As good as Photoshop is, it's not perfect. Sometimes it doesn't work as you'd expect, or perhaps there are things about the way it behaves that are just plain annoying to you. Below you'll find solutions to some of the most common Photoshop problems, and I also give you the chance to spout off about your Photoshop pet peeves--what annoys you the most about Photoshop?
The Scratch Disk is Full
Are you getting an error message in Photoshop that the scratch disk is full? Maybe you don't even know what the scratch disk is! This article explains the scratch disk, how to deal with the scratch disk is full error message, and how to set Photoshop's scratch disk preferences for optimal performance.Brush or Tool Cursor Mysteriously Changes Appearance
You're happily working on a project when suddenly your brush cursor changes from the brush shape to a cross hair or vice-versa. What?! It's not a bug--it's a feature!My Crop Tool Is Stuck!
Is your crop tool stuck in a fixed position or missing the side handles for adjusting the crop size? It's an easy fix, once you know it!Commands Are Unavailable
If many of Photoshop's commands are grayed-out, you probably need to change your color mode.Unexplainable Quirks
Is Photoshop doing something strange that you just can't figure out? Then it may be time to trash your preferences! This simple procedure cures a good portion of problems with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, and ImageReady.Two-Computer Activation Limit
In Photoshop CS for Windows and Photoshop CS2 for Macintosh and Windows, Adobe has introduced product activation, which makes the two-computer policy strictly enforceable by preventing you from activating Photoshop on more than two computers. You can still install Photoshop on as many computers as you like, but only two copies can be activated at the same time.Product activation also adds another level of complexity to the uninstall and reinstall process and it can create problems if you don't de-activate your installation, such as in the case of a disk failure.
• Discussion: Product Activation in Photoshop
No Dual-Platform Licenses for Photoshop
If you work on both a Windows and a Macintosh computer, you're required to purchase two separate licenses to run Photoshop on each platform. This is in conflict with the end-user license agreement which allows a second copy to be installed. Unfortunately, there is no solution to this, although users who change platform can perform a cross-platform upgrade with a bit of added hassle.• How Do I Exchange an Adobe Product for a Different Platform?
No Scanning Directly into Photoshop CS4 64-bit
Adobe does not supply a TWAIN driver for the 64-bit version of Photoshop on Windows. The workaround is to scan outside of Photoshop and then open the file into Photoshop, or you can switch to running the 32-bit version of Photoshop when you know you'll be scanning; however, this can be an annoyance when you've already started a project in Photoshop 64-bit.Photoshop is Expensive
At around $600 for Photoshop Standard and $1000 for Photoshop Extended, Photoshop is expensive--no doubt about it. For many who use Photoshop daily in their professional life, it's worth it. But for those who don't feel it's worth it, Photoshop Elements is an excellent low-cost alternative.• Beware of "Too Good To Be True" Prices for Photoshop
Still Having a Photoshop Problem?
Still stumped? If your Photoshop problem isn't addressed here, visit the forum and the community will do our best to help. Or if you just want to rant, share your Photoshop pet peeves at the link below.
