"Could not save (file name) because the file is already in use or left open."

Hello,
When I tried save as a file, I get an error msg:
"Could not save (file name) because the file is already in use or left open."
The file is not open anywhere accept Photoshop.
Mac Pro, OSX 10.5.6
Photoshop CS4.
I searched the forum but could not find anything even though i'm sure someone already asked it.
would love to get a solution for that.
thank you,
shlomit

There is a problem with both Photoshop and InDesign, then we can blame wich ever it is.
1. I open a .psd file in Photoshop CS4 by double clicking it in Bridge
2. This image is placed on a page in a open InDesign document.
3. Doing some changes in Photoshop on the image.
4. Trying to save and get this error message (this topics subject)
5. Deleting the image from the page in ID doc, it is the only one in the document.
6. Can't still save file.
7. Closing ID completely and now I am able to save the file.
I tried turning of Live preflight in Indegisn but that didn't help.
So probably the fault is InDesign or the MacOS. I didn't have this problem with CS3. It is a stupid problem because this type of workflow is pretty common and one would expect it to be solved by now.
Jan Suhr
Stockholm, Sweden

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"Could not save a copy because the file is already in use..."

I have read previous discussions of this issue, but nobody suggested a solution. Sometimes when I use the Save As command to save an open file with the same name as an existing Photoshop file that is not currently open, I get the dreaded message: "Could not save a copy because the file is already in use or was left open."
When this happens, I have to save my open file using a different filename, then change the name in the Finder after manually deleting the original file with that name. This happened occasionally in Photoshop CS3, and is now happening more frequently in CS4. If no one can offer a solution, can someone please tell me if there is a way to officially submit a bug report? The simple truth is that Photoshop costs way too much for a well-known problem like this one to be hanging around version after version. Adobe really needs to fix this and I'd like to tell them so. Thanks!

alansky1 wrote:
Adobe really needs to fix this and I'd like to tell them so.
I've run into this and I'm convinced it's not Adobe. Whenever I've gotten around the problem it's often something from Apple that got in the way.
I use a simple workaround when Finder/QuickLook isn't letting go of the file. First use a free utility like TinkerTool or Onyx to turn on the Quit command in the Finder. Whenever the Finder gives you trouble, if closing the Finder window in question doesn't solve it, just do the ol' Command-Q. It's a little faster (and maybe safer?) than force-relaunching the Finder. This usually releases files for me when all else fails; it also often cures the annoying "can't eject the volume because it's in use" messages when you've already quit every program you can find.
There's the question of why Photoshop and not others; I'm not an engineer but I think the sheer size of Photoshop files is a factor. In one instance I noticed that quicklookd was using a lot of RAM, and QuickLook has been implicated by an earlier post in this thread. It isn't unusual for a Photoshop file to be very large compared to other types of documents. It's possible that when QuickLook hits a large Photoshop file, and it does its normal thing of generating a big preview for it, it could get tied up reading that huge image long enough to block another program. Sometimes it seems like QuickLook just hangs on them. When it happens, you can try looking at Activity Monitor to see if something like QuickLook, Spotlight, or some other program is using an unusual amount of CPU or RAM.
Apple Mail (at least in 10.5) is another major offender by the way. If you attach a file to Apple Mail it will hang on to it as "open" even after you remove the attachment. Other programs will not be able to write to the file that was attached or formerly attached. Nothing short of quitting Apple Mail will make it let go of the file. You'll notice it when you delete a JPEG, PDF, Word doc (definitely not just Photoshop) attachment because you realize you need to make a change and attach it again. Attempting to export an updated one over the old one is blocked until Apple Mail is quit.
In my experience I think what Chris says is true.

"Could not save x.jpg because the file is already in use or was left open...

Win 7 pro 64, CS5.0 using InDesign 7.0.4 and Photoshop 12.0.4 x64.
Using InDesign to create a manuscript with images. Right click on image to "Edit Original"
Opens image in Photoshop. Make changes, go to save.
Error message "Could not save x.jpg because the file is already in use or was left open by another application"
Using a free utility called Unlocker Assistant, it shows that the file has been locked by InDesign
The workaround is to then use Unlocker Assistant to unlock the image in in the Links folder, but this is a pain and it is happening too frequently.
Putting in that error message I get no google matches.
Anyone know why Indesign is locking the image, when it is the InDesign program that is supposed to be sending it to Photoshop for editing so it can be changed and then overwrite the original image?
Note that it is not consistent but I cannot find any pattern to determine why it sometimes fails and other times allows the altered image to be saved.

