Maximize Compatibility?

[Paul_...@adobeforums.com]

CS3, OS 10.4.11, G5 PPC, 8 GB RAM

In PS' File Handling Preferences, Maximize Compatibility, I have selected Always, but I am not seeing the Preview image in the column view of the HD. Sometimes, it appears that a small selection is displayed, although before saving, selections have been deselected.

If the Preview image is not a function of Maximize Compatibility, how do I show previews of my images in column view(the icons are shown).

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

Do the files that don't show icons contain Alpha Channels?

If you use Bridge instead of the Finder and you will no longer have that problem.

[Paul_...@adobeforums.com]

The files do contain alpha channels---is that the problem?
Good point about Bridge, but it's too slow.

Thanks, Ann.

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

Alpha Channels do seem to be the cause.

Unfortunately, I see that you have Bridge CS3 which was inclined to be slow — unless you restricted the number of files in each folder.

Bridge CS4 is an entirely different animal — and so is the new ACR 5.3.

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

Bridge in CS3 was a plain, unmitigated disgrace.

Until you upgrade, at least make sure you're running Photoshop 10.0.1 and Bridge 2.1.1.9. The latter is still bad, but a shade better than its predecessors.

[Paul_...@adobeforums.com]

Thanks again, Ann---I'm thinking my old G5 PPC might not be up to the task/CS4. I'll probably wait awhile until Leopard gets thoroughly tamed and get a new Intel Mac.

Ramon, thanks for your advice, too. I am running 10.0.1 and 2.1.1.9.

I've appreciated both your comments for some time...

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

I am running CS4 VERY happily on OSX 10.4.11 my G5 (which is probably even older than yours because it was in the first batch of the 2 GHZ Dual Processors to be shipped in Oct 2005!).

I did buy it a new video card however, so that I could use the OpenGL features.

[Paul_...@adobeforums.com]

Hi Ann,

If I may draw(no pun intended) on your experience---I have the ATI Radeon 9600 Pro card, I suspect the same one you had, as I also have an early 2Ghz Dual G5 purchased at about the same time. No games, no CAD, no 3D use.

Since you speak so highly of your experience with CS4 on your PPC, do you think my card would be a problem if my PS use is mostly combining my watercolor painting with my photography? My CR2 RAWs out of the camera are around 21MP and about 140MB 16-bit PS files upon opening in PS.

What I'm asking is whatever have been the OpenGL advances since my card, would that make any difference for my purposes? I have no complaints about PS' speed, so what am I missing with one of the newer cards?

Parenthetically, Bridge is not really an issue, since I'm using LR2.3---although that is glacially slow when using the Adjustment Brush and other tools in Develop, and why I am thinking my G5 wheezes along sometimes...

Thanks for whatever time you could devote to this!

[Zeno_...@adobeforums.com]

Since the Radeon 9600pro the graphics cards have become about 10 times faster at the same price point however PS is mostly using the video card for drawing the image so if you don't feel any lag when panning/zooming then you shouldn't bother with upgrading your video card.

[Paul_...@adobeforums.com]

Thanks, Zeno; no, no lagging. So faster panning and zooming would be the only improvements I would see in my setup if I upgraded?

[Ann_She...@adobeforums.com]

Paul:

Unfortunately the ATI Radeon 9600 Pro card, does not support the OpenGL features in CS4 — although the rest of the program runs perfectly.

I ditched my almost-new 9600 in the end; and bought a customized "Flashed-for-Mac" nVidea 7800GT from an on-line company called AppleMacanix. The card has been totally reliable, works beautifully, and allows the use of the Open GL features.

The 7800GT seems to be the only card that will do that on the AGP-bus G5 Macs that you and I both have.

[Paul_...@adobeforums.com]

Thanks again, Ann. I'll look into it.

[Zeno_...@adobeforums.com]

The card itself supports OpenGL2.0 just fine so it must have been driver problems or some such if you didn't get OpenGL in Photoshop

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

The card itself supports OpenGL2.0

What about Shader Model 3? On the Mac?

Remember, what counts is what the driver supports. On the Mac you have zero leeway with drivers, just what Apple gives you.

[Ramón_G_Castañeda@adobeforums.com]

This is a good argument for keeping the Photoshop forums segregated by platform.

[Zeno_...@adobeforums.com]

my bad, i forgot about SM3. No, the card doesn't support SM3, doesn't matter what drivers, platform or prayer you use