20 Replies Latest reply: May 16, 2013 12:33 AM by NorthlandSticks RSS

    What is the secret behind the cache level?

    AttilaHan Community Member

      Hi, I have a question about the cache levels ...

       

      Ok, as we know, Photoshop creates several preview images (more smaller than the original) for displaying the effects and creating histograms. So, I think that if I choose the cache level as 1 in the preference window, Photoshop does not create any smaller preview and it always displays information according to the original file. Is it wrong?

       

      But, this is not the case, as far as I can see. I set my cache level to 1 and it still displays histogram for cache level 3.

       

      So, my question is ... what is the secret behind the cache level?

        • 1. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
          conroy Community Member

          You need to relaunch Ps after changing Cache Levels for the change to be effective. Did you do that?

          • 2. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
            AttilaHan Community Member

            Yes Conroy, I closed and relaunched the Photoshop after changing the level in the preference window.

             

            Did you try it?

            Can you get the cache level 1 histogram after relaunching the Photoshop?

            • 3. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
              conroy Community Member

              Yes, I've done it numerous times. A relaunch always works for me, but you are not the first person to report being unable to avoid deeper cache levels despite a relaunch and the preferences definitely indicating CL is set to 1.

              • 4. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                AttilaHan Community Member

                Thanks a lot ... are you using Mac?

                I think that some features can not work well in PC systems both in Photoshop and in Lightroom ... and we don't have any official documentation about these features. Do we have?

                • 5. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                  conroy Community Member

                  I do use a Mac. I know of at least one PC user who has no problem setting CL 1 and uses it regularly. I'm not aware of the documentation which you seek.

                  • 6. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                    AttilaHan Community Member

                    Thank you Conroy ...

                    • 7. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                      Noel Carboni Community Member

                      On Windows 7 x64 I can set Cache Levels 1, and see the Histogram Panel show CL 1.  In my case, I have to set the GPU Drawing Mode to Basic in order for Photoshop not to crash.  It slows things down to work this way, but it's stable.

                       

                      Photoshop CS6 13.1.2 32 bit showing Cache Levels set to 1:

                      ScreenGrab_04_21_2013_103016.png

                       

                      What specific version of Photsohop are you running AttilaHan?

                       

                      I have been idly thinking of a theory in which there's unexpected coupling between the preferences saved for 32 and 64 bit versions of Photoshop, and since on Macs there's only a 64 bit version, perhaps there could be dormant settings being accessed that can't be changed.

                       

                      -Noel

                      • 8. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                        AttilaHan Community Member

                        Hi Noel ...

                         

                        I'm using 64-bit version of Photoshop on Windows 7 x64. I looked at the preferences folder and there is only one general preferences file called "Adobe Photoshop X64 CS6 Prefs.psp"

                         

                        I would like to ask some questions for better understanding the cache preview files ...

                         

                        PS always creates cache preview files for big files. I mean ... when PS creates previews files, it does not look at the preference value for cache level ... For example, when we view with the "fit on screen" choice, it has to supply a low resolution file, even we set the cache level value 1. Is it right?

                         

                        So, I think that the cache level slider in the preferences dialog is there for only adjusting the display option of histogram? Whether histogram will show values from the original file or from the low resolution file ... this decision of histogram depends on this preference setting. Is this correct?

                        • 9. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                          conroy Community Member

                          AttilaHan wrote:

                           

                          So, I think that the cache level slider in the preferences dialog is there for only adjusting the display option of histogram?

                           

                          No, the Cache Levels preference (and therefore the number of caches) affects more than the histogram. The display image is interpolated from the caches. If CL is 1 then the display is created from that one full-size cache regardless of the zoom level. If CL is greater than 1 then the display will be created from the appropriate caches, depending on zoom level.

                          • 10. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                            AttilaHan Community Member

                            Thanks ... then, for every file, PS creates 3 preview files if we choose the cache level as 3 ... and creates no preview file if we choose the cache level as 1.

                             

                            Then, it is very strange that I can see cache as 3 on the histogram after some operations even my cache level is 1 on the performance dialog.

                            • 11. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                              conroy Community Member

                              AttilaHan wrote:

                               

                              [...] it is very strange that I can see cache as 3 on the histogram after some operations even my cache level is 1 on the performance dialog.

                               

                               

                              Yes, it is strange and should not be happening, as far as I know.

