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Can't sample color outside of PS CC 2018

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
January 31, 2018
11 replies
15286 views

Hi,

I used to be able to select the Eyedropper tool, click, hold and sample colors from outside the program. In CC 2018, this isn't the case anymore. I installed CC 2017 and it works without a problem.

Part two of the problem:

If I have a tiny canvas, say 100 by 50 and I use the eyedropper tool, I'm sampling colors from my wallpaper from the main display (I have two) like somehow Photoshop is transparent. I don't think this is normal behavior.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer J453

We're working on this issue. We'll update the thread when the update goes out: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/photoshop-eyedropper-tool-cant-sample-colors-from-outside-the-program-nvidia-drivers-conflict

It occurs when scaling is other than 100%.

S

Sixtentherabbit

Known Participant

Same problem here, with PS 2020. I guess they still don´t know how to solve it.
I remember it used to work in PS 2017.
Chosing 100% doesn´t change anything BTW

A

Astrolabe1976

Participant

having the same problem with the 2020 edition

jane-e

Community Expert

Hi

This thread is for CC 2018 and it was fixed. If you have read all 50 replies and are sure you are using the correct method, then please give details on your system:

The exact version of 2020
Your OS and version
Your graphics card and version
Go to Help > System Info and copy, then paste here

~ Jane

A

antluis

Participant

I was having this problem with Photoshop CC under Windows 10 and fixed it by running Photoshop as Administrator.

S

Satchmo46Bill

Participating Frequently

Antluis,

I tried running Photoshop as Administrator, and this problem did not go away. That is, the color sampler continues to stop working outside of the Photoshop environment.

Hoping Adobe finds a fix.

Mohit Goyal

Community Manager

Hi All,

This issue should be fixed in the Photoshop CC 2018 (19.1.4) release which is now available. Checkout the list of fixed issues here: Fixed issues in Adobe Photoshop CC

Please update Photoshop CC 2018 via the Creative Cloud desktop app and let us know if you continue to have any trouble.

Update Creative Cloud apps

Regards,

Mohit

J

JGuimera

Participant

I have the same issue. Reported to Adobe. I hope they fix it.

J

J453Correct answer

Legend

We're working on this issue. We'll update the thread when the update goes out: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/photoshop-eyedropper-tool-cant-sample-colors-from-outside-the-program-nvidia-drivers-conflict

It occurs when scaling is other than 100%.

PECourtejoie

Community Expert

Hello, affected users should update to 19.1.4, release today May 15: Fixed issues in Adobe Photoshop CC

T

tient32519993

Participant

Sooo anyone have a solution yet? Is Windows update to blame?

Shellz-art

Participating Frequently

Nope, not yet. By the looks of it - it's an error with Adobe (since the latest update for 2018). More and more people I know are having the same problem. I hope they fix it soon, it's a nightmare to work around!

So far I've been taking screenshots, pasting the image into Photoshop and quickly sampling the colour I want within Photoshop before deleting the screenshot layer. That or saving the image and opening it in Photoshop to sample there. Really frustrating!

T

tient32519993

Participant

I am having the same problem as everyone else. I can't pick colors outside of the canvas. Anyone found a solution yet?

JJMack

Community Expert

Before you do that try this if you using windows. Set Windows explorer options so you can see hidden folders and file. Explore C:\Users\Your User ID\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC 2018 in there there is a lot more then just your Photoshop Preferences. There is a lot more in there. Delete that Folder Or just rename that folder. Then start Photoshop. It should be like your User ID used Photoshop for the very first time like a new user ID. If asked if you want to migrate you Preferences don't. Just lets Photoshop start and see if you can select colors anywhere.

JJMack

gigglezz

Participant

I'm in the same boat as Satchmo and i tried trashing the app data folder and recreating. same issue happens. looks like the cursor goes into screen scroll mode the moment the dropper gets to the edge of the window.

might be just a driver issue with the newer nvidia cards, i'm running a gtx 1080 and my second machine works fine with a gtx 870m, same drivers same OS, same user account.

S

Satchmo46Bill

Participating Frequently

Gigglezz,

I do not understand. How can you have the "same user account" on two different machines with different nvidia cards?

If you switched the two graphics cards between the two machines, that would be a pure test of the card difference's causality.

Ron Acker

Participating Frequently

I'm having the same problem. When I click on the mouse using the color picker it spins around and nothing happens.

JJMack

Community Expert

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Ron+Acker wrote
I'm having the same problem. When I click on the mouse using the color picker it spins around and nothing happens.

IT! What exactly is it the eyedropper cursor Ico, the hand cursor icon, a system cursor. What exactly is IT.

JJMack

Ron Acker

Participating Frequently

Thanks for your quick reply and apologies for the inaccurate phrasing of my problem.

When using the eyedropper, with the Sampling Ring turned on, there are a number of gray to white dots that spin on and off when I click and hold down my mouse, similar to when Windows is starting up or closing down. The eyedropper works fine inside Photoshop and all I need to do is click once, and the targeted color is immediately registered. However, I can no longer drag the eyedropper tool outside of Photoshop, for instance, to sample a color from a web page. Someone mentioned above this might be an NVIDIA driver issue. I'm using a GeForce GTX 980M/PCIe/SSE2 processor with a Microsoft Surface Studio Pro.

I do want to mention I'm left handed, so my mouse is configured with the left and right buttons reversed, so, to drag the eye dropper out of Photoshop to sample a web page I am clicking and holding down the left mouse button as I drag, but it is not sampling colors outside of Photoshop.

Appreciate you expert assistance/guidance, JJMack

funzee_art

Participant

Hi, hope this info helps

i've found out that is the videodriver+PS bug.
I've encountered with the same issue with latest nvidia drivers(391.01)+latest Photoshop(aka 19.1.1 20180206.r.254 2018/02/06: 1156206 x64 version.)

i've tested this bug with older verions of drivers and PS, and found out that the bug is not related to the videodriver ver. (tested with 19.0 and 19.01 ver PS+ latest driver and eyedropper worked fine. Same for the older ver of vdrivers).

So my guess it's a PS bug for 19.1 version released after January 16 2018 (as we can see JJMack ver of PS is working fine ).

Right now I'm using PS 19.0 20171103.r.190 2017/11/03: 1143799 x64 ver + latest drivers and eyedropper sampling works everywhere.

I really hope @Adobe guys will test this case on their side.

Sorry, if i was not clear enough. Still learning eng.

A

Arnold Prasad

Participant

I have the same issue. Tried resetting tool and that didn't work. Please post a fix if you do receive one. Many thanks.

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