Photoshop drawing straight lines randomly while using Wacom tablet.

[Falrinth]

Hello.

The issue im talking about (popular issue i have googled for days/weeks now and all i found was unsolved threads - some for over 8 years): When i use brush to stroke some curved lines, randomly photoshop instead of rendering my brush strokes renders straight line from the start point to the end point of the stroke i made with pen, and renders them (straight lines) only after i finish the stroke and lift the pen (i see nothing while doing any random moves with brush untill i end it when the issue is on).

I have tryied all the tips and tricks i found via googling (disabling windows ink, changing registry key, creating ps user settings txt file, switching usb ports, updating everything - including gpu drivers, windows, photoshop)

Im currently on:

4x3,4Ghz CPU

Windows 10 64bit

8GB of ram

GTX970 gpu

Wacom Intuos 4 PTK-840 connected via USB

I have cranked the speed of periods of time where i coudlnt reproduce the issue, but i kept the whole test as single video without cuts.

(ignore 2 straight lines around 1:52 - those were drawn by me - not the issue - you can see difference tho - they are shown as being drawn, insetad of popping up instantly). Also, move to 0:45 to fastforward to first occurance of the issue.

What i have learned from the testing session trying narrow down what causes the issue:

1. I coudlnt reproduce it inside Wacom's calibration tool (where you can test pressure)
2. Its unrelated directly to PS's OpenGL settings (it happens with it on any of the settings - basic, normal, advance as well as with it unchecked whatsoever)
3. It might happen bit more often and its quicker to reproduce while working with heavy file with lot of big smartobjects and layers with overlay effects, but its definitely not exclusive to those files - happened on almost empty 2048x2048 canvases too.
4. It happens most often after panning the zoomed view. And the more area and the longer i pan the view the bigger next stroke's chances of being flawed with that issue. As you can see on the video, the small pans of the view/canvas or not panning at all makes it hard to reproduce the issue. But as soon as i start doing wide, long pans the issue shows often (at the end of the video i got better at it - or the amount of "paint" on the canvas did the trick).
5. I got close to 90% reproducing rate for first stroke while opening one of my heavy textures files, rotating canvas -90 degrees zooming greatly, panning a lot and then doing first brush stroke. So while its not exlusive to OpenGL, the canvas rotation that it allows might influence it aswell.
6. The issue often persists longer after those longer panning of the view, untill i make a pause in between the concurrent brush strokes.

[Sahil.Chawla]

Hi Falrinth,

We're sorry to hear about this, as Photoshop is drawing straight line randomly. Could you please try enabling the hidden admin account on Windows and let us know if the issue persists?

Enabling the hidden administrator account will allow you to do anything without restrictions. We suggest disabling the feature after making changes to the PC. It is also best to create a password to protect it from an unauthorized access. To do this procedure, follow these steps:

1. Open Run command box by simultaneously pressing Windows + R keys.
2. In the Run command box, type lusrmgr.msc and then press Enter key to open Local Users and Groups window.
3. In the left-pane, click Users folder to see various account names in the middle pane.
4. Double-click on the Administrator entry in the middle pane to open its properties dialog.
5. Under the General tab, uncheck the option labelled Account is disabled, and then click Apply button to enable the built-in admin account.
   
   

Close the Local Users and Groups window. The enabled Administrator account should be visible on the login screen. Also, you can quickly switch to or sign in to the Administrator account by clicking the user name on the Start and then clicking Administrator.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards,
Sahil

[Falrinth]

No difference. Same issue easily reproduced in Photoshop under that fresh admin account even tho it had zero of my user's settings anywhere.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Falrinth  wrote

No difference. Same issue easily reproduced in Photoshop under that fresh admin account even tho it had zero of my user's settings anywhere.

Hi Falrinth.  This is a known, albeit only occasional, issue, and I don't know why some people are affected but most are not.  If you are currently using the Windows Ink API, try switching to WinTab.  It pretty much always works better with Windows 8.1 and 10.

