P: Lightroom Classic: "Open as layers in Photoshop" function broken after update

[andrewh52617823]

I edit about 30 images per day by selecting the below command, within Lightroom Classic (recently updated):

 

PHOTO > EDIT IN > OPEN AS LAYERS IN PHOTOSHOP (also recently updated)

 

But after the most recent update of PS and LrC I have reliability lost this ability.  If I select 5 images in LrC and try to do the above, only about 1-2 images appear in my layered PS file as a layer, then a blank "LOAD LAYERS" layer appears (see attached) and one more image will open in a separate PS file and not a part of the layered file - then the import quits.

 

After I am done editing the layered file and when I save it - it will automatically save and load the modified layered file in LrC - which it does not do anymore. I was able to get it to work properly  couple times, but it always ends up giving me this problem about 80% of the time.

 

Obviously the only work around is for me to copy and past each layer individually and then manually save the file and import into my LrC catalog - which makes the process of editing images very inefficient when doing dozens of these edits per day.

 

I'm on a Macbook Pro, latest install of LrC and PS / most recent Catalina & have uninstalled/re-installed PS - again, I have edited hundreds of images like this prior to the recent updates and never had an issue so obviously it have something to do with the update, at least for me.

 

andrew

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

5 images loaded fine for me from LRC, all the same specs as you except the 2019 iMac (64GB RAM). Try Onyx to rule out a corrupt cache or application state, instructions below (I was a Mac IT pro for 25 years). Run Onyx monthly to fix issues before they break stuff.

Download the free Onyx (https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html), select the Onyx version for your OS, download, run it, reboot.

In Onyx run almost everything in the Maintenance tab, deselecting things you may not want deleted, like Launch Services . Hit the "Options" button across from Internet and deselect more stuff like Cookies & Other Site Data, Browser History, Form Values, etc. (most of these are OFF by default). If you don’t know what something is, google it, or don’t run it, or ask me), then hit Run Tasks. After it's done it will ask for a reboot.

Also try to fix any directory damage by running Disk First Aid from Disk Utility: boot into Recovery Mode, (hold down Command-R when booting). When you're in Recovery Mode go to the Utilities menu and launch Disk Utility, say Repair Disk. When done go to Apple Menu for Startup disk and restart normally.

[brezeljo]

No problems here either, MB Pro 2015 Catalina

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

It is likely you need to reset your Photoshop and/or Lightroom preference files. They will survive an uninstall/reinstall.

• Close Each App
• Open App with [Opt]+[Shift] held down 
• Reset Preferences when prompted

[johnrellis]

Bob Somrak reports the problem occurred for him once out of ten tries:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic/quot-open-as-layers-in-photoshop-quot-function-in-l...

[andrewh52617823]

So I ran Onyx, repaired my system directory, cleared both my PS and LrC prefs and still continue to get the issue. The only thing worked for me was quitting both programs after each edit, and it works about half the time. I re-installed an older version of PS (21.1.3) and  LrC (9.2.1) which didn't make much of a difference.

Seems like PS gets stuck with the Load Layers function and will just sometimes stop and leave me hanging.

Hope that a future version magically corrects this.

[TheDigitalDog]

 I re-installed an older version of PS (21.1.3) and  LrC (9.2.1) which didn't make much of a difference.

Be sure to install LR first, THEN PS. The order can make a difference. 

[andrewh52617823]

Thanks! I'll give that a try when I get a chance.  It seems that after a full system restart with the original pre-updated applications I am getting a much better rate of export success.

[Bob Somrak]

It was bad enough that the LONG term bug of "Open In Photoshop" sometimes opening only a portion of the files has never been fixed but now they have broken Open As Layers and this is even a worse problem.  

[Bob Somrak]

BTW, I forgot to mention that I works a LOT better and more ofter if I have Photoshop already loaded.  I also use TIFF as my Edit In preference and if I leave Compression OFF than it works.  Must be a bug in the Fix of the TIFF compression.

[Bob Somrak]

Rikk
See my comment below.  I seems the Tiff Compression that was fixed in 9.3 is causing this issue for me.  I turned it OFF and I now it works more often when doing Open as Layers.

[andrewh52617823]

Glad to know i'm not the only one...

[Bob Somrak]

If you are using Edit-In with compressed TIFF, read my last post above.  Turning compression OFF worked for me to improve the situation.

[andrewh52617823]

Where do I find this option?

[TheDigitalDog]

Where do I find this option?

Preferences>External Editor. When you select a TIFF, you have an option for ZIP compression or None. 
Also consider doing the same IF you export a TIFF then have it imported back to the catalog, ditto for Photoshop preferences if the same. IOW, you probably want compression OFF anywhere you save a TIFF that may land back in LR. 

[andrewh52617823]

Got it, thx

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I, too, am having this problem. Only trying to open (edit in as layers) 4 photos. Hangs on the 2nd or 3rd one. Have tried multiple times. Got it to work 1 time, but hasn't since. Have closed & reopened both Lightroom and Photoshop repeatedly. Tried opening PS first, LR first. No difference. Tried edit in PS one photo at a time, 1st one opened fine, 2nd one seems to open but the PS progress bar hangs. Clicking the progress bar's Cancel button does nothing. Close the image, the stuck progress bar remains. Have to close PS to clear it.

TIFF and zip compression aren't set, so not the problem.

I'm on a mid-2012 MacBook Air 8mb running Mojave. Slow, yes, fans crank up often in LR, but this worked just fine before the most recent updates.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I tried turning off TIFF compression but I'm still facing the same issues. Any other solutions?

[andrewh52617823]

I went back to an older version of PS & LR and its much more stable for me now.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I have the same problem. Contacting adobe support, and via remote desktop they deleted/resetted the settings filed, which worked for an edit or two, but the problem is back. Pretty annoying issue. On a 2014 MBP running Catalina

[PPz]

On my Mac-Book Pro under MACOS Mojave I have problem to send pictures from LRc (version 9.3  - 202005281810) to Photoshop 2020 (version 21.2.0) layers.
The proces stops at the second picture !

Thanks

[JoeFarrell]

I have exactly the same issue.  Have reset preferences, set TIFF to no compression and loading from Lightroom to PS as layers stops at the second image.  I have back to the previous version which works great, but would like the current version.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I am having this issue as well, and nothing seems to resolve it other than manually opening each image and pasting them as individual layers in the initial image.

[JoeFarrell]

I have the same issue also.  Adobe came on line to my machine and uninstalled, reinstalled, deleted preferences and the only thing they could get to work was go back to previous version.  They escalated to next tier and awaiting for call back.  While i would like to have the latest version, being on the previous working one is fine for me for now.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Have you tried my suggestions, running Onyx and fixing directory damage? Get an IT guy, that's the BEST advice!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I'm also having this issue with "Open as Layers in Photoshop." The process fails at 2-4 photos when 5 are selected leaving a blank "Load Layers" layer in the document and one photo open as a separate document. Files are located on my internal SSD (Macbook Pro). I have reset preferences for both LR and PS, tried TIFF with and without compression, PSD, etc... I have not tried uninstalling and reinstalling LR and PS yet, but may go ahead and try since I am out of options.

LR Classic 9.3 Build [202005281810-476e492c], Camera Raw 12.3, and PS 21.2.1

MacBook Pro 2017 13-inch (MacBookPro14,1), 2.3 GHz i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD

macOS 10.15.4 Catalina