Can't save to local hard drive in Photoshop to preserve layers and editing capabilities.

[JulartKCHS2023]

We pay a lot of money in  my school district for a subscription to the cc suite. However, my students can't access the cloud. SO they can't save a document to work on it the next day and also have all the layers save. What can be done to solve this issue?

[davescm]

You shouldn't need access to the cloud to save a document locally. Just save it locally as a PSD instead of PDSC which is the cloud version. PSD supports all layers/channels /paths etc in Photoshop.

Dave

[JulartKCHS2023]

When I save it as a PSD to the computer it flattens it without the layers. 

This is what comes up:

I save and it is flattened the next time I open it. 

if I check save to cloud, I get this:

When I go to my cloud account -- this is what version I have:

[JulartKCHS2023]

When I save it as a PSD to the computer it flattens it without the layers. 

This is what comes up:

I save and it is flattened the next time I open it. 

if I check save to cloud, I get this:

When I go to my cloud account -- this is what version I have:

[jane-e]

---

@JulartKCHS2023 wrote:

they can't save a document to work on it the next day and also have all the layers save.

---

Does Dave's response answer your question? If not, we need more information:

• Is the student working at home and needs to access the file when working in the classroom? 
• Is the student saving to the desktop and the file disappears the next day?
  (IT may have disallowed saving to the desktop or other folder)
• Why does the student not have access to the Cloud? Is this at home or school or both?
• Can they see a flattened version of the file? Is it just the layers that are missing?
• Do they get an error message when trying to save to the hard drive?

Jane

[JulartKCHS2023]

It is all my students. They are working in the classroom. The work is saved
to their flash drive and their school drive. They can reopen a flattened
version of the file with the layers and previous edits missing. I do not
know why the students are not able to save to the cloud. It is not even an
option for me with my teaching status as opposed to the student options. I
will put in a help ticket to our IT about the reason for the cloud not
being available. My understanding is that we would have to pay an
additional cost to get the cloud.

Julie Krueger
Art Department Instructional Leader
Cloverleaf High School

[jane-e]

Hi Julie,

When I was teaching Photoshop at a local college, the IT department disabled the Cloud. They created a D: drive that was a network drive unique to each login and required the students to save there.

Photoshop does not support saving directly to a flash drive. The students should:

• save to the computer
• copy to the flash drive
• copy back to the computer the next day
• repeat

Are they doing this?

I have never heard that the Cloud costs extra, but IT may have other reason to disable it.

"The work is saved to their flash drive and their school drive. They can reopen a flattened
version of the file with the layers and previous edits missing."

You said they are saving to two places, but not if they are opening from two places. Do you get the same results in both places?

@davescm may have additional thoughts to share.

Jane

[JulartKCHS2023]

Okay so after an hour of fiddling with this -- on my teacher laptop -- It is saving the layers on both the laptop and a flash drive. I will have the students try this today and see what is going on  for them. Thanks for your input. I also put in a help ticket to our IT department.

[jane-e]

This is hopeful news, Julie. Keep us posted!

Jane

[josephlavine]

Along with the earlier responses

Have you checked with the school's IT department? It is common for companies (and schools) to limit access to certain online platforms.

warmly/j

[Lumigraphics]

There is no reason that a PSD file should only save in flattened form. But if that is happening, can you save as a TIFF?

[JulartKCHS2023 · Accepted solution]

Okay -- turns out it was an operator error. The student was NOT saving as a
PSD and I assumed (and we all know what happens when you do that!) and I
neglected to ask him if he had saved it as a PSD. ---So I had a long talk
and with a few thinly veiled threats thrown in about saving as BOTH a PSD
and a JPG!.

Julie Krueger
Art Department Instructional Leader
Cloverleaf High School

[jane-e]

Good to hear that it's an issue that is easily solved, Julie. The lesson will be good for the entire class!

Jane