Fixed: Photoshop 2020 File name bug when saving a replacement of an existing file

[Hjorthmedh]

Hej! The old photoshop behaviour used to be that when you save to overwrite an existing file it asks you to confirm that you want to replace it, you say yes, and the old file gets overwritten. In the latest version if you click "replace" it still does not replace the file, but adds "copy of" text at the end after the fact without any way to not do that. Please give us an option to have the old behaviour, or change it back to how it used to be by default.

[JohanElzenga]

This is a Photoshop/MacOS Catalina bug that only happens when you try to save a layered or 16 bits/color file as jpeg (which does not support layers or 16 bits) and overwrite an existing jpeg in the process. If you flatten the image before you save it, it won't happen. Adobe is aware of it but I was told it requires a lot of rewriting. Much more than you would expect.

[alisecarter]

You cant save when you flatten if you have a save error. Hoorah. So, now I can't work from lightroom and edit my files because it won't save over the original. I cant save at all unless I save as a copy. So, I then have to save as a copy (if It lets me), go to the folder the file is in, delete original, rename copy, open lightroom and re-pull metedata from the file so it shows the updated version. I'm working with 900 cr3s right now. I've gotten 2 edited becaue of all the image errors. I was originally editing the raw files in lightroom, but figured that was the problem. So I opened in photoshop camera raw and saves as jpgs. Nope, Still having the issue. I've been using photoshop since 1996 and aside from the move to subscription based services, nothing has made me more angry than this. I literally cannot get my work done. 

[JohanElzenga]

Sounds like you have a different problem next to the file name problem. It also sounds like you use a rather odd workflow from Lightroom. Can you explain in more detail what that workflow is? You should not have to overwrite files when you send images from Lightroom to Photoshop and back.

[alisecarter]

Yes, the problem is photoshop not saving my file unless its a multiple layered file AND as a copy. 

I cannot overwright the original file. I cannot merge all and save.

If I open an image in Lightroom and edit in photoshop, saving that image does indeed overwright the file, it's what I want. But, because I can't do that, I have to do that insane workaround. It took 8 hours for adobe to get back to me yesterday and all they said was "roll back to 2020..." well, I updated from 2020 to 2021 because of this issue, so rolling back doesnt seem like it will work.

[JohanElzenga]

The error message says that it cannot save a JPG, but when you send an image from Lightroom to Photoshop via the 'Edit in' menu, then JPEG is not an option you can choose. You can only choose between TIFF and PSD in the Lightroom Classic preferences, for obvious reasons (being a lossy compressed file format, JPEG is not advised for images that need further editing). That is why I wonder what your workflow looks like.

[alisecarter]

I've tried every file type. You can edit in jpg from lightroom if you aren't editing raw images. Here is a screenshot of the tif. I know what I'm doing, I've been using photoshop since 1996. I've never had an issue before. Updating to 2021 made it worse, but I still had this issue on 2020

[JohanElzenga]

I assume you have tried to reinstall Photoshop and/or reset the preferences. BTW, this is clearly the wrong thread, because this problem has nothing to do with the original thread. You may want to go to the feedback site and report it there. That's where Adobe engineers hang out, not here.

[alisecarter]

I'm having the same save bug that was stated in the original thread. I just
also have other issues that I believe are a cause of this save bug. I've
reinstalled photoshop, yes. Bugs have been reported and Adobe just told me
to "roll back," unfortunately.

[JohanElzenga]

It's unlikely that these other issues are the cause of the file name bug. Most people don't have these issues, but they can still reproduce the file name bug. It's just that you encounter the file name bug as well now, because you use a workaround for your inital problem. But that doesn't mean they have to be related.

Mind you: I'm not trying to argue with you for the sake of arguing, but the more you concentrate on a cause that probably isn't really the cause, the less likely it is that you find a solution.

[deb.a]

Same problem. Causing many version control problems. To be compliant with client naming protocols, I have to go back and delete the "copy" part of file name, which becomes confusing! PLEASE FIX THIS BUGGER!

[JohanElzenga]

This is a user-to-user forum. We are Photoshop users like you. We can't fix bugs.

[alland.byallo]

same problem. okay i thought i was going crazy. 

OS 10.15.7

ADOBE 22.1.0

[klausp65165345]

Same problem here,

Mac OS 11.0.1

Photoshop 21.2.4

[kobib46717490]

Another update, same story..

Mac OS Big Sur 11.1

Photoshop 22.1.1

Problem is still there.

