WIA Support Directory Name is Invalid

[Sprattoo]

This has got to be a programming error somehow.

when i go to Import>WIA Support The usual dialogue box pops up asking about Destination Folder. The Destination folder I used last is not valid or connected anymore. If I click on BROWSE to select a different folder I get an error box saying the directory name is invalid. Of note, when the dialogue comes up it looks like the Browse button is already depressed?

Have the latest version of PS CC2018 19.1.5

Not interested in hearing about scanning in other less-useful software to then import to PS since Ps is where I do my work.

[Mohit Goyal]

Hi Sprattoo,

We're really sorry for all the trouble. Since, how long you are facing this issue in Photoshop? Anything specific after the 19.1.5 update?

You may try reset the Photoshop preferences and check if that helps. To know more about resetting Photoshop preferences, please refer the following link: Preferences in Photoshop

Also, you may try updating the Photoshop to 19.1.6 version and let us know the results.

Regards,

Mohit

[dayoldy]

I have the same problem in 19.1.6.
It worked fine a couple of updates back - not sure the actual version.

[Mohit Goyal]

Hi dayoldy,

Sorry to hear that. Could you also try resetting Photoshop preferences and check if that helps.

If resetting preferences doesn't help then, please uninstall Photoshop from your machine, restart your machine and reinstall it via Creative Cloud Desktop app and check if that helps.

Let us know the results.

Thanks,

Mohit

[Sprattoo]

this doesn't work. I posted my fix just now. Adobe really needs to fix this issue.

[dayoldy]

Mohit,

I did the test you requested, and HURRAY!... that fixed the problem.

This is the 3rd time I've had to reset my prefs in the last 4 months, (through a couple of PS updates). Interestingly enough, these events are why I didn't gravitate to this prefs strategy again ("it couldn't be the prefs file, I just fixed it!"). The cause of my other resets - my Quadro GPU had stopped being recognized and I could no longer use the Lighting Effects tool (Filter >  Render > Lighting Effects...).

Anyway, this would suggest to me that the preference file is somehow more vulnerable to "corruption" these days than it used to be. I don't remember needing to do a refresh of it so often. I'd guess that it's an inevitable result of continuous improvement of an already complicated app, while the dated prefs mechanism is not keeping up. So it seems like an important safety tip to add a proactive strategy for keeping Photoshop healthy to my list.

I'm sure you understand that people depend on this tool for their livelihood. And I'm sure you empathize that the effect of prefs corruption events on demanding users goes beyond the trouble it takes to create a fresh prefs file. There can be a lot involved in re-establishing all of one's personal settings... especially for the right brained dominant person. In the midst of demanding creative workflows, there usually isn't time, or the technical/organizational prowess. A user would be well served to be diligent in resetting personal prefs/workspaces during workflow, and then at first opportunity manually back up the file. That's doable for left brain dominants; but life is becoming increasing complicated these days. It's one more difficult thing to manage for the creative types.

So... it would be great if there was a more robust Photoshop strategy for prefs to help users deal with this. The current function "Reset Preferences On Quit" can help for some prefs management issues; but does not cut it for this. I have 2 suggestions:

1.     Add a prefs backup function to the preferences dialog box - it would facilitate saving backup copy(s) of the current prefs file & reinstatement later.
2.     A parser that could validate the prefs file and target/fix errors

The 1st one wouldn't seem to me to be too demanding to program.

Thanks for your help,

Dale

[Sprattoo · Accepted solution]

It's been some time and I apologize for not checking back in. There is NO WAY out of this issue in photoshop (Including resetting prefs).
Here's what I did to be able to get on with life and get work done:

put in a USB thumbdrive or other removable memory device, assign it the proper letter drive it's looking for and create an empty folder of the folder name / structure it's looking for.

Once the drive it's looking for is in there, it will move on with life and you can point to a different local folder. this is a HUGE Pain in the back side and a programming bug that should be fixed.