Ps CS3 opening design files defaulting to a Image Mode of "Indexed"

SloYerRoll

One of my projects is validating PSD's converted to HTML and every time I open up the files, they are in the color mode of indexed (see screen grab).

Is there any way I can force Ps to open in RGB mode? I can't make any edits until I change the color mode to RGB (or any other known color mode) and it's really annoying.

Any ideas?


Since I'm here. Anyone know what index color mode is used for?

Cheers,
-Jon

jdryan3

No screen grab?

SloYerRoll

Whoops.

Richard

SloYerRoll wrote:

One of my projects is validating PSD's converted to HTML and every time I open up the files, they are in the color mode of indexed (see screen grab).

Is there any way I can force Ps to open in RGB mode? I can't make any edits until I change the color mode to RGB (or any other known color mode) and it's really annoying.

Any ideas?


Since I'm here. Anyone know what index color mode is used for?

Cheers,
-Jon

Hi Jon,

I suspect what is happening is that the files you are opening are GIFs. HTML is not an image format. GIFs are very compact (8 bits/pixel vs 24 in sRGB) but have limited color range. In fact, they only contain at most 255 distinct colors, though each file may have a different set of 255. The index tells the rendering program which color to use for each of the 255 possibilities. Because they are so small, they are popular on the Web for graphics in which image quality is not terribly important.

As for a solution, you could always create an action to convert to RGB and assign it to a function key, or do a batch conversion if you have many files at once. What happens if you try to edit them in PS without changing the colorspace?

Of course, I might be completely wrong about what's happening here. Wouldn't be the first time.

Cheers,

SloYerRoll

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the input. It's really appreciated that you took the time to post.
I'm actually validating other developers work to ensure they have done the work correctly in accordance w/ standards compliant code. So I hope I have a decent knowledge of this or I'm getting overpaid (which there's a chance of that anyway).:D

Creating an action is moot since all I have to do is go up to mode then change to RGB. The hassle is I'm used to everything being in RGB and I go to edit or re-slice something it won't let me. So after I'm in the process of working. I have to go back to modes then change to RGB. Make sense? It kind of feels like using CMYK or 16/32bit for an image. You can only do a limited amount of things in Ps w/ this mode on and the rest of the options are grayed out.

I just don't know what this mode is for or how to make photoshop kick the files in the teeth and make them launch in RGB mode.

Looks like Google is my friend on this one.

Cheers,
-Jon

Richard

SloYerRoll wrote:

I just don't know what this mode is for or how to make photoshop kick the files in the teeth and make them launch in RGB mode.

-Jon

It's just to save space and thus reduce the page load time. You generally don't need millions of colors for small graphics...a 100x100 pixel graphic only has 10,000 pixels, so using 24 bits/pixel can be overkill.

SloYerRoll

rsinmadrid wrote:

It's just to save space and thus reduce the page load time. You generally don't need millions of colors for small graphics...a 100x100 pixel graphic only has 10,000 pixels, so using 24 bits/pixel can be overkill.

Ahhh....
Thanks Richard. I normally make those adjustment in Save for Web and Devices.

Any ideas how to force Ps to open files in RGB mode?

Richard

SloYerRoll wrote:

Any ideas how to force Ps to open files in RGB mode?

Hey Jon,

I tried a few things but couldn't get it to work; maybe someone else can figure it out. There might be a way to do it with scripting, if you can trigger a command based on a file-open notification. I haven't done any scripting in PS, so I really don't know. I would just use an action.

BTW, you should remember to convert the files back to indexed color and save as GIFs. Otherwise, you will be tripling the file sizes and your clients are likely to get pissed if they notice.

Cheers,

SloYerRoll

rsinmadrid wrote:

BTW, you should remember to convert the files back to indexed color and save as GIFs. Otherwise, you will be tripling the file sizes and your clients are likely to get pissed if they notice.

Cheers,

Thanks Richard,

There's an option in the save for web dialog called "restrictive" that does the same thing as Index. I'm aware of file size and color limitations to trim the fat off images. Most of the images I save are 1px x Xpx so even if I saved the image as a native photoshop file, the size would still only be a few kilobytes. Even though I don't

-Jon

jdryan3

SloYerRoll wrote:

Any ideas how to force Ps to open files in RGB mode?

Isn't there a Preference that asks you what color space to use if the image isn't in the default working space? I think to defaults to the prompt box (use embedded, change to working space, or ignore) most of us see, but the preference allows you to do an 'always' on those choices - always use embedded, always convert, etc.

Of course it would be an all or nothing deal without changing the preference back. Today your Index becomes sRGB, tomorrow your personal ProPhoto (or Adobe RGB) stuff would also.

SloYerRoll

But it's not a specific color space. A color space is sRGB inside the RGB document. I'm talking about the actual mode.
See the screen grab below. This sets color spaces not color modes.