12 Replies Latest reply: Nov 19, 2014 3:42 PM by IceBoxStudios RSS

    Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8

    DexterG Community Member

      When I use Adobe Bridge with the Wacom pen (Intuos 5) the first one or two clicks work but then the program stops responding to any pen clicks until I move the mouse or touch the touchpad, and then all the unresponsive clicks are played back at once. This problem first appeared with Bridge in CS5. I then upgraded to CS6 hoping it would go away, but it didn't. And now I've downloaded the new CC version of Bridge and it does the same thing. The pen works erratically in other Adobe programs as well but the malfunction is most obvious and happens consistently in Bridge. All Microsoft programs (Office 2010, Outlook, Internet Explorer, and Windows 8 itself) work fine with the Wacom pen.

       

      I've searched the Adobe and Wacom support forums and this problem does not appear to be affecting anyone else; although, I did find these two posts by people with similar problems:

      http://forums.adobe.com/message/5359741

      http://forums.adobe.com/message/5262754

       

      I've talked to Wacom tech support and tried all of the troubleshooting steps they could think of, including going back to earlier versions of the Intuos driver. They released a new Windows 8 driver yesterday (6.36) but it did not solve my problem.

       

      Since I use a Logitech mouse, I've tried updating, going back to earlier versions, and completely uninstalling the Logitech drivers but the problem did not go away. I've also uninstalled, cleaned settings, and reinstalled the Adobe apps several times with no change.

       

      This morning I tried disabling all non-Microsoft services and all non-essential startup programs on reboot but it made no difference.

       

      One clue I've noticed that might help Adobe engineers figure this mystery out is that when I click on the little triangles to expand the metadata in the panel (with my first pen click as that's the only one which registers) they will highlight but not rotate and the panel never expands (see pictures below). This is a unique behavior which I can not replicate with my mouse. If someone can identify what would make the triangles respond in this way we might be onto what message the program is getting when I click with the pen.

       

      bridge-1.jpg

      After pen click on Camera Raw metadata triangle

       

      bridge-2.jpg

      After mouse click on Camera Raw metadata triangle

        • 1. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
          Arpit Kapoor Employee Hosts

          [Moved the discussion to Bridge Forum]

          • 2. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
            Curt Y Community Member

            On the PS forum several days ago the OP was asking why Photoshop CS6 does not work well with a touch screen on Win8.  One answer that seemed plasuable was the MS supports a different tablet driver than the standard Wacom driver.  Now I don't know if this has anything to do with your problem but thought I would throw it out anyways.

             

            I would be fairly confident you have some software conflict.  THe one person found Windows Sticky Notes were the problem.  Since this problem has not been presented before, only have to assume it is quite rare. 

             

            I am no computer whiz, but from your description "the first one or two clicks work but then the program stops responding to any pen clicks until I move the mouse or touch the touchpad" sounds like a buffer filling up and waiting for a command (in this case your mouse click).  So somewhere you have a program hijacing your pen clicks. Disable your anti-virus and see if any changes occur.  Think of other add on key logger or other programs you might have that would conflict.  Shut down all unnecessary programs running in the background.  Does Win 8 still use the ctrl alt delete for the Task Manager?

             

            Since it is wireless pen that could bring up radio interferience.  Try moving your pad and pen away from current location and see if it makes any difference. 

             

            Hope this helps and not just things you have already tried.

            • 3. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
              DexterG Community Member

              UPDATE:
              I used Photoshop CC for several hours last night doing photo retouching and the Wacom pen worked flawlessly; however, every time I returned to Bridge the program would stop responding after the first pen click. Interestingly, using mini-Bridge from within Photoshop works fine.

              • 4. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                DexterG Community Member

                Curt Y wrote:

                 

                Shut down all unnecessary programs running in the background.  Does Win 8 still use the ctrl alt delete for the Task Manager?

                I did as you suggested and tried shutting down other running programs with Task Manager (Ctrl-Shift-Tab in Windows 8) but nothing changed in Bridge's response to pen clicks.

                 

                Then I used msconfig to turn off all non-essential system services and programs by doing what it calls a "Diagnostic Startup". Upon reboot only the minumal Windows drivers and services were running. Not even the Wacom driver was loaded, although the pen still worked using the Microsoft pen driver. I oppened Bridge, and guess what, exact same problem. One click and then the program locks up. And this is with absolutely nothing else running, no sound, no network, no other programs, and only the minimal set of Microsoft drivers.

