PS and 4k monitor - UI, Web Design problems

[Einar_Szu]

Hi,

I am experiencing a problem with using PS as a tool for Web / UI design after I switched to 4k monitor. ( Macbook Pro )

Basically when trying to design, say a webpage 1200px wide I get something in size of a postcard in the middle of the screen, with details to small to edit.

There's one workaround I see:

Making document 200% bigger. - Everything is in right, readable size but still other issues occur:
-  exporting assets. (you can export them to 50% but some vector elements and smart objects may be broken,

-  preparing a spec with correct dimensions requires scaling document down by 50%. Again some elements are broken and it takes too much time.

You can also work in 100% res. and zoom working area - ugly antialias (even though you work with vectors).

Does anybody see other solution than switching to Sketch or throwing 4k screen through the window?

Best

Igor

[Derek Cross]

Which version of Photoshop and OS?

[Einar_Szu]

@Derek   /  It's Sierra 10.12.5 / PS CC (2017.1.1)

[pziecina]

Sketch is vector based, which is why it appears not to have the same problems on 4k screens, if you have a CC subscription using illustrator will do the same job.

4k screens are becomming more common, and over the next few years web designers and developers will have to work out their own ways to provide usable content for them, especially as hi-dpi screens over 30 inches also become the norm for desktop displays. You can use scrset and picture elements for images, but the use of the old one size pixel settings for everything no longer works, even though many will try to cling on to them, just as many tried to cling on to using html tables for layout.

I agree that Ps will need to change if it is going to compete in the web content market, but as it is a pixel based program, i still think displaying 1px to equal 1 pixel even on hi-dpi screens is the most sensible aproach, and everything else is for the person creating web content to develop their own ways of handling it.

[D Fosse]

pziecina  wrote

I agree that Ps will need to change if it is going to compete in the web content market, but as it is a pixel based program, i still think displaying 1px to equal 1 pixel even on hi-dpi screens is the most sensible aproach, and everything else is for the person creating web content to develop their own ways of handling it.

On the face of it yes - but what everybody seems to forget in these discussions is that Photoshop is not primarily a web authoring tool. Photoshop is used by photographers, in prepress, by print designers, by forensic and medical workers, and so on and so on and so on.

If the web designers got their way in this, the application would be rendered next to useless for these other professionals who rely on the application to display accurately.

View > 200% works. It effectively turns your UHD/retina display into a standard one, and brings Photoshop in line with web browsers.

[pziecina]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/D+Fosse  wrote

On the face of it yes - but what everybody seems to forget in these discussions is that Photoshop is not primarily a web authoring tool. Photoshop is used by photographers, in prepress, by print designers, by forensic and medical workers, and so on and so on and so on.

That's why i said it is for the person creating the web content to develop their own ways of handeling the problem.

I don't know how many Ps users creating content for the web even consider hi-dpi displays, but as over 50% of web users are using hi-dpi displays with a wide spectrum of resolutions now, from 2k smartphones to 8k large screen tv's, working as though it was pre hi-dpi and expecting Ps to do everything is no longer an option in my opinion.

Maybe using illustrator for the ui mock-up, and just using Ps for images would be the more sensible option.

[D Fosse]

pziecina  wrote

That's why i said it is for the person creating the web content to develop their own ways of handeling the problem.

I know and you know   It was just "in response to" you because then it's easy to quote - but it was intended for the OP, and others who seem to miss that distinction.

[Einar_Szu]

Thanks for all the answers.

I thought that there's maybe some magic switch in settings that will do the work ... 

Having documents scaled to 200% (not zoomed to 200%) do work but consumes more proccessor power and assets not export properly. I guess Adobe will have to handle this somewhow otherwise PS will be abandoned by many web pros.
There are still plenty of them looking at advanced web exporting options, being significant part of the latest updates.

I think some switch in settings would do the work (but maybe its not possible to implement for some reasons).

For now I'll have to comeback to using old Eizo as a primary monitor. 4K will be serve as a palletes storage and wait for better times  😕

[Terri_Stevens · Accepted solution]

I'm not sure if you would qualify for this, but Adobe is running a beta trial of a new version of Photoshop that has a fully scalable UI to tackle this problem. I don't think it's limited to ACPs , but you could apply and see what they say. Even if they say no at least you know there is an upcoming solution.

Adobe Prerelease