Known Participant

Question

Photoshop workspace does not anchor toolbars

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
December 15, 2024
4 replies
1283 views

I like my toolbar on the right side of the workspace because I use a mouse and it is far easier to select a layer then a tool if they are close together like that. I also placed my 'Select Subject' and 'Remove Background' controls (which switch to 'Generative Fill' if a selection tool is in hand), in the same bar as the Select Subject and Select and Mask buttons.

My workspace is saved that way.

The trouble is as soon as I change the PS window size, or move PS to a different monitor, the toolbar and the other generative fill tools, are left hanging in space on the previous screen. In addition when I close all images so I'm just left with the 'Recent' grid ...there is my toolbar, floating over the right hand side of that window, and again if I move PS to a different screen that toolbar remains hanging there like a displaced person.

Why, after all these years, does this problem persist? Surely the programmers that brought us all the wonderful features we now enjoy, would also be annoyed at this. I use my laptop and extension monitor for many things, often several things simultaneously, and being able to drag and re-size windows is a key component of any of today's operating systems. Even if I move the workspace to another monitor and on that monitor, select the saved workspace, the toolbar remains on the other monitor, together with the generative fill buttons. I deal with this annoying quirk at least 10 times per day.

Does anyone know why Photoshop continues to function like this, when virtually all other 'Windows compatible' programs have no problem with windows?

Am I the only one having this issue? Is there a workaround I'm just not aware of? Thanks in advance for any help with this.

Windows

This topic has been closed for replies.

Jeff Arola

Community Expert

I asked about the Tool Bar being docked because in your screenshot it just looks like the Toolbar is just sitting on top of the other panels and not actually docked.

J

jjayladAuthor

Known Participant

Yes, as per my reply. I was doing it wrong and interpreting it snapping into the other panel as 'docking'. I think I missed '101' years ago, but several techs over the years did not do what you demonstrated in your video. Arrrggghhh! All the best for the holidays and new year!

Jeff Arola

Community Expert

What i mean by docked is dragging the Tool Bar till you see a "blue line" then releasing the mouse or trackpad.

J

jjayladAuthor

Known Participant

Yes Jeff, that is exactly how I do it. Also for the Generative FIll buttons, I do select "Pin" bar position. I don't see an option to "update saved workspace" or I would do that after so I have to delete that saved workspace, and while the toolbar and fill buttons are docked where I want them ...create a new workspace. That new one will always work as long as my workspace is full screen, but it falls apart as soon as the workspace window is moved or re-sized. It just does not follow normal Windows conventions. I'm sure you are on a MAC. Can I ask you to try it on that and advise whether or not it works on that ...perhaps with screenshots? At least if I had that I could refer Adobe to it to show that its just a 'Windows' thing, although after all this time, reports, and support sessions ...I am pretty sure they are well aware of the issue.

J

jjayladAuthor

Known Participant

Oops ...I thought that was exactly how I did it but just tested it again and found that I was dragging it past the edge you were referring to. I wanted it to appear in the first vertical bar to the left of where the layers etc. are. It snaps into place there but there is no blue bar.

I just tried it your way ...to the right side of the bar I was docking it in, and that works!

I would prefer it inside the other bar where I wanted it because this way it means I have a second vertical bar, taking up screen space:

and I am unable to drag those other 3 elements into the bar with the tools, so, stuck one extra bar there, although I guess in the defaule workspace the toolbar was on its own bar anyway.

So now, since workspaces cannot be 'updated', I have deleted that workspace and re-created it with that bar as shown above. Amazing that none of the techs that were on my screen knew that fix. Thank you very much Jeff!

The contextual toolbar, despite being pinned to that location, still disappears if I move my cursor to another window, or if I resize or move the window it is in. I'm thinking that might have something to do with having to have one of the selection tools selected before it appears in the first place. If I move the main window, that toolbar stays put, all on its own, and if another window is moved over it, it is hidden behind that. Even if, on the repositioned window, I pick up a selection tool, that contextual toolbar remains hidden.

I accessed the properties and selected "Reset bar location" and after that, it remains in that position no matter if the window is resized or moved. I do think that is a bug, but will leave it like that because it at least is workable then. I have now deleted that workspace and re-created it, since they cannot be 'updated'.

Thanks again for the little video on this, Jeff! This will make my day go much smoother!

Jeff Arola

Community Expert

What happens if you dock the Toolbar instead of letting it free float?

For the Contextual Task Bar have you tried Pin bar position?

J

jjayladAuthor

Known Participant

The toolbar is "docked" (dragged into position until it snaps into place).

As soon as the window is resized or moved at all, it just undocks and stays where it is no matter what is done with its parent window. The program needs some velcro. Ditto for the Generative Fill dialog buttions. They act a little differently and just disappear then reappear with the workspace is dragged back to and sized to its original position. I suspect it is a Windows thing since over the years I've had many things not work on Windows, that others reported worked fine on Macs. I have to assume the Adobe developers are on Macs.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

Make a short action that

Sets your custom workspace

Resets your custom workspace (the second step is obviously important)

Trigger the action with on of the Function keys.

These are the defaults, so pick one that you never use. It is super satisfying being able to tidy your screen with the press of a key.

J

jjayladAuthor

Known Participant

Thanks Jeff, but I don't believe that would help, because once the workspace is resized or moved, re-selecting that workspace just means the window reflects it wherever it is, with no toolbar. The toolbar remains floating in its own back where it was in my saved workspace.

It is literally like Adobe has designed the toolbar (and seemingly any other element one detaches from its default location) to then exist in their own independent windows. If the original window is full screen they dock fine, but as soon as the original window is no longer full screen or is relocated, the docking is gone and whatever elements have been docked (and snapped in place) in a non-default location ....become seperate windows ...all on their own.

I don't even understand how Microsoft would approve the program when it doesn't follow normal Windows conventions. I've sent bug reports on this in the past and never heard a word back. I've even had Adobe support reps on my system, and they couldn't make it work. They tell me they will report it as a bug as well, but I suspect they don't for fear there might be a solution they weren't aware of that would make them look bad.

This is spread over years, encompassing several computers and all the different versions of Photoshop and Beta that they pumped out over that time. It is really a pain in the posterior region to have to deal with this all day every day. 🙂

Please try docking your toolbar on the right hand side of your screen, saving that as a workspace, then drag your workspace to a different monitor and see what happens. Even if I just open PS, without opening an image ...there is my toolbar floating on its own. I believe Adobe messed this up years ago and has just never figured out how to fix it. 🙂

J

jjayladAuthor

Known Participant

sorry ...reading 2 and called you Jeff. Thanks for trying to help, Trevor.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded