Skip to main content
M
musicbydavidrosen
Participating Frequently
October 18, 2022
Question

Export and Save As Not Working As Expected

  • October 18, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 596 views

So let me preface this by saying in searching and searching and searching, I've found a lot of suggestions that Photoshop's "Export" function is only for web images. But on our old computer that had a failure last week that we just replaced, we exported 300dpi photos for print all the time using the Export function. It would export with the sRGB color profile and 300dpi and we'd send it to our print shop and they'd print it and all would be fine. Now its only exporting as 96dpi (from 300dpi photoshop files) on my new reinstall and I can't seem to change it no matter where I look or what I do (and as I said, lots of people saying that is impossible and it's always been that way... which it wasn't). I read on these forums that its "NOT REALLY" 96dpi, its just a placeholder because there's no dpi metadata and different programs will just put a placeholder dpi in there, but sure enough when our printing company opens the file it shows 72dpi and they're telling us our print sizes will be limited.

 

Now with that said, I'd be fine to use the Save As Copy dialogue box instead if times have changed and that's that... BUT if I do that it does not write the color profile! It says "uncalibrated" and that's its own issue for the printing company. Also its 240dpi and not 300dpi.

 

So to recap:

Export does the wrong DPI and doesn't show the color profile.

Save A Copy does ... a closer but still wrong DPI and says Uncalibrated color profile.

 

But in Photoshop the DPI and Color Profile are correct and set. Neither of these are acceptable.

 

Can anyone help us out here?

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 19, 2022

Just to clarify: In Export check both "embed profile" and "convert to sRGB" to get the correct profile. But again, Export is not intended for print files. That's why ppi is stripped, it's not needed for web/screen/mobile devices.

 

It has never been possible to get a ppi number out of Export. Resolution metadata is always stripped, it's hard-wired in the Export code. When you reopen the file, Microsoft apps assign 96 as default, Photoshop assigns 72.

 

Save A Copy will embed the profile as long as there is one to begin with:

 

Save A Copy does not change ppi. If it says 240, then it was 240 the whole time. Change this in Image Size with "resample" unchecked.

M
musicbydavidrosenAuthor
Participating Frequently
October 19, 2022

Thanks for the reply!

 

Yeah I'm gonna leave the "Export" function part of the equation out because I'm at a real loss with that one... It's so weird because after MUCH research years ago, we came to Export being the best option for prepping photos for print and it's served us well for years! So bizarre...

 

But anyway, the Save A Copy, even with that checked, leaves the Color Representation as Uncalibrated in Windows if you look at properties (instead of showing sRGB like it used to and like it does when using the Image Processor script now). Even though in Photoshop it's sRGB and on save it's sRGB.

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 19, 2022

I don't know why Windows doesn't report the profile, but it's not important. If Photoshop embeds the profile, it's embedded, end of story.

 

This is the best place to keep track of profiles in Photoshop:

M
musicbydavidrosenAuthor
Participating Frequently
October 19, 2022

As a little update to this... I had seen some mentions of using the script "Image Processor" to do this and guess what... It works. Now we just sent a picture to the printers to get their feedback and see if its REALLY the correct DPI and Color Profile, and as long as it is, we'll use this method going forward but... REALLY what gives? What's going on with Photoshop that these saving functions aren't operating as expected when they used to?

Chuck Uebele
Community Expert
Chuck UebeleCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 19, 2022

Image processor was originally written a long time ago by Xbytor, using Javascript. It's very different than the hardcoded PS export code, which as D Fosse mentions, strips the resolution info. Xbytor, I think, primarily made this script for sizing image to print, among other things. Also to code Image processor to strip the resolution would require extra code, that I'm sure Xbytor wouldn't want to write or deal with. So this is why Image processor keeps the resolution.

    M
    musicbydavidrosenAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    October 19, 2022

    Well I think we should all salute Mr Xbytor for writing code that works as it's supposed to. Aye yai yai...

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices