Move command failed - Result would be too large?

[Ed from Texas]

I thought this was going to be a fairly simple project, but I'm running into a road block.

The project is that I'm trying to build a combined image from several smaller images that make up a grid (the overall image is a map and my friend recieved a bunch of smaller files that contain the grid pieces).

The grid is five images wide by seven deep.  Each image is a resolution of 5262 x 4188.  I created a blank file that was 26310 x 29316 (both under the 30000 pixel limit, which I didn't even know about until digging into this problem).  I've attached an image of the spreadsheet where I checked each image's dimensions and worked out what the total size needs to be.  The squares with an X are where an image doesn't exist for that part of the map.

I brought in the first row of images and placed them using a grid that has major grid lines at 20% of the width of the image to help me position them.  Each image is on its own layer.

I start bringing in the second row and they drop in to the center of the image just fine.  However, when I move one to the edge of the picture above it, the move command fails with this error message:

"Could not complete the Move commadn because the result would be too big."

What's weird is that it only does this when I try to get the edges aligned.  I can move the image so it partially covers the images on the first row and it's perfectly happy.  But, when I move it to whithin approximately 10% of the edge of the row above, the layer snaps back to its starting point and pops up the error.

I've been googling the error for the last hour, but so far haven't bee able to find a similar situation and I'm flummoxed on how to resolve it.

I'm currently running Elements 2019 on a AMD Ryzen 5 3600 with 32GB of RAM on Windows 10 64bit.

[Glenn 8675309]

Try moving it with your arrow keys- it's slow, but it works. 

double check the size of your scratch disk.   Working files can easily go above 20GB in size, before it's saved.

[Greg_S.]

Hi Ed.  I have been able to reproduce your problem, exactly as you have described it (using Elements 2023).

So far, the only workaround I have found is to reduce the size of each image.  I used the Image>Resize>Image Size dialog and changed each file to 50 percent of the original size (including the original blank file):

In my experimentation so far, this allows the smaller files to be placed, using the Snap to options.

With a complex map, this is not ideal.  But let us know if this works for you.

[Greg_S.]

@Glenn 8675309, I tried using the arrow keys to nudge the files - even very slowly while keeping an eye on resources - and I still got the error message with the full size file.

[MichelBParis]

Just trying to enlarge the canvas to 30 000 pixels in height, the resize canvas command gives the same error message. No move involved!

Edit:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/maximum-image-size-limits-photoshop.html

[Glenn 8675309]

I thought of something:  what is the PPI of your canvas?

[Ed from Texas]

I've tried adjusting the PPI and that hasn't seemed to make a difference.

I made it into a TIFF file instead of a PSD and that's helped some.  I've also tried enlarging anything memory and scratch disk releated I can find in the options to give it more to work wirth.

I've been able to get most of the pieces placed using the following steps:

Import the file into a new layer.  Save the overall file and exit.

Open the file fresh.  Then it will let me move the file I added previously into position.  Save file.

Import the next piece to a new layer.  Save and exit.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

So far, I've been able to get all but the last two in place.  With those, it's giving me the error even when I open the file fresh.  Guess I'll try to play with the memory and scratch disk settings some more.  

The frustrating part is how seemingly random it is.

[Greg_S.]

@Glenn 8675309 said: what is the PPI of your canvas?

Glenn, I started off with 300 ppi resolution and then cut it to 150 ppi.  That change didn't seem to make any difference.

[Glenn 8675309]

I played around a bit- these are apparent max values:

[Ed from Texas]

I don't know if it counts as a solution, but after several tries, I was finally able to get all the pieces in place.  I upped the allowable memory usage to 90%, which equated to 26947MB of my 32GB installed total.  The last piece kept fighting me with the error.  I was able to move it part way, save, exit, reopen, move a bit more, save, exit, reopen.  Sometimes, I'd overshoot and it would snap back to the previous spot.  When that happened, I'd shut it down and start over, trying a smaller move the next time.

I appreciate everyone's suggestions and support.  I'm still curious what is going on the in the code to trigger this, especially since I could slowly dance around it.

[Greg_S.]

Ed, now that you have completed your task, I have to ask you why you need such a large canvas.  Even at 300 ppi, the printed size would be over 7 feet wide.  So, is this map for display on a wall?  If not, there is no obvious reason why you would need such a large canvas.

[Ed from Texas]

The canvas size was driven by the sizes of the individual pieces that I was assembling.  Each original piece is 5262 x 4188.  Looking at one of the original pieces, it showed a resolution of 400 ppi.

[Greg_S.]

If the intended use of the map is to view on a screen or to print for less than wall-size, there is no reason to have such a large canvas. If you have similar projects in the future, I suggest that you resize each piece and have a canvas that is much smaller. 

[galinm97802843]

Do we have a solution for this yet?  It's wild that we can put the image into our document but the issue is moving it.  Moving it doesn't make it larger.  It doesn't increase the file size.

Sometimes we need huge canvases because we do.  "Your canvas is too big" is a really bad suggestion.  If we are hitting file size restrictions, that's what the error should say.  Or if the canvas size is too big, Photoshop should say something like, "This is Photoshop, not Affinity.  You need to curb your expecations bro."  Sorry, it's just really frustrating to be using what is supposed to be the best software for this, spending several hours on a project, and then getting this generic error message that ends the entire damn project.  Come on, Adobe.

[Glenn 8675309]

PSE is a raster based image editor creator.   To create big things like billboards, or truck wraps that would fit on a 40 foot trailer you need to use a vector based program.

PSE is designed for the consumer, the average user.     The canvas size limits have always been there.  The canvas size limit of 30k x 30k is the same for Photoshop. 

I dooubt adobe will change something that is basically an industry standard for raster based images.