Generator often doesn't work

[jackbrannen_pl]

Often times when I have "Generate > Image Assets" turned on and my layers named correctly, it simply does not work. I have to do something like

• Close and reopen the file
• Close and reopen photoshop
• Change the filename in the layer itself (not the extension or quality settings, etc.)

I can often get it to work a single time, but then next time I use it, it will fail again.

I'm certain that I'm naming layers correctly. It's just that Generator seems to often simply not run at all.

[jackbrannen_pl]

Here's an example. I had a layer named 50% Output.jpg5. It was working fine and then suddenly stopped. So I renamed it to 50% Output2.jpg5, and it worked fine for a while and then stopped. So I named it 50% Output.jpg5 again and it started working again.

[BrettN]

I'm not seeing similar behavior on my end. Can you provide some additional details?

By not working, do you mean you make a pixel change to the layer and the file on disk does not get updated? The only change it seems to acknowledge is a change to the file name? At this point, I would assume that it generates a new file. But then further changes do not update that file anymore? 

Is this a new behavior after an update? If so, what version?

Where is the original file stored, and thus, where is Generator trying to save files? Is it a local hard disk, external drive, network drive? 

Do you have any third-party apps which may interrupt Generator or Photoshop's processing? Have you tried running your Mac OS in Safe Boot and see if the same behavior occurs? 

[PECourtejoie]

Nice to see you here, Brett!

Very good suggestions, I'm taking notes.

[Jack Brannen]

Hi BrettN, thanks for your questions. Here are answers:

> By not working, do you mean you make a pixel change to the layer and the file on disk does not get updated?

That's correct.

> The only change it seems to acknowledge is a change to the file name?

Sometimes this causes it to acknowledge the change, other times it doesn't.

> At this point, I would assume that it generates a new file. But then further changes do not update that file anymore? 

Correct.

> Is this a new behavior after an update? If so, what version?

This has been occurring for me sporadically for years. I'm just getting around to addressing it.

> Where is the original file stored, and thus, where is Generator trying to save files? Is it a local hard disk, external drive, network drive? 

This has always happened on local drives.

> Do you have any third-party apps which may interrupt Generator or Photoshop's processing?

Many running but none that I'm aware of that would interfere.

> Have you tried running your Mac OS in Safe Boot and see if the same behavior occurs? 

No, should I try this next?

[Jack Brannen]

By the way, this is OP. I'm having an (unrelated) problem with my Adobe account, which must be why this is posted under a new name.

[BrettN]

Safe Boot would be an excellent test to run. It is a diagnosic mode for the Mac OS. It's not a solution, but it can help find the root issue. Basically, if things work in Safe Boot but not normal boot, it tells us that something is running on your computer which is interfering with Generator (Safe Boot is basically a minimized startup where most things do not turn on automatically). A conflict is the most likely cause of issues like this. This is because Generator is more like a local server than a program. It uses network protocols (even though it is a fully local process and does not contact the internet), so anything which monitors or blocks ports can interfere (security software such as antivirus and the like).