Limited results with 'sips -g all' and in MacOS Finder Preview Window foor .psb > 4.5GB

[Chris.S]

I am trying to capture image data (i.e. color space, profile, etc.) from .psb files using the 'sips -g all' terminal command on MacOS. I noticed that if the .psb is > than 4.5GB, some of the image data (i.e., dimensions, bit depth, color space and profile) does not get reported as it would if the file was < 4.5GB. The same is true in the Finder Preview window. Is this some type of bug with how Photoshop is saving the data that isn't allowing MacOS to access it? Using macOS Monterey 12.5.1 with Photoshop 23.3.2.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

I'm surprised you get anything, perhaps it is because PSD and PSB are so similar?

sips --formats

Supported Formats:
-------------------------------------------
com.adobe.pdf                pdf   Writable
com.adobe.photoshop-image    psd   Writable
com.adobe.raw-image          dng   
com.apple.atx                --    Writable
com.apple.icns               icns  Writable
com.apple.pict               pict  
com.canon.cr2-raw-image      cr2   
com.canon.cr3-raw-image      cr3   
com.canon.crw-raw-image      crw   
com.canon.tif-raw-image      --    
com.compuserve.gif           gif   Writable
com.dxo.raw-image            dxo   
com.epson.raw-image          erf   
com.fuji.raw-image           raf   
com.hasselblad.3fr-raw-image 3fr   
com.hasselblad.fff-raw-image fff   
com.ilm.openexr-image        exr   Writable
com.kodak.raw-image          dcr   
com.konicaminolta.raw-image  mrw   
com.leafamerica.raw-image    mos   
com.leica.raw-image          raw   
com.leica.rwl-raw-image      rwl   
com.microsoft.bmp            bmp   Writable
com.microsoft.cur            --    
com.microsoft.dds            dds   Writable
com.microsoft.ico            ico   Writable
com.nikon.nrw-raw-image      nrw   
com.nikon.raw-image          nef   
com.olympus.or-raw-image     orf   
com.olympus.raw-image        orf   
com.olympus.sr-raw-image     orf   
com.panasonic.raw-image      raw   
com.panasonic.rw2-raw-image  rw2   
com.pentax.raw-image         pef   
com.phaseone.raw-image       iiq   
com.samsung.raw-image        srw   
com.sgi.sgi-image            sgi   
com.sony.arw-raw-image       arw   
com.sony.raw-image           srf   
com.sony.sr2-raw-image       sr2   
com.truevision.tga-image     tga   Writable
org.khronos.astc             astc  Writable
org.khronos.ktx              ktx   Writable
org.webmproject.webp         webp  
public.avci                  avci  
public.heic                  heic  Writable
public.heics                 heics Writable
public.heif                  heif  
public.jpeg                  jpeg  Writable
public.jpeg-2000             jp2   Writable
public.mpo-image             mpo   
public.pbm                   pbm   Writable
public.png                   png   Writable
public.pvr                   pvr   Writable
public.radiance              pic   
public.tiff                  tiff  Writable

[Chris.S]

'sips -g format' run on a PSB returns PSD, so the OS must see them the same?

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Similar, close enough to register but not 100% by the looks of things.

https://www.adobe.com/devnet-apps/photoshop/fileformatashtml/

If you only require file info and metadata without image conversion, then look at ExifTool:

https://exiftool.org/TagNames/Photoshop.html

[Test Screen Name]

Surely the bug is in MacOS if anywhere. Adobe make the rules for PSD/PSB, and if Apple choose to read these files then the need to follow the rules. 4GB is a magic number; many apps fail over that size. 

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Yes, this is a SIPs issue and not Photoshop, SIPs doesn't even officially support PSB.

[Chris.S]

Thanks @Stephen_A_Marsh and @Test Screen Name. Just seems odd that it would work on the PSB up until 4.5GB, and then not... one would think that data would be stored in the same place, regardless of file size. Coincidentally, I see `mdls` also has the same limitation. ExifTool does the trick, but was trying to implement across multiple computers/sites with commands native to the OS without having to install ExifTool. Looks like that's my best option...