Drag and Dropped files now center on mouse instead of canvas

[michaelt78925845]

I've just updated to Photoshop CC 2018, and in previous versions when dragging and dropping images onto an open document the files would be placed centered within the canvas. Since the update the images are now placed in the document centered on the mouse cursor, partially or fully outside of the canvas.

I realize I could center the layers to the background after the fact, but that's an extra step in a process I do several times a day at work.

I'm assuming there must be a new setting to toggle the centering on placement, but I can't find it. Any insight would be much appreciated.

[Chuck Uebele]

I believe it has always been that way. For it to be centered you need to hold the shift key while releasing the mouse.

[michaelt78925845]

I'm sure that in my previous versions of Photoshop, dropping files onto an open and ready canvas the images were placed and snapped to the center of the canvas.  I've tried holding Shift key while releasing the mouse, but this doesn't seem to change any behavior.

I should have noted that I'm on PC using Windows 8. I'm not sure if Mac behaves differently.

[D Fosse]

michaelt78925845  wrote

I'm sure that in my previous versions of Photoshop, dropping files onto an open and ready canvas the images were placed and snapped to the center of the canvas

No, it has never been like that. As Chuck says, you always had to hold shift to center on canvas. That's how it still works.

[ubernaut]

actually on mac at least it has worked that way always in the past.

for now at least my workaround is to use the snapping to get it to where it used to go automatically. not as good ux but literally 1 extra interaction step.

[stephaniel42333843]

Yes, that's how it works if you are dragging something from a document already open in Photoshop into another document in Photoshop but if you drag a closed document from your desktop into a Photoshop document, it used to snap it to the center automatically. You can't hold the shift key to drag something from the desktop to center it.

[michaelt78925845]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/D+Fosse  wrote

michaelt78925845   wrote

I'm sure that in my previous versions of Photoshop, dropping files onto an open and ready canvas the images were placed and snapped to the center of the canvas

No, it has never been like that. As Chuck says, you always had to hold shift to center on canvas. That's how it still works.

Stephanie is correct. I am dragging images from an outside windows folder source and dropping them directly into Photoshop. Sorry for my lack of clarity.

[davescm]

I've just checked using CC2017 and CC2018, I have both installed, and there is a difference.

Dragging from the desktop in CC2017 places the image at centre and dragging from the desktop in CC2018 places the image at the cursor.

I can't see a preference change that would cause that

Dave

[ubernaut]

yes I'm not sure why some people are saying it wasn't like this. i also went through all the settings and couldn't find anything that would effect this behavior.

In the past, dragging layers from another open PS always centered on cursor, dragging documents from the desktop always centered on target document's center. CC2018 now centers on cursor regardless.

The default scale still works in a similar manner, dragging layers from another open PS always maintains source layers scale, dragging documents from the desktop always scales to target document's bounds.

These are mac behaviors can't say for sure if it is any different on IBM.

ideally there would be options to apply either behavior in either situation selectively, would be a major time saver.

[davescm]

I should have said. Mine is on Windows 10

Dave

[ubernaut]

should have said dragging file scales to either document bounds or 100%, i think which ever is greater…

[Chuck Uebele]

The scaling is a feature of placing a smart object, and can be changed in the preferences.

[ubernaut]

please to show us where

[Chuck Uebele]

Ctrl/cmd-k for preferences. Under General>resize Image during place on the right side.

[ubernaut]

oh yeah we need one of those for centering too

[Chuck Uebele]

Yes, that would be nice.

[michaeloldman]

"No, it has never been like that. As Chuck says, you always had to hold shift to center on canvas. That's how it still works."

Sorry that is not correct. I perform drag and drop multiple times every day and have never had to hold shift in order to centre the image on the canvas.

In Windows you can drag an image from File Explorer and drop it on the canvas and it will be centred on the canvas. you do not have to hold SHIFT.

Until the latest update (installed today about an hour ago) this worked flawlessly. Now it is broken.

I create models for game engines and use Photoshop to create the textures for them, and I have been using this procedure for years every day, many many times a day.

I was actually using it just a few hours ago, then installed the latest update, and now it does not work.

This is a massive disruption to my work flow, so much so that I am going to have to roll back to CC 2017 until it is fixed.

So hope the Adobe team can sort this out soon

[TDoughty]

Windows here and they ALWAYS snapped to center on their own with no shift key involvement. I know because I do this hundreds of times a week. Dragging from Bridge, releasing on open PS doc, auto centered. Now it doesn't and it's maddening. And shift does NOT make it work in this version either. Hoping for a preference to turn it back "on".

[TDoughty]

You are correct. On PC, no shift is required, they center and resize to longest dimension (if larger) or just center if smaller. I put the older version back on because it's a huge step back in one of my particular workflows. I imagine they'll get it sorted out.

[JorgeLourenco]

Sorry, TDoughty, but you're mistakened. Holding Shift only centers on document if dragged from another Ps window. Dragging from the Mac Desktop always used to center the placed image on the doc bounds, now it centers on cursor. No setting or anything I can find anywhere. This destroys my 3D render compositing workflow as I need to combine multiple files quickly and now I have to fuss with each image to line up the layers. Its absolutely a bug. Adobe, please squash this fast.

[michaeloldman]

Yep, most definitely a bug.

I have a similar workflow for creating 3D art for game engines. In the 2017 version I can drag a UV layout image from File explorer and drop it into Photoshop and it will centre the image perfectly - this is an important part of my workflow since even just one pixel out of alignment can ruin the textures when rendered in the game engine of choice.

This is not something I do occasionally - I can perform this task dozens of times each day!

In the 2018 build it is just a whole lot of fluffing around to get the required accuracy, and a complete disruption to the work flow.

This is obviously a bug, and needs to be rectified - until then I have no choice but to stay with the 2017 build.

I like to see new features added and such, but breaking existing features is never an option, and nothing added in the last few years is worth the sacrifice of the drag-and-drop functionality we have relied on up till the 2018 build.

Adobe - please address this as soon as possible - thanks

[TDoughty]

Maybe on a Mac, although I have never once said this happens on a Mac. On a Windows PC, dragging from Bridge to a PS 2017 open doc, it doesn't matter where you release the mouse. It centers the file with the incoming image scaled down (but not up) to fit the longest dimension. I realize you can't see me NOT holding the shift key, but my left hand is holding my cellphone and my right hand is working the mouse. And I assure you, I only have 2 hands.

[Earth Oliver]

Yes, what we've been saying is that drag and drop worked fine in cc2017 and is now broken in cc2018...

[JorgeLourenco]

Sorry, I meant on a Mac Only as I am not aware of the drag behaviors in Windows. Dragging files from the Mac Finder Desktop to an open Ps file will cause the image to center on the location of the cursor when the LMB is released. Drag and drops like this used to center on the document bounds. I hope Adobe didn’t consciously choose this behavior as it is totally useless as it’s difficult to eyeball the placement of files with an arbitrary mouse movement. I want to test it with Bridge to see if behavior is different, but my company won’t allow Bridge as it is too noisy over our network. Thanks for the video! I wish mine worked like yours does!

[stephaniel42333843]

I'm having the same problem on my Mac. Can't seem to find the setting where it was changed, I use Adobe for scrapbooking and the centering feature is extremely useful when pulling in jpgs & pngs to a document.