You will get a quicker response to post this in the InDesign Fourm http://forums.adobe.com/community/indesign/indesign_general

Could not save my_file.psd because the file is already in use or was left open by another app"

Since some time ago I often get this message when trying to save my PSD file: "could not save my_file.psd because the file is already in use or was left open by another application", whereas there's no application that uses the file in reality. What could cause this problem?

What could cause this problem?
If I remember correctly posibilities include the OS, anti-virus software, … and if you work across a network you are basically on your own anyway as Adobe specifically discourages this.
What are your OS, program version, …?

Error message: Could not save copy as "C:..." because the file is already in use or left open by another application

I always get the Errormessage: Could not save copy as "C:..." bacause the file is already in use or left open by another alpplication
while trying to save a file as a jpg. even when the file is not left open or in use.. .

Without knowing exact technical details, nobody can say anything. From genuine issues with your storage devices like block errors or fragmentation to specific security stuff causing delays and blockages in writing files anything is imaginable. Your info is simply insufficient to make even a superficial diagnosis beyond those generics.
Mylenium

Could not save because file was already in use or left open

I am have several problems with Adobe Photoshop CS4. I call up Adobe for help, I pay 50.00 or 60.00 for their help with these situations that I am having. Adobe concludes the phone call saying they are closing the case cause the problem has been resolved. I told them it has not been resolved I am still having problems then the person hangs up on me. I call back cause the problems still persists, the tech person told me that I had to pay another 50.00-60.00 for the
tech support. I told him that I already paid and that I still need help, the tech guy told me that the case was closed cause it was resolved. I told them it was not
resolved and I am needing help with this particular issue. The tech person kept saying that the issue was resolved and if I needed more help that I had to pay.
This time I hung up on him and while I did that I said that the Apple Support Community was way more helpful and it was free.
So here I am 6 months later and tried everything, Here are the problems that I am having.
1. CS4 keeps quitting unexpectedly with no cause no error nothing. The blue light under the CS4 Ps is still lit and wont let me reopen the file, I then have to force quit the program. I then get these windows asking if I want to send a report, I click ignore cause I am tired of filling out those things. So I try to open the
photoshop file and I get the blue window with the Ps logo on it, its scanning everything but then it stops responding when the scan reaches the part where it says scanning memory and freezes. I then have to force quit the program again, I have to do this 5 times before it will open the file. Then Ps will unexpectedly quit after 2 hrs of working and starts the B.S. all over again. I dont know what is wrong with CS4. Other times it runs really slow and glitchy. It also happens on my Mac Book Pro, iMac and of course my Mac Pro.
I know its not the computers or the settings or anything interacting with it. I checked everything extensively from the terminal to permissions and back to the program itself and everything in between. I am needing help, the Adobe forums are of no use, I cant find anything there.
2. I keep getting this error and I am not sure what it is, this only happens when I use Ps CS4 and yes it happens on all my other Apple computers.
Error: "could not save because file was already in use or left open" not sure how to fixt this, I have already tried the permissions and it did not seem to work.
All my computers run OS X Lion version 10.7.3. I had these problems even before I upgraded to Lion, 2 months later after Lion came out. These problems have been going on since Snow Leopard. All my Macs are up to date and I did use the Disk Utilities on everything... Please help me.

First off are you editing a photo that you have placed into indesign if so the in use or left open issue is a common one, the only help is to go to indesign move the picture by nugging it then go back to photoshop and try saving again, if this does not work close the indesign file then save.
On the other issue of photoshop crashing, One thing I would try would be to create another user account, Start up photoshop and only it and work with it. The reason why is to see if maybe there are some 3rd party software you have loaded on your systems that might be causing the issues. "Ya never know"
I would assume you have reinstalled photoshop on lion. Do you still have older version of OSX installed, if so try booting to them and working with photoshop to see if it works there.
Good Luck

"could not save as ***.psd because the document is bigger than 2 gb

"could not save as ***.psd because the document is bigger than 2 gb

Yes, that's the maximum for PSD. Save as PSB instead.

