3DS Max 2021 won't allow photoshop to save .psd files when open in Max

[open-range]

This was a problem, huge problem for me, in a previous verison of Max a few years back. It got fixed but now it's back again.

I use .psd files extensively for texture maps. I often adjust them with adjustment layers to fine tune. Like saturation and other color adjustments.

Now when a .psd file is being used in Max and I adjust the file in photoshop, I cannot save the .psd. I get an error message saying the file cannot be saved because it's in use by another program.

I'm using Max 2021.2 I think this started with the most recent  .2 update. 

Big problem, was a problem in the past and now it's back again. Please fix asap

Thank you

[giuseppe.schiralli]

I agree that close/reopen Max is not an acceptable solution, and the use of a bitmap as a link to the PSD is not ideal even if working.

We'll investigate this issue and find a fix.

Sorry about this problem and thanks for reporting it.

Regards,

Giuseppe

[open-range]

Thank you Giuseppie! It’s great to know this has been acknowledged and a fix will be in the works. It was not a problem in Max 2020 and I  believe  also not a problem in Max 2021.0. I first became aware of it using Max 2021.2. Possibly that info may be helpful in identifying a fix.

[jon.bell]

Hi @open-range,

You mentioned that you can reproduce this issue when using V-Ray Bitmap. Have you reported this issue directly to the Chaos Group folks and checked their support forums as well?

Please note that issues with the V-Ray renderer, lights, materials and their Frame Buffer should be reported first to The Chaos Group, since they make V-Ray. If they determine that it's a Max-only issue, or a combination of Max and V-Ray, then we can proceed from there. Thanks!

[open-range]

Yes I did submit this to the Chaos Group support Forum.

Since it all worked fine in Max 2020.x and also Max 2021.0 and subsequently became a problem in Max 2021.2 and was a previously the same  problem with regular max bitmap using .psd back in Max 2016 it seems like this problem is on the Max side of things.

[wuyiweiKNXQJ]

我也碰到了同样的问题，求助官方解决！

[lynn_zhang]

您好！感谢您发帖提问，为了更好地帮助您解决问题，我们将您的帖子移到了中文官方论坛：https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/maya-3ds-max-zong-he-tao-lun-qu/3ds-max-wu-fa-bao-cunphotoshop-hui-tu...

我们的技术专家会用中文为您解答。

[open-range]

I am bumping this forward because the problem still exists. I also inquired again with the Chaos Group and they say the problem still exists in Max 2022. Very disappointing that this still exists in the new 2022 release. Do you plan to fix this?

Here is the latest response form Chaos Group

https://forums.chaosgroup.com/forum/v-ray-for-3ds-max-forums/v-ray-for-3ds-max-problems/1094541-prob...

[mikeluard]

Any news on this? It's driving me mental. 

[open-range]

No news. Still a BIG problem. Same problem exists in Max 2022. Driving me mental too.

[open-range]

I just installed the latest update for Max 2022 and the problem with not being able to save .psd files in photoshop while they are in use in Max has been fixed!

also the other problem with 2022 whereby it did not save the position of windows like mat editor and render dialog on close has also been fixed.

It seems our voices were heard! Thanks to anyone who commented and anyone at Adesk who fixed these things.

[giuseppe.schiralli · Accepted solution]

We indeed fixed it in 3ds MAx 2022 Update 1.

Thank you for reporting the problem and most of all, for the help you provided to identify the cause of the issue.

-Giuseppe

[open-range · Accepted solution]

thank you sir!

[3d-labor]

Today I tried it once more and curiously now it works again in MAX 2021 too. I have nothing changed but installed a program called "Process Lasso", recomended here by RobH2 in the forum to improve overall performance. May be, that this program did somthing which now enables to save edited textures in Photoshop again while they are open in MAX.

See post here:https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-forum/heavy-multitasking-slows-down-the-machine-not-under-win...

[michael.pillitiere]

Im also having this issue with Max 2022.3. Any tips would be appreciated.

[open-range]

 I tested using my setup - Max 2022.3 and Vray 5 update 2.2. Using a .psd file in a Vray material I can make and save changes to the .psd file while it is simultaneously open/being used in Max. Tried it using regular Max bitmap and also using Vray bitmap for mapping type. So - not sure why you are having that trouble, but it is (thankfully) working fine for me. hope this helps.

[michael.pillitiere]

Thanks for the reply! That is curious. I'm using standard bitmap with a PBR mat. Issue started for me in Max 2022 and its somewhat sporadic. Sometimes I can save, and then a few minutes later the file is locked.

[jamesarndt]

Still an issue for 3ds Max 2025. Im experiencing this error right now. I had to deduce what was producing a Photoshop disk error. Turns out it was having 3ds Max open. Once I closed it I could save my Photoshop files.

[shawnolson]

Can you provide a little more details? What texture map is used in slate? Bitmap Texture? OSL Uberbitmap? Arnold Image node? Some other map?

[abraao-marques.tavares]

Still an issue in version 2024.2

I don't have V-ray installed, I'm only Arnold.

MAXtoA version 5.7.1.0, Photoshop version 25.6

- As @shawnolson asked, I have tested with Bitmap Texture and Arnold Image nodes. The problem occurs with both.

- The problem also occurs after I delete the nodes from the graph ( but the file is still being listed on Asset Tracking,  with status Found)

- If I open a blank new scene (File -> New -> New All,  without closing 3DsMax ) the problem persists. But when I close 3DsMax, the problem is gone and Photoshop saves the file.

- The error message in Photoshop only says "Could not save [file name]."

- Someone said it may be related to adjustment layers, my PSD file has a few bitmap, color fill, and adjustment layers, as well as groups.

- I have flushed Arnold texture caches before all my tests.

While writing this, a situation happens where the problem did not occur:

- Start 3DsMax

- Open the saved scene, there is no node using the texture (I have deleted them to test, as I wrote above), but the file is listed on Asset Tracking (status Found).

- Do not render or edit anything in the scene.

- Open the .PSD file in Photoshop, and do the same edit as before.

- Save the edited PSD without any problem.