HELP - Error Transforming a Smart Object

[Mackenzie37450551ivip]

PLEASE HELP.  Overnight, I began running into an error message (see attached!) when I am trying to transform a smart object WITH A MASK attached. 

After placing the smart object in my file, I am masking out my subject as I have a million times before. Then, I am using my usual CMD+T with the smart object layer selected in order to resize the masked image so it is proportional to the scene.

This is where I run into the error. The error is the same error I would get as if I used the CMD+T + a WARP option, but the smart object has NOT been warped! I am forced to unlink the detailed mask from the subject and resize, then I have to eyeball it and resize and place the mask by hand. This is really interrupting the efficiency of my workflow. 

Troubleshooting I've tried: 

-in PS General settings, unchecking "Use Legacy Free Transform"

-I've opened other / older .PSD files to see if it was something related to a specific template, but it is happening there too

- This error does not happen when rasterizing the smart objects before transforming, but that is definitely frowned upon for the work I do and is not a long term solution

- I've been using PS2024, but tried opening in PS2023 and trying to transform, but the same error pops up.

Is this happening to you as well? Do you have any suggestions on how to fix? Please chime in on what you think, any help would be so appreciated. Thank you!!

[Bojan Živković]

I am unable to replicate the issue on Windows. Kindly provide the precise Photoshop version and wait for a Mac user to verify if the issue persists on their end. Alternatively, you can attempt resetting Preferences. Remember to save any unsaved presets and actions before resetting Preferences to prevent data loss.

[Mackenzie37450551ivip]

Thanks so much for your response! I am using Photoshop 2024 Version 25.7.0 on Mac

[Stephen Marsh]

@Mackenzie37450551ivip  – I'm on an Intel Mac and tested with 25.7.0 and I can't reproduce this issue. I tried with both embedded and linked smart objects. Are you using Intel or Silicon?

P.S. Unlink the mask, select the mask, and make the transform on the mask. Then select the layer and use Transform > Transform Again. Then relink the mask and SO layer. Or swap that around and transform the layer, the transform again on the mask. This can be put into an action or script for ease of use until you find a fix for this (resetting prefs, updating to a future version if this is a known issue etc).

Note how the modal control has been set on the Transform step to make it interactive.

Another alternative would be to edit the smart object, add the mask there, close and save the smart object, then the smart object layer can be transformed without having a mask on the actual layer.

[mytypa5EF8]

Updating my photoshop helped solve this problem