P: Add custom colors for colour coding layers and groups

Ohhhhhh, thank you for the explanation. I was being dense, totally forgetting about that old Paint program. LOL

I could add, there's a fellow uses PS for his illustrations. You can look him up. He's famous. Bob Staake. I had the privilege of attending a webinar when he discussed how he uses PS. PS 3, that is. I don't know how he still runs it, but he does. Only he didn't say don't get the latest and greatest. His work as a magazine illustrator is terribly tight, he's got his style down pat, so won't mess with success. He wasn't suggesting PS had added nothing since then worth a mention. <BG>

> It sounds like you misunderstand what "Maximize Compatibility" actually does.>

No, I know that it makes a flattened composite so any app, new or old, that can ingest a PSD file can read the file.

You seem to be saying that if the Layers panel adopts more colored labels, the Layers panel itself wouldn’t work in, say, CC2018, because it was introduced in, say, 2019. I have two problems with that suggestion, although I’m willing to be educated differently. The first problem is why have all the other additions to the Layers panel gone through just fine? We’ve added and changed around quite a lot. What makes a color label so different? And so impossible for CC 2018 to simply ignore the color label altogether, rather than have a nervous breakdown.

The other problem I have is this is a common, very old request. If adding new color labels is going to break Layers in earlier versions, then why hasn’t Adobe put us out of our misery by simply straight up saying so?

I understand that it’s probably no small, one-hour JDI. But I don’t understand at all from what you’ve said why labels, and not badges or new kinds of layers (they didn’t always have Smart Objects, for example) or adding filters to the Layers panel, etc., didn’t break Layers in earlier versions. They simply ignore that stuff, and we use the composite layer to pave over any issues, which I know nothing about,  that any of the layer functions might create with an older version.

To simply ignore a color not included would seem very possible. Those layers aren’t colored. Just like they ignore the Blend-If badge, no, and the newer Shape layer form, and Smart Objects, and . . .

As long as I give a CS6 friend my PSD file with Maximize Compatibility enabled, I have yet to run into any problems. That’s my part done for backwards compatibility. So again, why would labels be different?

Actually sole painting that Paint lets mainly for and has nothing to do with above problem or other features Photoshop provides was not a piont as that really would be unlogical in context of this disscusion. However I don't need more colours I understand poeple why they want to have them.

So my answer was to comments of Karlita Manion or some others who may show up with lack of understanding to other people needs depending on that they use Photoshop for. If she is fine with that Photoshop offers, but do it with noticable arrogance I ironically went step forward, why to not use Paint, that once made is at the same stage from years. Probably somone would argue with her gaol of improvements saying we already had everything to create that you want. The only what you need is good 'organisation', or rather talent in this specific case.

Why?  Great question.  New features in a file format are what make backwards compatibility a concern at any time.  And, no that can't be said of any updated feature.  You have to distinguish whether or not it's interface (how you interact with the layers) or if it's format (what the document itself supports).

It sounds like you misunderstand what "Maximize Compatibility" actually does.

If Maximize Compatibility is enabled, a flat version of the layers is included with the document allowing Photoshop 2.5 or older to open it and allowing After Effects and Premiere Pro to import the file "as footage" (as opposed to "as layers").

> For those who feel too comfortable with Photoshop there's still not developed Paint - I saw some talented people did much more in than that was meant for...>

I'm sorry. I'm having trouble understanding what you're talking about — are you saying that if we feel we've got all we need from the PS team, we could simply dive into painting in PS, and marvel at all the ways painters currently manage to make great art out of rather, er, antiquated painting tools? And see we don't yet have all we need? At least compared to those apps out there that specialize in painting?<G>

I'd say we all get pretty creative within the app's limitations, whatever we do, to a certain extent. That's why there are so many plugins, we own some specialized apps besides Adobe, and we make so many feature requests. Photoshop was very, very smart when they developed a strong plugin architecture. Not all apps have done that, but it has certainly extended PS to be the app that makes a place for, and therefore controls, all the others.  '-}

And in the main, PS has become a pretty efficient workspace despite ballooning in the number of features it has—but that won't, and shouldn't, stop us from asking for more personal customization. Photoshop isn't just for photos, so all the possible uses, from painting, as you mentioned, to designing icons, to infinity and beyond, PS has to think in terms of being highly customizable to accommodate all our very different needs.

> I wonder if a reason we haven’t seen this feature implemented has anything to do with it breaking backwards compatibility with the PSD file format?>

Why? That could be said of any updated feature, but as it is, to open in an older version of PS, you have always needed to Maximize Compatibility so the older PS doesn't choke on newer features. Older files would simply have only used a few of the possible layers colors. Nothing changed there.

@4970551: It’s a great suggestion and a frequent one as well, but efficient layer naming is more or less all we have.

I wonder if a reason we haven’t seen this feature implemented has anything to do with it breaking backwards compatibility with the PSD file format?

For those who feel too comfortable with Photoshop there's still not developed Paint - I saw some talented people did much more in than that was meant for...

Karlita I think you kind of missed the point of why I suggested this. Its to enhance exactly what you say us 'loosers' should be doing...and a tad hypocritical. Why dont we name an organise layers?....I already do, colour coding those organised and named layer groups adds another level of organisation. Particularly if you're working as part of a team, colour coding can help organise folder content types as some folders may have components that include images, text etc..all named properly. Addin colour coding helps users find things quicker. Saying ots not needed is akin to me saying hey f*ck it you dont need to name your layers just chuck them into folders, thats organisation enough. The rest of the Adobe suite allows for so mamy more options for layer and group colour, so its not just about improving workflow and organisation between teams and designers/artists but also about consistency across the adobe suite of products...but hey, what do i know Im a looser thats only been teachig Photoshop and running my own design studio for 17 years 😜