CS3 Unable to save psd file as 8 bits/channel image mode option greyed out

[Robert_I...@adobeforums.com]

I have a PSD file I have been working on in CS3. This was created from a .nef raw file and saved in 16 bits/channel.

When I go to save the image as a jpeg and convert back to 8 bits/channel Image => Mode => 16 bits/channel is selected and greyed out, along with the 8 bits/channel option. So at the moment I am unable to save the image the image as a jpeg.

Does anyone know a way around this, or why it's happening?

Never had this problem before.

[drys...@adobeforums.com]

I have the same problem, and no help from the "help" system..... sigh

Bruce

[Free...@adobeforums.com]

If I read this correctly, are you trying to save as jpeg from a 16 bit psd? That won't work since jpeg doesn't support 16 bits. Convert first.

Or are both greyed out in the psd before trying to save?

[drys...@adobeforums.com]

The 8 bit mode is greyed out.... and the image is in 16 bit mode, so of course we can't save to JPG. I saw this issue a few years back, but don't recall the solution. In my case, when I started a new file PS presented an option defaulted to 16 bit mode. I thought, "what the heck, might as well work in 16 bit mode because I can change it later". Obviously that was a mistake..... but it doesn't make sense that PS won't allow the user to down scale the bit resolution. This was CS3 in my case.

I did find a work around by using "save to web", but still can't use the mode menu to down scale the res.

Cheers,

Bruce

[Ed Hannigan]

What Color Mode are you in?

[drys...@adobeforums.com]

Hi Ed,

I'm in RGB color mode, and even tried switching to CMYK to see if that would fix the problem. The 8, 16 and 32 bit modes are greyed out, with 16 bit mode showing the check mark as being active. Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,

Bruce

[Chri...@adobeforums.com]

Something is wrong with your system. 8 bit/channel is always an option for any 16 bit/channel document. So that means that something is messing up your menus.

First thing to try: remove all optional and third party plugins from the Photoshop plugins folder. Now relaunch Photoshop and see if the menus are working correctly.

Second thing to try: reset Photoshop preferences. (see the FAQ for the file location or how to do a forced reset, or you could just test it by creating a new user on the system and running Photoshop as that user)

[drys...@adobeforums.com]

Hi Chris,

Well, this is rather odd.... I load a new PSD file, with just a blank white background, and I have full access to all of the bit resolution modes (all three). With PS still open I switch to the file that I'm having trouble with, and everything is greyed out. Switch back and everything is accessable again. There is something about this particular file that is preventing switching bit depth. Do you want to look at the file itself?

Cheers,

Bruce

[Ed Hannigan]

Can you copy the Layers over to a new file and see if that works? Maybe the document is corrupted.

[drys...@adobeforums.com]

Hello Again Chris,

In fact..... I took the file I'm having trouble with and saved it as a copy. I played around a wee bit with the layer style and then went into the mode menu... low and behold the greyed out menu items was now available again!!

Now I have two files, that are otherwise identical that behave differently. One has the bit resolution modes greyed out, and the other doesn't.

I'll send you both files if you like.... very strange indeed.

Cheers,

Bruce

[Chri...@adobeforums.com]

Bruce - please email me those files. ccox [at] adobe dot com

[Chri...@adobeforums.com]

Got it. You're gonna laugh.

QuickMask mode.
You were editing the quickmask, and that state is saved with the document. And when you are editing the quickmask, we don't allow depth conversions, so they're grayed out (the extra quick mask channel gunks up the works - on the list of things to fix, but hasn't been a priority).

That's why the document title says foo.psd @ 100% (Layer 0, Quick Mask/16), and the quickmask icon at the bottom of the tool palette is darkened.

[drys...@adobeforums.com]

Well, for anyone who is listening in on this conversation, I say that Chris Cox ROCKS! I knew there had to be something I was doing, but makes perfect sense now. Thanks Chris for your tenacity to figure this one out!

All the best,

Bruce

[Chri...@adobeforums.com]

Eh, this one was easy.