So now after using Photoshop CS4 as part of Adobe Master Collection CS4 for Mac, I noticed some minor but quite annoying bugs that add up and annoy me enough to have stopped using it altogether.
I have a brand new MacBook Pro with OS X 10.5.6
So the list of bugs so far:
1. Zooming/Rotating with the multi-touch MacBook Pro trackpad is unstable and triggers almost totally random results. Rotating almost works fine, but the problem is zooming and rotating is done at the same time, as opposed to native OS X applications which decide whether you want to zoom or rotate at the beginning of the gesture, and not do both at the same time. Of course one could use the Rotate View tool, but why not use the trackpad which is so much more convenient? It would be nice to be able to do it with the trackpad without zooming to 0.081% while doing it.
2. The little black and white icon in the tool box called "Reset Default Foreground and Background Colors" (keyboard shortcut: d) is supposed to turn "White on Black" when selecting a layer mask, and "Black on White" when selecting a normal layer. In CS4, this icon only updates to the correct state when you mouse over it. I use this icon to check whether I am editing a layer mask or a normal layer, now it just confuses me all the time. This worked in CS3.
3. When zooming in or out with the keyboard (Cmd + and Cmd -), some layers that have been hidden (the little eye icon of the layer is deactivated) reappear for a short moment. This breaks the smoothness of zooming and I end up losing track of what area I wanted to zoom into.
4. This is not a bug but an annoying feature omission: If one decides to not use the Adjustments Panel (because it takes up an enormous amount of space, so I need to close other panels that I need and make the Layers Panel smaller, which is bad for me as I usually use dozens of layers), then it keeps reappearing every time you create a new adjustment layer. Even for adjustment layers that do not have options, such as "Invert". The panel is less practical then the window as the old Adjustments Window could be moved around without docking everywhere and it could be closed by pressing Cmd W like any window. Closing it also canceled all changed that were made, so it was a fast way of pressing Cancel AND closing the window. This now takes 2 steps: pressing the trash can icon in the Adjustments Panel, then clicking the very very tiny little X on top of the panel to close it, as this is the only way to close it, no more keyboard shortcut. As I use a graphics tablet, my hand shakes slightly and every small vibration is recognized by the computer and it becomes very hard to press such small buttons. It would be nice to be able to get the old functionality back in Options.
Thats all so far for Photoshop CS4, of course, there are loads more bugs in Flash CS4 for example, but I’ve ranted enough about that on the Flash forum (though no one replied). Hope someone has something to say!
Please check precisely if you did exactly what I described, before saying "well that’s weird, I don’t have that problem".
Learn how to optimize Photoshop for maximum speed, troubleshoot common issues, and keep your projects organized so that you can work faster than ever before!
4. This is not a bug but an annoying feature omission:
The best way to deal with the thoroughly irritating, unnecessary and badly designed Adjustments Panel is to to attach an F-key Shortcut to it (I use F5) then just hit the F-key to dismiss the palette.
Thanks everyone! I submitted a few bug reports, though even if they say they read ALL of them, and I believe them, I doubt they will do anything about this! I feel so small and powerless with bugs like this against Adobe, I just can’t imagine an Adobe guy saying "Hey look maybe we should fix that!". As far as I know, Adobe never updated any of their software through updates, if they ever change something, then they call it "CS5" and so on…
As for John Nack’s blog, I went through it and I’m seeing that loads of people are complaining because of the adjusments panel so I think I won’t need to. One of his answers to a similar complaint was:
"If you only try to use the panel in exactly the same way you used the dialog boxes, you’re missing the point. You can now adjust things like opacity, blending mode, layer mask parameters, etc. without darting in and out of dialogs that cover up your document.
Old habits take time to change, but that can’t stand in the way of progress. "
Now I do see that they believe that this is innovative and we just have to get used to it, but I’m still saying that that panel takes up space in my palettes even when I’m not using it. At least dialogs didn’t take up space when they weren’t needed. We could make a palette for everything and maybe in the future, Photoshop is just going to be a huge palette, with every single function right in front of your eyes, in case you forget about them… I understand that Photoshop can be confusing for people who are new to it and just want to edit family photos of their dog, but they should privilege Pro users, as Photoshop used to be a Pro tool after all…
Just think of Pro cameras: They didn’t change since their invention! Only consumer cameras (or whatever electronics) change trends all the time making it easier to do complicated things…
But I might just get used to it, who knows? Anyway, it’s still full of bugs, even if I do get used to it!
