In the same dialog box (File Handling) that you find Maximize Compatibility, the very first box under File Saving Options is labeled "Image Previews", which is what I mistakenly referred to as "Generate Preview". Sorry for the confusion.

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

I have that checked "always".

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Something else I just noticed is that it takes a LONG time for CS to generate the image preview of large files in the Open dialog box. It takes several seconds (almost one FULL MINUTE for a 100Mb file) for the preview to appear, whereas with PS6 it comes up instantly. Once the preview has been generated, it comes up very quickly the next time I highlight the same file... seems that CS has to build and then cache the preview the first time around. This can't be the way it's supposed to work.

I reported (some of) this in another thread, but I think it belongs here.

[Thomas...@adobeforums.com]

I am posting this in case it may help someone smarter than me. I have none of the problems I keep reading about in the forums except it is slow when generating a preview. I am running the trial version of CS and PS 7.0.1 is also installed. Below is what I have on my computer.

Product name Intel(R) Desktop Board D865PERL based system
Board model Genuine Intel(R) D865PERL system board
OS version Windows* XP version 5.1 Service Pack 1 build 2600
OS memory 2,095,852 KB RAM

* ************************************************************************** Processor
* ************************************************************************** Processor Genuine Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 Processor
Processor speed 2.80 GHz
Bus speed 800 MHz
L1 cache Data Cache 8KB, Execution Trace Cache 12K Micro-ops
L2 cache Advanced Transfer Cache 512 KB
Form factor Socket 478
Stepping 9

* ************************************************************************** System
* ************************************************************************** Physical memory 2,048 MB RAM
Memory speed DDR400
Memory type DDR, Synchronous
Form factor DIMM
BIOS date 07/15/2003
BIOS size 512 KB
BIOS version P08 (RL86510A.86A.0058.P08.0307151556)
My memory is two each Corsair TWINX1024-3200C2 and the video card is the Matrox Millennium P 650. Two SATA HDs, No RAID

Maybe there is something I have that will give someone else a clue to what may be causing their problem. I must have been lucky to have the right combination.
Tom

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

Thomas, what do you have your memory allocation % set to?

Others with the same board found that 2G ram caused a huge slow-down, unless they set allocation to about 45%, and I bailed on building a new computer until this is resolved.

I have 1g ram on my board, and so long as I stay under the % set, CS runs reasonably fast.

Are you seeing thumbnails in Windows Explorer?

[Thomas...@adobeforums.com]

Lawrence, My available memory to CS PS 1777 MB. Max used by photoshop 50%, 888MB. I am seeing thumbnails in Windows Explorer, in square format and 4 x 6 format. I dont use a lot of large photo files. They run from about 20 to 50 meg. on my computer. I have my apps. on C drive and use two SATAs of 60 G for storage. Swap file is on one of them, no partitions. I think when I buy PSCS next month, I will leave PS 7.0.1 installed.
Tom

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

That seems to be the trick. Leave both installed.

So far as allocation, I have 80% allocated to PS, about 746 M. If all I get is les than a 20% increce in ram by going to the upgrade, I will save my money.

[Allan...@adobeforums.com]

I just loaded Photoshop CS tonight to replace 7.01, and I am bummed... that Thumbnails are gone in Windows Explorer!!
This is nuts. such a simple feature, but powerful to help find
things in the millions of folders and images I have saved as PSD.

I just bummed into this thread.

Does anyone have a clue if this is just a bug in the new CS? My Windows XP is fine and has been fine for a long time. Thumbnails worked fine and very well with PS 7.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

without opening PS.

Larry, I think you mean you can see those subtleties without actually opening the file in PS. You had to open PS to use the File Browser, no?

Which brings up a good point: I think I might warm to the FB if it had Explorer's functionality AND worked as a stand alone. I don't want to open PS just to manage my files.

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

You will have to learn to use the PS Browser. It's not too bad. Sort of like having to love big brother! No, more like learning to love castor oil. No..........;-)

Actually, the browser works pretty well. It give one helluva view of your files. You can actually see the subtle variations between saved versions without opening PS.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Allan, thumbnail icons are gone. Adobe removed them for your own good (without asking you or giving you the option to use them or not) because you weren't smart enough to make the decision to turn them off if they were causing you trouble. In their place, you get the unwieldy File Browser or the unreliable Max Compatibility Preview. Both of these have been discussed in various places numerous times.

Here's a recent example <http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?14@@.2ccf1c14/0>

[Rick Moore]

No, you don't have to, I've got mine working. But, I must say that the File
Browser in CS is much nicer than PS7. I'm using both Explorer and FB,
depending on the situation.

[Lawrenc...@adobeforums.com]

Yes< I mean not opening the files. Can the browser be opened without engaging CS?

[H...@adobeforums.com]

No :(

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

Just another observation about the aspect ratio thing and the thumbnail problem in general. PSDs created in CS show the same effect on my machine in work which doesn't and never has had PS installed (only Elements Version 1 - I don't use this machine for photographic work). I get black thumbnails for portrait format files and proper thumbnails for landscape format files. All older files created in PS6 behave correctly as far as I can see. This is an oldish low end machine - 1GHz Celeron - running XP Pro.

Preliminary conclusions: This has nothing to do with hardware (I never thought it did anyway) nor does it have anything to do with what version of PS is installed. It is related to the way CS saves files. This is demonstrated by the fact that I can recover all thumbnails by resaving the files in PS6.

[H...@adobeforums.com]

This has nothing to do with hardware

I sure hope you're right :)

[Rick Moore]

Yes, it does, and I believe it may be the same as PS6 (see my other post)

> Oh I never checked the work machine to see if Elements 1 puts on psicon
but I'll have a look tomorrow.

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

3 completely different machines all showing the same effect doesn't ring hardware to me Ho. Nor does the overall behaviour. Don't go upgrading your hardware to resolve this is my advice although I would never put anybody off upgrading. Nothing I like better than a brand new flying machine. New thumbnails generate in the Open File dialog in no more than about 1s on this Athlon. I relieve my conscience about spending money by passing the old ones off to my kids.

[Rick Moore]

It appears that it's the earlier version of psicon.dll that's causing the
black icons.

I dug up an old W2K laptop and did some experimenting:
I installed PS6 and copied two files that were created in CS - in large icon
view the portrait file had a black icon and the landscape had a good
preview; in thumbnail view the portrait file had a partially black icon and
the landscape had a good preview, but not as good as when saved from PS6. I
then replaced the Version 6 psicon.dll file with the Version 7 file and
voila! the icons were fixed.
One oddity about the files: both versions are called 6.6.64.53 but the files
have different byte sizes and dates.

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

There is light at the end of the tunnel. I don't have PS7 so can't check this on my setup but this looks like the solution.

[Rick Moore]

I doubt that it's legal to send you the Version 7 .dll but it's certainly
small enough to email, can you get it some other way?

[H...@adobeforums.com]

Put me on the list of recipients.

[Mick_...@adobeforums.com]

Derrick.
I don't know anybody with PS7 offhand. While it could be strictly illegal according to the licence agreement, I doubt that sending a dll file which is identical in version number to the one which came with PS6 would be considered to be piracy, particularly if the recipient has actually paid for an upgrade to a subsequent version. I doubt that Adobe would be sending around the heavies to take our equipment away if we were to do so.

However, my involvement in this thread came more from my observations of very strange thumbnail behaviour to try to help out Ho rather than at any frustration on my part at not being able to use Explorer to view thumbnails as I rarely use thumbnail view in any case so I am not overly concerned about obtaining the later version.

You are right about PS Elements.