PSCS Save For Web: Could not complete this operation. The file could not be found.

FK
Posted By
frank_kolodziej
Jun 21, 2004
Views
555
Replies
13
Status
Closed
I’m having a frustrating problem with Photoshop CS. I can open files just fine, I can save PSDs/JPGs/etc via the Save… & Save As… commands, but I can’t save files via Save For Web. After opening SFW and adjusting the optimization settings, I click the save button and get an error dialog saying "Could not complete this operation. The file could not be found."

So I can open files. I can save files. But I can’t Save For Web.

I’ve deleted Photoshop CS’s prefs (both manually and by holding down shift+opt+cmd at startup) and all the SFW-related files I know of, but no dice.

Illustrator’s Save For Web works fine, by the way.

I searched the forums and found on sort-of related topic, but it was regarding ImageReady for Windows and the problem was with opening files, not with Save For Web, and there was no solution ever found, so I thought I was okay to start a new topic.

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AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Jun 21, 2004
This problem might stem from:
Being in CMYK rather than in RGB mode;
Having a file which is too large;
Having UNIX-forbidden characters in the file-, folder- or drive-name (such as slashes, commas, spces etc.).
B
Buko
Jun 21, 2004
Trash the SFW prefs.

there is a FAQ about SFW did you read it??
FK
frank_kolodziej
Jun 21, 2004
Thanks to both of you for replying quickly.

Ann, all three of your suggestions aren’t my problem, unfortunately. I’m creating a new document at Photoshop’s default size (504x360x72dpi), not putting any art on the document, and Saving For Web. I’ve tried saving the file in several different places, including my Desktop, as "x.jpg" or "x.gif". So the length of the file name (plus the length of the path) isn’t anything outrageous, and there aren’t any illegal characters.

Buko, I mentioned that I trashed the SFW prefs. "Adobe Save For Web 8.0 Prefs", right? Are there any other Save For Web files I don’t know about?

As far as reading the FAQ goes, the only SFW-related FAQs I saw were "Save for Web Greyed Out or Unavailable" and "Save for Web Not Working", neither of which is any help here (the latter is regarding PS 5.5). Is there an FAQ that I missed that you are specifically referring to?
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Jun 21, 2004
The following might help:
Run Cocktail — or at least run "Repair Permissions". Trash "com.adobe.Photoshop.plist" (in your Library/Preferences).
FK
frank_kolodziej
Jun 21, 2004
When I wrote my last response, I knew there was something I forgot to mention. That was it. I’ve already repaired permissions (everything was fine) and I did a forced re-prebinding of the entire system.

I also uninstalled Version Cue, which I actually wasn’t using, anyway, but I figured it was worth a shot.

And I’ve already deleted Photoshop’s prefs.

While I can’t Save For Web right out of Photoshop, I can click the Edit in ImageReady button and Save Optimized As.. out of ImageReady. That works as a temporary solution, I guess, but I would like to be able to SFW straight out of Photoshop again.
GB
g_ballard
Jun 21, 2004
does a Spare User function properly?

<http://www.gballard.net/psd/troubleshootpurgepsd.html>
FK
frank_kolodziej
Jun 21, 2004
As a matter of fact, a newly created user can Save For Web.

So now what?

I’ve already deleted all the preferences for my user account that I was aware of (Adobe Photoshop 8.0 Paths, Adobe Photoshop CS Settings [folder], Adobe Save For Web 8.0 Prefs, com.adobe.Photoshop.plist). Did I miss any? Is there something in ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/ that I can trash? If I delete the whole folder, will it just be recreated fresh the next time I launch Photoshop?
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Jun 21, 2004
Trashing Photoshop’s prefs. does not get rid of "com.adobe.Photoshop.plist" — you have to delete that one separately.

And Cocktail does more than just repairing permissions re-prebinding — it cleans out caches and runs the cron scripts too.

Another weird and obscure Photoshop problem can be related to your Date & time settings. While this probably won’t help in this situation, try changing your time zone and then changing it back again (but do NOT choose GMT).

And then shut down the computer completely, unplug, wait a few minutes and then restart.

Zapping PRAM can still be used in OSX and so can resetting the firmware.
GB
g_ballard
Jun 21, 2004
a newly created user can Save For Web

I’d say you missed something?
Please review the FAQ on the subject (and my link for purging preferences)…the corruption lies within your User account.
FK
frank_kolodziej
Jun 21, 2004
I am at a loss. That a new user can save for web fine means that there’s a problem somewhere in my user directory, but

– I’ve deleted all of Photoshop’s preferences files many times (as listed on the FAQ linked to from your site) (although I’d like to point out that com.adobe.Photoshop.plist isn’t listed there, but I deleted it, anyway). That includes the Save For Web 8.0 prefs and Illustrator’s SFW prefs, just to be sure;

– I deleted the whole ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe folder, just for kicks;

– I deleted all the adobefnt files (both within and outside of my user dir);

– ran Cocktail;

– and moved all of my fonts out of ~/Library/Fonts, just in case;

and I still can’t save for web.

I’m positive I deleted all of PS’s preferences, but somehow Photoshop for my user is still messed.

Looks like I’m going to have to create a new user for myself, which means I’ll have to chown all of my project files, which should be fun.

Thanks to everyone that tried to help.
R
Ram
Jun 21, 2004
I’m going to have to create a new user for myself, which means I’ll have to chown all of my project files, which should be fun.

Right on the money. That is your only solution.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Jun 21, 2004
<< I deleted the whole ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe folder, just for kicks; >>

I suspect that that is the worst thing that you could do!

You may find that you now have to do a clean install of all of your Adobe applications.

There are actually two similar folders:
Users/Home/Library/Application Support/Adobe folder
and
~/Library/Application Support/Adobe folder
FK
frank_kolodziej
Jun 21, 2004
~ is shorthand for [your user directory].

So I deleted

~/Library/Application Support/Adobe

not

/Library/Application Support/Adobe

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