Odd Issue with Smart Objects

[Markie Jordan-Madden]

Okay, I'm really new here, and to PS too (about 2-3 months' experience). But the other day I purchased an e-book reader mockup (at a good price, too), and was at a bit of a loss. It uses smart objects, so of course I had to google that. But once I did, I was surprised at how incredibly easy it was to use! I made a bunch of them! So today I found some print book mockups (books where a model is reading it, or where it's standing upright in 3D). They also use smart objects, but I'm having trouble with these. I got 7 mockups total, and only 1 of them seems to work properly. The others, when I edit the smart object and save it, it's supposed to then make my changes in the main image. But instead, I just get plain white, or whatever base color was involved in that particular mockup. It's so weird, I'm doing it the exact same way for all of them! Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? If it helps, I could post a screenshot, assuming that's allowed.

 

[gedstar]

Hi

Yes screenshots are allowed and maybe if you could upload one of the mockups, if the file is too big you can upload it to something like Dropbox and post a link in this thread

 

[Markie Jordan-Madden]

Hi Gedstar, thank you for your reply. I'm going to see if I can upload some screenshots. I'm also attempting to attach the Zip file of the mockup, but I'm not sure it will allow me to. If not, perhaps you can get it from here. I also have a different mockup, one I purchased that allows you to edit the smart object to make the book cover look like it's on the screen of a generic tablet. This one works perfectly for me, so I'm just wondering if I'm doing something wrong. I see other authors using the same mockup as the first one below, so I know it can be done. And just FYI, I'm currently using Photoshop CS2 free version. Am considering purchasing Photoshop at the beginning of next year.

The first one shows the mockup after I just opened it. I will double click on the smart object in question, add my book cover to it, remove the mockup background, and click save.



This is what happens after I click save and return to the mockup. Notice the cover of the book she's holding has changed, but it's not showing my book cover, just a color.



Below is a mockup I got in the same bundle as the one above. I edit the smart object in the same way as I do in the above mockup.



You can clearly see the book cover behind the mockup, and you can see that same cover is now inside the wrapper on the mockup.

 

[MrToM]

You are not editing the smart object but a psd file. (Probably used in the smart object)...



Is that PSD file embedded in a Smart Object?
If so, you still have to save the Smart Object as well....regardless of of its contents, (the PSD file), being updated, (Saved).

Is there an associated PSB file that goes with this? If so, save it too and your 'main' document should update.

Failing that we are going to need clearer screenshots to see if the files are saved or not....not being able to see the 'Tab', (The info at the top of the document), of each document is devoiding us of useful information about each one respectively.

Regards.
MrToM.

 

[thebestcpu]

Not sure this solves your problem yet it sounded quite similar: http://www.photoshopforums.com/book-cover-mock-up-with-smart-object-vt29811.html

John Wheeler

 

[Markie Jordan-Madden]

Okay, I'm not sure what else might help you help me. I've spaced out my small windows a bit more on this one. The jpg file is my original book cover file. The psd of the same cover is what I got when I double-clicked on the Smart Object, which I dragged my cover into. Then I deleted the blue and white cover from the Smart Object and saved it. Once I click save on the Smart Object, the blue and white cover goes away and is replaced by a single dark color.

 

[IamSam]

Had you double clicked a smart object layer, it would have opened in a PSB file and not a PSD file.

 

[Markie Jordan-Madden]

I double-clicked in the section that said "edit this". How do I determine if that was a smart object?

 

[IamSam]

You see the icon in the lower right side of the thumbnail............that a smart object layer.

 

[Markie Jordan-Madden]

I see what you mean, some of the so-called Smart Objects don't pop up as a psb. However, on one of them that does show up as a psb, I'm still having the same issue. I edit the smart object, remove the original image, save it, and the area in the mockup goes to a dark color. I feel like this is something simple, just out of my grasp!

 

[MrToM]

I'm going through the same file...let me look through it and see whats what......first attempt gets the same result....a black book.

Regards.
MrToM.

 

[MrToM]

Right.

The upshot is that this file is created on a later version of PS, CS4 to be precise, and also, not that it matters much, on a Mac.

The file opens, and is fully editable in CC 2014 so I assume it will also be in versions CS4 onwards.

So...it just isn't going to work in CS2....didn't you get any errors or warnings when you first opened the file?

Regards.
MrToM.

 

[IamSam]

I opened the 'edit cover' SO, and it did open as a PSD file. I changed the color and saved...........the SO updated.

 

[Markie Jordan-Madden]

I do get several pop up windows when I first open the file: "Unknown Data has been encountered reading layer "Book Cover copy 3" and will be discarded. Continue?" Then I have three buttons: Okay, Cancel, and Read Composite Data. When I click Read Composite Data it tells me "Could not complete your request due to a program error." If I click Okay, it moves on to a new pop up that reads: "Unknown Data has been encountered reading layer "Book Cover copy 4" and will be discarded. Continue?" I click okay, and get: "Unknown Data has been encountered reading layer "Book Cover copy 5" and will be discarded. Continue?" Then I get the message: "Unknown Data has been encountered reading layer "Book Cover" and will be discarded. Continue?" Then it moves on to "Unknown Data has been encountered reading layer "Book Cover copy" and will be discarded. Continue?"

After all these, the message reads: " "Unknown Data has been encountered reading layer "Edit This" and will be discarded. Continue?" Clicking okay will then allow the mockup to open.

However, I get the same notifications when I open the one file out of the seven that does work.

 

[Markie Jordan-Madden]

I'm going to assume this is because of running CS2. I know a few of the mockups I found can't even be opened in it, just another reason I can use to justify getting PS CC!

 

[MrToM]

..I do get several pop up windows when I first open the file: "Unknown Data has been encountered reading layer "Book Cover copy 3" and will be discarded...

Ok, no worries, this is all part of the learning curve...although it is a bit of a :banghead: situation.

Had you have mentioned the errors earlier, ie post #1, it would have saved us running around trying to find files, solutions etc etc.

The PSD file uses 'Smart Filters', (Filters applied to Smart Objects), but these were not introduced until recently, hence you get the error when CS2 tries to read a layer containing a 'Smart Filter'....like 'bookCover copy 3'.

Anyway, enough of the history lesson, 'normally' when you edit a Smart Object it will open as a temporary PSB file....but that file itself 'could' contain any number of other 'Smart Objects', embedded psd files, jpgs, png's, whatever...and so it could go on.

...I'm going to assume this is because of running CS2...

Well, er, yes....didn't I say that back in post #12? LOL.

If you want to check it yourself open the file, (as best you can), and use FILE > File Info...(CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + I).....down the bottom you'll see the application that saved the file...Adobe Photoshop CS4 Macintosh.

Ho hum.

Regards.
MrToM.

EDIT:
And after reading your other thread you'll be able to open it....without any errors!

 

[Markie Jordan-Madden]

Thanks everyone for trying to help. I didn't think the error message mattered, because I got the same message even on the files that did work. However, you all have convinced me, and I went ahead and did the Photoshop/Lightroom CC subscription, and maybe now I won't have to worry. Nonetheless, this thread was still useful because I hadn't noticed the different file types between a Photoshop file and a Smart Object. So I learned something new anyway! Not to mention I learned that there are folks out there who don't mind answering the stupid questions of a newbie!