Resizing Smart Objects whilst maintaining Aspect Ratio?

[neil wilkes]

How do I do this please?

In earlier versions it always used to work by holding down the shift key whilst dragging from one of the corners, but in the latest version this is simply not working reliably at all. I have a very large image I am trying to resize for a DVD menu (Square Pixels) and holding down the shift key whilst dragging is absolutely, definitely for 100% certain just NOT maintaining the original aspect ratio. It ends up all over the place.

Photoshop version 23.3.0

Windows 10

This is a nightmare, as I do not want to resize the image & do things that way as the reduction algorithm seems very different in terms of results - things simply do not look as good using the resize algorithm.

Desperately need to know the key commands for maintaining Aspect Ratio whilst resizing a smart object, please.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Just set the setting in the Status Bar according to your likes. 

How would the »reduction algorithm« be different for resizing an image and scaling a Smart Object unless you chose different settings? 

[neil wilkes]

I have tried the link button - it is not working here in Windows 10 on the version that was updated to yesterday, hence why I posted. It does however still work on my Windows 7 version so that is what I will be using.

I have tried in the past to resize using Bicubic Reduction, and have always found manually resizing from a smart object just gives me a far better looking result. Don't ask me why (I am a sound mixer, not a graphic artist) but I can assure you on DVD Menus I know what I am doing (having made hundreds of the buggers) and smart object reduction works best with this workflow:

1 - Open original image, unlock it.

2 - Create new DVD Menu (PAL, Widescreen, Square Pixel)

3 - Drag tablecloth sized original image onto menu

4 - Turn it into a smart object

5 - Holding down the SHIFT key, drag to resize from the corner because this maintains the aspect ratio.

Except now it no longer does, and the aspect ratio distorts.

It seems to me that with every photoshop update something is either broken that wasn't, or gets hidden away where it used to be out in the open - I get the feeling that things are being changed for the sake of making changes, and that with all the 3D & Video fluff getting added what used to be a world class graphics tool is becoming a jack of all trades complete with the corollary implied.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please describe the issue clearer; is »maintain aspect ratio« in effect if you drag-to-scale without the shift-key pressed, with theh key pressed or not at all? 

What is your Image Interpolation Preferences setting?

Unless it is »Bicubic Reduction« scaling with it would naturally provide a different result than scaling a Smart Object. 

Can you post screenshots taken at View > 100% with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

[neil wilkes]

1 - Bicubic Automatic

2 - I have the link icon pressed - make no mistake - but even with holding down shift key, I can drag a corner of the image and it does. not. hold. the. aspect. ratio. Screen shot attached. It is as if the SHIFT key is not pressed at all.

Thank you for the facts about the preference - I had no idea that 'Bicubic Automatic' would use anything except the 'reduction' appropriate algorithm (Bicubic Sharper)

This post is really only for the bug report now, because I can do the work on a Windows 7 system which still works the same way. I thank you for the info though - most interesting. What algorithm does resizing (smaller) a smart object use?

[c.pfaffenbichler]

If »Maintain aspect ration« is checked you don’t need to hold the shift-key to maintain the aspect ration but instead it deactivates the setting. 

Uncheck the button if you absolutely want to press shift to maintain it. 

[neil wilkes]

I had no idea - when did this change?

Information much appreciated.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

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@neil wilkes wrote:

I had no idea - when did this change?

Information much appreciated.

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A couple of versions back – and to much brouha (not sure about the spelling) on the Forum. 

Maybe you unchecked it once back then and some preferences mishap resulted in a reset. 

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I apologize, you are right that »Bicubic Automatic« would utilize »Bicubic Sharper« for downsampling. 

But I cannot discern a relevant difference between the results of Image Size and Smart Object-Tranform with »Bicubic Automatic«. (37% in the screenshots, but maybe the test image is suboptimal for getting the result you get on your images.)

Could you post an image and the two resulting images (downsampled with Image Size and as a Smart Object with the same Resample Method)? 

[neil wilkes]

Cannot post the image - it's under copyright restrictions until the product gets released, so sorry but no can do. You'll have to take my word for it that the results are superior resizing a smart object - perhaps it is the vector nature?

I just rechecked in W10 in light of the info above and with the link on I can indeed resize without the shift key pressed - I also rechecked on the old version, with the link enabled it does not maintain Aspect Ratio, and the shift key is required to maintain ratio.

So it seems that an old bug has been fixed - truly amazing. I had no clue, and this is comparatively recently fixed too, as I am pretty certain I used the 'old' way recently - it became a habit with the old 'link' button being absolutely unreliable - my graphics editor has just confirmed this too.

Thanks for your assistance here - greatly appreciated.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Is the SO an embedded (or linked) ai/pdf/svg/eps? 

Does it have transparency?