Skip navigation
rob_ashcroft
rob_ashcroft
Currently Being Moderated

Why are Photoshop panels always shown on the right?

Jun 27, 2012 10:20 AM

Tags: #photoshop #monitor #edit #position #cs6 #window

Why do ALL tutorial videos show the panels on the right of the screen? I loaded CS6 this week and thought I'd change them to the left. Why? Because I'm right handed and I tend to sit more to the left of the screen, which means I have to squint across to the right side of my very wide monitor to see the edit panels. I have successfully set up a profile with the panels on the left, and find it much easier to use (see below).

 

But... when I open an image it automatically loads to the left of the monitor (partly under the panels). I can get around that by hitting the 'F' key to get full screen mode with panels and menu, but is there a way to change the default position of the loaded image? I want to move it over to the right side as a default - like it is in screengrab below.

 

 

 

click image for large view

 

Capture.JPG

1155 Views   16 Replies   Latest reply: Noel Carboni, Jun 28, 2012 9:22 AM
 
Replies
  • Noel Carboni
    20,932 posts
    Dec 23, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. Noel Carboni,
    Jun 27, 2012 11:55 AM   in reply to rob_ashcroft
    Report

    You'll either need to dock the panels or shrink the Photoshop main window horizontally in order to keep the image from "underlapping" the panels.

     

    -noel

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • rob_ashcroft
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. rob_ashcroft,
    Jun 27, 2012 12:17 PM   in reply to Noel Carboni
    Report

    Thanks, Noel. I just adjusted my preferences in PS and set as following, with 'open documents as tabs' and 'enable floating document window docking'.

     

    Capture.JPG

     

    That opens an image and places it roughly in the centre of the screen. Like this, without need to adjust anything. And from there I can scroll the size with my mouse wheel.

     

    Anyone else use the left side?

     

    Capture2.JPG

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Trevor.Dennis
    1,591 posts
    May 24, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    3. Trevor.Dennis,
    Jun 27, 2012 2:22 PM   in reply to rob_ashcroft
    Report

    That's an odd one, and after having a quick play, there does not seem to be a fix. I tried moving the toolbar away from the top left screen edge, an docking the panels, and placing the toolbar underneath (double row), but the images stil underlap the panels.   I can't remember anyone else wanting to work that way, and most people are right handed.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Noel Carboni
    20,932 posts
    Dec 23, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    4. Noel Carboni,
    Jun 27, 2012 2:31 PM   in reply to Trevor.Dennis
    Report

    Trevor, I didn't actually try the docking ploy.  Thanks for following-up.

     

    There is one sure fix - drag the left edge of the Photoshop main window to the right, i.e., so the panels are out over the open desktop.

     

    -Noel

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • rob_ashcroft
    Currently Being Moderated
    5. rob_ashcroft,
    Jun 27, 2012 2:52 PM   in reply to Noel Carboni
    Report

    Noel Carboni wrote:

     

    There is one sure fix - drag the left edge of the Photoshop main window to the right, i.e., so the panels are out over the open desktop.

     

    -Noel

     

     

    arggggg!!!! I've been using Photoshop for five years not realizing you can do that. Wonderful! See new layout below. I think you just became my best friend.

     

    So... why don't all those people (inc Adobe) who do video tutorials do this, instead of moving panels out of the way all the time?

     

    I owe you a beer!

     

     

    This is now my full monitor screen (click for larger view)

     

    Capture.JPG

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Noel Carboni
    20,932 posts
    Dec 23, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    6. Noel Carboni,
    Jun 27, 2012 3:08 PM   in reply to rob_ashcroft
    Report

    You're welcome.  Nah, you don't owe me, but thanks for the thought. 

     

    It's not unlike what people with multiple monitors do.  All my panels are on a completely separate monitor from the Photoshop main window (though as it turns out they're over to the right, not the left).

     

    PsOnTwoMonitors.jpg

     

    -Noel

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • evan.fotis
    Currently Being Moderated
    7. evan.fotis,
    Jun 27, 2012 3:24 PM   in reply to Noel Carboni
    Report

    Hello all, without wanting to hijack this thread, but since its on the panels issue, I realized today that the layers panel will not expand in height more than 1245 pixels. Working on a multilayer comp and want to have all layers & groups visible at once. Even better I want to see medium sized thumbnails of the layers and their masks.

