P: Dialog boxes / error messages pop up invisibly - macOS

[leaderz]

When an error or alert occurs the dialog box is invisible. Some examples of the alerts include but are not limited to: "No pixels were selected because the layer is empty" or "Do you want to save the document before closing?" Clicking anywhere on the screen prompts an audible error noise (as though you tried to click outside of the dialog box you've been prompted to respond to). The box is not appearing on a different monitor or behind other windows, it is simply invisible and cannot be interacted with unless you press Enter or Escape on the keyboard. Upon pressing the Escape key to close the dialog box, the box becomes visible for a fraction of a second before closing—revealing its location. This has hindered my workflow, especially when trying to close a document I don't want to save changes to because then I must force Photoshop to quit. Running on Mac. Version 23.2.2

[nathanh33920683]

Running Photoshop v24.5

[Lorraine Mc]

It only happened to me after I upgraded to Ventura, at which point I had so many memory issues I had to go back to Monterey.

Since going back to Monterey, no issues.

[Pete.Green]

Is anybody able to reproduce this experience of missing dialogs regularly that would be interested in working with a Ps developer to help investigate? If so, shoot me an email -- petgreen at adobe dot com

Thanks in advanced!

Regards,

Pete

[teodorac48712377]

Just updated to Ps 24.5 a few days ago and the invisible window thing happens now ALL THE TIME. (I was on 24.0 before, for months, downgraded to that version after an update that was giving me that error all the time. I decided to take a leap of faith and update now, because I was tired of going back and forth with Beta just to use the Remove tool...)

Any window like "You sure you want to do that? (delete that, close the file whatever) - hidden. Lots of settings windows are hidden too. It's been 30 min I've been retouching this morning and I had the invisible window thing 5 times already!!! Many many many thanks to the guy who posted the option-click-on-Ps-icon trick, as Ps would be absolutely unusable without that. I'm on Monterrey 12.4.

[jmvdigital]

There has got to be more to the story than just a widespread Photoshop bug. It has to be related to the OS somehow. I contributed to this thread many months ago, experiencing the same problem. Through whatever various combination of software updates (from Adobe, Apple, Wacom, etc.) I haven't seen this issue in a LONG time. Some people have it on Ventura, some on Monterey... there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason, which is probably why it's still issue. 

Is there some other commonality we're missing? Wacom tablets? Using your Mac with an external monitor versus a laptop screen? Has to be something. 

[CoryShubert]

@teodorac48712377 would it be posible for you to share a video of your workspace so the team can see what you are seeing?

It may help if we could see your Photoshop System Info. Launch Photoshop, and select Help >System Info...and copy/paste the text in a reply.  

[MarkDS]

Cory, the problem is that there is nothing to see. For example, it has happened to me that if I tried to save a PSD file which exceeds the size limits of PSD, a dialog is supposed to pop-up in front of the workspace that says the file is too big and asks whether one wantsa to save as PSB; however that dialog remains hidden even though it is active, so the whole application is stuck waiting for an answer that can't be given because there is nothing visible to answer to. The only solution I foun d was to Force Quit Photoshop, upon which one sees that Dialog for a brief second or so before all shuts down, releasing the application to be re-opened and reused. I am on Mac OS Monterey. I could actually not care whse defective script caused this, because I'll never know. What I do know is that once there is clear evidencve from so many people of this being a problem with an Adobe application, it is Adobe's responsibility to get to the bottom of it, perhaps involving collaboration with Apple, depending on what the analysis of basic cause shows.

[teodorac48712377]

Just filmed a video cuz of course that error again...But I can't send you the video as I can only send you a link and I don't have time to figure out how to make that link. Busy time with work and PS is slowing me down. But pretty much what MarkDS said: nothing really to see. Photoshop open with the file, you do something which triggers a popup window...and nothing...nothing to see...just "bing-bing-bing!" sound that the file is unaccesible (due to the popup window that is not there). The only thing to see is my hand clicking on the option button and double-click on the PS icon which makes the popup window appear. It's a good workaround, and in all honesty that error wouldn't be a big deal if it happens once in a while. But pretty much every popup window hidden, is frustrating and add extra time to my workflow, and at this time of year I can't afford this. I'll probably downgrade again to 24.0. That version was decent. had the error only once in a while. The only thing keeping me now with the new PS is the Remove tool. And it's frustrating. One of the selling points of the Adobe subscription are the updates. Well I can't really update.

And sorry but I don't have time to do a whole bunch of back and forth with tech support.

[nathanh33920683]

After much frustration with this bug, I have discovered that the Beta version of PS is not exhibiting this issue.

[SeanClarity]

I think this is related to multiple screens and maybe even changing which screen is the main screen.

