Photoshop does not remember my palette locations

Platform - Windows XP
Product version - Photoshop CS version 8

I have the preference check so that Photoshop is supposed to "Remember Palette Locations" but it doesn't always do it. I don't know how to diagnose the problem because it is very unpredictable. I see one of two behaviors every time in launch photoshop.

1) Photoshop remembers:
- what tools I have selected in the tools palette (for example, the paint bucket and not the gradient tool)
- what palettes I have floating in my work space and where I last left them - what palettes I have docked in the well at the top right portion of the app - brush size settings

OR

2) Photoshop defaults all the afore mentioned things to the factory defaults.

This is infinitely annoying. As I use photoshop every day and having to spend the 10 minutes it feels like it takes to reorient by work space is a waste of time. Please look into this bug and fix it. I can't be the only one seeing this. The only thing I can think that might be causing it is that I am workong on a laptop and my docking/undocking while running photoshop might be doing something. That's a total shot in the dark though.

2)

Sure sounds like a whacked preferences file, to me. (That's the file that keeps track of a lot of things, including palette location from session to session.) Though relatively rare, it occasionally gets corrupted and weird things like this are typical symptoms.

Consider the following as you evaluate other courses of acton.

Check the FAQs (see link at top of forum). There's one on fixing this file. While you're at it review the following article as well. It offers some additional detail.

< http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/17478.html?origin=s tory>

You can delete this file via a keyboard shortcut when PS starts or manually delete it while PS is down.

Unfortunately after deleting this file, regardless of method, you'll need to repopulate all your settings in the preferences dialogs. Sorry about that.

Note: If you are unable to locate this preferences file under Windows, it may be because the file is “hidden.” Here’s how to fix that:
* Open My Computer
* Tools > Folder Options
* Click the tab labeled View
* Click on option Show hidden files and folders

Hope this gives you some ideas on a possible cure.

~Danny~

I don't know how to diagnose the problem because it is very unpredictable. I see one of two behaviors every time in launch photoshop

are you switching screen resolutions and opening ps in different resolutions? palettes will reset to default when you do that. (i do it all the time, mostly between 1024x768 and 1280x1024). i've created workspace settings (windows> workspaces) for each resolution so it's easy to get everything back to where i want it to be.

You know.... the more I think about it, I believe the palettes reset when I dock or undock my laptop. When I do this I change resolution, so maybe that's why I'm seeing the palettes reset. I'll try the work-around you suggested.

That's an odd way for Photoshop to introduce this feature. It should honor my workspace regardless of my resolution (like it always has) but then offer the ability to create custom workspace settings like you've done. I don't think I would have figured this one out without your help.

Thanks!
- alicia

It should honor my workspace regardless of my resolution

if it did that, occasionally palettes and dialogs would be lost off screen when going from high to low res. losing dialogs was a big problem in 6 and 7 (you could always get the palettes back with reset palette locations) so they made sure to force everything back on screen when changing. i guess they figured better to move everything back to a default location rather than squish everything together. that's one of the things workspaces is used for.

I don't think I would have figured this one out without your help.

Aww, shucks, Ma'am. T'wern't nuthin'. You woulda figgered it out jess fine. :)

Glad to help.

dave