"Could not save (file name) because the file is already in use or left open."

[Shlomit Heymann]

Hello,
When I tried save as a file, I get an error msg:
"Could not save (file name) because the file is already in use or left open."

The file is not open anywhere accept Photoshop.

Mac Pro, OSX 10.5.6
Photoshop CS4.

I searched the forum but could not find anything even though i'm sure someone already asked it.

would love to get a solution for that.
thank you,
shlomit

[BJN3]

I've never had the problem before the last couple of days. Now suddenly, Photoshop CS6, and only Photoshop CS6, starts giving me a file save error I've never seen before. That may well be another Adobe application (Bridge, InDesign, and Illustrator would need to be ruled out in this case), but it's certainly not the OS magically changing a core file handling function. Especially not when the same error is seen on both platforms.

I was able to workaround by saving the file to a new filename, but when I open that file and try to save it I got the same error. That file wasn't embedded or linked to another Adobe app. If it's indeed not Photoshop, Bridge is the prime suspect. We'll see.

[Chris Cox]

Photoshop just does a lot more error checking, and reports these problems to the user instead of letting them lose work.

Also, we've had people track file access using various utilties, and found everything from Quark and InDesign holding files open to the OS/Finder/Explorer (probably trying to build thumbnails).

[Guest]

Which is commendable, don't get me wrong, but none of the other apps lose files (or portions thereof) because the Finder is displaying a preview.

[Chris Cox]

We've seen them lose files in the same situations where Photoshop puts up a warning.

That's why we put up a warning -- because many years ago it was an even bigger problem, and we added code to make sure we warned the user if there was a problem.

All Photoshop is doing is passing along an error from the OS - and there is a real error because some other application has the file open or in use.

We've done a lot of investigation on user reports over the years - and every time we find an external application really does have the file open or in use, which means it isn't safe for Photoshop to write the file at that time (because both could be writing, or the other app could crash if we overwrite it, or the file could become lost).

[Guest]

I actualy stopped looking for a solutiion years ago when I found the UnlockerAssistant application.

The probem is not that Photoshop reports a warning preventing it from overwriting the file. The file is in fact locked by Photoshop and Windows Explorer (explorer.exe). I am unable to delete the file, rename the file or anything else.

Photoshop does not release the file lock when the file is closed but does release it when Photoshop is closed.

Explorer does not release until reboot but UnlockerAssistant can force unlock.

Although not confirmed, I think it only occurs when the folder window is set to show thumbnails.

I assume Windows calls a Photoshop application in order to display the thumbnail. If true then this is probably where the communication problem between Photoshop and the OS is occuring, resulting in a locked file.

[Chris Cox]

Yeah, you just told us the problem: Photoshop is reporting an error because Windows Explorer has the file open and locked, and for some reason won't release it until reboot .

No, Windows does not call any Photoshop code to display a thumbnail.

[Noel Carboni]

Tom Dig wrote:

Although not confirmed, I think it only occurs when the folder window is set to show thumbnails.

Photoshop has nothing to do with this, except that it creates image files on your disk.  The problem is Explorer itself.

There is a pretty good solution for it, too, with almost no downside.  I have documented it in my Configure the Windows 7 "To Work" Options book, and I can tell you from experience that it WILL solve your problems with conflicts.  Using a force-unlocker to get around the file system is only going to net you a corrupted file system and unstable Windows operation.

To this day Windows Explorer by default scans files and generates old style hidden thumbnail cache files called Thumbs.db, and (this is important) this is ONLY done for compatibility with older applications, of which you probably use none.  Certainly Photoshop and other modern software don't use them.

This thumbnail generation can be disabled via the Local Group Policy Editor.  The setting to be enabled is in the User Configuration - Administrative Templates - Windows Components - Windows Explorer section and is this:  Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files.

As an added bonus this makes your system more efficient as well.

-Noel

[Guest]

I disabled the thumbnail cache years ago.

The Adobe reps always argue that it is a Windows fault. Get off your high horse. Open your eyes and see the light. I am tired of the “my OS is better than your OS”.

A logical conclusion:

The symptoms:

• A file remains locked after the file and/or application is closed.

• This ONLY occurs with ONE application.

• This occurs on multiple OS’s

• Possible linked to thumbnails

Conclusion: Don’t’ blame the OS.

FYI: An application does seem to have something to do with viewing thumbnails. If not, why then when app is uninstalled, can’t see thumbnails?

[Noel Carboni]

Tom, did you disable the Thumbs.db creation exactly as I stated above.  Because if you didn't, you haven't dealt with that particular problem.  There are about 2 dozen other related operations and configuration entries having to do with thumbnails.

And no, Adobe does NOT augment Windows Explorer with a codec with which to view thumbnails.  They used to - years ago - but stopped, as they were unable to engineer something that complex and make it work right.  In fact, Windows Explorer does NOT display PSD thumbnails (don't know if you've noticed that little detail).

I wonder, though, whether you may be seeing a different issue...  Photoshop makes its "current directory" the place you open files from.  If you open a file, then Photoshop's essentially "sitting on" that directory, and if you were to try to remove it Windows will prevent it, on the assumption that if a running Windows application is using a directory (its current directory) that you probably should be prevented from deleting it or renaming it.

You can easily see this in action for yourself, having nothing to do with Photoshop...   Create a test folder somewhere, open a CMD window, do a CD to that test folder, then (leaving the CMD window open) go to Explorer and try to delete that folder.  Windows will prevent  you from doing so.  It's the exact same thing.

Lastly, you should know that there are those of us using Windows 7 who never have file/folder conflicts.  I never see any problems, and I actually DO have a 3rd party codec that makes thumbnails available to Explorer for PSDs, raw files, etc.

