P: Window > Extensions menu list no longer alphabetized on Windows 10

[AnthonyK]

The list of extension panels under the Windows > Extension menu
in PS is not alphabetized on Windows 10.  It used to be in alphabeticalorder, but is now in a random order.  This problem only appears to be onWindows.  My Mac still has the extensions in alphabetical order.

The problem started with the last update to CC 2018.  I looked backat CC 2017 yesterday and saw the list no longer alphabetized there also, sosome update must have scrambled that list as well.

While the list appears to be in random order, it is the same order eachtime PS is opened and in each version of PS.  So it appears that it isbeing sorted in some order by PS, just not alphabetical order.

I have confirmed this behavior with at least three other people using PSon Windows 10 and have posted information about it in the Adobe forums:  https://forums.adobe.com/message/10737823#10737823

[AnthonyK]

I noticed that with the final release of Photoshop CC 2018 (19.1.6) and now also with CC 2019 (20.0.0), my somewhat extensive list of extension panels found under the Window > Extensions menu in Photoshop is no longer alphabetized on my Windows 10 computer.  It's still alphabetized on my Mac computer, though.  I can't really figure out what the sort order is now on the Windows computer, but having it un-alphabetized makes it difficult to find a specific extension panel that I want to open.

I have confirmed that one other Windows user has the same issue, but don't know if it's actually widespread.

I did reset my preferences, but that did not resolve this issue.

Are other Windows 10 users seeing that their list of extensions under Windows > Extensions in Photoshop on a Windows 10 computer is no longer alphabetized.

Is there anyway to reset the items on this list to be sorted alphabetically?

[JJMack]

Yes Cs6 and CC 2014 in order CC 2018 and CC 2019 not in order.

[Jarda Bereza]

I have about 20+ extensions and they are usually not sorted. But in some rare cases were sorted even in new PS versions. Maybe there is some race condition or timeout.

[AnthonyK]

Interesting.  I've not ever seen the order of my extension list change, except for when the last version off CC 2018 was released.  At that time it went from alphabetized to scrambled. That's when the problem started. The scrambled order has been consistent since then in both CC 2018 and CC 2019.  It's not randomly re-scrambled each time PS is opened. The un-alphabetized list is the same each time.  So it's like PS is somehow sorting these by some criteria and maintaining a consistent (but nonsensical) order.  It's just not alphabetical as would be expected.

[JJMack]

I may be because of a change Adobe made to how Photoshop its initialization  to shorten the start up time duration of Photoshop.  Adobe may now initialize all  extension at once starting each is its own startup task to take advantage of multi processor. The list order may the result of the order the start up task finishing their task. As each one finishes its initialization work the extension name is added to the end of extension list.  Does it matter  if the list length and order changes.

[AnthonyK]

Well, as far as I can tell, this is a Windows-only problem.  On Mac with CC 2019, the extension list is still nicely alphabetized.  It would seem like if the extensions list is alphabetized on Mac, it shouldn't be too hard to alphabetize it on Windows also.  Regardless of how PS is starting these extensions, alphabetizing a list is a pretty basic function that shouldn't stress or delay any computer anymore. 

I went back and checked both CC 2015.5 and CC 2017, and see that the extension list is no longer alphabetized on Windows anymore either for both these versions.  I'm positive they were alphabetized before, so I'm not sure when this un-alphabetizing behavior first occurred.  I only started noticing this on the last update to CC 2018 whenever that was.  Sometime before October 2018, I guess.

CC 2015, CC 2014, and CC (2013) are still alphabetized.

It does make a difference if you have a lot of extensions installed and use different ones with different documents.  Searching through an un-alphabetized list i takes a bit of time.  The list order doesn't change, but it's still confusing to find the extension needed if the list is long and not in alphabetical order.

[JJMack]

Then report it as a problem at Photoshop Family Customer Community   Adobe may accept that it is a bug and may fix the problem.  If the list is ordered the way you want on a Mac use a Mac. If Adobe does not fix it on windows or use an older Windows version.. 

[AnthonyK]

Thanks.  I posted there.

[Kukurykus]

https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/window-extensions-menu-list-no-longer-alphabe...

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Can confirm ist for CC2018 & CC2019

[J453]

I've asked the team to investigate this issue.

[AnthonyK]

Thanks.

[Tom Ruark]

I've never seen an unsorted menu. Is it the number of items or one certain item causing the unsorted? Can someone post a screen shot?

[Jarda Bereza]

[AnthonyK]

Thanks for posting that, Jarda.  Except for "Adobe Color Themes" I think all mine are different.

[Kukurykus]

Pepperbox ocurrs twice

[Jarda Bereza]

Yes because one is Pepperbox and second is Pepperbox.DEV I am not sure why ".DEV" substring is cut.