Hi, we just downloaded Photoshop CS3 Extended here at work using Adobe's 30-day trial. The computer is a Dell Pentium(R)4 2GHZ with 512GB of Ram with XP.

We have scanned Tifs of maps/plans that need to be tweaked or cleaned up. We'll open the file using PS and the background layer is in the layers panel. PS says to change to a different mode to make adjustments so we select "image", then "mode" and choose the default "grayscale".

Next, we run "despeckle" or "dust/scratch" filters to remove extraneous marks, being careful not to remove original lines/text.

Then, we'll use the layer toolbar to select "create new fill or adjustment layer", select "brightness/contrast" and darken the image or lighten the image, often to a dramatic degree. This adds a layer on top of the background that is called "brightness/contrast".

Originally, we just saved as Tiff layers and could save and print the adjusted copy without any real problems. However, the size goes from about 65,000 bytes to 37,320,000 bytes just with the two layers saved (background and brightness/contrast layers). We use the default settings of no compression under the "save as" dialog box but this increase in file size seemed really ridiculous (shouldn't it be no MORE than 3x the file size if only 2 layers?).

We tried to flatten the layers AND also tried merging down and merging visible layers but as soon as this happens, the image reverts to the original background image and all are changes are lost.

We haven't messed with the default layer settings, opacity is 100% for both layers, blend modes are normal, but all of our changes go away when we try bringing the layers together.

Truly frustrating is the fact that we can no longer save the project as Tiff layers and have the adjusted layer be the one that you see when you open the file with microsoft fax viewer or other viewers and subsequently, printed copies are identical to the original background layer. I sincerely doubt we are doing anything differently when opening, editing, saving the image as layers.

Here at work, we're only dealing with original scans, and no fancy editing is required. Despeckling/dust removing, brightening/darkening and erasing are all we need to do and all this ideally would occur on ONE layer to keep things simple with smaller file sizes. Unfortunately, you can't do much with just the background layer and all our attempts at merging/flattening OR merely saving as layers have made our changes disappear.

FYI-I read that the zoom settings affect how the image LOOKS on screen, not how the changes are actually rendered. This appears to be true as the 100% window view shows no darkening of the image (a change we made) but zooming out to 50% shows the darkening change we made. However, since the saved version (merged or in layers) shows only the background layer without any of the changes, it would appear this tidbit is useless to us.

Please, please, please help us with this. PS would be useful but not if we can't save any of the changes we made.

jpc

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Adjustment layers disappear when saving, printing or flattening