Disable Windows Ink in Wacom Preferences

Create a Text file with Note Pad with this line

UseSystemStylus 0

Save it as

PSUserConfig.txt

To this location (assuming you are using Photoshop CC 2018)

C:\Users\[Your User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC 2018\Adobe Photoshop CC 2015 Settings\

Note: we are only three days out  till MAX and the next major Photoshop release, which I expect to go live on the 15th, so you'll need to copy the file to the new location after updating.  Unless already so set, you'll need to make Hidden Files and Folders viewable in File Explorer.

One more point.  I thought that CC 2018 was handling Windows Ink better than previous versions, so you might not be using the latest version. So are you using CC 2018?

[Falrinth]

Hi Trevor!

I have already tryied those things you mentioned. I even went one step further and tryied enabling registry key with legacy pen handling (or whatever it was called). Nothing makes any difference.

Sadly im not on PS CC, cant afford additional monthly fees in addition to Animate CC and my other costs right now, and for my work (i use photoshop mostly just to prepare materials for Animate or rearrange something in banner design - my texture painting with tablet belongs to area im learning right now and it doesnt generate any income, so its hard for me to justify new fees just for that) CS5 was more than enough. It would be a shame if i would have to upgrade and pay additional fees just to fix those tablets issues i didnt had before. (And not even being sure it will definitely help).

P.S.

Trevor, do you think it might be related to being left-handed? Or having dual monitor setup? Thats the only thing that comes to my head when you say most people are not affected. Unless... most people are on CC and that is why. But why would older versions with latest patches start to handle tablets worse than CC? Besides i believe that when i was searching the issue on google i have found people with such issues and CC versions too.

[chanaart]

I am left handed and do not have an issue with it.

Sorry to hear about it - did you contact Wacom

Chana

[Falrinth]

No, Chana, i didnt contacted Wacom, becouse i coudlnt reproduce the issue outside of Photoshop (not a single occurance in Wacom calibration window) so i have no reason to think its tablet's fault. Besides i have googled the issue and its not Wacom exclusive issue.

[Falrinth · Accepted solution]

Ok i think i was able to fix it.

I have noticed that it never happens in other circumstances, but only after i use the hand tool on tablet's hotkeys to pan the view. So i went and tested if it happens if i would use spacebar insetad and it didnt.

I have changed tablet's hotkey from hand tool to simply spacebar, and seems it dont happen anymore. Didnt do extensive tests yet, but done quite a bit and results are good so far. If that would change i will update it here.

At this point i cant say if its Wacom or Photoshop issue, but surely it could be fixed on ANY end, if its caused by hand tool hotkey functionality exclusively.

[navratillukas]

This (changing the hotkey from pan/scroll to spacebar) fixed the same problem for me as well. 

Thank you!

[JellyPolizeiPop]

Hallo i dont quite understand chagning the hotkey from the handtool to spacebar where? 

in the Photoshop hotkey settings or in my tablet properties - functions.

[Optimo5FA7]

TREVOR YOURE A GENIUS MAN THANK YOU GOD BLESS YOU! Check out my Instagram @ kewstd and my YouTube quaysavetheday I create content and will be getting into drawing more now that I've fixed this silly issue. Seriously you're GOD SENT 

[khjgkjhgkjhg]

I have this issue but I use a wacom that does not have hotkeys and I used the spacebar to move around the canvas. I've tried different windows ink setting combinations but the issue is persistent. I also had a Huion tablet before with the same issues so I don't think it's Wacom related but then again I don't know.

[rizqyc44096232]

Are you using dual monitor? I've got the same issue then when i don't use multiple monitor the problem is gone. Kinda annoying because i like to watch videos while drawing

[Falrinth]

fyi: I was/am also on dual monitor setup.

[khjgkjhgkjhg]

Technically dual monitor since the tablet is a cintiq. The dual monitor is necessary for my work flow though.
But since I don't have hotkeys the solution doesn't work for me, and I already use the spacebar as the hand tool.

