Existing type layer replaced by text with other type layer's text upon changing text properties

[SingleStone]

Okay, this is weird.

I have a type layer with some text in it (a headline, let's say). I click on the layer, I click on the Character Panel, and first thing I see is the color in the Panel is not the color of the font in the layer.

I then click on any Panel property, and the text in this layer is replaced by text from another layer in my document ( a paragraph layer, let's say), but the color is not the same as the layer the text came from.

Seems like a glitch, but I don't know how else to diagnose it.

[Chris Cox]

The 13.0.1 update should have fixed it.

But your existing files are still corrupted -- you'll  have to rearrange the text layers by hand.

[aconda]

Hello Chris, can you then confirm that the text layer bug is fixed with 13.0.1? Can we once again start using Photoshop CS6 without fear of text layer corruption?

Andy

[CCdroid55]

All seems to be fine now - I have been using cs6 for a little while again and no problems so far

Thanks - Chris

[aconda]

Thanks, it would still be comforting to hear an official statement. Confidence level is low right now.

[Noel Carboni]

aconda wrote:

Thanks, it would still be comforting to hear an official statement. Confidence level is low right now.

If not an "official statement", what do you consider Chris Cox's message in post 100 above?  Did you not notice the [staff] indication and eye-burning white background?

Companies don't gift wrap admissions that they've screwed up.  You're lucky a plain-speaking engineer is even calling it a "fix" and not some marketeer spinning it as "enhanced reliability when working with text".

-Noel

[aconda]

An official statement doesn't include the words "should have fixed it", it would normally state something in the line of

"the problem has been resolved"... So yeah there you have it, I can't afford to screw up work files, so until I have a positive answer I can't use Photoshop CS 6 even though I've been paying for it since 3 odd months now.

[Noel Carboni]

I'll be curious if anyone from Adobe will clarify the wording for you beyond what's already been stated.

I think it's interesting this particular bug-fix, possibly one of the most egregious in the product as initially released, didn't make the list.  It doesn't even fit in any of the categories:

http://blogs.adobe.com/photoshopdotcom/2012/08/photoshop-cs6-13-0-1-update-now-available.html

But hey, more power to you for asking.

-Noel

[ubernaut]

@noel that's funny because it's true.

@hyrule nice handle btw, because the image size typically refactors all style and sizes of text layers i would expect that would be an extremely good way to flush out any corrupt layers but under 13.0.1 you shouldnt be creating any new corrupt layers. im not sure if ive tried this yet but if you just wish to retain appearance of the layers and do not need to edit them you should be able to just rasterize the layers in question before resizing. not sure why canvas resize is having that effect probably shared code from the two functions or some thing like that.

[Chris Cox]

I did not fix this bug myself - so I don't personally know what exactly was wrong, how it was fixed or tested.

So, from my viewpoint, you're going to have to live with some qualifiers.

[aconda]

Well I'm not exactly sure what "you're going to have to live with some qualifiers", but it kinda sounds like, "I have no interest in this posting and I hate my job"!

[Chris Cox]

No, more like "I can't give absolutes because I didn't see it myself".

[Noel Carboni]

aconda wrote:

I can't afford to screw up work files

Aconda, did you start using Photoshop CS6 for real work the day you bought the new release?  Or did you do test projects with it, and read all the forums so that you knew exactly what was wrong with it?

Now you claim you won't start using the updated version again, even after someone on the inside says the problem was fixed by his co-workers until...  What?  You get some kind of personal guarantee from Adobe's CEO that says the problem is definitely fixed, and that if it happens again he'll come over to see you to fix it himself?

-Noel

[aconda]

Noel, no I started using it and it corrupted some of my files which just happen to have had hundreds of text layers in them... and no I didn't test it first, why would I? Who would ever have thought that a major release would completely screw up ones work? Not me! I wasn't expecting anything like that so now I'm back with CS5. I've been using graphic products from Adobe since around 1995 and have never seen such a major hiccup as in this release.