[ssamanen]

One would think that it's just a multi-screen issue, however I have this problem daily and I've only ever had one monitor connected to my Mac Pro (2019).  It's something else. I have Ventura, and I'm not sure whether the issue started before I upgraded or not.  Very frustrating, as some days I can't use Photoshop at all.  We pay too much for this software for disabling bugs like this.

[Fabian32956293yx38]

I was able to fix this by right clicking on myPS icon in the dock and selecting "none" from the options menu. It appears that photoshop is moving the dialogs to the desktop where it was opened originally instead of where it is now. May not fix everyone's situation but it worked for me. hope it helps.

[jimbohc]

OK, I've had this problem on all versions of Photoshop 24 and Photoshop Beta (25). Completely reproducible with any file type at any time.

Running MBP M1 Max with 64Gb RAM and running two external monitors (LG 49" and LG 27")

What's solved the issue for me is unchecking Use Graphics Processor in Preferences > Performance

This has brought back all dialog boxes in front of images and allows me to long-click on tools to choose alternates (the problem has meant I've learnt a lot about tool shortcuts!)

I have no idea whether this is an Adobe or Apple-related issue, but I'm just glad to have found a fix (that I hope continues to work). Here's hoping it works for you.

And it was good to know that I wasn't alone on this issue.

[actionfigure00]

This has been going on for a few versions now. I'm so sick of it.

If I command tab over to photoshop, I have to click on the interface somewhere before I can actually use a keyboard shortcut, like command + or whatever.

Today, I had the hiden modal window of doom again and lost work. I saw the "clipboard export failed" Yes / no dialog box pop up, and I knew I was doomed.

First of all, that's a pointless thing to make us click yes or no on. And...you make us lose work. So, I tried everything, I pressed esc, the Command and . key, like back in the day, trying to reveal all windows, pressing and unpressing tab. Using comman `, and stuff like that. Nothing.

I could increase the amount of feathering in the damn lasso's option bar field. What? What? What the hell?

I had to force quit, but that's what your interface does?

Stop telling people to reset their preferences, and fix this problem adobe. This is your flagship program and it is a piece of crap right now! No more AI, that barely works. Make your product stable. I'm sick of you wasting my time. This is almost not worth paying for. I'm so damn mad right now. 

[jimbohc]

Disappointingly, what I thought was a fix isn't permanent so back to Photoshop being unusable.

Photoshop usually (but not always) works correctly when launched but will never work when using "Edit with..." commands from other Adobe apps or when double-clicking/opening a bitmap file.

Come on Adobe, fix this... we're losing work, time and money

[Lorraine Mc]

Happened to me again this week. I have to blindly hit 'enter' and hope for the best because I have no idea what the hidden message says....

[Lorraine Mc]

Just fix it.

[robertw44482386]

Posting here as the original may be hard to find. Here's the workaround for Mac users:

When you realize you are frozen du to an invisible dialog box, do NOT blindly hit enter as that may have unwanted repurcussions. Instead hover over the Ps icon inthe dock and option-click it. That cuases the unseen dialog box to become visible and you can dismiss it from there and be on your way.

[Lorraine Mc]

And ...... It's back!

Adobe, when are you going to fix this?

Your subscription model is annoying enough, but we've been paying for this bug long enough.

[Lorraine Mc]

ADOBE! When are you going to fix this???

I've had to hit enter on a whole bunch of files that have all saved (when I actually didn't want to save them), due to this ridiculous bug!

It's bad enough you strangle us with subscriptions, but to not have fixed this bug over years is ridiculous. This is not the only thread discusssing this. I found one that went back to 2022.

FIX IT!

[Lorraine Mc]

Guess what!?

Yes, I lost work today because of this ridiculus bug that has been going on for at least 2 years that Adobe don't even aknowlege is an issue.

Will this ever be fixed? Clearly it is reproducable as so many users have this issue. 

The pinned reply is useless.

[longpath]

I just became aware of this issue today, while attempting to assist an Art Director with this issue. The Art Director is using a Mac Pro (2019) with 384GB RAM, running 14.4 (Build 23E224) with a pair of Dell 1920x1080 monitors. Any dialog box opening in Photoshop triggered the issue, whether an open/save dialog box, a plugin settings pallet, or what have you. To work around this, the Art Director is CTRL clicking on the Dock icon for Photoshop, and selecting "Show All Windows", which then reveals the hidden dialog box, so it can be responded to. I am wondering if there is some obscure key combination, either in MacOS, or in Adobe applications, that would toggle a condition of hiding secondary windows. I have confirmed that this is not due to any settings in Accessibility>Keyboard. All options under that panel are Off. As most, if not all, of the people experiencing this issue seem to have laptops, I thought it would be pertinent to notify the discussion that this is not a purely laptop dependent issue.