                              • 12. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                Noel Carboni Community Member

                                Conroy is right on the money. 

                                 

                                One thing I'd like to add:  Cache Levels are not files (I mention this because you're using the word "files", AttilaHan)  They are in-memory abstractions that represent size-reduced images that Photsohop can operate on more quickly than if it worked on the entire image all the time.  Consider that a document can be HUGE and as fast as the best modern computers are, they can still be visibly bogged-down by trying to execute functions interactively on gigabytes of data.

                                 

                                I don't honestly know what could be causing you to not be able to have Photoshop operate strictly with Cache Levels set to 1.

                                 

                                -Noel

                                • 13. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                  Noel Carboni Community Member

                                  AttilaHan wrote:

                                   

                                  I'm using 64-bit version of Photoshop on Windows 7 x64.

                                   

                                  I was more asking what update level you're on (13.0.0, 13.0.1, 13.1.0, 13.1.2, etc.).

                                   

                                  Please choose Help - System Info in Photoshop, copy the data, and paste it into a post here.  Perhaps something will be revealed that helps explain what you're seeing.

                                   

                                  -Noel

                                  • 14. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                    AttilaHan Community Member

                                    Adobe Photoshop Version: 13.0.1

                                    • 15. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                      Noel Carboni Community Member

                                      Well, that's the latest one you can upgrade-to with a perpetual license on a PC.

                                       

                                      I have 13.1.2 on a cloud subscription, though I'm quite sure I was doing Cache Levels 1 work with 13.0.0 and 13.0.1 when I had them as well.

                                       

                                      There is other info in the System Info that might have helped with the issue you're seeing, for example an "Image cache levels:" listing that would confirm that you really have configured Photoshop for the number of cache levels you believe you have.  But certainly if you don't want to post the info, that's fine.

                                       

                                      -Noel

                                      • 16. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                        AttilaHan Community Member

                                        Hmmm, my system info says that cache level is 4 even after I assumed to decrease it to 1.

                                         

                                        Adobe Photoshop Version: 13.0.1 (13.0.1 20120808.r.519 2012/08/08:21:00:00) x64
                                        Operating System: Windows 7 64-bit
                                        Version: 6.1 Service Pack 3
                                        System architecture: Intel CPU Family:6, Model:10, Stepping:7 with MMX, SSE Integer, SSE FP, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, HyperThreading
                                        Physical processor count: 2
                                        Logical processor count: 4
                                        Processor speed: 2793 MHz
                                        Built-in memory: 8086 MB
                                        Free memory: 4833 MB
                                        Memory available to Photoshop: 7146 MB
                                        Memory used by Photoshop: 54 %
                                        Image tile size: 128K
                                        Image cache levels: 4
                                        OpenGL Drawing: Enabled.
                                        OpenGL Drawing Mode: Advanced
                                        OpenGL Allow Normal Mode: True.
                                        OpenGL Allow Advanced Mode: True.
                                        OpenGL Allow Old GPUs: Not Detected.
                                        Video Card Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
                                        Video Card Renderer: GeForce GT 525M/PCIe/SSE2
                                        Display: 1

                                         

                                        Maybe, I can not change the cache level correctly.

                                        How can I do this?

                                        PS can not save my changes in this case.

                                        • 17. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                          Chris Cox Adobe Employee

                                          There is a bug with the cache level preferences on Windows.

                                          Try changing it in the 32 bit app, then quit and relaunch the 64 bit app.

                                          • 18. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                            AttilaHan Community Member

                                            Thank you Chris ... do we have an official documentation mentioning other bugs in PS? or in LR?

                                            I'm studying PS and LR from A to Z and such a documentation would help me so much.

                                            • 19. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                              Noel Carboni Community Member

                                              Adobe, beyond Chris' and others' good graces here, does not generally publish information about known bugs.

                                               

                                              Thanks, Chris, for that info.  I had thought there was a coupling, but life is full of so many details I couldn't remember the specifics.

                                               

                                              -Noel

                                              • 20. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                                AttilaHan Community Member

                                                Conroy, Noel ... thank you so much for giving me so much time.

                                                • 21. Re: What is the secret behind the cache level?
                                                  NorthlandSticks Community Member

                                                  Sorry to jump in here. Came across this thread while searching for a solution to my issue. I am curious as to how, as seen in your system info, you were able to get your geforce gt 525m to be recognized? I've got the same card but PS chooses to recognize only the Intel HD card.