go out and have a beer while it finishes. or…. nat’l lampoon christmas vacation is on….
Jokes aside, your best bet is simply to not use the d*** thing.
all jokes aside, the best bet is to let it run overnight and finish. it’s fine after that.
All jokes aside? You’ll be sorry.
I had real humdinger, too.
There should be a way to stop it.
There is a way to stop it. Just close it. Or Alt+ click selected image(s). Or open another folder.
As an alternative you can open an image(s) and work on it while FB continues caching data.
Or you can cache all your HDs (partitions) by clicking on them with Build Cache for Subfolders selected and go for a walk or drink. Once all data is cached FB is very speedy
and it is very powerful tool.
CS is extremely slow loading the thumbnails in the file browser. It also acts like its frozen when I open large if files. Its also so with a variety of functions. I called tech support and they said I was the only one mentioning this. HA! Is Adobe listening. Art reproduction and Image editing is our business. CS is a Slug. I have gone back to Version 7 its much faster.
S Strickland,
You are not alone as I to have noticed that the thumbnails load very slow and has frozen up on me using PS CS. My present system is a P4 2.6Hz with 1GB PC2700 DDR Ram.
Regards,
Stu
I to have noticed that the thumbnails load very slow
Compared to Photoshop 7 the File Browser in Photoshop CS has many additional features and functions. When building the thumbnails it first generates a low quality preview image and then follows this up by collection of Meta Data for each image. Once these two functions are completed a MUCH higher quality preview image is generated. FB in CS is also colour managed meaning the HQ previews are actually colour accurate versions of the original image. It is the building of the HQ previews that causes the apparent sluggishness. You can easily disable the feature but note that the thumbnails will no longer be colour managed.
With FB open choose the EDIT menu (FB version). From the EDIT menu choose Preferences. In FB preferences deselect "High Quality Previews". Also ensure that "Allow Background Processing is NOT enabled.
I’ve never found the File Browser to be anything more than a waste of resources – I use another, far less bloated app to browse my images, and have FB turned off.
It’s a faster workflow, and Photoshop is freed up to do what it does best. Browsing images is not what it does best.
The worst thing about the browser is how it interferes with the former capabilities of Windows Explorer. Formerly, as I completed a round of work on an image, I would select the final versions to be saved to cd or master HD. I could do this by looking at the thumbnails. Now, all I see is the icon with an abbreviated title.
Going to the CS browser, a great preview is presented., but, alas, I cannot easily move the images so far as re-filing is concerned.
I need to be able to select certain images and the use the "Move To" or "Copy To" command. I also need to be able to generate a new folder from the browser. The best I can do is look at the PS browser, note the image in sequence and go to Windows explorer, make the move, go back to PS Browser and validate that I did the correct move.
VERY ugly!!
Perhaps I am missing something here. If not, Please, please, either give us the thumbnail back in Explorer, or give us the file editing of explorer in PS Browser.
Lawrence, I’m not a fan of the File Browser, either. But you can move files by dragging the thumbnail to the Folder tree and just like most Windows programs Ctrl-drag for copy. You can also create a new folder in the tree by right-clicking on a drive or folder in the tree -"New Folder" is part of the context menu.
Thanks Derrick. I missed that, as I suspected. I was looking for it in the task bar.
Reminder to me:
Right Click EVERYTHING! 😉
Andrew… great idea about caching the whole HD. I did it and it makes the FB fly. It would be nice if there were an Update or Refresh option to scan and cache new files.
Ian’s Preferences tips helped speed it up too.
If you are not familiar with a file manager called PowerDesk, take a look:
<
http://www.v-com.com/product/pd_ind.html>
PowerDesk is a way better file manager than Windows Explorer (in my opinion) and will display thumbnails of psd files, jpgs, tiffs, etc. It won’t do NEFs, unfortunately. I consider it an indispensibe utility.
John
John,
great idea about caching the whole HD. I did it and it makes the FB fly
Me too
and I pretty much ditched all third party Browsers. Once you get past this I hate FB nonsense and understand how to work it none of them comes close in functionality and integration with Photoshop.
PowerDesk is a way better file manager than Windows Explorer (in my opinion) and will display thumbnails of psd files, jpgs, tiffs, etc. It won’t do NEFs, unfortunately
That would be a small problem for someone like me, who is shooting about 15,000-20,000+ NEFs a year. 😉
Once you get past this I hate FB nonsense and understand how to work it none of them comes close in functionality and integration with Photoshop.
I agree, but some folk just can’t get past what they’re already familiar with. Sadly they don’t seem to have time or patience to check out File Browsers capabilities. File Browser was designed to allow you manage your image files from INSIDE Photoshop. The others being discussed above operate outside Photoshop.
If all folk do is twiddle around with JPEG, PSD and TIFF files then they haven’t even scratched the surface of File Browsers capabilities. Add camera raw files into the mix and it’s whole different ball game.
