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This is how I rearranged after getting CC, both Layer and Brush panel opened.
But when I switch to the Swatches tab, as you can see, the Layer panel has collapsed.
Something I also realized after posting the question is that in while the Swatches tab is active, the Brush and Layer panel can't be opened at the same time. If I click on the Layer panel again after it collapses, it would open the Layer tab AND collapse the Brush panel, and vice versa. This is really annoying and if you can help me, that'd be awesome, thank you!!
Hi June
Ged has mentioned one issue it might be. Since it happens when you switch between Color and Swatches, a second possiblity is the there is not room (heightwise) to display all of your panels, and one of those two is longer than the other — forcing the bottom group to collapse.
- You can reallocate space between the groups by dragging
- You can move some panels to a second Dock
- Double-click the title bar to maximize/minimize a panel
- Run PS full screen if it is not. If you have a small monitor, you have to make adjustments.
If we are both wrong, post a screen shot.
~ Jane
Hi June,
You're welcome. When you switch from Color to Swatches and they are different sizes, the panels that are underneath will adjust automatically.
One thing I can think of that might help is to rearrange the panels and save a new workspace. Here's what I did, although you might want to modify it to work best for you:
- Drag the Swatches panel to the same Dock as History
- Resize Swatches to the desired height
- Close the Swatches panel as in the screen shot on the left
- Create and name a new workspace using the Workspace Switcher or Window > Workspace > New Workspace
- Click Swatch icon to expand or collapse the panel. Your Layers panel should stop collapsing.
You might prefer other arrangements of your panels. This Help files tells you how to move and arrange panels and create custom workspaces.
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/workspace-basics.html
~ Jane
I don't know if you found a solution but I have had the same problem irritating me for a long time.
Right click the Layers tab while it is collapsed/minimised and hit Expand Panel. You never find it because you probably try finding the setting AFTER you have expanded it like I did; so if its expanded, hit Minimize, and then Expand Panel afterwards. I assume it will keep after you save workspace but no promises.
Hello, I've been having this problem too. Today I came up with a workaround by resetting the workspace every time you start. To do this first save your workspace with the Layers panel open, then open up Actions window, create a new Action, reset the workspace, open up Actions window again and stop the recording.
Then go to File > Scripts > Script Events Manager, tick the checkbox Enable Events to Run Scripts/Actions. On the bottom set Photoshop Event to Start Application, and set the Action to Reset Workspace (the one you just made), and hit Add.
Note that if you shift your workspace around you'll need to save the workspace again.
Yep. Still a major irritant 18 months later. I like to keep Brushes, Brush Settings, and Color all in one big stack. There is more than enough room for this to fit. Photoshop seems absolutely fixated on closing the Brush Settings tab in particular, sometimes upon opening the program, sometimes upon moving things.
If I try to re-expand, Photoshop will consistently close another tab to ensure that I'm never allowed to see more than two tabs at once. Sometimes, comically, as it forces the Hue cube to expand until it's 60% of the entire monitor height.
Seemingly *anything* to prevent me from ever seeing 3 tabs at once.
Auto-collapse in unchecked.
Then sometimes, It works fine and does what I want, 3 nice tabs, stacked whee I put them, for no apparent reason.
By @defaultti73crxpt6c4
It would be much better if you started a new thread. You's might be a completely different issue, and it can get confusing while trying to track down what is happening in your case.
Whether you start a new thread or not, can you tell us what operating system you are using, and are you using the latest version of Photoshop?
Are you using just the one screen? What is the pixel resolution of your screen(s)
Have you created one or more custom workspaces?
Do you use the Function keys to open and close the primary panels? It sounds like you have plenty of screen space — I've always assumed that the Function shortcuts are for small notebooks where screen space is limited, and you need to toggle screens open and closed.
With the above in mind, those Function keys are are solid gold and if you don't use their defualt functions, they can be used as single key triggers for Actions. I personally use some of them to select and reset custom workspaces.
Another huge benefit of custom workspaces is that you can save custom shortcuts, and custom toolbar settings. That means you can 'borrow' existing shortcuts and quickly switch to Essentials (for instance) should you need the defualt use of that shortcut.
The bottom line is that, as far as I know, what you are experiencing should not be happening, and might be fixable. Unable to save Preferences etc. used to be a known issue with OSX a while back. That could cause what you are describing.
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