    So I tried undocking the layers panel and expanding it all it goes , then stacking it with others and expanding but alas it always will stop at 1245px height, leaving me with the side scrollbar to go through viewing layers or having to close groups.

    This is pretty lame nowadays with all these high res monitors that can be pivoted to portrait mode offering much more vertical space.

    Any suggestions would be more than welcome.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Noel Carboni
    20,932 posts
    Dec 23, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    8. Noel Carboni,
    Jun 27, 2012 3:29 PM   in reply to evan.fotis
    Report

    What are your desktop dimensions normally (without pivoting the monitor)?

     

    I don't have experience with this particular glitch, but wheels are turning and I'm wondering if something is preventing panels from getting larger than the original desktop metrics (e.g., at login or when Photoshop was started).

     

    -Noel

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • evan.fotis
    Currently Being Moderated
    9. evan.fotis,
    Jun 27, 2012 3:41 PM   in reply to Noel Carboni
    Report

    This setup has two 24"ers @ 1920x1200 and a 47 1920x1080.

    I'll try tomorrow in a 30'er to see what happens. FWIW neither does CS5 let the panel expand further.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Noel Carboni
    20,932 posts
    Dec 23, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    10. Noel Carboni,
    Jun 27, 2012 3:44 PM   in reply to evan.fotis
    Report

    I'm interested to hear how it behaves on the 2560 x 1600 desktop of the 30" monitor.  I'm betting it'll stop at 1645 pixels.

     

    -Noel

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Trevor.Dennis
    1,591 posts
    May 24, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    11. Trevor.Dennis,
    Jun 27, 2012 3:46 PM   in reply to Noel Carboni
    Report

    Noel Carboni wrote:

     

    Trevor, I didn't actually try the docking ploy.  Thanks for following-up.

     

    There is one sure fix - drag the left edge of the Photoshop main window to the right, i.e., so the panels are out over the open desktop.

     

    -Noel

     

    That was clever Noel.  Proper 'outside of the box' thinking.  More less literally so.  

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Noel Carboni
    20,932 posts
    Dec 23, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    12. Noel Carboni,
    Jun 27, 2012 3:51 PM   in reply to Trevor.Dennis
    Report

    Trevor.Dennis wrote:


    Proper 'outside of the box' thinking.


    Heh, it was quite literally so, wasn't it?  

     

    -Noel

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • R_Kelly
    Currently Being Moderated
    13. R_Kelly,
    Jun 27, 2012 7:40 PM   in reply to rob_ashcroft
    Report

    When using floating document windows, photoshop could use a center document windows like old versions of photoshop elements had (pse 2).

    Still if all your panels on the left are docked (not free floating as in your first screenshot) then the windows shouldn't open under the panels, but they won't be

    centered either, usually pretty close to the outer most left panel.

     

     

    Untitled-2.png

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • rob_ashcroft
    Currently Being Moderated
    14. rob_ashcroft,
    Jun 28, 2012 12:26 AM   in reply to R_Kelly
    Report

    I've adjusted my tools and properties menu bars outside of the document window now, so it doesn't intrude on the document screen. Much better. See screengrab below.

     

     

    One other thing I discovered - if you go to preferences and selct large font size then restart CS6 it makes the text on the control and document panels much more readable.

     

    Capture.JPG

     

     

    click for larger view (I've selected the History panel as fly-out just to show how it looks)

    Capture2.JPG

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • asu_chic
    Currently Being Moderated
    15. asu_chic,
    Jun 28, 2012 9:20 AM   in reply to Noel Carboni
    Report

    Noel,

     

    I hope you are "feeling the love" this a.m. Been using PS since CS2

    and didn't know this.  You should be basking in all the warm fuzzies

    being sent your way from all over the place today! 

     

    Thanks!

     

    asu_chic

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Noel Carboni
    20,932 posts
    Dec 23, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    16. Noel Carboni,
    Jun 28, 2012 9:22 AM   in reply to asu_chic
    Report

    That's cool!  You're welcome, and thanks for the nice feedback.

     

    -Noel

     
    |
    Mark as:
Actions

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...

Bookmarked By (0)

Answers + Points = Status

  • 10 points awarded for Correct Answers
  • 5 points awarded for Helpful Answers
  • 10,000+ points
  • 1,001-10,000 points
  • 501-1,000 points
  • 5-500 points