                 

                So I figure that the only thing that's left for me to investigate is the Microsoft "Pen and Touch" settings in Control Panel. I open that and see three pen actions: Single-tap, Double-tap and a thing called "Press and hold" which is turned off. I turn it on and test Bridge. Bingo! it works. Pen clicks now register normally.

                 

                If I hold the pen down for a second, however, a right click is triggered. This is what "Press and hold" is supposed to do. But if I go back to Control Panel and turn "Press and hold" off, then Bridge locks up on normal pen clicks. It's like Bridge is interpreting every click as a click-and-hold but is unable to follow thorugh if the setting is turned off in the "Pen and Touch" control panel.

                 

                I've found no other program on my computer that does this but Bridge, and all version of Bridge from CS5 through CC do the exact same thing. A very strange bug indeed! But now I have a solution: turn on "Press and hold" in the "Pen and Touch" applet in Windows 8 Control Panel.

                • 5. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                  Curt Y Community Member

                  Good sluething!  But have a question.  If you are using a Wacom pad, pen and driver, why is the MS pen driver even active?  Maybe the two drivers are in conflict, or the MS driver is not Adobe compatible.  Not the first time there are MS and Adobe conflicts.  If you disable and find problem goes away might drop note to MS.

                  • 6. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                    DexterG Community Member

                    Curt Y wrote:

                     

                    If you are using a Wacom pad, pen and driver, why is the MS pen driver even active?

                    Because I was running Windows in Diagnostic Mode with all non-Microsoft drivers and most non-essential services disabled, as you suggested. Once the Wacom driver is re-enabled it turns off the Microsoft driver which removes "Pen and Touch" from the control panel. In the "Wacom Tablet Properties" control panel applet there's an option on the Mapping tab to "Use Windows Ink" which enables or disables the press-and-hold feature normally found in the Microsoft "pen and Touch" driver settings.

                    • 7. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                      Omke Oudeman Community Member

                      Once the Wacom driver is re-enabled it turns off the Microsoft driver which removes "Pen and Touch" from the control panel. I

                       

                       

                      Also check your driver version for Wacom, they just recently released a new driver (6.36w.3) for Intuos and Cintiq

                      • 8. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                        DexterG Community Member

                        Omke Oudeman wrote:

                         

                        they just recently released a new driver (6.36w.3) for Intuos and Cintiq

                        Yes, I know. I've been working with Wacom tech support to troubleshoot this and they notified me about the new driver a week ago. It made no difference though. I think the bug is in Adobe Bridge's handling of the Windows 8 press-and-hold feature. No other program on my system, including Photoshop CC, locks-up like this when I use the pen; whereas, all versions of Bridge which I've tested (CS5, CS6, and CC) respond in the exact same way (the click starts to register but never completes--you can see this in the triangle color change pictured in my original post above.)

                        • 9. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                          BrightWorkMedia AU Community Member

                          I'm so glad I've finally found some people talking sense on this issue!

                           

                          I have this problem with my bamboo tablet in all adobe apps, and also in Office 2013. Clicks lag until I move the mouse.

                           

                          I also do not wish to use the 'click and hold' feature, as it screws up text highlighting which is something I use frequently.

                           

                          How's the discussion with wacom going?  Did you raise any tickets with microsoft for the way windows handles this?

                           

                          Also, this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukJ-2_F2wO8

                          • 10. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                            DexterG Community Member

                            For me the problem has not returned since I turned on Windows 8 "Press and Hold" in "Pen and Touch" control panel. The newer Wacom drivers have a "Use Windows Ink" checkbox which seems to do the same thing (and overrides the Windows settings which has "Press and hold" on by default.)

                             

                            So what I would suggest trying, BrightWork, is turning "Press and Hold" on in Windows 8 (Control Panel / Tablet PC Settings / Goto Pen and Touch / Pen Actions / Press and Hold /Settings / Enable) and off in Wacom driver (uncheck "Use Windows Ink" under Pen Mapping).

                            • 11. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                              ErsSup Community Member

                              Thank you very much for the solution, Dexter!!!

                               

                              Had the same problem.

                              • 12. Re: Bridge stops responding to Wacom pen clicks in Windows 8
                                IceBoxStudios Community Member

                                I had the same problem. Enabling press and hold works.