I do know about John Nack’s response to the comments about the Adjustment Panel because they were in direct response to my Post!
🙁
But the point is that ALL of those adjustment can be done through keyboard shortcuts and there is no need for that clumsy over-sized panel for experienced users and its appearance should be optional.
2. The little black and white icon in the tool box called "Reset Default Foreground and Background Colors" (keyboard shortcut: d) is supposed to turn "White on Black" when selecting a layer mask, and "Black on White" when selecting a normal layer. In CS4, this icon only updates to the correct state when you mouse over it. I use this icon to check whether I am editing a layer mask or a normal layer, now it just confuses me all the time. This worked in CS3.
This works correctly in CS4 on Tiger (OSX 10.4.11). Click "X" to cycle between black and white.
Your Zooming/Rotating issues are due to your operating system and the computer that you are using so are Apple rather than Adobe issues.
I don’t think the trackpad zooming thing is Apple’s fault as it works fine in native OS X apps such as Preview.app, because these apps don’t try to zoom and rotate at the same time, they decide whether you want to zoom OR rotate based on your initial gesture, and then only do that action, filtering the others. So if you start rotating an image in Preview.app, then you won’t be able to zoom it until you let go and start another gesture. Photoshop, on the other hand, tries to rotate and zoom at the same time which makes it not work very well!
But actually it’s not really a big deal to me, it just annoys me that if a professional company like Adobe adds new features to new software, those features should work perfectly, not just enough to be able to write it on the box for people to say "wow I need that that’s so cool!" and then they take it home and say "oh… if that’s how it works then I don’t really need it…"
I just have this overall feeling that Adobe is becoming less professional themselves AND aiming at less professional users at the same time. If you take a look at all the new features in CS4, well, there isn’t really anything special, it’s just a new interface that to me appears unfinished and buggy…
Yes there were some updates but nothing noticeable (well to me at least) ever changed! They’re rarely bug corrections, they’re always performance issues and compatibility problems and stuff I never really notice 😀
I just have this overall feeling that Adobe is becoming less professional themselves AND aiming at less professional users at the same time.
Whilst not really agreeing with the first point, it certainly seems to be true that they are dumbing the app down, without as much interest in increasing functionality with upgrades CS3 and 4. More and more its looking ill-advised to upgrade with each revision now.
What do they need to do to increase the userbase for Photoshop? On the one hand much to be applauded new areas like 3D – on the other, redesigning existing features to appeal to people without the curiosity to have done the basic homework in the first place. THAT’S what makes me angry.
Its when these surface features are passed off as new. Especially as is the case with adjustments when professional users (ie HIGH res files many layers) workflow is compromised in favor of juggling the interface around. Having the ability to modify blend modes opacity and masks – while keeping the curve settings open, is hardly ever something that experienced users need to do because they already know what the true power of a curve, a hue/sat or a selective color is. Blend modes and opacity/degree can be done already IF you know what your doing with the settings.
If you look at it harshly from a purely sales perspective. How much of an increase FUNCTIONALITY do professional users really need to do their job better? Not much it seems, because up to now professionals are willing to upgrade for a few useabilty bells and whistles it seems.
Apple is saying it’ll fix what it’s already got rather than add even more bells, whistles and snare drums
If that turns out to be true, it’s music to my ears. I don’t need any more features than Panther offers. I’m running Tiger as if it were Panther, as it is.
" Photoshop development has reached the point of diminishing returns" nah, there’s still PLENTY to do. 3D for one thing is a massive area and they have made great strides in this version. Here’s some more
Improved channel mixing dialog, combined with an interface for Calculations. This could even be an addition to the new Masks Panel. A general improvement to the whole masking capability, also allowing channels from other modes to be inroduced (eg LAB channels). Requested years ago this one. An Extension of Smart Objects to allow external linking "Virtual 16 bit" – allowing proxy editing of an 8 Bit document to be executed on a 16 bit master Little things like, Liquify to work on Smart Objects.