File Browser is CM aware; allows a range of different automated batch operation; allows you to edit meta data; allows you to append new meta data. The interface can be configured to suit individual layout preferences, etc. If High Quality Previews are enabled you can preview the preview images The only downside of of FB is the time it takes to build the cache. However, once that is done you should have no problems with performance. Using the "Build cache for sub folders" feature should make this fairly simple and pain free.
The following link includes some videos that describe File Browser
<
http://www.photoshopuser.com/photoshopcs.html>
I downloaded PowerDesk, and,ho hum. I still cannot see any images from the .psd files. I am going to uninstall it.
Ian, while it’s certain that, taking in all the elements that the FB can do, it’s under-utilized at this point by many, including moi. The comment I made about always right click everything is a cryptic reminder to learn all I can about new stuff I use.
Non the less, I don’t TWADDLE with my work, and I resent it when a person like you, with lots of money, equipment, software and the like thrown at you because people read your website, which is superb, puts down those of us that have to make do with less. My files are 99.9999% film, and go back 45 years. I can’t make use of the browser’s capability to deal with digital camera files. That doesn’t mean I twaddle.
We are promise seamless working with the CS software. The least it should do is allow us who have developed a good workflow to be able to continue in our present flow and integrate the new into the old. The brilliance of Excel is because MS provided for many, if not all, of the working methods from competeting spreadsheet software to run Excel.
There are many changes to just the keystrokes in CS. I’m sure that they will be absorbed into the tasks to be accomplished. Having a people who have had the privilege of beta testing such extensive changes to an app is most welcome on these pages, at least to me. It is not helpful to have that person stand there like some self-satisfied guru throwing brickbrats at the rest of the unwashed.
I am reminded of the last two lines in a song about kids:
"Why can’t they be like we were,
Perfect in every way". 😉
Lawrence,
First off don’t take my post personally.
Non the less, I don’t TWADDLE with my work, and I resent it……
Second, I wrote TWIDDLE! There’s a big difference in how we use these words in my part of the world! Twaddle means "nonsense" in my parlance and had I used that word you would be right to be pissed.
By twiddle I simply mean move files from here to there, delete. etc. (i.e. the basics of managing files). If that’s all you need then fine use Explorer, et al but you’re really missing a lot of workflow opportunities.
You wrote the following in an earlier message:
I need to be able to select certain images and the use the "Move To" or "Copy To" command. I also need to be able to generate a new folder from the browser.
FB supports the creation of new folders. Files are easily copied and moved using a keystroke + drag and drop. Read page 81/82 of the user manual or check out the help file.
If you need to do more with the images including making an assessment of whether it is sharp, how the colours appear, etc then the thumbnails and low resolution previews associated with Explorer and most third party browsers aren’t worth having. In such cases you’re faced with opening the image in Photoshop. Try this with 20, 30, 40 ……. 100 plus large files. You’ll go nuts opening and closing them!
With High Quality preview enabled you can preview high resolution, colour accurate versions of any cached image file format supported by Photoshop. The image doesn’t need to be opened and because it’s cached it’s available virtually instantly. The following is full screen capture from my 23" LCD. Notice the area taken up by the preview image. This is a high res cached preview from a 400MB file. How long does it take you to open a 400MB file?
Edit: fixed URL
<
http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.lyons/untitled.jpg>
Please be aware that the screenshot 400KByte
It is not helpful to have that person stand there like some self-satisfied guru throwing brickbrats at the rest of the unwashed.
I’m not a guru, never was and never will be – I can be as dumb as the so called unwashed and often dumber!
Lawrence,
Regarding PowerDesk Pro (ho-hum or not) and PSD files:
In PS>Preferences>File Handling, "Maximize PSD File Compatibility" needs to be set for Always in order for the PSDs to be readable by PowerDesk.
I’d urge you to give FB another chance. Cache the images in the folders you use most often and see how it works. As others have pointed out, the CS version is a big improvement over previous versions.
John
Here let me help you with that link Ian.
http:/www.btinternet.com/~ian.lyons/untitled-1.jpg
I will John.
Thank you, Ian for the heads up about Twiddle/Twaddle difference! Here, twiddle/ twaddle, what’s the difference? I usually check up in spellings and meanings, and I certainly didn’t see/know the difference this time!
The thing I most appreciate about Windows file handling is the selection of move or copy, and for sure, knowing you did the right move. I have lost location of too many files using drag/drop to the tree that I am very gun shy of that method. However, I see that Adobe outlines the file selected in the tree, so that becomes less of a problem.
One other difference. If I use drag and drop to subfolders, it moves the file. If I use drag and drop to folders on a different drive, it copies. I am going to re-check that to be sure, but today I tried the drag and drop and noticed it left files in both locations.
Ok, back in good graces all the way around. 🙂
Thank you, all.
The link works better with Andrew’s version. Impressive!
And, yes. When I first used FB, I was delighted. It wasn’t until I tried using my old routine for file moving that I became disappointed, because now, without seeing the actual file, I didn’t know for sure which was which.
