The performance of Adobe Photoshop CS3 is affected by available random-access memory (RAM) and computer processor speed. Other factors can also affect performance, such as the options you select, system configuration, and the built-in limitations of Photoshop. Photoshop CS3 supports new maximum image dimensions, and file sizes requiring increased system requirements. The maximum file size Photoshop CS3 supports is 300,000 x 300,000 pixels, except for PDF files, which are constrained by the 30,000 x 30,000 pixel limitation.

Photoshop CS3 has an increased file size capability for the following file types:

• PSD files: 2 GB
• TIFF files: 4 GB

Note: Most applications cannot work with TIFF files over 2 GB.

• PSB files: 4 Exabytes (4096 Petabytes, or 4 million Terabytes)
• PDF files: 10 GB (pages are limited to a maximum size of 200 inches).

Note: Large Document Format files (.psb) cannot be read by Photoshop 7.0.x or earlier.

Adobe Photoshop options and plug-ins

The options you select and plug-ins you use in Photoshop can affect its performance. The options and plug-ins that most directly affect performance include those covered in this section.

Setting scratch disks

The Photoshop scratch disk is similar to virtual memory. For the best performance, you should set the scratch disk to a defragmented hard disk that has plenty of unused space and fast read/write speeds (rather than a network drive or removable media such as a Zip drive). Photoshop requires at least 1 GB of free hard-disk space, but more is recommended. If you have more than one hard disk volume, you should specify additional scratch disks. Photoshop CS2 supports up to 64 exabytes (EB) of scratch disk space on a total of four volumes. (An EB is equal to 1 billion gigabytes.) RAID 0 partitions provide the best possible performance as Photoshop scratch disks.

Note: Adobe recommends that you set the primary scratch disk to a different hard disk than the one Windows uses for its virtual memory or paging file.

To set the scratch disk:

1. Choose Edit > Preferences > Performance.
2. Select the Active? box for each hard disk you want to contain a scratch disk.
   
   Note: Unless you have a drive that has considerable space open, and is defragmented regularly, choose more than one drive, if one or more is available.
3. Click OK.
4. Restart Photoshop.

Adjusting the cache levels

Photoshop uses image caching to redraw high-resolution images faster. With caching, Photoshop uses low-resolution versions of an image to quickly update the image on-screen as you work. To enable the Cache Levels option, specify the number (1 to 8) of low-resolution versions you want Photoshop to store (cache). The more versions of an image you have Photoshop cache, however, the slower it opens image files. In Photoshop, the default Cache Level setting is 6. Setting the Cache option to 1 disables image caching; only the current screen image is cached. Setting the Cache higher than 4 improves the performance when working on larger images by redrawing them faster. If you have performance issues in Photoshop CS3, set the Cache Level to 2 and then test your performance. If you are using small files, such as those to be used on the web, set your Cache Level to 1 or 2 to increase performance.

Note: Image caching may cause a less accurate preview. When necessary, view files at 100% to ensure an accurate preview.

To adjust the Cache Levels setting:

1. Choose Edit > Preferences > Performance.
2. Enter a value from 1 to 8 in the Cache Levels text box.
3. Restart Photoshop.

Do not automatically launch Bridge

When the Automatically Launch Bridge preference is selected, Adobe Bridge CS3 will open when you open Photoshop, increasing the time it takes to open Photoshop. Turn off this preference in the General preference panel to reduce launch time for Photoshop.

To turn this option off:

1. Choose Edit > Preferences > General.
2. Deselect the Automatically Launch Bridge option.
3. Click OK.

Set Maximize PSD And PSB File Compatibility to Ask

The Maximize PSD And PSB File Compatibility feature increases the size of your file by attaching a flattened copy of your image when you save your image. In earlier versions of Photoshop, you didn't need to keep this option on. In Photoshop CS3, however, a small amount of extra data is included in the file when you choose this option that ensures that PSD and PBS files saved in Photoshop CS3 will open in earlier versions. Additionally, when this option is on, and you open a Photoshop CS3 image in a previous version with a feature in it that cannot be supported by the earlier version, Photoshop will display a warning message.

If you are saving files in Photoshop CS3 for use in earlier versions, then save them with this option on (that is, set to Ask or Always).

To change the Maximize File Compatibility option:

1. Choose Photoshop > Preferences > File Handling.
2. Change Maximize PSD And PSB File Compatibility to one of the following:
   • -- Ask: Prompts you to maximize file compatibility when you save.
   • -- Always: Saves with maximized file compatibility without asking.
   • -- Never: Does not save or prompt you to save with maximized file compatibility.

Minimizing palette preview thumbnails

Photoshop requires additional memory to display preview thumbnails in the Layers, Channels, and Paths palette. Photoshop updates the preview thumbnails as you make changes to the image itself. The more preview thumbnails Photoshop displays and the larger the thumbnail you select, the more memory Photoshop requires to draw and update preview thumbnails.

To minimize or turn off palette previews in the Layers, Channels, or Paths palette, select Palette Options from the palette menu. For Thumbnail Size, select the smallest thumbnail size or select None, then click OK.

Keywords : Tutorials, Mezzoforce Tutorials, Optimize performance, Photoshop CS3, Windows XP, Vista, guide

Average user rating

   (0 vote)