The preview window in the "Open" dialog box on Windows is gone in Photoshop. So if I click on a PSD file (once) to preview it, there isn't one. I have to completely open the file or go digging for it in Bridge. This is a very fundamental feature that needs to return, especially for those of us that have hundreds of files to dig through. PLEASE fix this.
This is ridiculous. It's like people who are trying to sell literature are saying we don't know what English is. What good are the "new" features when you can't even properly maintain the basic things we need everyday unlike the "New" stuff that's seldom ever used. And bridge is an utter piece of trash for the record. I've never seen a software so useless before, it's an eyesore. Thoroughly disappointed and rolling back to CS5 which will be the last Photoshop version I ever use.
This is especially annoying now that I've noticed .ai filetypes have previews. Seriously, this is ridiculous. I don't want to hear anymore excuses about Windows being a big meanie-face. Find a way around the restriction and get this EXTREMELY BASIC function back in the program. Otherwise I will continue to urge everyone who's still on the fence about updating to stay put in CS5 where things actually work.
I'd just like to re-open this part of the conversation...I really need to know where to find these new OS requirements. Of course I have not read all of their developer documentation, I am not a software developer. If someone at Adobe could please point us to some relevant documentation that I can then bring into specific feedback with Microsoft, I think it's much more likely we can get the issue addressed and get this important feature back. Further, if everyone on this thread can then contact Microsoft, even just through their feedback tool, I think we can get some sort of answer.
Please, Adobe, take this issue seriously. Flying blind is not ok. I lose a lot of time every day opening numerous PSDs trying to find the needle in the haystack that is the office Shared Drive. Even with meticulous naming and file management, there are still dozens of versions of many projects, and it's not always possible to tell which is the one I'm looking for without a preview of some kind. Third party software is an unacceptable compromise for such a basic feature. I'm paying monthly for a program, at the very bare minimum this feature should be available, especially since it is available in the rest of the suite of applications. I am willing to operate under the assumption that Microsoft and Apple really are to blame for restricting your programming capabilities (even if I still don't totally buy it), but I really need you, Adobe, to work with me here and help me help you by giving me something to take to the vendor.
Parul, I agree with you. I use Mystic Thumbs which slows down my system, but it's not nearly as slow as Bridge which is simply horrible. I understand that Microsoft and Apple are supposedly where the problem started, although no one has ever been able to provide contacts, much less a department, at either company where we can write.
It is curious to me, though, that a 3rd party (i.e., Mystic Thumbs) can provide a means of previewing images in an Open dialog, albeit clumsily, and Adobe can do essentially the same thing...
Hi Everyone,
I'm so glad I found this discussion though some of it is rather old.
I recently downloaded the trial version of CS6 with a view to signing up to CC. I thought I had missed something in Preferences meaning I could not view PSD files prior to opening them. To discover such a jaw-dropping oversight on Adobe's part beggars belief.
Therefore I will not be signing up for CC and instead see if I can lay my hands on a copy of CS5. Any ideas on where I could get one please?
Regards,
Jonty
I've been searching for a solution to this issue for months but instead of a solution I can only find more frustrated CS6 users. My co-workers are frustrated. I see in the header of this forum that this problem has been labeled as "Not a problem", and I completely disagree. To me, it should be a problem when helpful functionality that is part of the work process for a majority of users is removed. A person that appears to be an Adobe developer quotes the OS developers as saying that Adobe won't be able to display thumbnail images anymore. I am a developer and I find it difficult to believe that a work-around isn't possible. If Photoshop can no longer display a thumbnail for its own native format in the "Open" dialog box, then provide a link in the "Open" dialog to a smaller, dedicated application that will open the thumbnail; or, add a right-click menu option that opens the thumbnail for a PSD; or provide a link to a streamlined version of Bridge; or at least allow thumbnail integration into Windows' own thumbnail view so (at the very least) we can use Windows to see the thumbnail. In a folder full of PSDs, where names are cryptic or I'm seeking a version before a change was made, viewing thumbnails is crucial to speedily locating and opening the correct file.
Please see the guidelines from Apple and Microsoft on the direction of the open and save dialogs in future OS versions -- where you must use the OS versions for security reasons, and have limited customization capabilities.