[Devarynn]

Sorry to wake up an old topic, but the problem still excist. The only solution that I found was the use of an old driver for my tabet. I used both a Cintiq 13HD and a Cintiq Pro 16 and both had the same problem. Since they use the same driver I would say it is a tablet issue with Photoshop. I also use Clip Studio Pro and never had the same problem when using the laters wacom driver.

The driver I use that doesn't give me the problem is: 6.3.30-6

You can download the driver here: https://support.wacom.asia/en/content/windows-driver-6330-6

[JellyPolizeiPop]

This link is now outdated or something in that direction.

it only links u to the Wacom support page.

Would u mind sending us a new and updtaded link of the the old driver?

[Lumigraphics]

I see it randomly as well on two different Windows computers with two different Wacom tablets (doesn't happen with the mouse or on multiple Macs.) Seems to be some sort of memory issue.

On Windows 7 using Sysinternals Desktops, I can usually switch to a different app or space and back to fix it. On Windows 10 its less frequent but again switching out of Photoshop and back is a fix.

I opened a case with Wacom support and they were clueless.

[SpacemWillie]

Same problem here since 2008. I use the spacebar and Cintiq 22 inches. The issue has been fluctuating in intensity between drivers along the years, but never managed to disapear. We tend to forget about it because we work around it, but sometimes it becomes impossible to work with Photoshop at all.

This is very wrong from Wacom to say they had no clue. I've seen this issue being raised I think since 2008 and I remember trying to contact them about it and again, they were saying they had no clue. In any case, the problem seems to be with Photoshop, or with the Wacom driver in relation with Photoshop. I hope both Wacom and Adobe will finally take this 12 years old issue seriously and stop saying "they have no clue".

[peterk23998674]

I'm getting suggestions to fix this problem from both Wacom and Adobe with no solutions.  I was even bumped up a "teir" with Wacom customer service.  They sent me suggestions (the same suggestions that the "lower" tier sent to me) and when I told them it did not fix the problem, they sent the old "We're going to consider this solved" email.  I'm still not sure if it's an Adobe or Wacom issue.  BUT IT CERTAINLY IS AN ISSUE.  AND A KNOWN ONE AT THAT!  And you're right, we tend to forget about it and just work around it.  Definetely impedes my productivity.  But it's still better than using a mouse.  Barely...  I've researched other tablets.  All of them have issues.  Wacom tablets have the fewest warts.

[Devarynn]

Thank you for replying! You are correct. Switching out solves the problem. Using a different function like selection and then back to brush also helpes (although not always). But having to do that several times per hour destroys my workflow. Although sometimes I can work all day and only having it ones. It is completely random.

They were clueless? Would that mean it is something in Photoshop, rather then the tablet? Perhaps I'll make a case too and tell them about the older driver. Hopefully that will shed some new light.

[Lumigraphics]

I'm an experienced IT guy and the Wacom techs had no idea how to troubleshoot a problem or what it could be. Different driver versions didn't help. This is with both an old Intuos 2 tablet and a current Intuos model. Since it doesn't happen with the mouse its probably the tablet driver interaction with Photoshop.

[JonGC]

I've had this exact same issue for as long as I've had my intuos5 (several years) - some times it pops up worse times than others. I can currently isolate the straight line brush phenomenon to when I'm brushing within masks. I've played around with different brush options and intuos settings to see if I can eradicate the problem but so far no success. To make the problem disappear I usually just flip the pen upside down to temporarily activate the eraser and flip back to the pen which works maybe 3 times out of 4.

I find it interesting that when I recently worked on a large, extensive drawing which required no masking that I did not encounter the problem a single time. It's only when I edit my photography (which relies on plenty of masking) that the problem shows up constantly. It's the most frustrating thing and it really hurts my productivity!

System: Mac Pro

every recent operating system in past 5 or so years.

every recent edition of photoshop in past 5 or so years.

[JonGC]

It's amaing that I managed to find a way to create the problem only minutes after my last post but I did.

[JonGC]

I have a shortcut key programmed to activate a particular brush preset I use when working on photos (where I mainly mask). When I activate the preset (both while masked or not masked) the brush begins straight lined. I simply press SHIFT to cease the straight line. Strange, right?