You don't have to be sarcastic either, I sent in files to Adobe to hopefully help with the identification of this bug! I don't expect the CEO to come over and give me a perosnal fix so don't even go there trying to mock me.

If you read the statemenent that the bug "could" have been fixed then you should understand that that's not a definate "we have fixe the bug". So why should I consider a "could" would be a definate fix?? Why would I risk corruption of new projects before I know for a fact that the problem has been resolved? That would be niave.

So, Noel hope that answers your questions. Yeah I wrote something yesterday that was out of order and I will apologize to Chris for that. Doesn't mean you have a right to atatck my judgement. So all is cool and I wish you a good day.

[Noel Carboni]

I suggest that the next step needs to be this:  Just start using 13.0.1. 

It's said to have fixed the text layer swap corruption problem, as well as many other problems.

You're apparently not going to get a better answer from Adobe, so it's up to you whether to trust their software again.  The rules aren't really completely different now, just because it had a bug.

Yes, they should have stopped the release and fixed that bug before the software ever got to you, but they made a mistake.  But that doesn't mean the software will be bad forever more.

13.0.1 is in every way I can see an improvement.  I haven't read one complaint on any of these forums of 13.0.1 adding corruption, while there were plenty against the software before that. 

I think Adobe may have been particularly gunshy about breaking new things and so tested the 13.0.1 changes very thoroughly.  Is it bug-free?  No, but it's better, and this particular problem seems to be gone.

-Noel

[Hyrule Guardian]

I didn't mean to spark such controversy over this.

I also think (Forrest Gump Dixit) "it happens" and well, this time I got affected by it.

I will stick with Adobe, think they are great. One small nuisance and I think too many go into a fracas over it.

Regards,

Marco

http://www.webmentor.cr/

[BJN3]

"Small nuisance" for you perhaps. I've only had a handful of files corrupted and dealing with that issue has cost me several productive hours. And I've seen examples of corrupted files where recovering that file alone would take several hours work. This is professional software and serious bugs like this can be very expensive. What's worse than time rebuilding artwork is missing deadlines. Few clients are sympathetic to "Photoshop corrupted your artwork".

For many of us this isn't even close to the same league as nuisance bugs or even application instability issues.

[Hyrule Guardian]

Let me remind you of a few things things

1) You upgraded to a software version that has been released not too long ago. A huge project like Adobe CS6, and it's make over and it's changes are projects that will have bugs. No matter what and how hard they try to minimize them. It happens every.single.time. Be this an OS upgrade, whichever. It's part of the cycle of software development. If you went in anyway by upgrading, you went in willingly at your own risk. This is why it's always prudent to wait for the FIRST patch before you upgrade. You and I didn't.

2) I was affected by it as well and I have had to do the same things you did. Quid pro quo. The hours I save due to upgrading and having shortcuts that add up to HOURS when editing comps in PS are still superior to the hours I have lost rebuilding the corrupt comps.

3) Where is your back up? Surely you must have it?

Marco

http://www.webmentor.cr

[MikeKPhoto]

I agree with the point about using new software, but loosing or corrupting data is one of the bigest "No-No's" out there. Looking back in this thread this issue was reported during the beta, but still made it out the door - and that should have never happened

As far as back-up's are concerned this could be a new file and you would not know when to back up as the file could already be corrupt. It also begs the question of when is it safe to use a new product? The latest release fixed some of the reported bugs - but looking through this forum there are a boatload that still need to be fixed

Mike

[Noel Carboni]

1.  If you use public beta software for production work, that's arguably too soon.  Depending on how close to overload you run yourself and how critical your work is, it could be premature to use the released software before the first update patch.

2.  If you wait until the software is completely mature, then you miss out on using the features everyone's been using for years, and you may find the next new version comes out right after you buy it.

As with everything, balance is needed.  Where that balance properly lies is partly up to you, and frankly it's partly up to chance.

What's irritating is the shift in the software industry.  Looking at extremes, there was a time when the software had to be good enough to put on a CD in a box with a fully completed and printed manual.  You can be sure more time was spent both testing it and polishing it before it went "out the door". 

