Photoshop 2023 Program Error using Brightness/Contrast

[P5E2E]

Unfortunately, the subject says it all.

If I try to access Brightness/Contrast for a layer, I get "Could not complete the Brightness/Contrast command because of a program error" and can go no further.

I can use Hue/Saturation, Exposure, Levels, Curves, Vibrance ... but not Brightness/Contrast, which I use about a thousand times every day.

I have replaced the installation with older versions of Photoshop, such as the one I used only yesterday, but with the same problem.

Can someone please help or advise? I am on MacOS (latest version) on a Macbook Air M1, and with the very latest version of Photoshop 2023 (not that it makes a difference: the update seems to have messed up all previous versions as well).

[TheDigitalDog]

Does this error show up on all documents (flattened)?

How about this one:

http://www.digitaldog.net/files/2014PrinterTestFileFlat.tif.zip

[P5E2E]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes — I encounter exactly the same problem with your file. I make a random selection, create a new layer, and then if I try to use Brightness/Contrast the same error message appears.

[TheDigitalDog]

And if you don't make a new layer?

[P5E2E]

Then it works as normal. 

[TheDigitalDog]

I'm on the road without access to a desktop but this sounds like a layer issue. Either how you target the layer or similar since it works with a flattened document. If you just duplicate the bkgnd layer and try on that, does it work after selected from Layers? 

[Olaf Giermann]

I am in the exact same hardware and don't have any problems with Brightness/Contrast as you describe.

I recommend trying to reset the preferences. 

[J453]

You can restore your preferences using this manual:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html#Manually
If that doesn't solve it, you can quit Photoshop and put the Settings folder back.

[P5E2E]

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

I have tried everything to no avail.

It is frustrating that the one feature I use so, so often is broken. I guess an update will fix it at some point. For now I will use Exposure and Curves or Hue/Saturated, but 20 years of muscle-memory make it quite tricky to adapt!

[J453]

One other thing to try: Go to Preferences > Technology Previews... and enable "Older GPU mode (pre 2016)" - Restart Photoshop. Does the problem persist?

[TheDigitalDog]

Back home, I can't replicate this issue on my Mac, the latest version of Photoshop. With or without Legacy, on a targeted layer, it works fine. 

[P5E2E]

I have tried the various suggestions, all again, sadly, to no avail.

Thank you anyway.

I wish there was more to the error than PROGRAM ERROR. It leaves me with no recourse to assistance aside from the kind and well-meaning suggestions on this forum.

It's quite debilitating, as mentioned, as I use B/C on a daily basis. There are workarounds, of course, but still — annoying, to say the least.

[TheDigitalDog]

There are a couple of places you can go with this, but it appears to be a specific issue on your machine. 

First: Try logging into another account (you may need to make one); still not working? 
Try starting up in Safe mode (hold down Shift Key when booting); still not working? 
You might want to try running a free utility like Onyx; still not working? 
https://www.titanium-software.fr/en/onyx.html
Also view:
https://www.macworld.com/article/352902/onyx-review-macos.html

You can roll back to the last version or so and try:

If you wish to roll back to an older version, use the Creative Cloud application, click on the three dots (...) and select “Other Versions”.

[P5E2E]

I yet haven't tried Safe Mode. I'll try that next.

Cheers!

Quite why one particular feature gives PROGRAM ERROR is beyond me. Fine one day, then overnight upgrade, and then no good the next.

I've used Photoshop for 20-30 years and of course have had my fair share of bugs, but this takes the biscuit.

[P5E2E]

I've posted the error log to https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/program-error-diagnostic-plugin-feedb....

Thanks everyone for your suggestions over the days.

[P5E2E]

The problem has not gone away.

I finally bit the bullet and uninstalled Photoshop completely, removing all settings, hoping it would solve it, but ... no.

[P5E2E]

Just to say that I have the same problem with Brightness and Contrast, and posted about it a few months back at https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/photoshop-2023-program-error-using-br....

I have uninstalled Photoshop and reinstalled it, with all settings cleared, and still the problem occurs with the same frequency as before. There have also been many updates to Photoshop since I posted, none of which have solved the issue. I'm working with the same files and the same workflow as for the past 5-6 years, and no changes to the environment apart from the one Photoshop update that triggered it.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

How large are your files and how much free HD space/Scratch Disk space do you have?

[P5E2E]

The files are 20-100mb, but plenty of HD space and scratch disk space on a fairly minimally used new Macbook Air — gigs and gigs of space.

The problem will occur, and I'll use another method to change the brightness (like Exposure) but then I'll try again on another selection within a minute and it will work fine. No rhyme and reason to it at all.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

How much free HD space? MB Airs aren't known for large internal HDs.

[P5E2E]

About 160gb. 

[kevin stohlmeyer]

That is not much free HD space to effectively run current PS builds. Most likely you are running out of HD space causing issues with the application.

Next time the error occurs check your Photoshop Preferences/Scratch Disk and see how much is left.

[P5E2E]

Cheers!

Thanks for the replies.

Alas — I have made some space and now have 938gb free space (on a 2tb hard drive). After restarting, and going back to work with 22mb file, it still occurs. I can't free up more space than that, realistically, so perhaps Photoshop is these days just beyond the means of my laptop!

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Is the Scratch disk in preferneces pointed to the 938 GB free space?

How frequently is this happening? Every file or just certain ones?

Can you share one of the files you receive the error on or record a screen recording of your process to cause the issue?