I get an error message saying itunes could not sync mail accounts. because the mail accounts are in use by the iPhone. It asks that i close the mail accounts settings on the iPhone and sync again. Is it requesting that i delete my email accounts?

i get an error message saying itunes could not sync mail accounts. because the mail accounts are in use by the iPhone. It asks that i close the mail accounts settings on the iPhone and sync again. Is it requesting that i delete my email accounts?

just as i've posted the same issue here hope that someone could give us a hand. I have just swtched from nokia to iPhone for my company cell and i have more than 1000 contacts... it would be murder to create those contacts one by one )))))

File is already in use or left open

This is a terrible speed bump in an otherwise dandy workflow between Photoshop, Motion & FCP. (FCP Studio2 & PSHOP CS)
When I need to update a Pshop file that is already placed in an open FCP timeline, it's no problem. The file saves, & the FCP timeline automatically updates.
However, when I have the same Photoshop file referenced within a Motion doc, I can't update & save it in Photoshop without quitting BOTH motion AND FCP. Yargh.
I'd like to strangle this little message: "Could not save (file name) because the file is already in use or left open."
Anyone come up with a workaround for this? Does anyone else even run into this?
-Rich

I think it's not done better because changing original Photoshop file later is always little bit risky if you don't know what you're doing. You know layer position and order is only respected first time when you bring Photoshop file to Motion. So if you later move layers in Photoshop it won't get updated in Motion. And it's impossible to add layers later to your Photoshop file and get those appear in Motion. Changing layer order in Photoshop messes things up even more in Motion.
Anyway I've found best way of working for me is to save Photoshop files with incremental numbers and then in Motion -> Media Inspector -> Replace Media File with the new one. I think it's even smart way of working because like I said before it's quite easy to mess up your Photoshop file when working with Motion.

Random Artifact and "Could not save (file name) because the file is already in use or left open."

Hi,
I've been working on a collage for school, and I 'merged all layers below into one layer', and photoshop left me a random artifact on all my masks. Also, the same file has been suffering the 'Could not save...' problem. I have taken older versions of the file, brought them back to where I had been, and then a similar artifact appears (from various actions). Once the artifact appears, I can undo the action but not the artifact, and the file is useless. It happen on a second file, but the artifact was different (a rectangular hole in the middle of the masks).
I have a MBP/4GB/MacOSX 10.6.4, everything is up to date.
If anyone has any suggestions, it would be really appreciated... I'm working for a deadline at school.
Thanks,
Patrick

Hi Chris,
I have updated both the Adobe suite and the MacOSX. My school has CS5. The holes cut into the image in a geometric pattern (the rectangles) are the random artifact (cropped below).
Also, I understand 'Could not save...' means it could not save... Why it cannot save seems to be the issue. I believe you understand the circumstances of the 'Could not save...' issue, and it isn't simply that another program has it open.
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/370206?start=50&tstart=0
I don't really know if it's Adobe, Apple, or Windows issue, and I don't think it really matters. It is a problem in Photoshop, which would make it an Adobe problem... and waiting for a fix doesn't seem to be a satisfactory answer.
I don't want to make this tread about politics, I want to fix my file, and I thought it might be another symptom to a bigger problem.
Thanks for your response,
Patrick

Photoshop CS3 error saving files - Could not save ... because the fileis already in use or was left

I have a problem with Adobe Photoshop CS3 that only started happening last night. Heres a description of the problem.
When I try and save a Photoshop file, I get the following error message:-
Could not save (filename). because the file is already in use or was left open
I have rebooted my computer, rebooted our server, un-installed & reinstalled Photoshop and also done a system restore, and I still have the problem. (The system restore actually caused huge problems I got the error message The licensing subsystem has failed catastrophically. You must reinstall or call customer support, except I wasnt able to reinstall or uninstall the product. The computer just would not run the installer. I had to undo the system restore.)
I can do Save For Web with no trouble and I can save files to the same location with every other Adobe product installed in the Web bundle, just not Photoshop.
We have 2 machines here with an identical set up (hardware and software) and the problem is only on one machine.
Even though Photoshop says it cant save the file, its actually saving the file in the following format:-
~psX.tmp where X is a random variable, either characters or numbers.
I have to manually open My Documents and rename the file to filename.psd so I can access it again.
Short of reformatting my computer (which Im not keen on doing because it will mean several wasted work hours and I will have to pay our IT people to come in and hook me back up to our network), how can this problem be fixed?
I have also Googled the problem and the only help I found was a suggestion to search for a psicon.dll file and rename it. This file does not appear anywhere on my system, so I'm at a loss.
I have contacted support about this issue, but thought it was also worth while to ask here at the same time.

