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

[Shlomit Heymann]

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

[Chris Cox]

The problem does not occur without Photoshop,

Photoshop tells you about the problem.  Many other apps ignore the problem and simply fail to save.

And we see the same problem reported for other applications as well.

We would love to get the problems resolved - but we can only fix our own code.  When the problem is in the OS, we can't always work around it. And when the problem is in another application, we can't do much about that either.

Here's something you can try, if you know the file extension or name of the file you are trying to save to:

open the Terminal, and type:

          lsof | fgrep <filename>

And the first part of the line returned will be the application that has that file open at the time.

[Guest]

bpylant - forgive my ignorance but could you elaborate a little bit on your workaround method?... By 'keeping the Finder preview hidden' do you mean viewing as list view and hitting space bar to preview each image as you go?

If that is what you mean I will give it a try, although I'd be a bit miffed with Apple and Snow Leopard because one of the things I was looking forward to (coming from Tiger) was previewing my images in the finder nice and large without having to use bridge or similar app.

If it is the fault of SL, I'd give Apple back a load of the new features they add to each new OS release just to be able to save my images properly from my most used application. Seems like a big backwards step to me and also redresses the speed balance of buying a new Mac - if I have to re-save every other file onto my desktop and drop it into it's folder after binning the original, then the Ghz and backside cache and i5 / i7 SSD starts to look like a load of marketing rubbish. (rant not directed at you of course!)

And I stand corrected on the fact that it's not only Photoshop, I've not yet experienced it in Indesign and have not used Illustrator enough on my new Mac to tell.

Chris, thanks for the terminal tip - I'll try that. It will be interesting to see which application has the file open and if it remains permanently in that state, or if it is time / restart dependent.

When you mentioned other apps that ignore the problem and fail to save - do you have any examples of that on Mac or are you referring to Windows based Apps? I'll also try re-installing my older PS CS3 and see if that has the same problem.

I'm hoping that running a host of Onyx scripts and repairing permissions aswell as upgrading to 10.6.4 will fix the problem but I'm not overly confident to be honest.

In your opinion should I keep reporting the error to Apple or is that generally like banging my head against a wall?

Thanks to you both for your input.

Rick.

[Chris Cox]

When you mentioned other apps that ignore the problem and fail to save - do you have any examples of that on Mac or are you referring to Windows based Apps?

Most apps ignore errors like that.

Also, sometimes an application doing a safe save (save to temporary, then replace original when done) can get hit twice in the process (temp and original file) with OS file errors.

Until you have evidence (from lsof) of what application is holding the file open, there isn't much to report.

Once you have more evidence, then we need to make sure that the responsible party investigates the issue.

[Guest]

Thanks Chris, I'll use Isof and come back soon...

Cheers

Rick.

[Guest]

OK, tried that, and no surprise that it's the Finder that has the file open.

I'm still on 10.6.3 as yet, hopefully 10.6.4 will sort it but I doubt it.

Fastest workaround I can find is apple-option-escape and then relaunch the finder. The trouble is that it is happening quite regularly now. Pathetic, and annoying and very counter-productive, I shouldn't have to find workarounds to fix basic fundamental problems with the OS on a system that cost me a lot of money.

[Chris Cox]

Please let Apple know about this problem.  (they don't seem to believe us when we report it)

[Guest]

bpylant - forgive my ignorance but could you elaborate a little bit on your workaround method?... By 'keeping the Finder preview hidden' do you mean viewing as list view and hitting space bar to preview each image as you go?

When you have your Finder windows set to column view (as I always do) and have a file selected, the last column is a Preview column (if you have that option enabled, which it is by default). Additionally, you can have the preview visible or hidden by clicking on the small triangle.

If you have the Preview visible, Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign will report the file as being in use or open in another application. When I use What's Keeping Me (a utility that allows you to see what processes are controlling any given file or volume) it is always the Finder that is listed, which tells me this is an Apple issue (at least on the Mac, I can't speak for the similar problems Windows users have reported). The Finder simply shouldn't take control of a file to show this preview.

So, my workaround is to keep the Preview column enabled (I do need it occasionally) but the actual Preview hidden.

[Guest]

Tom, give this a try.

Tom Dig wrote:

This is a Photoshop problem, I have no doubt.

...

Now, every once in a while, the jpg file remains locked by the Windows operating system.

...

Photoshop employees keep trying to blame other systems.

If this is a Photoshop problem, why are you recognizing that Windows is locking the file?

Tom Dig wrote:

Tell me why:

• This occurs when no other application has accessed the file.

• It only occurs after Photoshop accesses a file.

• It occurs on both Mac and Windows platforms.

• No other application on the PC creates this problem.

There are other background applications that access files. It may be anti-virus scanning or it may be thumbnail preview generation in Explorer/Finder.

