P: Webp files from Wix.com creates an error message when exporting image via "Save for Web Option"

[Chad11111111]

Photoshop 23.2.1 Mac

When you open a webp file and try to Export it with the "Save for Web (Legacy)" command, I get this error.

"Could not complete this operation. an error occurred while reading the endian type"

fyi The 'save as' option works.

[J453]

Was the webP file saved out from Photoshop? or acquired/saved from a different source? I am no able to reproduce by saving a file as webP from Photoshop, opening that webP file and saving as a JPEG through Save for Web.

Could you post the WebP file you're having trouble with? (zip it up and share via dropbox or CC sync files)

[Chad11111111]

Just download the file from this or any link containing a webp

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0ac669_cc5c46f864f64691bafb7384cc90d894~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_6...

[J453]

@Chad11111111 Perfect. Thanks. Will have engineering take a look,

[BrettN]

@Chad11111111 First impressions is there is something wrong with how these files are generated causing a conflict with Save for Web. If we save your file out of Photoshop using Save as a Copy, saving it at WebP, open that copy, it works fine through Save for Web. 

What can you tell us about the source of this file and the URL you've provided:

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0ac669_cc5c46f864f64691bafb7384cc90d894~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_6...

I can see that the first half of the URL is a link to a JPG version of this file (the link is valid if you truncate the webp part of it): https://static.wixstatic.com/media/0ac669_cc5c46f864f64691bafb7384cc90d894~mv2.jpg

This suggests that perhaps the rest of the URL is command which is converting the JPG into WebP (including some potential Width and Height manipulation) and perhaps there are issues with how this process is being managed by the server. I notice I get an error if I just trying going to wixstatic.com, so I'm not familiar with this site and what services it might be offering regarind WebP files. 

[Chad11111111]

It looks to be something in the way the 'website company Wix' is creating these files, as I went to their website and tried their first webp image, and it produced the same Save for Web error. I did however try a few other websites that had webp files and was not able to create the same error.  Maybe the engineers can dig into the code of how each webp file is created and see what the differences are.

[Chad11111111]

Hey Adobe, you really to add a way to edit your posts! I hit post too quikly and forgot to insert a link to https://www.wix.com/

Where other webp files that have the same issues are located.

[J453]

The issue appears to be that the EXIF metadata contained in this file is corrupt.

[J453]

I've reached out to the folks at Wix.

[BK1234]

I am having the same issue with images hosted on Shopify. For example:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0610/6018/6326/files/main_Banner_2x_dda7d9b2-178b-4775-8acb-c02696...

The images are PNGs but when downloading them with the Chrome browser (via right-click and selecting "save image as"), the image gets saved as WEBP. This webp file, once opened in Photoshop, cannot be "saved for web" as a JPG, PNG, or GIF. Each option results in the error "Could not complete this operation. an error occurred while reading the endian type". Using another browser, e.g. Safari, will correctly save the file as a PNG.

According to this link, https://superuser.com/a/1541501, the content-type might be set by Shopify's server as "webp" to reduce server load if you are accessing the content via Chrome, regardless of what the original file extension is. Photoshop seems to have a problem with this kind of downloaded and converted file. 

[samj75026027]

Can confirm this exactly.
A .webp downloaded through a browser from Shopify cannot be exported as anything from Photoshop 23.2.1

[Tim23644061crx4]

I am also having issues with the very common web browser downloaded webp shopify files in Photoshop 23.2.1.

I thought it was working fine with an older version of Photoshop before you added native support for .webp and you instead had to use a plug-in for webp (https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/support-webp-image-format.html). Or it is possible maybe I was just using legacy export which gives the option of 1 - 100 quality.

To me it is a bug in PS. Because if PS can import the file, edit it and export it using Export As but not Save For Web, then that is a bug in PS because when a file is exported you are essentially creating a new file. Even if a file had some type of corrupt metadata then Photoshop should be able to recognise that and overcome it.

BTW the reason I might use the 'Save for Web' option to export is because there isn't the same way to fine tune file size or quality like there is with the normal export. A work around is to go to Preferences > Export > enable 'legacy export', that way you can choose a percentage for quality instead of just 1 - 7 levels of quality.

