Monitor and Profile Issue

Hi David

I'll try help you.

I have been running my MAC Pro OS X Yosemite with a dual monitor setup for quite a while. I have an Eizo monitor to my left for all photoshop and color work and I run my daily stuff on a View Sonic in front of me. I recently had to change my Eizo and I think this is when the problems started. When I launch photoshop typically it comes up on the Eizo and my dock stays on the VS. Everything looks fine. If I hit the enlarge to fit button my Eizo screen now shows from top to bottom. When I go to grab the photos bottom right edge the Dock will move from the VS to the Eizo. At the same time something happens and my images get saturated and is unusable. Somewhere somehow a profile must be being changed. Any ideas of how to stop this. I spoke to Apple and Eizo and neither of them had any ideas. They actually both pointed their fingers at Adobe and said it was their issue. Thanks in advance-David

There have been issues with profiles used by images and dual screens on Mac (IMO there are far more issues on Windows, but sometimes Macs do have issues, you are seeing one. I THINK it may have gone away after Yosemite. but maybe not, it's a while back).

In summary, it seems that with some versions of OSX and of Photoshop the correct ICC profile is not selected when an image is dragged. [i.e. the profile is not switched as the image moves to a second monitor screen.]

I'm not sure this is EXACTLY what you are experiencing but I suspect your symptoms are part of the same profile switching issue.

My workaround is to ensure that Photoshop opens (i.e. the application starts up) on the "master screen for viewing" - before opening any images. I'd like the dock to be on that screen by default too, see below*.

I believe that (in the examples I have experienced) Photoshop picks up the profile for an image as it opens - that is, it picks up the profile for the screen upon which it opens.

[You may have had this issue before replacing the Eizo and simply not noticed - why? Your newer Eizo may significantly different characteristics to your viewsonic - it may have a larger gamut than your earlier Eizo and, if so, an image using the viewsonic profile may look crazy oversaturated.]

So try this,

if photoshop opens on the wrong screen, drag it to the other, quit and reopen. It should now open on the right screen.

*I don't have Yosemite installed now, but as I recall if you go to system preferences/displays/arrange you can drag the OSX menubar to the Eizo (in the dialog box graphic) - which makes that the "master" screen as far as OSX is concerned. That might (should) help Photoshop to open on the right screen.

Now open an image, lets hope it opens on the Eizo. if not drag it there, close it and reopen.

Yes, this is a royal pain, but once you "get" the workaround sorted you'll be fine. Just view all your serious work for editing etc on the Eizo (maybe you are - you should be doing, anyway).

I hope this helps

if so, please do mark my reply as "helpful" and if you're OK now, please mark it as "correct" below, so others who have similar issues can see the solution

thanks

neil barstow, colourmanagement