Well, give it another week or so. I’ll probably be singing the praises of FB over windows! 😉
Lawrence,
One other difference. If I use drag and drop to subfolders, it moves the file. If I use drag and drop to folders on a different drive, it copies. I am going to re-check that to be sure, but today I tried the drag and drop and noticed it left files in both locations.
Try holding either shift or control when you drag to a different drive. That may be "move" rather than "copy." I’m not sure about this, so no guarantees!
And, yes, we’re still all friends here!
John
If I use drag and drop to folders on a different drive, it copies.
Larry,
This is standard Windows (and Mac OS) behavior. Drag and drop moves files on the same drive and copies them to a different drive.
I dont see any way to move files to different drive with FB. You have to use cut and paste (or move to folder) from Explorer if you insist. I dont bother and just copy files then verify new location and delete from source folder.
Andrew… I stand corrected about moving folders/files to another drive using Windows Explorer or FB.
PowerDesk Pro WILL allow folders/files to be moved (rather than copied) from one drive to another. Of course, you can copy them if you prefer. In essence, PowerDesk will copy to the other drive and then delete from the source drive all in one operation. (Not so ho-hum after all!)
John
As Andrew says moving anything from one drive to another is actually a copy operation (I’ve been thankful for that on more than one occasion).
I don’t know of any simple way to move or copy folders from one drive to another using only the File Browser. That said it can be achieved by choosing the Reveal in Explorer (Windows) or Reveal in Finder (Mac) feature. On the Mac this method is fairly easy and quick, but on the PC it’s a PITA. Generally I just copy the files and then cleanup the redundant folders afterwards. In any case I feel happier with copies spread over two drives (i.e. realtime backups 😉 ).
Times I have hesitated too, moving rather than copying!
I didn’t know it was sop for drag ‘n drop to copy. As I said, I rarely used it.
Addendum: Drag and drop from/to a sub folder moves the image. Ctrl Drag/Drop copies the image. Drag/drop across drives copies only, no matter if you use Ctrl.
Andrew Pietrzyk:
I am trying to accomplish what you’ve suggested (caching each partition) but I need more info. Not a FB or XP expert. Where exactly is that function? I run PS 7.01 on XP.
My problem (I think) is that I am connected to a large network with access to several drives/partitions, so I can’t even get FB to run (!)–it seems to be out browsing the network and I get a continuous hourglass. All other network functions in XP and other software are fine. I think the FB may also be related to a file opening problem. Files open very slowly (but processed quickly according to the status bar). If I physically disconnect my network cable–everything is fine and fast.
I’ve posted a few messages about this already, but no one seems to know what I’m talking about. Any ideas?
Thanks.
I am trying to accomplish what you’ve suggested (caching each partition) but I need more info. Not a FB or XP expert. Where exactly is that function? I run PS 7.01 on XP.
File Browsers in PS7.01 and PS CS (8.0) are totally different animals.
Build Cache for Subfolders option, which lets you painlessly cache entire partition with a singe click, is only available in PS 8.0 File Browser.
Andrew
Andrew:
File Browsers in PS7.01 and PS CS (8.0) are totally different animals.
Ah–I see what you mean.
I checked my Photoshop CS version for Mac at home. Thanks for enlightening me about this feature. Unfortunately I’m not the one upgrading software on my PC at work, so it’s going to be a long while before I can fix this multiple network drive/file browser issue.
Hehe, It was getting pretty late Saturday and there was a party at home waiting. I gave up and left after I post my rant message.
I like using the file browser, it shows all kinds of info and I can see a preview of my raw files and the color is accurate. It’s just too darn slow. On Saturday, I gave up when I accidently brought it to the foreground and I cannot put it away. On my ~150mb files, it just doesn’t respond. As for preprocessing the cache, it’s no good for me because I make gigs for new images and need to work on them right away. It would be nice if I can tell the FB to preprocess in the background while I work. Or have a small utility program to run seperately to do this and not interfere with PS. For now, I am going to try login as a different user and run another copy of PS.
It would be nice if I can tell the FB to preprocess in the background while I work.
Activate the Background Processing in FB preferences and you can work away doing other things. However, be aware that there’s no such thing as a free lunch – background processing uses memory and processor cycles.
Activate the Background Processing in FB preferences
Aha, I did read your post previously and did that. Now it’s good again. I can put it away with no delay 🙂
File Browser is great. :))
I hate the File Browser!
Richard A. Ross – 06:45pm Dec 19, 2003 Pacific
Richard A. Ross – 04:59pm Dec 23, 2003 Pacific (#31 of 31)
File Browser is great. )
I love a thread with a happy ending! 🙂
It would be nice if I can tell the FB to preprocess in the background while I work.
It would be nice if I could use Photoshop while the FB is working in the background but I can’t. It isn’t responding while the FB is working.
Merry Christmas everybody.
—
Regards
Madsen.
Guys – the file browser is completely interruptable – just click, type or do something else while it’s building the thumbnails.
Use ACDSee instead (www.acdsee.com). It’s a wayyy better file browser, and then some. I use it to organize my 60,000+ digital photos…