[BrettN]

@Tim23644061crx4 Since the same file downloaded from a different browser works, we have a bug with the browser. Since the same file works with some features of Photoshop but not others, then there is a bug there as well. Unfortunately, Save for Web is a "legacy" feature, meaning it is no longer under development and it's bugs are not going to be fixed. Our current goals are to improve Export As so that use of Legacy features is obsolete and to address any bugs it may have. 

You may be right that the change in behavior came with Photoshop introducing native support for .webp. With native support comes the fact that we are no longer importing the file, but opening it directly. So the importer may have been doing a conversion, as you suggest, making it a different file once in Photoshop, and thus more compatible with various features. With native support, we would no longer be doing such conversions, but working with the file data "as is", which means any bad information would remain with in the file. 

[mtomkins]

I just hit this problem for the first time ever myself as well with a bunch of different images tonight. Since Adobe's solution for its paying customers is "We know the problem is there and we won't fix it", I'll share my own solution which may actually help someone.

All of the images can still be saved using "save for web" just fine with a very, very simple trick. Simply select all, copy, paste it as a new image and now save *that* for web instead.

[piratejabez]

I'm running into this as well. Another solution is to "create new document from current state." This sheds off all the bad juju from the original webp, and preserves your layers as well.

[default4i2sidghsin2]

"Save for Web is a "legacy" feature, meaning it is no longer under development and it's bugs are not going to be fixed."

That's an easy solution for a company that charges premium prices and want's to take a leading position. You see how many of your customers use this solution and ignore their problems full force. Disappointments like this make us to look for other solutions.

[davescm]

@default4i2sidghsin2 You are being very selective in your quote. BretN said Save for Web will not be fixed, but goes on to say Export As is being developed to take over that functionality and address any bugs. So not an easy solution, but just a realistic development path.

Dave

[retlaw734]

For anyone curious, @default4i2sidghsin2 pointed me to a solution. Instead of File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy) as we've always used. Just use Adobe's new export, File > Export As, and select your file type. I was able to do a jpg just fine. I noticed that under the metadata section it defaults to "none", which may help solve the issue, as someone below was saying that metadata is corrupt in webP files (tho I'm not sure if that's accurate). But we have a solution 👍

[M. Steigman]

If anyone is having this issue there is a workaround. Open the image in photoshop an then save it as a .PSD. Close and then reopen the .PSD file and you should be able to export as usual. Works for me every time.

[thesoccercorner]

I have had this happen to several images from different sources. One annoying work around I found is if you open a new document and pull the image into the new document it will save fine. I tried to go back and install an older version of Photoshop where I was still able to save for web directly from the original image without this error coming up, but all of the versions available on cc are doing this. Any update on when this will be fixed or is there a way for me to get an older version of Photoshop? 

[thesoccercorner]

Woops, I somehow missed all the comments before I wrote this. Oh well, I'd still like to be able to get an older version of Photoshop if anyone knows how. Thanks!

[Derrick283184745l7e]

So I had this issue pop up today. I am working on a mac. Photoshop would not export the file. The work around I found is to open the .webp in preview and export it a jpg. Once exported, that file can be edited and exported in photoshop. It seems that this process strips out that "EXIF metadata". I don't know if this helpful. Happy designing. 

[piratejabez]

@Derrick283184745l7e , no need to resave as jpeg in Preview; this will add an extra layer of lossy compression. After opening the original webp in PS, click "Create new document from current state" (the "plus page" icon in the History menubar). This preserves everything except the metadata and save status, and is non-destructive. Cheers

[karlr99538928]

Issue: Downloading WEBP file from browser > open in photoshop > removing background > saving as transparent PNG > error.

Can't seem to find any way around it in photoshop at the moment, sourcing the images in a different format appears to not be an option.

The only option that I’ve found to keep production moving forward is taking the WEBP file and converting them through an online service in to another image format and then making the necessary edits to export out in the format I want.

Ideally Adobe could include this converting capability into opening WEBP files automatically to save us from this headache!

Karl Roffey - Creative Manager

[Olds Creative Agency]

Same issue here with a .webp image from Shopify. Looks like this has been going on for a while why has there been no solution?

[Design-Kink]

Adobe seems to have a history of failing with webp files.

Although Save for Web might be legacy, Adobe should think harder about why people prefer using it.

This issue only happends for me when using Save for Web, so just export it as a Save As or something to avoid this error.