When Chris Cox, the Sr. computer Scientist, replied from Adobe with
"When 2 OS vendors say that you won't be able to do that anymore, we have to listen. It's not an excuse, it's us preparing for future OS releases."
I wondered why Adobe needed to jump at it right away. Windows 7 still has the preview capabilities and that is the current platform and was in the works when CS6 was being formulated. Probably the latest Apple OS works with previews still, too. We all know that time will march on and things will change but Adobe's hands are no where near "tied" in this matter. It is now a couple of years later and things would have worked for CS6 and CC all this time. Why change until you need to for something way down the road? At that point Adobe could pass the blame straight on to the OS makers but currently it is deservedly taking all the flak for an unnecessary move. And...it should know and write a way around it with all that brain power
Because we're constantly working with the OS vendors on things you haven't seen yet. Because maintaining code that has to go away isn't a great use of our time. Because the OS vendors are supposed to be providing some of the same functionality, even if they still fall short.
I appreciate the reply, Chris. Please don't take my reply personally, but I do not accept that answer. Adobe claims that current functionality was reduced because of a future OS. I imagine that target OS would be released in the next year or two. It's not logical to eliminate functionality for a future OS when that conflict will happen years from now for most users. Data clearly indicates that most users don't immediately upgrade their OS when a new one is released. CS6 was released to a set of operating systems that still support the thumbnail. Adobe's defense fails even further when you realize that Adobe Illustrator CS6 still has the preview. If a yet-to-be-released OS can kill the thumbnail preview for Photoshop, why does Illustrator still have it? If Adobe is going to kill good functionality prematurely in Photoshop, they should at least be consistent in their illogical argument and kill it uniformly. Rob (below) makes a good point about waiting to reduce functionality until absolutely necessary out of respect for the users. The Adobe claim that the maintenance of the code is cumbersome loses validity when the feature still exists in CS6 for Illustrator. If you're going to maintain it for Illustrator, why not also for Photoshop? I work in IT and I can't imagine that the code for that one feature in Photoshop would actually require that much more maintenance over the same feature in Illustrator. Many Photoshop users will likely have CS6 and Win7 for years where Illustrator has the thumbnail preview, but Photoshop does not. I wish Adobe would admit that it was a poorly made decision and issue a fix.
Thank you for verbalizing exactly what I've been thinking for a while now. This is really frustrating. It's even more illogical when you realize the save for web dialog doesn't follow the same rules at all, which I would think it would have to. I can't imagine an open dialog is more prone to being exploited than a save dialog.
If we have some real documentation, we can better communicate with both you and Microsoft as consumers and small business owners who rely on functionality like this, and don't want to have to buy / download third party apps that can slow down our system and add unnecessary bulk to our hard drives.
There is a huge gaping hole in the windows default dialog box for a program like photoshop: Windows has never, and as far as I know will never have previews for PSD files. If they ever plan on it, they aren't implementing it in Windows 7 or currently in 8, which means we all have three terrible and inconvenient options:
1: buy third party thumbnail garbage that creates extra files on the computer, slows down the computer, and is not really accountable in the way Windows and Adobe are when it comes to quality management and security.
2: download free third party thumbnail garbage. same problems.
3: use Bridge, which even on my i5 with 16 GB of RAM and SSD is the slowest file browser I've used since the mid to late 90s.
All of these are a huge leap backwards, IMO, when it comes to attempting to open a program's default filetype.
Please try to understand that dIfferent product teams have different schedules for dealing with OS compatibility changes (especially when some of them are still quite busy dealing with the last large set of OS compatibility issues). And yes, the same customer visible "feature" may require vastly different code and support on one product versus another. For instance, Illustrator reads 4 file formats while Photoshop reads over 70.
This was a good decision, made by people who had all the facts in hand. Without all the facts, I can see how it might seem confusing -- and though I have tried to explain the concerns that lead to this decision, you keep dismissing them out of hand. So, at this point I doubt that any additional explanation is going to help you understand or accept our decision.
I understand that Adobe have followed what the OS vendors are outlining and take my hat off to Adobe to get fixes in early for future OS releases. It makes sense for any business/software to make sure they can do this when they can. Future proofing is a key in developing any software.
