Inspiring

Question

psd files with smart layers are bigger

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
December 19, 2018
3 replies
542 views

just returning to this about 6 years after the last time I posted it.

So lets say you create a smart object from a background layer, you then duplicate it, and apply filters, then go back to the smart layer, duplicate it again and apply a bunch of filters. do this so you have 5 layers in total including the background. Each instance of that layer is identical apart from the filters that are applied to it. There only needs to be one instance of the pixel data recorded in the PSD.

Why then if I save a file with all of those smart layers rasterised is it smaller than the version with the smart objects? Below the PSB is the smart object file. This is true whether I save with max compatibility on or off.

last time I brought this up I was told that that was exactly what happens with smart layers, but it patently is not.

This topic has been closed for replies.

josephlavine

Community Expert

What you describe sounds normal. Smart Object maintains a lot of information, and thus increase file size. As a previous person posted, there is a difference between duplicating a Smart Object and creating a copy of a Smart Object. You can think of this similarly to a copy versus virtual copy.

Duplicate vs Create New Smart Object via Copy in Photoshop « Julieanne Kost's Blog

G

gethoAuthor

Inspiring

duplicate (ctrl-J)

The smart object is the same pixel info as the rasterised layer. It no huger than that. All it contains is one layer with effects. The effects should be a set of instructions.

I submit that the PSD with smart objects is saving BOTH the pixel data for that layer, plus a rasterised version of the layer after the filters have been applied.

Or it is saving a rasterised version of each layer post effects plus one instance of the smart object. But if this is true I cant see how it can go from 1 to 2 GB.

On a general note, surely adobe want people to point out such shortfalls in their software. This is how things improve. Complacency gives room for someone else to do it better. Frustrated long time users like myself start looking for innovation elsewhere. (Like the delightful snapseed: no photoshop competitor of course. Yet).

PECourtejoie

Community Expert

Hello, how did you duplicate or create a new copy of the smart object?

http://blogs.adobe.com/jkost/2015/03/duplicate-vs-create-new-smart-object-via-copy-in-photoshop.html

D Fosse

Community Expert

getho wrote
Why then if I save a file with all of those smart layers rasterised is it smaller than the version with the smart objects?

Why does that surprise you? Obviously there's massive overhead in smart objects, it's not as simple as "only one instance of the pixel data".

G

gethoAuthor

Inspiring

Really?

The overhead is for generating the file from the data, there is no reason why identical data cant be compressed 99%. But also on a general note, why did you bother replying? You're really not bringing anything to this discussion other than being contrary for the sake of it.

As I stated, I have had this discussion before with an adobe tech who told me that my assertion was correct. The rasterised file is half the size of the smart object file. What overhead is there?

macpawel

Participating Frequently

This is normal. Smart object is like a original image saved inside PSD file. it's hudge layer.

Yes, this is much more bigger file but on the other hand this gives you many possibilities - I prefer matr objects

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