The Unlocker program might help you identify what is locking the file.

[Guest]

>> If this is a Photoshop problem, why are you recognizing that Windows is locking the file?

An application does not lock the file, An application tells the operating system to lock the file.

>> There are other background applications that access files

It is only after Photoshop accesses or creates a file that this problem occurs. Seems to me that this is almost conclusive evidence that it is a Photoshop issue.

>> The Unlocker program might help you identify what is locking the file.

I have tried other apps but nothing has yet been able to determine why a file is locked. I will give this one a try but I will have to wait until the problem occurs again.

Thank you,

Tom DiGregorio

Engineering Support Technician

Taylor-Dunn Manufacturing

(714)956-4040-x205

<mailto:tdigregorio@taylor-dunn.com>

Documents provided may be in the Autodesk® DWF file format.

The DWF viewer is available free of charge from the Autodesk® website at: http://www.autodesk.com/siteselect.htm

[Koxl]

I can recommend a simple trick for all you working with Indesign.

All you have to do is to Tab click from Psh to InD, directly select (A) the frame content (your working photo) and simply move it once then Undo (Ctrl-Z) to/or move it back. Its that simple and keeps Psh saving normaly for a long period.

Maybe someone has come with it already, didnt read all thread ...

[Chris Cox]

You mean that makes InDesign let go of the file it shouldn't have held open in the first place?

[Koxl]

No.

I set layout in InD. First placing unprocessed images in document, then opening them in Ps (Edit original) and adjusting them.

Occasionaly this specific error occures and made me freak out, since i had to save a worked file under a different name, relink it and close Ps, then reload it again.

But i found this little simple trick discribed above. I just move a direct selected image in an InD picture frame (two simple direction clicks, left-right) and processed file in Ps can now be normally saved.

I can see that error happens in different situations, but i hope that this specific trick can help you solve a problem.

[Chris Cox]

Which does what I said: makes InDesign let go of the file on disk.

It was InDesign keeping the file on disk open that caused Photoshop to give you the error in the first place, because the OS says the file is in use by another application (InDesign).

PLEASE report this bug to the InDesign team.

They really don't seem to believe us when we tell them that it's a problem for customers.

[Koxl]

Aha, xqz me. Didnt get it right, 'coz im not a native speaker.

Im not a sys expert as well, so i dont get why it happens on random occasions at first and second, why “manipulating” the picture in InD releases it (logically it would be opposite, blocking the save after the status have changed in InD)?

Anyway, hope my hint will help people until InDesign team resolves the case.

[MaMamiya33]

I had an idea and it worked for me:

From within folder (or on desktop)

View> Show View Options> un-check "show icon preview"

G4 Mac running OS X 10.4.11 and Photoshop CS2.

I was using Leaf Capture software for photography. Saved as tiff (8 bit and 16 bit) and opened directly in Photoshop. No other programs were running. Saved directly to desktop. Photoshop would not allow me to resave after making edits "Could not save because file is already in use..." I would have to save under different name or file type. Also, trash would not empty after deleting these original files for same error.

I've looked forever without finding a solution until I thought of this. If anyone else can't find an answer, try this.

[IzeB]

I had the same problem, I disabled the "save in background feature" which totally remove the problem in a blink of an eye.

This feels to to me that that background process is the bad guy here. It sais the file has been changed since you last opened or saved it.

Changed, but not by me or any other outside program, changed by the Photoshop save in background feature.

Can anyone confirm/reproduce this?

I didn't have time to read this huge the whole thread so if this been discussed before, i apologize!

I really would like the Autosave feature to work though, hope this hint helps someone.

[grndrm]

IzeB wrote:

I had the same problem, I disabled the "save in background feature" which totally remove the problem in a blink of an eye.

This feels to to me that that background process is the bad guy here. It sais the file has been changed since you last opened or saved it.

Changed, but not by me or any other outside program, changed by the Photoshop save in background feature.

Can anyone confirm/reproduce this?

I didn't have time to read this huge the whole thread so if this been discussed before, i apologize!

I really would like the Autosave feature to work though, hope this hint helps someone.

I can confirm this. Using Win7 and Photoshop CS6. Never had the problem before today. Turning off the Save in Background stops the error message.

It started after I copied several site folders to a new drive. Using Photoshop as always but now when saving I get the error "Could not save "E:\...\filename.pds" because the file is already in use or was left open by another application."

It now occurs with a given PSD file on the orig C: drive and the new E: drive. With background save activated, the only way to save to the same filename is by choosing save while closing Photoshop. Very frustrating since the autosave function is important to me.

[christina_caldwell]

Although i see Chris is very passionate about blaming other applications, I found the error to in fact be within PhotoShop. Along with others, I was able to solve this issue by turning off "Save in Background" and changing "Image Previews" to "Never Save".