However, my hat goes straight back on and down to my neck line with regard to not providing a suitable solution to overcome the dependencies of an OS.
I appreciate and understand all the facts are there and have been outlined several ways and many times regarding this issue. It is clear that the one fact Adobe failed to take on board was that of the product user relying on the preview function in the product.
It wasn't a good decision for the user despite the software facts and managerial 'good' decisions on the matter.
All we are asking for and want is a commitment from Adobe that they are going to add a file preview option back into what should be the best graphics tool on the market.
Considering it is software it is 100% possible to add a bespoke viewer to the program. I'm not saying its easy and I'm not saying it will be quick, I just know it can be done.
Please take on board the most important fact that users require this functionality. we actually require it as part of our workflow.
I am sure we will continue to moan and groan for eternity until it is put back.
The first paragraph of your reply makes good points in response to my legitimate questions. Your reply presents facts that help me gain a greater picture of the complexity involved. I also agree that I don't have all the facts, which is why I came here seeking answers. I was presenting the facts as I understood them in order to pose questions. However, you lost me at the end of your second paragraph. I did not dismiss your explanations "out of hand", which is a phrase that implies lack of thought. My questions about your explanations were valid and based on rational thought and empirical observations comparing Photoshop and Illustrator. I feel I should let you know that your expression of doubt at my ability or willingness to understand is insulting. My questions and observations were valid. My frustration is valid. I am not playing dumb or attempting to start an argument. I am not engaging in a flame war. I came to this support forum looking for answers and to express frustration, which is why I asked that you not take my reply personally. It is important for you to remember that I am a paying customer with legitimate frustrations about changes made in the software that I use for business. I came here seeking answers, and I suppose I have them. I appreciate your additional explanation and will continue to search for a work-around.
When I think of all the hundreds and hundreds of dollars I've spent since my first Photoshop version on Windows 2.5, back in the 90s if not late 80s, it burns me mightily to not get a simple dialog preview of PSD and CR2 files. I have tens of thousands of images that of course I will never bother to name. I often need to search for a specific CR2 file and when Photoshop itself won't show me a preview, even though Lightroom does, guess how ripped off I feel to have bought CS6?
Adobe may have lots of rationale for dropping this ball, but it's a public relations disaster. Shame on the company, if Mystic Thumbs can figure it out for free, you can't for all the profits you've made?
Once again, corporate mindset pushes the needs of the many another rung down the ladder of the company's Need of the One, bottom line, self-serving expedience.
If it wasn't for Lightroom, which is a super image workflow program, I'd go on my own little personal Facebook vendetta against such a robotic, self-aggrandizing response here and elsewhere that fails to satisfactorily address the legitimate complaints of a lot of very unhappy people.
BTW, I am installing Mystic Thumbs now. Even if it slows my system down, it'll be a heck of a lot faster and better than opening up a few CR files in CS6 to see which images I might want...or have to go to the Import dialogue in LR to find.
Just an inexcusable lack of political will on Adobe's part. I'll think thrice before I ever buy another product from Adobe, you can count on that.
I finally broke down and spent $20 on the codec for my PC to preview PSD files in explorer, which totally fixed the issue.
I think that Adobe needs to reimburse my $20...and the $20 of anyone who's had to buy that codec since they dropped this extremely basic feature from their program.
Between that decision and all of the numerous and very persistent bugs in the whole suite of apps, I really am so frustrated that I have to use this garbage heap for my job. I may try to find a copy of CS5 on ebay or something at this point, because Adobe doesn't seem to care about our concerns at all and I'm sick of the productivity drain.
Maybe a class action suit! ;-).
I installed Mystic Thumbs v. 1.98 in my 64 bit Win 7 system, nothing happened. I uninstalled it and found this link on another site: http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/
It works like a charm. previews in any dialogue, Explorer or any program...even CS6! I can stop muttering under my breath now.
It cost $15 and already it's worth it.
Heck Adobe, you could have marketed it as an add on and made some more money, if it was just too much for you to figure it out like, clearly, many other people have.
Seeing how simple this or a Win codec is, really makes me question Adobe's sincerity on anything from now on.
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