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anamariasetti.art
anamariasetti.art
Participant
April 1, 2020
Answered

Smart object scale bug in Photoshop

  • April 1, 2020
  • 6 replies
  • 4778 views

I've been experiencing this bug in all version of CS so far. It hasn't been fixed by any update. When placing an .ai vector smart object in Photoshop the object gets automatically distorted. Instead of placing at 100% on both horizontal and vertical axes it gets randomly distorted. This is a serious issue when using logos or other branding artwork where it's critical for it to be in proportion. I've also noticed that if I delete an element from the .ai file the smart object distorts even more severely once it updates, even though the artboard is unchanged and the outermost edges of vector art are also identical. Does anyone have a fix for this?

Correct answer JJMack

See it the same distortion happens if you open the AI files with Photoshop.  Though Photoshop does not support editing AI file Photoshop can import AI file as a raster Pixel Layer.  I believe that is what Place does creating AI vector smart objects. It imports the AI file a as a correctly sized pixel layer.  That transforming a vector smart object just re-imports the file sized differently. If the file is imported with the same distortion as your smart object its at problem in Photoshop Import code.  If it opens without distortion with the default import settings the  problem may be you have missed with the original Place transform and it the Smart object layers associated transform that is distorting you Logo when you do a constrain transform. Its being constrain to the distortion added during the original place.  Post a sample AI file you have a problem with. Photoshop does not support AI vectors in Photoshop.... All Smar object layer have a layer transform for the smart object this associated transforn can disrort the object.

6 replies

M
mohammed_0798
Participant
July 3, 2025

sorry, can anyone help me?

I can't find 3D in the photoshop

c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 3, 2025

3D has been Deprecated years ago.

Are you watching obsolete tutorials?

M
Mone
Participant
March 31, 2021

We still have this bug and it really annoying. Does anyone have a fix yet? Or is Adobe working on it?

 

c.pfaffenbichler
Community Expert
c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
March 31, 2021

Could you please post screenshots with the pertinent Panels (Toolbar, Layers, Options Bar, …) visible? 

A
Anonymous
June 1, 2021

How Place works.

 

Photoshop renders  pixels for the smart objects.  Photoshop is a pixel editor. 

Photoshop harden the pixels it rendered for the smart object. Photoshop Tools can not modify the rendered pixels for the smart object.  These Pixels are not the Smart Object Layer's pixels.

 

Adobe's Preferences  curve ball.

The option resize during Place is very miss leading.  Place does not resize the pixels rendered for the smart they are not the smart object layers pixels. There is are recorded transform for the smart object the creates the smart object layer's pixels using the smart object rendered pixels as the source image.  If the smart object layer pixels do not  fit on the document's canvas if the preferences is checked Place will adjust the smart object  layers object transform scaling  so the smart object transform will fit on canvas.

 

The Preferences knuckle ball  This is just a change of pace the scaling that Place may doe on its own is still done. You the user do not get the interactive Place transform you can use to transform and warp the smart object. You have to manually use Photoshop Transform to transform and warp smart object layers pixels.

 

Place may scale the smart object twice.  To be somewhat compatible with other Adobe applications. If the Print resolution of the file being Place in does not match the current document's print resolution Place will scale the smart object layer size. The layer's image will be a different size then then smart object. The layer's image quality will be less then the smart object's quality.  If that scaled image does not fit on canvas place will be scaled the smart object layer smaller and the image  quality will suffer.

 

Photoshop preferences landmine  if this preference is not checked and the placed in image file print resolution does not match your document resolution the Pixels layer create could be very degraded,  You always want Place to create object layers.   The smart object contains you actual image. You can recover the smart object layer image quality if Place degrade the layer image quality. You just have to change the layer's  transform.

 

One more odd thing has to do with PNG file when the  PNG Layer  have fully transparent borders the subject is smaller then canvas.   The odd thing happens with Place and also Copy Paste with layer with transparent boarders .  The resulting layers will have the fully transparent boarders trimmed off. The layers bounds will be that of the subject  the layer will not  be the size of the png file canvas or copied layer.


These steps helped me with this trouble.
I did the following in the sequence you see them below...

  1. Matched the dimensions of the AI artboard to the dimensions of the destination PSD canvas. 
  2. In Photoshop : Preferences > General :
    Checked “Skip Transformations when Placing” and deselcted “Resize Image During Place”


  3. “File > Place Linked...”
    (or alternatively I dragged the AI file from the Finder directly into the PSD Canvas)

  4. Under “Options” at the top right of the modal -  from the Crop To: menu Selected “Media Box”


  5. Hit Enter or OK

 

This seemed to work for me. Hope it helps anyone else out there.

–B

    I
    idle days
    Participant
    October 22, 2020

    I have the same problem. My temporary (dumb) solution is after I placed and scaled the smart object, I locked the layer immediately, if any case I need to unlock the layer, I double/triple check the proportion before I output or flatten or re-lock.

    Hope Adobe can fix this issue soon.

      PECourtejoie
      Community Expert
      PECourtejoieCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 23, 2020

      Hi,there is a smart object scaling bug addressed in 21.2.1: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/fixed-issues.html#photoshop-desktop-fixed-issues

      please report if it is fixedm, if not, please search or create a thread on the https://feedback.photoshop.com site, watched by Adobe staff. Make sure to provide as many relevant details as possible.

      PECourtejoie
      Community Expert
      PECourtejoieCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      April 1, 2020

      Hello, could you post screenshots showing the issue? Is it the case for all documents?

      Is it a document with square pixels?

      Is it the case if the Smart Objects are not scaled?

        anamariasetti.art
        anamariasetti.artAuthor
        Participant
        April 1, 2020

        Unfortunately, I'm bound by non-disclosure agreements with my clients so I can't post anything. I can tell you that we regularly use placed vector smart objects in Photoshop to compose files for both print and web use. Yes, all documents are square pixels and it happens 9 out of 10 times with all documents. The distortion happens as soon as the object is placed, when it technically should be 100% x 100% (H x V). I've also had objects become distorted again, even after I set them to be proportional and locked the proportions. My coworkers use various versions of Photoshop CS, while I have the latest, and we all experience the same thing. Most of the time the distortions are very small, but occasionally I see something grossly distorted. You can imagine that for clients that require pixel-perfect documents this would be a big problem.

          JJMack
          Community Expert
          JJMackCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
          Community Expert
          April 1, 2020

          See it the same distortion happens if you open the AI files with Photoshop.  Though Photoshop does not support editing AI file Photoshop can import AI file as a raster Pixel Layer.  I believe that is what Place does creating AI vector smart objects. It imports the AI file a as a correctly sized pixel layer.  That transforming a vector smart object just re-imports the file sized differently. If the file is imported with the same distortion as your smart object its at problem in Photoshop Import code.  If it opens without distortion with the default import settings the  problem may be you have missed with the original Place transform and it the Smart object layers associated transform that is distorting you Logo when you do a constrain transform. Its being constrain to the distortion added during the original place.  Post a sample AI file you have a problem with. Photoshop does not support AI vectors in Photoshop.... All Smar object layer have a layer transform for the smart object this associated transforn can disrort the object.

          JJMack
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