Adobe Photoshop CS4 Interface and Screenshots

[MacRumors]

Mac Photoshop CS4 screenshot, click for larger

Adobe seems to be hard at work at Adobe Creative Suite 4*. In May, they released public betas of CS4 versions of Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Soundbooth. Existing CS3 owners are able to continue to use these applications beyond the initial 48 hour window.

One of the most obvious changes in the new CS4 applications is the user interface, and this change will also be carried over into the next version of Adobe's Photoshop. This decision is described in detail by Adobe's John Nack. Nack describes how Adobe has been trying to make the interfaces on their apps more consistent and shows off a screenshot of the new Mac Photoshop "application frame". This application frame contains both user interface elements as well as documents themselves. Despite expressing his own initial resistance, Nack explains the advantages to the consolidated window:

- It facilitates N-up (2-up, 3-up, etc.) document layouts that adapt as you adjust the interface. Think "live window tiling"--great for comparing, compositing, etc.
- It makes it easier to move the entire application and its contents, including from one monitor to another.
- It prevents documents from getting obscured by panels (palettes).
- It blocks out the contents of the desktop, minimizing visual clutter. (A number of Mac users have requested this option for many years. I've known quite a few people who open a small blank document, hit F to put it into full-screen mode, and then put it into the background to hide the desktop. Willingness to live with that kind of hack demonstrates some genuine desire for a real fix.)

For Mac users resistant to the change, Nack assures readers that the new interface is optional, and users can easily disable the consolidated view, or you can use choose to use elements of both methods.

There's been no public timeframe for the release of this next version of Adobe's Photoshop, but there were some contested claims of an October release target. The next version of Photoshop has been announced to remain a 32-bit application. 64-bit support is expected on the subsequent version for the Mac.

* Note that Adobe has objected to labeling this next version of Creative Suite as "Creative Suite 4" or "CS4", but for consistency's sake with the rest of the world, we are using that designation until Adobe officially announces otherwise.

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[arn]

I realize that some of this is a few weeks old but it got lost in the shuffle pre-WWDC.

arn

[pdpardue]

i absolutely hate that interface. seriously

[decksnap]

That is awful.

[Stridder44]

Can we have that as the default UI for Snow Leopard please (I was only looking at the top bar). Actually, can we have anything other than the current OS X UI for Snow Leopard please, it's droning, plain, and boring.

[chelsel]

and moving the whole app from one monitor to another is great for multi-taskers with multiple monitors!!

[decksnap]

Originally Posted by chelsel

and moving the whole app from one monitor to another is great for multi-taskers with multiple monitors!!

I was thinking the opposite. Don't most users with multiple monitors work on one screen and keep their palettes on the other? There are a lot of things wrong with this.

[DanielJvdBerg]

I still hate the fact that it isn't 64-bit....

[Stridder44]

Originally Posted by DanielJvdBerg

I still hate the fact that it isn't 64-bit....

Yeah, just read that as well. I understand re-writing all that code takes time, but why wouldn't they get a 64-bit version out for OS X? I mean isn't Photoshop used mostly on Macs anyway?

[randomlinh]

I like the unified layout. I've always hated how on OS X every element seemed to be in it's own space in Photoshop. I'd hit the background too easily and switch apps by accident. I've always much preferred how the Windows version is.

[DanielJvdBerg]

Originally Posted by Stridder44

Yeah, just read that as well. I understand re-writing all that code takes time, but why wouldn't they get a 64-bit version out for OS X? I mean isn't Photoshop used mostly on Macs anyway?

Exactly, from my view I see Adobe CS mostly used on Macs, it's just wrong to put your biggest platform behind the other.

[pdpardue]

Originally Posted by randomlinh

I like the unified layout. I've always hated how on OS X every element seemed to be in it's own space in Photoshop. I'd hit the background too easily and switch apps by accident. I've always much preferred how the Windows version is.

if you're clicking on the background then you're probably going to end up clicking on other images in the 'application frame' anyway, there is no difference. I think the windows version is the MAIN reason I left windows for mac. It's ugly, JUST like this

[Koola]

err... I think I'll stick with CS3 and skip this fourth generation.

[SugaredJuggler]

Hey, does anyone know if CS4, or whatever adobe is planning on calling the next photoshop, will have the ability to use the new multi touch track pad on the macbook pros?

[DanielJvdBerg]

Originally Posted by SugaredJuggler

Hey, does anyone know if CS4, or whatever adobe is planning on calling the next photoshop, will have the ability to use the new multi touch track pad on the macbook pros?

That would be really nice! Could raise productivity.

[/dev/toaster]

Ew, what is Adobe doing ?! That interface is awful. Why did they make changes to the traffic light icons ?!

I am hoping this is just a prototype interface.

[fountaineer]

I think it's great. I'm not an expert in photoshop and i always felt their interface is a bit difficult to get use to. Looks like the new one will have a few things that allows simpler navigation between images. Also the graphics card accelleration will help a lot(if implemented in cs 4).

..and if this option makes it into photoshop than it's all complete
adobe-hires-co-inventor-of-image-resizer-technology/

[bdkennedy1]

I LOVE that new interface. When I'm designing, my biggest complaint with working on a 30" monitor is the visual clutter. I have to sit there and search for controls while I'm trying to concentrate on design.

This is nice and clean and I don't have a million icon colors popping out at me.

I don't think the grey window controls are something Adobe fully changed themselves. Apple has been moving in this direction of removing the Red, Yellow and Green color and this is possibly a Snow Leopard change.

I can't wait for this to come out!

[Takeo]

If you read the article... the consolidated view is optional. I for one will opt out. This is just not the Mac way. I have two monitors... one 24" for my document... another 24" for palettes, etc.

[kjs862]

Holding off to cs5

[pdpardue]

does any one else find it funny that the article states that adobe is so against calling it cs4, but the screen shot in the upper right corner reads "what's new in cs4"?

[DanielJvdBerg]

Originally Posted by pdpardue

does any one else find it funny that the article states that adobe is so against calling it cs4, but the screen shot in the upper right corner reads "what's new in cs4"?

Classic!

[maxrobertson]

That probably the ugliest interface I have ever seen. It even beats out Windows XP in WTF factor. I will never buy another Adobe product as long as I live unless they actually clean up their act. It's not MY job to get used to their terrible, ugly new interfaces just because they want them consistent on two platforms. It's THEIR job to make my graphic design work pleasant and -dare I say it- enjoyable. How about they focus on giving new, useful features instead of horrid, bizarre interfaces?

I don't think the grey window controls are something Adobe fully changed themselves. Apple has been moving in this direction of removing the Red, Yellow and Green color and this is possibly a Snow Leopard change.

Good God are you wrong. Apple may be making some dubious decisions in the iTunes interface these days, but there is no way that they could ever come up with an abortion that ugly.

[InkMaster]

wow, this is as horrible as Leopards GUI... BRING BACK AQUA! Why are we going to back to the 90s w/ all these ass ugly flat grey... w/e the hell these all are

[Stridder44]

Originally Posted by InkMaster

wow, this is as horrible as Leopards GUI... BRING BACK AQUA! Why are we going to back to the 90s w/ all these ass ugly flat grey... w/e the hell these all are

Oh my God please don't. Leopard is alright, just boring. Aqua looks as bad as XP. They need to do something new and different with the UI (talking about Apple).