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Could it be that you misunderstand what is happening and it is actually the OS that messes up when Photosshop is saving files?

Or are you fairly certain you understand the issue better than an actual programmer with decades of experience like Mr.Cox?

[boo_radley_2013]

This is happening to me as well.

I will try to save an image, so I select 'save as' and I give it a new filename. Then when I hit 'save' the error message pops up. So I then repeat the process (save as, give it a new filename again, hit save again) and then it works. Happens randomly, but more often than not. The file isn't open in any other application. I can't figure it out.

[Noel Carboni]

What do you have on your system that fools with files?  Anti-malware software?  A search indexer?  A third party thumbnailing package?

Boo, what system do you have?

-Noel

[Trevor.Dennis]

And will this thread make 50,000 views? 

[lester_dm]

Hello people,

Here another one experiencing this annoying error when trying to save files.

Is it Windows, Mac, Adobe? I really don't know.

I am not here to blame someone. I just want a proper solution.

As you can see people are having this issue for at least 5 years now.

What I can say is:

- I am using a desktop Quadcore 64 bit PC with Windows 7, Photoshop CC. 6 GIG RAM installed.

- I am not working across a network.

- My file is not opened elsewhere. Windows Explorer is closed, Bridge is closed. So I am not having a preview somewhere which could maybe cause this error.

- It's a Windows machine, so it's not Spotlight or Coverflow.

- I use a lot of apps from Creative Cloud, I never had any problems saving with all the other applications.  If it would be a Windows or Mac issue, wouldn't I have experienced the same errors with the other apps like Illustrator, Flash, Indesign, etc...? In my scenario this error ONLY occurs in Photoshop.

- If the problem is caused by the OS, isn't it a coincidence that Windows and Mac users are having the exact same problem?

- When having these errors, it seems the bigger the files are the more frequent I get this error.

Now I'm actually stuck from yesterday now. I can't save my psb-file anymore. (2,79 GIG)

Yes it is big, the psb-file is holding 13 high-res images to work in. This was never a problem before.

As I have read a psb can go to 4 exabytes (= 4 million terrabytes), so this can't be the problem.

Is it maybe possible to re-create my scenario? I have a feeling it has a lot to do with the size of the file.

This is maybe the reason it is hard to re-create the error? I don't know.

With smaller files I (almost) never see this error.

Wheither I am saving to psd or psb, the error stays.

- I have enough space on my harddisk for the (possible) needed temp-files to be created too.

What I have tried so far:

-"Save as" (with a new name) doesn't work.

- Save to another location doesn't work either. Which in the past could solve it.

- Even saving it as a "JPG" doesn't seem to work anymore.

- Sometimes when I save the file and getting the good old error, I can see a temp file created with a weird name with ".tmp' as extension.

  If I rename the file (+ adding the correct extension), sometimes if I'm lucky I can use the file. Sometimes not.

- As mentioned in the forum, I downloaded a "unlocker" software. Tried, no luck.

- In Photoshop "Preferences/File Handling" I unchecked "Save in Background", no luck.

- In Photoshop "Preferences/File Handling" I changed "Image Previews" to "Never Save", no luck.

- Reinstalled Photoshop, no luck.

Does anyone please has some more possibilities to try?

And yes, I realize the error points to ANOTHER APPLICATION. An EXTERNAL problem.
A good thing that Photoshop gives you an error description instead of a 'wrong' save.

What am I supposed to do? In my case contact Windows? And be pointed back again to Adobe?

This only happens in Photoshop (CS5.5 and CC) on two different operating systems.

I never, ever see this error with other software. Or like I said even other software from Adobe.

My colleague has exactly the same issue but with 1 difference, he has CS5.5 installed instead of CC.

Don't get me wrong Chris. I love the whole Adobe Package very, very much.

I think Photoshop is an amazing program, IT IS magic!

But this issue is a pain in the #ss BIGTIME.

I think more (deeper) research on this subject has to come from you guys, not Windows or Apple.

Even if it is an OS-issue, wouldn't you want to know what is going on?

Pointing us to Windows or Apple is not a solution for us.

You guys from Adobe have more power than we do towards Windows and Apple to get to the bottom of this, at last.

A big peace Adobe!

And please help

Kind Regards.

Lester.

[BJN3]

I've also never seen this problem with any other application. Nothing else in the Adobe suite. Only Photoshop. I haven't run into the error in a while (knock wood) and I'm sorry to see it's still out there.

[lester_dm]

I would have been nice someone from Adobe responded.

It is also nice to see the bug is STILL THERE in the newest version of Photoshop CC (2014)

I really don't get it...

Try the Facebookpage and send a bug report now I suppose?

I don't know what to do else...

Kind Regards,
Lester.