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Shlomit Heymann
Shlomit Heymann
Inspiring
February 1, 2009
Answered

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

  • February 1, 2009
  • 49 replies
  • 141707 views
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
      This topic has been closed for replies.
      Correct answer Chris Cox
      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.

      49 replies

      Show previous replies
      Chris Cox
      Chris CoxCorrect answer
      Legend
      February 3, 2009
      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.
      Shlomit Heymann
      Shlomit HeymannAuthor
      Inspiring
      February 2, 2009
      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?)
      N
      Neil_Keller
      Known Participant
      February 1, 2009
      I'd also guess that the file is open or in use via another application.

      Neil
      _
      _derek_Kimball_
      Known Participant
      February 1, 2009
      Try closing your "Preview" application. If you are like me and you set psd's to automatically open in Preview rather than Photoshop for easy and quick viewing purposes, it will not allow Photoshop to save if the file is also opened in it.
        K
        Kid Red
        Participant
        December 13, 2011

        I came here for the same issue, in my case closing Preview worked. Oddly enough, I did not have to file open in preview, but closing that app worked for me.

        A
        Anonymous
        September 24, 2012

        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


        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?

        A
        Anonymous
        February 1, 2009
        It may be another Leopard-related problem because I have never seen it happen on my G5 on OSX 10.4.11.

        You are not working across a network from a Server are you?
        M
        mckayk_777-PN6kWE
        Participating Frequently
        November 20, 2010

        This also happens on a stand alone machine, it is a real pain.

        Shlomit Heymann
        Shlomit HeymannAuthor
        Inspiring
        February 1, 2009
        This is a repeated issue in photoshop,
        I would love to solve it for once.:)
          A
          Anonymous
          February 1, 2009
          It may be what you will have to have if you want to save that file!

          8/

          You can always delete the first file and re-name the second one after you have saved it.
          Shlomit Heymann
          Shlomit HeymannAuthor
          Inspiring
          February 1, 2009
          thank you, yes, i know the workaround but this will create another file and this is not what i want or need :)
            A
            Anonymous
            February 1, 2009
            Try "Saving As" to a new name.
            A
            Anonymous
            November 15, 2010

            Such useless and dumb answer. Obviously, the user is complaining about a bug or issue regarding Photoshop. I use both OSX and Vista, and I have the exactly same annoying problem in my Vista. It happens 8 out of 10 times I press save. The only way I found to solve the problem was to install a cool piece of software called "Unlocker", so everytime the damn photoshop tells me it cannot save the file, I just go there and unlock it, then save without problems.

            Still, it is very annoying to do get this error message all the time.

              Chris Cox
              Chris Cox
              Legend
              November 15, 2010

              Please read the previous responses.

              The user is reporting an error caused by another application.

              The bug is still in some OTHER application, and as you can see from the previous responses, sometimes the Finder, Spotlight and Coverflow can cause this problem.

              Photoshop is just reporting the error to you, that the OS reported to Photoshop, because some OTHER application had the file locked.

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