Just a quick note to anyone who still thinks it's not a bug, and that it 'existed before':

When you have a document with layers—let's call it 'bug.psd'—and you want to save a flat jpg of it, you will use the 'Save As' command, and Photshop will save a copy of that document as a jpg named 'bug.jpg', and the document you have open is still 'bug.psd'. Perfectly normal until now.

Now, let's say you've made a couple of changes to the open layered document, and you want to re-write that jpg you saved earlier, you will use the 'Save As' command again, and choose that same name 'bug.jpg'. At this point Adobe will alert you that you're overwriting an existing document and ask you whether you are sure you would like to replace 'bug.jpg'. In the past, if you clicked 'Replace' - the file 'bug.jpg' will simply be overwritten with the new 'bug.jpg' - that's how it was in the past, always!

Nowadays, when you hit 'Replace', instead of overwriting the existing 'bug.jpg' - Photoshop creates a 'bug copy.jpg'.

THIS IS NOT NORMAL. THIS IS A BUG. And this bug exists for a year a half now, update after update after update. I can't figure out Adobe's thinking here.. why is it not getting fixed?

[Waserone]

Exactly, thank you for explaining it so well. Can't understand either why
this hasn't been fixed yet. Another thing I noticed is that if you use the
"Save for Web" command and try to save a jpeg with the same name of an
existing one, Photoshop will ask you TWICE if you want to replace the file,
the first time with the same box that appears when you use the "Save As"
command, and the second one is a specific popup of the "Save for Web"
command (darker color in my system), and in the end it actually replaces
the file and doesn't create a copy. But still, it's completely redundant.

[studioc11636619]

YES YES YES. Totally frustrating. Why is this still not fixed. Why was it changed? If it's not a bug, then who thought it was a good idea? There are many 'bugs' in InDesign too that make me think that the programmers are NOT users of this software and don't consult regular users. 

[JohanElzenga]

It wasn't a change made by Adobe, it is a bug that was introduced because Apple changed the underlying permissions in the 'Save as' dialog of MacOS Catalina (and Big Sur). Adobe needs to make fundamental changes in the way this dialog is used, and that turned out to be more difficult than expected. This will be solved, but it is indeed frustrating how long that takes. Complaining about it in a user-to-user forum won't make it any faster, however. None of us can do anything about it.

[studioc11636619]

Seriously? This is the answer. Blame Apple? It might even be the case, but us complaining about it in these forums is all we have and it's been a year and a half and still nothing has changed. If you really think we're going to believe that Apple has had you guys there stumped for that long then it says a lot. Apple and Adobe fell out years ago over Flash and sadly neither company now really cares too much about graphic designers using Apple products anymore. More money to made elsewhere. But you're right about one thing, none of us can do anything about it.

[JohanElzenga]

Not "blame" Apple, but explain what happened. If you use the same version of Photoshop on MacOS Majave, then you will notice that the bug does not exist. It only exists on MacOS Catalina and Big Sur. And as "you guys" applies to Adobe I assume, it does not apply to me. I am a Photoshop user just like you, I do not work for Adobe.

[BillC]

Just encountered this bug. I've invested in a new machine in order to upgrade to the latest Adobe CC and this has just happened to me. Did a "SaveAs" fileName.jpg from the layered psd and it saved a "copy" rather than replacing the original. Very surprised this hasn't been fixed seeing as this bug was reported over a year ago. 

Also, as an aside.... another bug that hasn't been fixed is the flickering cursor. I had thought maybe my old 2009 Mac with only 16 gigs running High Sierra with 2018 CC was part of the problem but no - it's still there on the new 12 core ram-packed monster running all the latest progs. Still have to hide/quit Photoshop just to work in Illustrator or InDesign.

[D_Haley]

I'm having the same issue with Photoshop 2021 using Catalina.

[JohanElzenga]

Update to version 22.3 that was released today.

[Waserone]

Updated to version 22.3, still not fixed (with Catalina at least).

If you open a .jpeg or .tif and do a "save as" with the same file name without changing anything on the file itself it actually overwrites the file, but if you change anything and hit "save as" it still creates a copy when you click on "Replace" when PS asks if you want to replace the existing file by overwriting it.

[kobib46717490]

Just updated to 22.3 and tested it - problem still exists.

[Catch Graphics]

Could Not Agree More! Adobe and Apple have forgotten that professionals need these tools to work with. Reliability and stability are king, not bells and whistles that seem to add very little except problems. Why not have a whizzy version for those who want the latest gismos and a basic version for those who want it to just work. And update that version every two years and make sure it works before sending it out. Testing by customer is tedious for us.