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Lukek123
Lukek123
Inspiring
November 18, 2020
Answered

'Edit Contents' on Smart Object goes straight into Illustrator and turns object into flat image

  • November 18, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 2089 views

About a week ago when using Photoshop a message I had not seen before appeared from Windows when trying to edit a Smart Object  asked how I wanted to open the Smart Object which I selected Illustrator (as at the time the SMart Object linked straight to Illustrator). Now whenever I want to edit a Smart Object it opens Illustrator instead of opening the smart object in Photoshop, once opened in Illustrator it is 1 flat image layer also, has anyone expereinced this before? If so how do I change this.

 

Thanks!

Luke

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer D Fosse

OK, it seems you can't actually browse program files from here. You can only choose from the presented alternatives.

 

Then you need to locate an actual .PSB file somewhere, and right-click > Open With > Choose another app. If you still don't have PS listed here, click "look for another app on this PC" and navigate to the Photoshop.exe under Program Files > Adobe > etc.

 

There could be a bigger problem here if you updated to PS 2021 and then uninstalled 2020. That's a well-known problem that can hit some users. In that case you may need to uninstall and then reinstall again.

 

But try "open with" first.

3 replies

Lukek123
Lukek123Author
Inspiring
November 18, 2020

Thanks thats great, it worked! Appreciate the quick feedback.

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 18, 2020

My guess is that you did not have file associations for PSB set in you operating system. That's why it asked.

 

Go into Windows settings > Apps > Default apps > Default apps by file type and check your file associations for .psb and .ai:

    Lukek123
    Lukek123Author
    Inspiring
    November 18, 2020

    That seems to be the issue thank you for commenting, however when I try and change back to Photoshop I dont have the option?

     

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    D FosseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    November 18, 2020

    OK, it seems you can't actually browse program files from here. You can only choose from the presented alternatives.

     

    Then you need to locate an actual .PSB file somewhere, and right-click > Open With > Choose another app. If you still don't have PS listed here, click "look for another app on this PC" and navigate to the Photoshop.exe under Program Files > Adobe > etc.

     

    There could be a bigger problem here if you updated to PS 2021 and then uninstalled 2020. That's a well-known problem that can hit some users. In that case you may need to uninstall and then reinstall again.

     

    But try "open with" first.

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 18, 2020

      What have you done for trouble-shooting so far? 

      Restoring Preferences after making sure all customized presets like Actions, Patterns, Brushes etc. have been saved might be a good starting point:

      https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/basic-trouble-shooting-steps.html

       

      As a work-around you could try using

      Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Linked

      and opening the resulting file/s directly. 

      Lukek123
      Lukek123Author
      Inspiring
      November 18, 2020

      As a work-around you could try using

      Layer > Smart Objects > Convert to Linked

      and opening the resulting file/s directly. 

       

      Unfortuantly a lot of the files I want to edit were copied from Illustrator straight into Photoshop rather than linking ot a specific file, therefore I can not access the original illustrator file without it being one flatened layer.

       

      I will try resetting preferences to see if that does anything!

      c.pfaffenbichler
      Community Expert
      c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 18, 2020

      If you pasted them as Smart Objects from Illustrator then they should get opened in Illustrator, I thought you were talking about pixel SO being opened in Illustrator. 

      Could you please post a screenshot taken at View > 100% with the pertinent Panels (Layers, Channels, Options Bar, …) visible? 

       

      »Unfortuantly a lot of the files I want to edit were copied from Illustrator straight into Photoshop rather than linking ot a specific file«

      I did not speak about relinking the SO to some existing file but about converting it to a linked SO. 

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