-Noel

[BJN3]

In Windows 8, access the Local Group Policy Editor using [Windows]+R, type gpedit.msc and click OK. The setting "Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files needs to be set to "Enabled". That setting is under User Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ File Explorer.

[Noel Carboni]

Thanks.  Yes, they renamed Windows Explorer to File Explorer in Windows 8.

-Noel

[Istudor Sorin]

Hello,

The problem for the Photoshop CS6 users appeared with "the new feature" Save in Background. I had the same problem with the message that Photoshop won't let me save the files because is used by another application and that's right ADOBE it's your stupid application SAVE IN BACKGROUND! I deactivated and now I can save my files... fix your bugs and then say it's out fault! (I'm pissed off because I'm confrunting with this problem for almost 2 months until I deactived YOUR FEATURE and it's frustrating to save every time with diferent name the same file).

For the record I use windows 7 and windows 8 and I didn't encounter this problem until I updated from cs5.5 to cs6.

[Noel Carboni]

Do you have a theory about why it doesn't fail for everyone, Istudor?  I run Photoshop CS6 on both Windows 7 and 8 as well and have never seen the problem.

-Noel

[bobmepp]

I tried to replicate the problem by doing the following. I opened win explorer in Windows 7. I highlighted a preview of a psd then opened the psd in photoshop cs6. I made some changes to the psd, then saved it with no problems while the preview psd was highlighted. I then created a test file in Indesign cs6, and placed that same psd into the Indesign document. I then went back to the psd in photoshop, made some changes, and again saved it with no problems. Finally, I created a Illustrator cs6 document, and again placed that same psd into it, while both photoshop and indesign were open and while the file was highlighted in win explorer. Again I made some changes in photoshop and the psd saved with no problems. Also there were no problems saving either the Indesign or Illustrator documents, and the photoshop updates also flowed nicely into those documents. So, whatever the problem is, I could not replicate it under the above described situation. My view? I subscribe to Creative Cloud, and always keep everything updated, as well as keeping windows 7 updated automatically. Rigorous updating avoids most if not all problems. By the way, I also had background save turned on in photoshop during this test.

[Guest]

From my point of view (right or wrong):

One application out of many causes a problem on more than one PC with same operating system, I would not blame the operating system.

If ANY other application resulted in the same fault then maybe blame the system.

In addition, I hear that the same issue occurs on Macs? This being true than how can blame Windows?

[robertdenton]

I've been following this thread for a few years and posted here about the same issue.

Note: Adobe has always blamed the host operating system (I use portions of the suite on a Mac and they blamed Apple)...

Same with OSX, I have never experienced another app have this problem -- not commercial, not freeware, not shareware, not open source ports.

[Neil_Keller]

I'd also guess that the file is open or in use via another application.

Neil

[Shlomit Heymann]

As I wrote, it is not open anywhere.
I just copied it from my camera card to my pictures folder, looked at it inBridge and opened it in Photoshop.

This is an old issue
Just google it and you'll see i'm not the only one...

http://tinyurl.com/da4em5
[long URL replaced]

:)
(i just saw there is a link to the same issue in CS3 here how come I was unable o locate it when i searched here?)

[Chris Cox · Accepted solution]

If Photoshop says the file is open - then some external process has left the file open. It has nothing to do with it being open in Photoshop, or even in Bridge. This has happened sometimes when Spotlight had bugs (which have come up more than once, and been fixed in OS dot releases).

The external process could be another application, or an OS service like Spotlight.

[Neil_Keller]

As for being in use in other apps, as I recall, if I have, for example, a QuarkXPress page open; one that contains a graphic now open in Photoshop, and I wish to edit and save that file, I will get a similar message.

Neil

[_David_-_]

I have seen this problem with 10.5 and Adobe CS3 in interaction with Quark 7.5

If you make a new account for testing, you should see that (with the same files, copied to /Users/Shared and then to the new account Desktop) the issue does not occur.

I haven't pinpointed the exact file/s in question, but after setting aside the ~/Library/Preferences/Quark

folder, and all user-level prefs with "adobe" in the name, the issue was resolved.

[Ief_DR]

I have the same problem using InDesign and Photoshop together. When I place a .psd-file in Indesign and option + click on it the image opens in Photoshop. When I try to save it, from time to time I get the message: "could not save ... because the file is already in use or was left open". When I close the Indesign-document I can save the PSD-file.That's not normal.

I get such messsages since CS2. I'm on a mac OSX 10.5.8

[Chris Cox]

Folks, you've identified that some OTHER application has the file open.  That's why Photoshop reports the error message.

Now please tell the folks working on that OTHER application to fix the problem that has them keeping the file open unnecessarily.

Photoshop can't fix code in other applications.

[robertdenton]

Ok, ok... I've seen this dance before. I read Adobe employee messages blaming Apple, yet, not one other application on my computer, including ones which manipulate images, have the same problem. This to me simply points to an Adobe problem. How have all the other application vendors avoided this problem?

I'm having this problem too. Snow L, all updates, CS4, all updates...

I do not have a similar problem in any. other. application. on. any. computer. I use.

Sorry for the tone but it's hugely frustrating.

sincerely,

Robert

--

Photoshop user since 1.0, Illustrator since v88.

[bluerosez]

Robert,

I think you are bringing up a great point.

My guess is that it is an issue with Apple and Adobe combined, they need to work togther and figure out what is going on.

Most of us have been extremely loyal to both products, it would be nice if they were loyal to us and would get to the bottom of this issue

instead of just blamming.