Today we have this ridiculous "cloud" concept where supposedly you get to use the neatest new stuff sooner, but what we really get is beta or even alpha quality software to use.  That wouldn't be all bad, but for the fact that once it's released the business managers start to demand that their people work on new features and no one ever seems to get enough time to tidy up the messes.  It's as though they forget that the cloud has allowed them to skip some of the refinement before making money off the software.

-Noel

[ubernaut]

well i would tend to disagree with a few of those points, we all had become very used to the 18 month dev cycle although i would agree that no update would have been better then the bug that did make it through but i bet the people responsible for making sure ps was ready for cs6 might not have had the same outlook or enough information to know just how big the problem would be (not to take away from how big this issue was i was right up there with the others leading the charge in demanding some response from adobe if you all remember). i think anyone who jumps onboard in the first few months should expect that there will be some issue i have never seen any software that alot of peope use never go past x.0. Adobe has actually a relatively stellar track record compared to microsoft apple or countless other software companies in terms of the stability of their software, particularly photoshop. regarding the cloud i really couldnt disagree more not having to wait for 18 months to get new programs/features is awesome but it doesn mean those same rules apply if you get out on the bleeding edge of technology don't suprised if you get cut from time to time. anyone who cannot afford any snafus whatsoever in there workflow should probably wait at least 6 months after release to be entriely safe.

just my 2 cents

[BJN3]

1) I have a reasonable expectation that current release Adobe Suite software won't introduce a known file-toxic bug. Photoshop has bugs so old they have gray antennae and I understand that every new version risks new ones, but they've never been file-killers in my recollection.

2) Good for you and the shortcuts that you find so beneficial. I don't personally find anything like that kind of improved productivity in Photoshop. But it's hard to realize whatever benefit the new suite offers when you go back to using an older version to avoid file corruption.

3)I can recover a back up file, but that doesn't erase lost hours working on files - hours not touching text layers but doing a lot of work on image layers. A backup doesn't recover a missed deadline.

The ugly truth is Adobe knew of a toxic PS PS6 bug and shipped anyway. No cautions are ever issued no matter what unfixed bugs are present. And as Noel observes, we suite subscribers now get alpha features as a "reward" for moving to the software service model. I suppose I should adopt a cynical view so I can be as blasé about this as you.

So now that I've been helpfully reminded of best practices, I wonder if the subscription model is a viable foundation for creative businesses.

[Hyrule Guardian]

Again guys, sorry I raised so much controversy over this.

I was affected by it so I wanted to know what my options were.

Yes, it sucks that the bug was reported, but we can speculate all we want. The problem is now, the corrupted files and what our options are.

My point about this being a  nuisance and all, is that it doesn't deter me at all from the relationship I've had with Adobe products over the years. Sure, it sucks donkey balls, but in time we will forget about this. And so will you.

I have always believed that if you forget about something that caused you anger  in less than a month, then the emotion wasn't really worth it. So when I think about this problem, the would've, could've,  should've, it frees me of being stressed/upset about things that I can't really control or do nothing about it.

[Noel Carboni]

Don't apologize; it needs to be discussed.

-Noel

[PDFerguson]

Easy, aconda, we're all just trying to help here.

The absence of this issue in Barry Young's blog post is an oversight, this was a critical bug and we believe it has been fixed in 13.0.1.

In all our testing we were unable to trigger this problem in new files after we had made the changes we believe were the root cause, so we have a high degree of confidence it has been resolved. However, there may be files created in earlier versions of Photoshop that will still exhibit text corruption, and may even appear "normal" when first opened, but that is an artifact of how text layers work in Photoshop. The fix in 13.0.1 does not attempt to repair files that had already been corrupted, which in some cases may lead to confusion about whether this has been fixed.

I hope this helps, and again, we apologize for the problems this has caused.

Paul

[aconda]

Paul, I was out of order with my comment to Chris and I apologize. It's no excuse but I just had a bad day in the design studio and getting frustrated that Adobe couldn't give an official OK on this problem.

Kind regards

Andy