P: Pen Tablet & Windows Ink

[philippev98610928]

Hello everybody.

With the latest Photoshop update (21.2.2), the fix we had  to get the pressure sensitivity back with the PSUserConfig.txt fix is no longer working.

This fix was necessary to work properly with a Pen Stylus on Windows, without using the Windows Ink features.

We are used to turn of  Windows Ink systematicaly when using a Pen Tablet because it causes a lot of issues. (Wacom and other brands)

Why Windows Ink is not suitable 

Windows Ink ON :

1-There is a 1 second delay with every new clic and drag before the cursor catches up with the stylus. It happens when dragging a window, using a slider to adjust a value (in photoshop or any other app), resizing a layer, and even when drawing. So the begining of each new stroke will freeze for 1 sec before catching up to the movement of the stylus. You can imagine the hell it can be when hatching, or doing fast repetitive movements/adjustements.

2-Certain applications, like Chrome for exemple, don't respond to the stylus for certain things. You can't move the chrome window around at all when windows ink is enabled. You can't drag and drop email in your inbox from one tab to another, some clics and double clics aren't registered at all ...etc.

3-Windows Pen & Stylus fonctionnalites are working against a fluid use of a Stylus. Especially the infamous "Press and hold" setting, that needs to be disabled systematically if you don't want this "mouse freezing blue circle of death" to appear each time you stop moving your hand for more than half of a second. (I suspect this functionnality to be responsible for the lag before each new stroke, even when you have it turned off)

4-Just while typing this post, I've discoverd a new issue. With Windows Ink enabled, it is impossible to select text by dragging over it with the stylus. I had to drop it and use my mouse each time I wanted to edit a sentence.

 Windows Ink OFF:

1-Everything works perfectly.

2-Pressure sensitivity in Photoshop is gone, and need to be reactivated with PSUserConfig.

These are all the reasons (I can think of right now) why we have no choice but to disable Windows Ink, and use the WinTab alternative to get the pressure sensitivity back in Photoshop.

I hope you now understand why enabling Windows Ink is not a solution.

We had a solution, please do not take it away from us.

I'm assuming that everyone would love to use regular settings, and not to have to tamper with this kind of work around, but unfortunatly that is not possible.

Again, using WinTab is not a choice, it is essential for any serious workflow.

I'm currently paying for the full Adobe suite, and not being able to work properly is a big issue right now. Not knowing when this will be resolved is very worrisome.

PS: "Windows Ink" or "Pen and Touch" drivers on Windows, are currently pushing for touch and tablet functionnalities. These are cumbersome and unfit for any professional Stylus use.

[Lumigraphics]

Chad, are the problems with Camera RAW and Wacom tablets fixed as well? The stylus doesn't work at all with some buttons (for example, the More Local Corrections Settings button.)

[Rinthe1]

dual brush resize bug is now happening with or without PSUserConfig.txt.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/819hoi1xkt0jdwq/photoshop21.2.2brushresizebug.mp4?dl=0

[www.joeripeeters.com]

Rolling back to 21.2.1 again. Slow during cloning. I am going to wait updating when there is a final fix that works. In 21.2.1 everything works fine!
 

[AxelMatt]

I've installed the update to 21.2.3 and the pen pressure is working.
Thanks Chad for the quick solution.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Are you able select with the lazo tool while panning (by pressing the spacebar)?
It used to work with wintab until version 21, then something broke..

Edit: nevermind, I checked and it's still broken. Could we please fix that too?

[Wazza999]

Thanks for that Chad. However, reinstating this has also caused another issue (which is why I stopped using this fix a while ago)
When making a selection with the lasso tool, I now cannot pan across the image by pressing the space bar to temporarily enable the hand tool in order to carry on with the selection. Basically, this txt solution removes the spacebar / hand tool shortcut whilst using the lasso tool.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Six months passed and we still have the same problem, right?
https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/problems-with-actions-and-lasso-tool
And Adobe labelled this as "Solved", go figure why..

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

EDIT:  Nevermind, user error.  Make sure you don't fat-finger the file name and call it PSUserConfig.txt.txt.

@petegreen The solution isn't working for me.  I've disabled Windows Ink my Wacom tablet properties and have the PSUserConfig.txt file in the appropriate location.  As soon as Windows Ink goes off I'm stuck with a solid brush (but at least I can see my healing brush cursor move)!

[Geoff_MD]

@chad_rolfs  The bug on the Clone/Healing brush source point not tracking with Win Ink is still present on the latest Photoshop 21.2.4 Release on Windows 10/Wacom Intuos Pro. I hope one day soon there will be a resolution to these ongoing issues.

[chad.rolfs]

Yep, fix is coming in the next update, coming very soon.  Apologies for the delays and ongoing issues.

[Seth A]

did new update ( 21.2.4) fixed Wacom/Windows ink/pressure sensitivity issue? 

i am still on 21.2.1 with PSUserConfig.txt working.

thanks

[AxelMatt]

Yes. The pen pressure functionality is working since 21.2.2

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Been looking for a fix all night for this. Ended up here. Just throwing in my complaint to the hat that this has not been fixed yet, how unprofessional it is, and how I guess I'm unsubscribing from Adobe until they get it together. 

[AscaryLazos]

I just install Photoshop 2021 (ver 22.0.0) have the no pressure issue again, even if windows ink is active or not. I will stick to 21.2.3.

[AxelMatt]

Do you have create a PSUserConfig.txt in the appropriate folder for PhotoShop 2021? 

After I have installed the new version the pen pressure doesn't work. After I copied the PSUserConfig.txt from the older version it worked again.

[donbarrum]

@ascary_lazos 
I just tested WinTab works fine! But you need to move the UserPrefs.txt into the new settings folder created by Photoshop CC 2021. It's not moved automatically. 

[philippev98610928]

That is good to know, thanks.

[AscaryLazos]

Thanks for you reply, I have 21.2.3. without the PSUserConfig.txt and pressure works. I tryed the .txt fix on 2021 as you mentioned but didn't work, then I activated again windows ink and pressure is back. now I get Alt, Ctrl, Shift pop ups.

[donbarrum]

Are you sure the txt doc is placed correctly and the content of it is written as it should be and you restarted photoshop? Just checking before I try to suggest anything else

[Wazza999]

The PSUserConfig file solves the pen pressure problem but creates another one - when making a selection with the lasso tool, you can't temporarily activate the hand tool by holding spacebar in order to move the image and further your selection. Been having this common issue for ages now over various new updates. 

[donbarrum]

yes me too, so I guess you have to choose between a rock and a hard place. No scrubbing or ctlr/shift overlays. I don't expect a fix from adobe anything soon, because this has been reported earlier. 

[Wazza999]

Exactly! I'm not holding my breath either 😒

[AscaryLazos]

@joachim_barrum Yes I check it, but didn't work, also I notice that windows ink  affect when I try to use "Alt + pen click" to manipulate the size of the brush inside liquify tool window, that shortcut doesn't work.

[Seth A]

Since 22.0.1 update, brush Hardness opacity indicator ( red preview)  when you click right mouse + Alt is not working anymore. 

Is this discontinued on new update? its really important to have a preview when changing brush hardness. 

[donbarrum]

@Seth_Anton I have noticed this as well, so much brush and tablet problems these days, more with every update... 😞