Yes I get the point about diminishing returns -but I Like Leopard, and have very few problems with it.
None of the items you list fit into my workflow, Mark, so I don’t need them. I can see why others who use Photoshop for other purposes than as a digital darkroom would find them useful.
Your digital darkroom never requires you to calculate masks? or work with 16 bit files? And do you by any chance, still have a copy of Photoshop 5 loaded on a machine in the corner? Just in case
D-76 is OK, but Kodak has recently come out with this new stuff, HC-110. You’ll get a much better high … er … I mean your hi-lites will be much better.
It’s a pretty thick soup and can be hard to push through a needle, so dilute it a bit before you shoot . . um . . that is, use it.
Well, Agfa Rodinal is the oldest commercial (B&W film) developer still in production, known for its contrast control (via dilution), flexibility, and long shelf life.
This is way off topic, sorry, but Ann’s mention of pouring stuff down a machine’s throat, reminded me of this old joke:
A gynecologist had become fed up with malpractice insurance and HMO paperwork and was burned out.
Hoping to try another career where skillful hands would be beneficial, he decided to become a mechanic.
He went to the local technical college, signed up for evening classes, attended diligently, and learned all he could.
When the time for the practical exam approached, the gynecologist prepared carefully for weeks and completed the exam with tremendous skill.
When the results came back, he was surprised to find that he had obtained a score of 150%.
Fearing an error, he called the instructor, saying, "I don’t want to appear ungrateful for such an outstanding result, but I wonder if there is an error in the grade."
The instructor said, "During the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. "You put the engine back together again perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark."
After a pause, the instructor added, "I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the muffler, which I’ve never seen done in my entire career."
Kodak HC-110 is a liquid-concentrate film developer introduced around 1965 and widely used ever since, particularly in photojournalism and fine-art photography. It is recommended by Ansel Adams in his book, The Negative, and is a favorite of Zone System enthusiasts.
Richard the other guys did not say anything about this because they realize you have little experience in the dark room.
But I thought for that very reason you should know it is not new. It has a great deal of latitude as you mention and is even used as I recall for developing Recording film.
I have HC110 and got it originally to use as a First developer when pushing Ektachrome speed through the stratosphere by processing it as a color negative.
I never liked HC110 much for general use though, and much prefer Ilford’s Microphen.
Actually, Ansel Adams never had that much of a following in England anyway.
Obviously, this topic has gone adrift — and I admit I had a hand in that as well.
But, putting my Official Adobe Forum Party Apron with Patch Pockets on (one of the many perks of hosting here!), I think we should now collectively try to reel it back in to something a bit closer to "List of Photoshop CS4 bugs that were not in CS3".
Thanks for sharing the memories and the laughs, folks!
I just remembered that I used Microphen. When I quite in the darkroom I was using a 2 part developer that worked like a charm. I forget the name. One of these days I will actually go back in my darkroom and see what it was. I don’t go in there much as I’ve noticed that when I open the door all of the dark leaks out.
The adjustments panel tends to be in-your-face, indeed. I see the point of discoverability of adjustment layers, but haven’t they been there since V4? when was that, ten years ago? I keep wishing to have the palettes appear on some form of pie contextual menu, without any need to move away. Or have unobstusive/less intrusive interface like TATs, or HUDs for all of them, change layer content on contextual, etc. Almost a image-only mode.
I second Mark for a beefed up calculations/channel mixer, but he was not the first: those who read Photoshop Channels Chops might remember a proposed interface. But I wonder if it would not be to complicated? OTOH, Lightroom/ACR have their share of sliders too.
Kodak HC-110 is a liquid-concentrate film developer introduced around 1965 and widely used ever since, particularly in photojournalism and fine-art photography. It is recommended by Ansel Adams in his book, The Negative, and is a favorite of Zone System enthusiasts.
From this site: <http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/> Richard the other guys did not say anything about this because they realize you have little experience in the dark room.
But I thought for that very reason you should know it is not new. It has a great deal of latitude as you mention and is even used as I recall for developing Recording film.
But it is not new!
….and I suppose all you folk are still using Photoshop SP?
