P: Export As: fix the "embed color profile" checkbox

Thank you, Jeffrey 🙂

All I want is to not have to check the box every time. The rest seems all good now, at least on my end.

OK, that is weird. That does not happen here. I've replicated your steps exactly, and it just doesn't happen.

The only time I get an incorrect view is when I have both boxes unchecked - and as I said, that makes sense because it mimics the way all web browsers work today.

Any other way I get a correct view - Adobe RGB, sRGB, 8 bits, 16 bits.

I can't explain what you're seeing...

I can assure all that I am using the Ps 23 release and can further proclaim that I don't have the slightest idea what the Export As previews are trying to show. I use dual wide gammut monitors calibrated with a SpyderPro. I do want to stress that I'm not complaing about what Export produces -- all good on that front -- but those previews ...

Here's one more Export As mystery that must be a bug, namely 16 bit versus 8 bit. I typically edit images in either ProPhotoRGB or AdobeRGB 16-bit but I use Export As to produce JPG images for external purposes. The Export session below shows the source AdobeRGB 16-bit image on the left with the Export dialog on the right. The Export uses a 2-Up view with the left view checking the Convert to sRGB and Embed Color Profile boxes while the second (right) view checks only the Embed Color Profile box:

Now in Photoshop let's convert the source document's mode to 8-bit and do an identical Export As session. I expect the same preview results but instead I get this:

Notice the change on the second (right) preview. Why does 16-bit vs 8-bit make a difference? Needless to say Save for Web has no such preview issues.

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@davescm wrote:

have you also noticed that you can once again use Save or Save a Copy (not just export) to save a png with a color profile.

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Yes, noticed that too. All in all we're getting there, if slowly 😉

But as for the Export module, I really don't understand this. I'm all for replacing the aging SFW with something more modern and streamlined, but they can't release it and then let it sit unfinished for years. Once you put it out there, you have to finish the job in a reasonable amount of time.

Anyway, the rumor is that they're in the process of rewriting it now. Maybe it'll come out all shiny and new.

100% agree! The Export As dialog has several problems that they really should adress. The menu indicates that "Export As" should replace the older "Save for Web", but right now there are only 2 situations where it's worth using Export As:

• The image size is really large (would cause save for web to open slowly, especially if set to PNG).
• You need one of the unique features;
  • PNG-8 with 8-bit transparency
  • Exporting multiple sizes at once
  • Artboards

Outside those, I still recommend everyone use Save for Web for optimizing/exporting images for web use.

One more thing: Please make the "embed color profile"-box checked by default! 

[...]

Plus the added advantage that having a color managed Export image will actually match what you see in Photoshop. This alone should eliminate a heap of user confusion.

By @D Fosse

I still prefer the more straightforward, or at least more obvious, Save for Web.

You mention changes in v23 - have you also noticed that you can once again use Save or Save a Copy (not just export) to save a png with a color profile. That was a problem earlier this year, on Windows versions, when the option to include the profile was greyed.

Dave

Oops, I missed something there: the first one, if truly not color managed, would obviosly be over-saturated. But it isn't, so that's wrong too.

But the behavior that Wolf shows, should be fixed in 23.0 -? That's what I saw in the 22.x versions. Are you on 23.0, Wolf?

Anyway, I think I figured the current behavior out. It does make some sort of sense after all. It's similar to the "Preview" rolldown in Save For Web, only baked into the "embed profile" checkbox.

When the box is unchecked, it uses the equivalent of "Internet Standard" preview. What this does is to assign sRGB, but it still converts correctly into the monitor profile. And in fact, this is how web browsers behave today. They do assign sRGB to all untagged material, and then convert into the monitor profile. 

When the "embed profile" box is checked, it switches to the "use document profile" preview.

So, while it doesn't work the way I initially expected, it does indeed work in a way that is actually useful.  I hereby declare this bug officially fixed 😉

So that leaves Wolf. I hope he just accidentally opened an old PS version.

"Save For Web still does it correctly, as it has the whole time."

...and that's why I continue to use Save for Web and hope it never disappears. This bug has my vote.

Dave