I'm having similar problems with not being able to save files after editing them (and giving them a new file-name, obviously) in Photoshop Elements 4.0. I get an error message saying (for instance): "Could not save as (whatever I'm trying to name the file) because the file is already in use or was left open". Then I see a .tmp file (that I can't open)
I did a search and found that the file was being saved twice, once within Photoshop (where I'm working with it) and also in..
"C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\Temporary"
I'm assuming this is the problem, but if you have any clue as to why is this happening and what I can do about it, I'd welcome any input. I've been using PSE-4.0 for years, and this problem just started cropping up. The only (cumbersome) way around this problem has been to just make my edits (in PSE-4.0) and do a "save" under the original file name, then go into explorer and rename the file. So, in short, I cannot do what I've been doing for years, editing a picture and saving it (renamed) in the sane folder (or a different one).
I can "see" the .tmp files in PSE-4.0, but they won't open.. but they will in JASC.. odd..
Thanks-
Bob

Photoshop cs6 could not save as .psd because the file is locked, you do not have necessary access permissions, or another program is using the file. Use the 'Properties' command in the Windows Explorer to unlock the file

Have three users with CS6 Design Standard having problem saving files to a network share. All three are running Windows 7 SP1. CS 6 has all current updates applied. Have searched google for solution but all suggestions so far have not solved problem.
Have confirmed that windows explorer preview pane is not enabled/turned off. Other users on the network have no problems saving file to shared folder. Users can save to desktop and then copy and paste or drag and drop to the share!

Further Google searching found this bit of information....and it fixed our problem!
Rather than deleting the files I renamed them as follows Adobe Photoshop CS6 Prefs_old & Adobe Photoshop X64 CS6 Prefs_old
To fix and prevent this error from happening, the user will navigate to:
C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6\Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Depending on what version of photoshop is causing the error to appear you will delete the following file:
Adobe Photoshop CS6 Prefs.psp (for 32bit version)
Adobe Photoshop X64 CS6 Prefs.psp (for 64bit version)

Error on Windows 7 RC 64bit - "Could not save because the file is already in use or left open."

This is constantly happening when I try to save and replace a JPG in the same folder or save as a copy in the same folder. Sometimes it seems to happen when I even save to another folder, though I've also been able to workaround this by doing that (though it's inconvenient and messes with my folder structure).
A tmp file is saved successfully every time, and I can manually rename the tmp file to the desired filename (as another very inconvenient workaround).
I see on these Forums that this save error is somewhat common in Adobe products, but I don't see a report of this consistently happening on this particular platform. I appreciate it's a beta (RC) of Windows 7 and therefore may not be technically supported (yet?).
Any ideas or fixes please?

Try resetting the editor preferences by pressign alt + ctrl + delete key on start and clicking edit on welcome screen.
-Garry

Could not save as 'x' because the file could not be found

Hi,
After downloading the new version of Photoshop two days ago, I have this other problem.
I'm trying to save a file 'as' something else after editing it in Camera Raw, and when I do that, I have this error message as in subject.
Can anyone help me out?
Thanks,
Anja

Further Google searching found this bit of information....and it fixed our problem!
Rather than deleting the files I renamed them as follows Adobe Photoshop CS6 Prefs_old & Adobe Photoshop X64 CS6 Prefs_old
To fix and prevent this error from happening, the user will navigate to:
C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6\Adobe Photoshop CS6 Settings
Depending on what version of photoshop is causing the error to appear you will delete the following file:
Adobe Photoshop CS6 Prefs.psp (for 32bit version)
Adobe Photoshop X64 CS6 Prefs.psp (for 64bit version)

Error of "Could not save (file name) because write access was not granted

Error of "Could not save (file name) because write access was not granted. The users are pulling the files from a Mountain Lion server. They all have read\write access. If they try to save the file in the same directory they get that error but they can save it anywhere else on the sharepoint. If they save it in another directory then reopen it make a change and do a save as they can save it back to the original directory. Has anyone else come across this same issues

It is an enterprise solution. I just do not see why you cant save directly to the server. It seems to get weird errors. Some Adobe stuff saves fine on the server and some of it doesnt. It seems Adobe related. The permissions on the server are set correctly so it isnt a permission error

"Could not save (file name) because the file is already in use or left open."

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