Photoshop merged my layers for me, can I recover

[Guest]

I exported a project as a pdf by clicking Save As under the file menu, then I saved the original psd by choosing Save As again and selecting PSD this time.  When I came back to the project today all the layers had been merged into one.  I _never_ merged them myself.  Is there any way I can recover all that work or have I been hosed by this "feature"?

[jane-e]

davescm  wrote

The problem occurs if in the next dialogue this is unchecked (checking it gives a potential compati

The issue may be part Photoshop but more Acrobat. The first thing I saw in Dave’s screen shot was not the red circle (oddly), but the first line that says the Preset for High Quality Print was (Modified) — because that’s always what I look for first when I make a PDF.

For me, I either select the Preset I want, such as High Quality Print or another, or I create my own Preset with the settings I want and then I use that. I don’t  use ”Modifed” because I have no idea what settings are in the other tabs unless I inspect each one.

Reselecting High Quality Print would restore all of the settings in this preset, including enabling this checkbox again. This is the way Acrobat works all of the time, not just when it’s inside of Photoshop. That’s why I‘m calling it an Acrobat issue.

The preset button is in the lower left hand corner.

I never knew what that bland warning box meant before. There are a couple more alerts that are obtuse inside of Photoshop.

~ Jane

[Test Screen Name]

So far as I can see Acrobat is never “inside of Photoshop”. It has nothing to do with saving a PDF from Photoshop.

[tishg55083571]

The best answer yet.

I agree Dave. You’ve hit the nail on the head.

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Hi eb.munson,

Some great tips here. I hope I can usefully add to them.

I realise this is NOT going to solve your issue but it might prevent someone getting the same problem later.

I NEVER flatten the layered original file, never.

This is what I do.

I'll write why below

I'm not describing a variation of exactly what you did for sure - but this way seems safe to me.

I prefer to avoid the "flatten during saving" option -  I think it's a loaded gun.

I prefer to flatten before saving, just so I see the flat file and can check for any issues with mask edges etc.

BUT I never flatten the original PSD.

I save my completed layered full size file [that’s my future proof archive full size copy and I want to be real careful not to save a flat version over that original (yeah, it's happened due to mis-attention, maybe the phone rings, long call, now back to work - - where am I, ah - OK - done that - close the file - oops it had been flattened!)]]

I make a copy flatten and resize then sharpen to suit the output media - then I save that (maybe as a JPEG) with a new name, so know what i did.

Then I delete the copy.

I hope this helps someone

if so, please do mark my reply as "helpful"

thanks

neil barstow, colourmanagement

[Zadok0D4D]

I am having the same problem in 2021. It has happened to me more than onc's just don't know whats going on with photoshop. I hope photoshop find away for us to get back our flat files back or else trouble for designers. I now need to go back and redo the whole work again. That is not fair at all.

[NB, colourmanagement net]

If you check "layers" when saving the PSD, then your layers should be preserved, its easy to miss though, far better if the default was to save WITH layers.

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
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