edit with external editor?

[mycc3]

Hi,

is it really true that latest version of DW do not have the entry "edit with external editor" anymore?

https://helpx.adobe.com/at/dreamweaver/using/the-new-modernized-dreamweaver-cc-iii.html

Therefore: how can I get this option back? Or a similar workaround?

Because DW is not the only thing ... 

Weil DW nicht das einzige Wahre ist ...

Thanks!

mycc

[Nancy OShea · Accepted solution]

1. Go to Edit > Preferences > File types/editors. 

2. Select a file extension and associate it with your program of choice.

3. Click the + icon to add new ones.

NOTE:  Flash and Shockwave are end of life. Fireworks is discontinued, use Photoshop instead.  

[mycc3]

Thanks! But as far as I remember, in all former previous versions of DW it was able to launch a secondary program (in my case a text editor).

But this useful feature was removed in one of the latest updates/versions?

Here a screenshot of the feature I am searching form from the mentioned web page above:

[B i r n o u]

yes, you're completly right, this was removed some builds ago. I had, as much as possible, pressed during the discussions on the prerelease forum when it was question of removing this checkbox present in the preferences (at the same place as Nancy's point) and which allowed us to define the code editor, like the access path to Fireworks.

From now on the only workaround, is to make a right click on the concerned file, and to choose, in the drop-down menu, Open with > and to select the program of your choice.

the worry is that Dreamweaver is supposed to memorize this choice, which is not the case... and remains heavy, and long to use... not ergonomic at all....

second problem, is that when editing as it used to be, was also informing Dreamweaver of the change... not any more...

I had checked all the XML files to see, if it was an hidden feature, still editable... but unfortunaly, I didn't find any eggs about it... sorry...

perhaps some others folks here know it... let see

[Nancy OShea]

I frequently use other code editors alongside Dreamweaver without issue. 

DW typically alerts me that the file was changed by an outside editor and asks if I want to accept the changes.  Hit YES and all is good.  🙂

[B i r n o u]

yes it alerts us when the file is already open in Dreamweaver... if it's a closed files we have to manually check by selecting the select recently modified... (which compare the date only)

the open recent file is not informed; nor the history... on large files site I think remembering that it was helpfull, or was it a different mecanism ?... too much time that Adobe has removed this nice feature.

[j.addie]

I have Preferences > File types/Editors > .jpg, .jpe, .jpeg set for Photoshop 2022, applied, and closed.  However, Edit > Image > Edit with > Adobe Photoshop 2022 does nothing, even if PS is already open.  Only the Browse (then go find Photoshop.app) opens the file in Photoshop.  This can't be right.  What do I have to do to fix it?

[Nancy OShea]

@j.addie,

I've never thought much of the so-called "return trip features" in Adobe Apps.  Sometimes they work, sometimes not. 😬

Assuming PS is open and the image is saved to your DW local site folder on the primary HD, you can sometimes click, drag & drop image into PS.  Works best from DW Design View (Ctrl + Shift + F11).

Otherwise, just open image directly from Photoshop with File > Open...

[j.addie]

Thanks for your reply. 

PS is open, always.  Clicking/drag/drop absolutely does not do anything in DW.  File/Open in PS is highly inefficient, have to find the filename...etc.  Keeping the directory open in Bridge is not great either, because if I have a number of images to update on an existing site, but not all of them, and there are hundreds, it's no good either.  

In Dreamweaver CS6 you could simply open the image in the default external editor, make a tweak, save, and DW would update and display the new version.  That's all broken in the curren version.  

The feature I'm griping about is an actual feature, a shortcut to getting the image open in PS.  It doesn't work, which is probably a preferences thing or something.  PS is chosen as the defaul editor, but you can't open the image from within DW like it used to do, in my case. 

The function of opening a linked file from DW works just fine.  

Does this work for anyone?  

Pretty much hating DW now for this, and a whole lot of other reasons.  Whish I had CS6 back.

[Nancy OShea]

Maybe try another workflow. 

I keep all images that require editing in a separate folder until they're batch processed for the web in Photoshop.  At which point I move them from temp to permanent Images folder.

