Free Transform tool Program Error Message - PC

Report · Jan 25, 2023

I'm getting an error tool each time I try to transform the size of a layer in PS. I've installed the latest PS version. It says it can't be done beccause of a program error. The transform corners on the layer also look different. I've tried everything. Any ideas on how to fix it? Help please!

Report · Jan 25, 2023

Welcome to the Photoshop community. I'll help you figure this out.

Ensure there are no stale preferences in your Photoshop. Go to the location of the preference folder mentioned below and rename it to backup.

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html

Windows 10/11: Users/[user name]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop [version]/Adobe Photoshop [version] Settings
You can press Press the Windows key > Enter 'Run' > Enter %APPDATA%\Adobe
Rename the Adobe Photoshop folder by adding a .old at the end. (Adobe Photoshop 2023 > Rename > Adobe Photoshop 2023. old), you can later restore these preferences if needed.(https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/preferences.html)
Restart the computer.
Apply any pending updated to the Windows OS & the graphics cards from the respective manufacturer's driver managers.

These changes will give a fresh start to Photoshop as a fresh install. Let me know how it goes.

Thanks!

Sameer K

Report · Jan 30, 2023

Thank you for this tip Sameer, I will try the fix you suggested, but his is an error that should not ever make a user to resort to registry hacks.
I have been using Photoshop for 27 years and I have never seen such an egregious error as this.
it is a showstopper. It's utterly infuriating and frustrating.
I have seen previous issues with preferences causing polution, and some of them stem from telling Creative Cloud to remember you do not want to save to the cloud.
I ask that Adobe engineers make it an urgent priority to eradicate this bug and push an immediate update.
I can't tell you how much inconveneince this bug has caused and on two machines.

Report · Jan 30, 2023

Hi @ben-erwin ,

I believe what Sameer is suggesting is just to allow photoshop to rebuild the preferences folder from scratch to verify there isn't a file issue there. No registry editing involved in his insctructions nor hacks.

His last bullet point of updating windows and graphics could also be the fix - which could imply that this was never an Adobe issue but found with windows or the graphics manufacturer. There are many connecting parts that are outside of Adobe's control to make their software run correctly at all times. That can be the most frustrating as an update (or lack there of) independently can cause issues inside the program.

The great thing is that there is a direct employee here to help understand that issue and gather more information. Hopefully Rachel and you keep the dialogue going as to whether these suggestions help and provide further info to you issue so Sameer can better undstand it and work with the photoshop team to creat a fix.

Report · Jan 31, 2023

First, thanks Sameer, I can confirm this worked on both machines.
Second, I misread the solution that it wasn't a registry hack. A renaming of preferences folder isn't had deep as that, but it's still shouldn't be necessary. I apologize for mistating that.

I would like to rephasize that this isn't function of Photoshop isn't something that should be affected by preferences. Transform (CMD|CTRL+T) is a reflex and a fundamental necessity. When it throws a prompt and the choice is "ok" or "learn to fix", it is like I said, a showstopper. The learn to fix page wasn't helpful as it had many choices including the insulting "roll back to an earlier version".

One thing I can point to on this is it seemed to address raster images. It also caused the same error when dragging in a raster image onto the canvas. I did not have the same problem transforming an SVG in the same file.
I would like to bring to Adobe's atttention the bad form that preferences corruptions causes, on many different products, but particularly photoshop and premiere. When you check "remember this" I've had multiple occasions over the past few years with PS, AI and PR that preferences stymied.
One problem has to do with saying no to the cloud. Please look. into it.
I'm happy to keep the conversation going if this will help you root this out.

Report · Jan 31, 2023

@ben-erwin wrote:

I would like to rephasize that this isn't function of Photoshop isn't something that should be affected by preferences.

The Preferences file is not just what you see in (Ctrl/Cmd+K) Preferences. The file can become corrupted, especially after a crash or two. Resetting Preferences gives you a clean installation of the application.

You can reset preferences from Preferences > General or by deleting the file or by the keyboard shortcut trick. Photoshop will create a new one when the old one is deleted. The advantage of renaming the file as per Sameer's instructions is that if it doesn't solve your issue, you can restore it. (There is nothing magic about ".old", btw. Just rename it.)

In addition to internal things and the things you see in Preferences, the file also contains actions, swatches, and many other things that you want to make sure you are backup up on a regular basis.

Jane

Report · Jan 31, 2023

Thanks for all the suggestions. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what the fix was in the end, because I did everything! Re-installed PS (for the 4th time), cleared preferences, etc. However, it's source was definitely the installation of the latest version of PS, everything was fine before that and immediately wasn't fine afterwards. It may have had something to do with rasterizing a layer by accident (I didn't need to do, I just accidentally clicked the wrong buttong) and everything went down hilll from there. Many thanks for all the contributions to my original post.

Report · Jan 31, 2023

@rachelt95507413

I'm glad to hear everything it working for you now, Rachel, that's the important part!

Jane

Report · Mar 28, 2023

I am getting this exact error, and I have implemented the fix recommended here.

However every time I restart my computer i.e. every day – the error recurs.

This is a waste of time redoing the same fix for it to be a temporary solution.

Note I am only using photoshop, copy-paste resize. I am not a complex or sophisticated user so this cannot be related to any tasks or scripts running.

Can someone help with a permanent fix please?

Report · Mar 30, 2023

Same here. Transform Error. And nothing helps. In more then 20 years of using photoshop Iv never experience something like that before.

Report · Apr 14, 2023

Pessoal, estava com esse mesmo problema.
Consegui resolver realizando esse processo:
Editar>Preferências>Desempenho: desmarquei a opção "Usar processador gráfico".
Pronto, a ferramenta "Transformação Livre" voltou a funcionar.

Espero que esse processo ajude vocês.

Abraços.

Report · Jul 11, 2023

Happened to me too. New PS update just really messed up this gig I'm on.
Doing my best to follow SameerK's instructions but I'm a bit confused.
I am replacing the '.psp' a '.old' ? Can you be a bit more specific on how to get rid of old settings?

Report · Jul 11, 2023

SOLVED.
This is what worked for me on PC.
- PS Version 24.3
- Go into your 'ADOBE PHOTOSHOP 2023 SETTINGS' folder
- Change 'AdobePhotoshop2023Prefs.psp' >> to >> 'AdobePhotoshop2023Prefs.old'
- Restart PS.

Report · Jul 11, 2023

I am replacing the '.psp' a '.old' ?
By @Jealous

No. You are not replacing the ".psp" with ".old". What you are doing instead is renaming the current preferences file so that it you can retrieve it later if necessary. When Photoshop does not see a file called preferences.psp on launch, it creates a new one.

If you read the entire thread, this is explained in detail earlier.

Jane

Report · Jul 12, 2023

Thanks for the clarification. Replace/Rename *Tomato/tomater* I'm a better illustrator than communicator.
For some reason I am still getting the free transform error everytime I restart PS or my computer.
It's a shame because I have specific prefernces that are scrapped each time I rename the preference file.
Not sure what I'm missing to keep my preferences AND be able to Free Transform.

If anyone has an answer other than reinstalling photoshop 4x... that would be amazing.
I've reinstalled far more than 4x and found v24.3 is the only version that even allow me to open a .psd

Thanks,

Free Transform tool Program Error Message - PC

1 Correct answer

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