EXR not loading in photoshop

[TomG]

Quick notes from what we know so far

- The problem files all open fine using Exr-IO (https://www.exr-io.com/) which is free, and resolves lots of problems that Photoshop has with EXR files
- The problem files do not open in PS using its native Open
- The problem files do open fine in After Effects
- The problem files do not show "Color Mode RGB" or "Color Profile sRGB IEC61966-2.1 (linear)" in the Bridge when looking at the info for the files (compared to the ones that work)
- Saving to EXR is handled by Max rather than Corona
- The CIE can load the broken ones just fine (a further suggestion that it is Photoshop's Open that is broken - same with the fact earlier Photoshop versions load it, newer ones don't)
- Our EXR write (our code) is done from the CIE when saving to EXR, and as noted once a "broken" one is loaded into the CIE and saved from the CIE to EXR, it works fine in Photoshop (and shows the color profile etc in the Bridge)

Would using Exr-IO be a possibility? I use it all the time, due to known issues that Photoshop has with 32 bit files and EXRs. We'll let you know if we uncover anything else!

[maru]

In addition to using the Exr-IO plugin, you can also try saving from 3ds Max to our CXR format and then converting to EXR using the Corona Image Editor. This can be done manually, or using the batch script: https://coronarenderer.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/12000030886#batch
I am curious if you would get corrupted CXR files this way as well.

[alexyork]

Thanks chaps!

We can test EXR-IO, definitely. But if it results in extra steps for loading into PS (preventing stack loading) then we're back at square 1. I'll be honest though, we're definitely not going to be moving the studio to saving CXR and then converting to EXR via batch. It would slow us down even more, and add a tonne of wasted file storage into the issue.

Cheers,

[TomG]

Hi! I think you can avoid extra steps, there's a setting in EXR-IO as to whether to show the dialog on load or not. I never have to change anything in the dialog, so that could be turned off, and then it should just open in PS without anything additional popping up or getting in the way - but definitely test it out on one computer first, make sure it's non-disruptive to workflow, and check it does resolve the issue! Let us know :)

We'll also let you know if we uncover anything else as to the cause of it all (though it may all be in the black boxes of Max EXR file saving or Adobe EXR file opening :( )

[TomG]

(PS - the CXR save and batch convert was not meant as a workflow, just as a test case/diagnostic step to see if it avoided the broken files, since it is going through our EXR save code and not Max's)

[alexyork]

Cheers Tom. EXR-IO seems to work ok. Good work-around for now, thanks! Hopefully one day a true fix can be found.

Cheers,

[TomG]

Great to hear!

Unfortunately I think anything else is outside of our control. We did some more digging, and the info we have is that the problem EXRs do not have the Chromacites attribute in them. Since this is from the code in Max's save to EXR, that is outside of our control.

Following on from that, EXR standards say that anything loading a file without a chromacities attribute should assume a default - but it looks like Photoshop's Open is not doing that, and generating an error instead. Again, outside of our control unfortunately.

It would seem that After Effects, Exr-IO etc. are all doing the correct "assume a default if there is no chromacities attribute" which is why they don't have an error. This means the problem lies (as far as we can see) in either Max's save, Photoshop's Open, or most likely a combination of both as mentioned with Max failing to add an attribute on save, and Photoshop throwing a wobbly when that happens.

BTW, if you can test the "save to CXR and batch rename to EXR" and you DO find a problem, then that would lie in our code saving to EXR - then we'd have to look some more :)

Hope this helps!