[B i r n o u]

I use more or less the same workflow, concerning images, but not only, I do the same with some scripts, json files, xlsx, pdf etc... in fact all filetype that are used in a project, but instead of using physical folders that require too much work of management and especially handling, access path etc... I use bridge with specific tags, or collections

[j.addie]

Thanks for the replies.  From what I'm reading here nobody actually uses the Edit >Image > Edit with... function, but instead of trying to get Adobe to fix their broken app you just work around it with a different workflow.  

I've considered a different workflow too, but the problem is I have a larage product grid and need to edit random images to add text to them.  There is no order, and I can't batch process all images.  Just identifying the ones that need updating is a task, because the client just uses row/column numbering.  I guess I'll try Adobe support next.  

[Nancy OShea]

I have a large product grid and need to edit random images to add text to them. 

By @j.addie

==========

Use real HTML text instead. 

Images of text cannot be "seen" by:

1. language translators,

2. search engine crawlers,

3. or vision impaired users with screen readers. 

4. It's also impossible to scale small images on large devices without causing distortion (pixelated text).

Shopping sites store product information in a database that feeds data directly to product summary and detail pages as well as the shopping cart.  Maintaining a product site with static HTML alone is unsustainable in the longrun. 

[j.addie]

Thanks.  

All true.  And all inapplicable in this particular case.  This "shop" is just a listing of items, no actual purcachasing online.  The items are all one of a kind.  We don't care about crawlers, translators, or readers in this particulare case.  The audience is very specific, and invited.  

I spent over an hour on chat support with Adobe.  Total waste of time.  The "support" guy didn't even know about preferences!  Or how to set them.  He eventually restarted my computer, and I started a new support chat with someone else.  All the guy did is prove my complaint (and bug) was real. It took him an hour to just do that.  And that's what you get for your $600+/year subscription. 

[j.addie]

Just got on a second support chat with the "experts" at Adobe.  After 30 minutes, the rep still didn't understand the problem, which is that DW can't launch another app (Photoshop) as an external editor, even though it's set in the preferences.  We've done updates, reinstalles, etc.  The last rep was confused by the location of the HTML file!  Not even looking at the launch problem.  This is terrible service.  2 hours of non-helpful support and counting.

[j.addie]

And the support agent disconnected the chat. Might have been accidental, but we were nowhere close to solving the problem. 

What's the trick to getting actual support from Adobe?

[Nancy OShea]

Read about image editing below.

https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/using/insert-edit-images.html

With a JPG selected, I can EDIT with PS from DW's Properties Panel.  See screenshots.

[j.addie]

Ha!  Did all of that way before contacting support or posting here.  The settings are correct, default is PS.  But also tried Lightroom, two versions.   As I said before, DW will not launch an external editor app.  That is exactly the issue.   You can either click on the image in split view, or select the img tag in code view.  No launches occur.  But, again as stated before, with the code or text selected, I can go to Edit > Image > Edit with > browse then select Photoshop, and it will launch with the image open.  It's not a question of selection in DW.  

For some reason the support people don't get that it's an issue of DW launching another app.  

[Nancy OShea]

Close Dreamweaver.

Restore Preferences. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/dreamweaver/kb/restore-preferences-dreamweaver.html

Restart Dreamweaver. 

Select Photoshop as Preferred Editor again.

Hit Enter to Apply changes.

Most Adobe Support staff have never used the software. And the AI Chat Bot is clueless.  If you continue to need help. speak with a human agent & request a supervisor or software engineer.

CONTACT ADOBE SUPPORT:
================
Online Chat: https://helpx.adobe.com/contact.html?rghtup=autoOpen.  Type AGENT in the Chat box.  Hit Enter and wait for a human.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adobecare
Phone M-F, during normal business hours: https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/phone.html

[j.addie]

Nancy, Thanks very much for that!  I did try to restore prefs before, no help there.  But what I did finally get to work was the Edit PS button in the Properties window.  I did it by clearing all default apps out of the prefs, then restarting, and putting PS back in as the default editor.   The Edit menu function still is broken (never launches PS), but that Properties pane button now works.  So thanks for that, and pointing me to the right way to get to support.