Problems with Wacom pen operation, input in Photoshop tool control panels (etc.)

[HubertusausBerlin]

Dear community, dear experts.

I believe that the problems with the Wacom tablet pen operation listed below have to do with the Wacom software - but who knows - maybe it is also a reciprocal issue with the Adobe programmes concerned?

Description:

After I discarded my old Intuos Pro 4 XL PTK 1240 and switched to Intous Pro L (PTH 680) and Pro M (PTH 660) to work with the latest Wacom drivers 6.4.6 - 2, I am unfortunately still experiencing operating problems in Photoshop and other applications:

1. Problems operating menu panels in Photoshop ( + Lightroom Classic) via Wacom Pro Pen 2:

The sliders in Photoshop (or Lightroom) tool menu fields cannot be moved or cannot be moved correctly with the pen.

For example, the sliders (small triangles) for brush size or histogram tone value correction cannot be touched or moved correctly or at all. You have to click on new positions in the slider bar so that the slider jumps there.

If you then try to enter the brush size in the field for a numerical entry of the brush size in the example, the number cannot be clicked or marked correctly. If you double-click it, not all characters are selected but cryptic characters are added (= . , commas, dots, equal signs etc.).

2. Shortcuts for tool selection in Photoshop are faulty (after installing the Wacom software: Wacom Centre, latest driver):

Shortcuts for switching tools (e.g. V for move, B for brush, R for rotate workspace) are occasionally disrupted. The changeover gets "stuck" at the last used tool and no longer works with a shortcut, but the button must be pressed (... with the shortcut, the new tool is briefly selected, but as soon as you release the button on the keyboard, the tool selection jumps back to the last selected tool).

3. pen pressure control sometimes disturbed after switching to other Adobe programmes:

When switching back and forth between the Photoshop and Illustrator or Lighroom applications, sometimes afterwards the pen pressure for brushes or erasers is no longer available in Photoshop. Sometimes it can be reactivated by switching back and forth between the tools, but often it only works again when you close the document and Photoshop and restart the entire programme.

What I have already checked and tried to solve the problem:

X Completely reinstalled the system

X Reinstalled Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator

X Old Wacom tablet discarded, new Intuous Pro L + M purchased

X Reinstalled Wacom software and drivers (latest versions)

X Windows Ink is activated

X In the control panel / pen and finger input / right-click and hold = deactivated (to hide the annoying Windows ring)

Result - the errors persist. Working with the Wacom Pen is very difficult. 😞

Since Photoshop (and Lightroom) can be operated normally with the mouse without any problems, I suspect that there is a driver problem that I cannot solve. But who knows?

Who has similar experiences or knows how to help?

Greetings, Hubertus

System and programme information:

Windows 11 pro (23H2)

Photoshop 25.9.1
Lightroom Classic 13.4
Illustrator 28.5

Wacom driver: 6.4.6 - 2

Tablets: Intous Pro L (PTH680) + Intous M (PTH660)

Pen: Wacom Pro Pen 2

AMD Rysen 9 79503D 16Core 4.20GHz
64 GB RAM

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 24GB VRAM (TUF-RTX4090-OG)
Studio driver 555.99 (6/24)

[Alan 7140]

You've listed exactly the problems I've been having with the Wacom pen. (Photoshop 25.9.1, Wacom Driver 6.4.6 - 2, Intuos Pro L, Pro Pen 2.)

Initially worked just fine and as expected with a new December 2023 computer (13th Gen Intel Core i9-1390F 2000Mhz, 24 cores, 6MB RAM), but pen trouble started about three months ago (April-May 2024). Mouse operates normally, Wacom pen operation is a mess. Latest two Wacom driver updates made no difference, it's still broken.

[AxelMatt]

Please see here:

Lazy Nezumi Pro - Tablet Setup

P: Wacom tablet - Ctrl Alt Shift popups/ Windows I... - Adobe Community - 12251106

Wacom pen pressure just stopped working (PS 21.2.2... - Adobe Community - 11378218

and check if it's help.

[Alan 7140]

I'm not sure which part or parts of the above reply worked, but it was probably #2 - "P:Wacom Tablet....... - Adobe Community 12251106". Everything now works as it should, the cursor is accurate when using the wacom pen to move sliders, tool selection stays as selected without jumping back to the previous tool, and pen pressure is also OK now.

[HubertusausBerlin · Accepted solution]

Hello @Alan 7140, @AxelMatt

Thank you very much for your answers.

In the meantime I have been able to solve two main problems with the help of the friendly Wacom support in the Wacom forum:

I'll start, as it's easier, with Problem 2:

Shortcuts for tool selection in Photoshop are broken, dei tools no longer jump back when the corresponding shortcut is used.

This function led to the error I described:

In Photoshop there is a function called "Spring Loaded Tools".

Fortunately, you can deactivate this function in the Photoshop preferences in the "Tools" menu.

Once I had done this, the problem was solved!

[HubertusausBerlin · Accepted solution]

Regarding Problem 1:

Problems operating menu fields in Photoshop ( + Lightroom Classic) with the Wacom Pro Pen 2. The sliders in Photoshop (or Lightroom) tool menu fields cannot be moved or cannot be moved correctly with the pen - and other issues.

There seems actually a connection here with Windows Ink or Wintap (which @AxelMatt's link also pointed out).

The problem is also at the system level. I also had operating problems with the pen in many other programmes. Not only in Adobe programmes such as Lightroom and Indesign (I haven't installed Premiere Pro and After Effect yet, but I suspect it was similar there) - Libre Office, Firefox and Thunderbird and even Microsoft Edge have problems (e.g. nothing can be marked with the pen in the browser line).

Solution Step 1:

Deactivate Windows Ink (possible in the Wacom driver under the "Projections" setting.

As soon as Windows Ink is deactivated, all setting tools, sliders and input fields in all Adobe programmes and other programmes will immediately work again as they should with the pen.

Why? Because, if I have understood correctly, Winap now functions as the API between the tablet driver and the system and programmes instead of Windows Ink. And although this is older, it is, as I was told, working more "mouse-like" than the newer Windows Ink API. So apparently the Wacom drivers can still communicate via this interface.

But - big disadvantage in relation to Photoshop: in Photoshop, pen printing normally only works with "Windows Ink" activated.

Fortunately, there is also a solution for this.

Solution Step 2:

In Photoshop, a trick can be used to switch off the need for Windows Ink by deactivating extensions. Please look here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/enable-optional-extensions-photoshop-cc.html#Howtoenableextensi...

See section: "Use WinTab instead of Windows Ink"

If you follow the instructions and restart Photoshop with this change, pen printing will also work as desired without Windows Ink!

[HubertusausBerlin]

Unfortunately, I have not yet found a real solution to Problem 3:

Pen pressure control sometimes disturbed after switching to other Adobe programmes.

This does not seem to be a Windows Ink or Wintab problem. Sometimes after switching between Photoshop and Lightroom, the pen pressure setting can no longer be selected in Photoshop. Sometimes switching back and forth between the tools helps. But sometimes it doesn't.

Maybe someone else has for that an idea?