Photoshop CS6: Why don't images automatically open in 'Fit Screen' mode, by default? [2012]

[Page D]

When opening an image in Photoshop CS6, in order to make the best use of the available screen area for viewing my photos, I have to either press the 'Fit Screen' option, at the top, or double-click the Hand Tool. Why doesn't the image fully fit in the available screen area automatically, when first opening? Is there a reason for images to open by default with empty space surrounding it, or is it an oversight by Adobe, in how the application works?

[fr4nk13xx]

you can't fill a area with an image not capable . eg you have a postage stamp size image. but you want to fill a a4 sheet of paper.

photoshop is a professional program and as such my example above isnt acceptable.  they fit to pixel size.

you have a 1200 pixel wide image at 72 dpi, and you place an image 600 pixels wide it will half fill it as expected.

not to mention that filling an area would also throw out the aspect of the image

[Charlie.D]

Moving to the Photoshop forum.

[Jay1337]

None of that was even close to relevant. If the OP is having to manually make it fit the screen every time, then obviously there's a need for OP to make it fill the screen, meaning we're clearly not talking about a stamp size photo zoomed to fill an A4 paper. It would of course also be filled only in one direction, so it's as big as possible, without changing the aspect ratio. That's how most other photo editors do it.

[jane-e]

None of that was even close to relevant.

By @Jay1337

You've jumped in on a thread from 2012. It was relevant then. This very old thread is now locked. Please start a new thread if you still have questions.

Jane

[DexterG-wZOt9z]

Yes, I agree, Photoshop's default behavior is stupid. I open hundreds of scanned images each week for cropping and editing and every one of them has to be manually fit-to-screen by pressing Ctrl-0 or double-clicking the hand tool. The images open at 33% scale with lots of wasted screen space around them; they scale to around 46% when fit-to-screen. There should be a file-handling preference to open all files at a certain percentage or fit-to-screen.

[station_two]

The view at Fit to Screen is in most cases guaranteed to be one of the WORST representations of your image you can ever see in a Photoshop window.

Sure, it has its place and it's one to which I have to resort often, but the overwhelming majority of users would be disappointed—even shocked—at the perceived quality of their image if that's the first glimpse they caught of it by default.

The only true representation of your pixels is at 100%, where no pixels have to be discarded or made up (invented).

The next best representations are the the percentage views that Photoshop defaults to when you hit Command/Control + or -.

One of those is the one that your window initially opens up to by default, and this is exactly the way it should be.

DexterG wrote:

…they scale to around 46% when fit-to-screen…

…and I can guarantee you that is far from optimal, without a doubt. 

If your available monitor space would allow it, your images would open at 50%, or even at 100%, when the image is small enough.

The way the default view is chosen by Photoshop is perfect.  Nothing has to be changed in this respect.  This is one of the many things Adobe gets right.

Calling it "stupid" just highlights the user's lack of insight into the issue.

[gener7 · Accepted solution]

This script will open a file to fit to screen. It works with Photoshop CS2 to CC.

Script and step by step instructions included in the folder.

Mediafire download link:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/18bjnkl7inisuk9/Fit image%…

Gene

[station_two]

Interesting, but… how is having to run a script faster or more convenient than pressing Command/Ctrl+0 ?  

[gener7]

It uses Photoshop's built in Script Events Manager which automagically fits the image to screen as soon as you open the file.

I use "fit to screen" as a starting point on existing files,so this has worked well for me for many years.

That should be what Page D wanted.

Gene

[station_two]

gener7 wrote:

It uses Photoshop's built in Script Events Manager which automagically fits the image to screen as soon as you open the file…

That's a pretty good feature.

As I wrote above, I also need to use Fit to Page occasionally, even often.  But I'd love to see a modified script like this automatically open images at 100% by default. 

[gener7]

100% ? I'm sure that can be done.

http://morris-photographics.com/photoshop/scripts/view-pixels.html

[station_two]

Hehehe…  That's nifty!  Thank you. 

[Page D]

Thanks to everyone for your responses.

You have all given me valuable insight into why Adobe choses not to have images opening in 'Fit Screen' mode, by default. I did not consider the notion that different sizes result in differing level of perceived quality of images on screen.

Utilisation of available screen space is the ideal, but I can also see that you would want images to open at reasonably high quality, and if 'Fit Screen' compromises quality too much, I can understand why it behaves in the way it does.

Great that workarounds have been posted, should anyone prefer an automatic 'Fit Screen' behaviour.

[gener7]

Before OpenGL in CS4, odd zoom levels made images looked jagged, but now it looks far better now and almost all GPUs meet the OpenGL 2.0 standard. Of course a 50 x 50 px image might not do well.

Disclaimer: I work off a laptop screen and I would expect Cinema display owners to notice quality differences.

Anyway, glad you got it sorted out to your satisfaction.

Gene

[Dynatnt1]

Love this script and it works flawlessly for opening images in PS. My problem comes when I "Edit In Photoshop" from Lightroom. I guess Photoshop does not see this import as an opening of a document and does not trigger the resize. Any thoughts on how to make this work coming from Lightroom to edit?

Regards,

Toby

[gener7]

You can try adding "Start Photoshop" or "New Document" as the event for the script.

Gene

[Dynatnt1]

Doesn't seem to work. Must be how Lightroom handles sending the file to Photoshop. Must not be an open, start, or new command. Perhaps it is like the bridge where it has "Place" in Photoshop.

Maybe it has something to do with Camera Raw processing the image before sending to Photoshop. Hope someone can figure this out.

Thanks,

Toby

[Guest]

Can I get an updated link for this or even just the script

[mikezok12]

I missed double click at magnifying glass to fit image at the screen...

[Guest]

Double Click on magnifying glass does not evoke Fit on Screen but Original Pixels..

[artvandelay5]

This is the easiest way to make every photo open in "Fit to Screen" (or any other way) and takes less than 2 minutes to setup.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/photoshopsupport/discuss/72157623255032637/

[Tony4CEOs]

Here is a video showing how to do it. Photoshop Action: Fit to Screen « Layers Magazine

[chrisdm]

I got the "perceived quality" concept, but for 99% of photo editing tasks, "fit to screen" is the most effective starting point in order to determine what edits need to be done to the photo. "Open images Fit To Screen" should AT LEAST be an option in Preferences. The fact that multiple savvy photographers have had to write a script to get this to happen should be proof enough for Adobe to at least add it as an option in preferences.

[janr44068263]

It's quite interesting that the status of this topic is ANSWERED, however, more than five years after this issue was mentioned for the first time, some of us are still struggling to tackle it. There's obviously quite a difference between answering a question and solving an issue.

Me too I've been looking for a way to make photoshop open images in fit to screen size by default on MacOS. In fact, I believe that's the way it used to handle files when I started using it, but probably a couple of accidental short keystrokes ended that for me.

I disagree with Station_two that Photoshop opens files perfectly as it is--it's really a matter of personal preference and I think having no options is something for totalitarian countries. For me it's convenient to see the entire image on screen first instead of just an arbitrary fraction (off from the center of the image). When I see an entire image, I can get a quick impression about its quality and it's potential after processing it. Only then will I zoom in on details. I don't mind having to hit shortkeys CMD + 0 a couple of times, but above a hundred images, believe me, it becomes redundant.

Regrettably, the link provided by Gene (https://www.ps-scripts.com/app.php/dl_ext/ ) is not available any longer. I would have like to give it a shot.
I did find another |< fit to screen >| script on the ps-scripts forum, but it was written for Microsoft OS so I left it alone.

I also had a shot at the lengthy step-by-step manual by Stevekin on Flickr too, but it didn't work either, even though my actions were recorded and scripts are entered in the routine for file handling. I have no other actions running.

I am wondering if in my case the issue has to do with the fact that Photoshop opens RAW images in Camara RAW filter first (my preferred MO) and that ruins the fit to screen routine.

I am hoping for new insights. Have nice weekend y'all!