[BUG] Wacom tablet locks tools in eraser mode, if you remove the pen in eraser mode.

[LeeC22]

This is a reproducible bug with Photoshop CS6 and Intuos 3 tablet (Driver version 6.3.15-3)

Steps to reporoduce.

1. Create a new document, or use an existing one.

2. Use the pen to draw somethng on any part of that document.

3. Flip the pen and use the eraser to erase part of it.

4. Remove the pen from the tablet, leaving the eraser tool active.

5. Use the mouse, select any tool and it will still be the eraser tool.

If you use an earlier version, when you remove the pen from the tablet, after a short time the cursor reverts to a normal cursor. With CS6, that doesn't happen, the eraser tool remains active. No amount of clicking tools with the mouse will revert the cursor to normal, even creating a new document will open it with the eraser tool active.

Pen functions are set up as standard, with the top button as the eraser.

Video showing the difference between CS3 and CS6: CS6 broken eraser - YouTube

[davescm]

Hi

I can't reproduce that here either in CS6 , CC2015.5 or CC2017.1.1 on Windows 10 Pro 64 bit version 1703 and with Wacom driver 6-3-17.3 (Intuos Pro PTH651).  The tool reverts to brush after pen is removed.

You can report bugs at the link below  - but CS6 is old software and no development will take place on it.

Photoshop Family Customer Community

Dave

[PECourtejoie]

Hello,

I'd first check if there isn't a newer version of the driver, Dave uses 6.3.17.3...

Also, I can see the auto-revert to the earlier tool, I can speed it up if I turn the stylus to the paint side, and just hover the tablet, does it work if you do that? It would be a good work around, as Photoshop CS6 won't receive any bug fix...

If all this does not work, I'd try to reset Photoshop's preferences. (CTRL+ALT+SHIFT as its starts)

[LeeC22]

The driver version I have is the last version for the Intuos 3, I checked that this morning. They're only 18 months old though (the drivers that is) and as CS6 is apparently "old software", I didn't think there would be any incompatibilities.

Yes, if I flip the pen back to normal it makes everything work but in my workflow, it can be a pain. I am an artist/programmer/designer, so I quite often have Visual Studio on one screen for programming and Photoshop on the other. So I will be making changes to artwork, then writing code to cater for those changes, which means I no longer have the pen in hand. So if I then go back to Photoshop to make further changes, I am doing so with just a mouse and keyboard. I could be placing text in a layout for a menu or something, so I wouldn't use the pen for that... or even just fetching location data for element placement etc...

If I always had the pen in hand, then it wouldn't be so bad but in a multi-role development setup, that's not always the case.

And whilst I accept and appreciate that there are workarounds, the developer side of me reports things like this, simply because if it was my software, I'd appreciate any and all bug reports. I noticed quite a few issues from users with Wacom tablets and Photoshop, so I wasn't sure if this was an existing problem or not. This is a brand new install of CS6 as well, literally just days old, so no real preference setup has happened yet, beyond a couple of keyboard shortcuts.

Ah well... it was worth a shot.

[davescm]

Hi Lee

By "old software" I meant Photoshop CS6 is version 13 which was introduced in 2012.  It was sold in parallel to CC for some time but Adobe stopped selling it altogether in January this year. Hence it will not be updated or fixed.  The current version is CC2017.1.1 which is effectively version 18.1.1.

There is nothing to stop you raising a bug report on the link I posted above, where it is more likely to be seen by Adobe staff. This forum is mainly user to user. When  occasionally staff do join, they are shown by the red and white "Staff" badge.

Dave

[LeeC22]

Hi Dave,

I didn't realise it was that old to be honest. Then again, the last 6 years of my life has been a blurry mess, so I wasn't sure when anything has been released version wise.

From what I have read from other users with Wacom related problems, it seems like they were fixed with Driver updates. After 18 months, I suspect the Intuos 3 isn't going to get any more attention either though. I dual boot with Windows 10, so I will install CS6 as a trial in there and see if the same problem exists. I will post back with any further findings as what I discover may help anyone with a similar problem.

These forums are so confusing, I initially got sent to a "community" that seemed to be only user-based, then I came to this one that I thought was more "official support" oriented and then I discover there's another level where you can submit bugs. It feels like an endless line of fences to climb sometimes, when you have questions.... it can be quite trying on the patience.

[LeeC22]

Well... Windows 10 turned out to be an even bigger disaster than Windows 7. The only positive thing was that the cursor reverted as it should do, however, everything else was a catastrophe.

The control panel wouldn't remember the monitor mapping, so insisted on using both of my monitors, even though I chose just the one. When I did try and draw something, the actual brush was drawing about 6 inches to the left of where the cursor was, apart from when I stopped drawing. At that point, a single brush stroke was added at the point I clicked. So basically, Windows 10 + CS6 + Intuos 3 is a total failure for me.

Oh well... I guess I should be thankful that my £15 mouse and £60 keyboard are more reliable than my £400 graphics tablet. Reminds me of Melbourne Draw and my RD Digital Tracer on the ZX Spectrum.

Thanks for the input everyone who posted something, I guess we can render this unsolvable but at least I have identified that it is probably Wacom that is the problem.