Wacom tablet troubleshooting - DPChallenge Forums

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

03/24/2012 10:01:36 PM · #1

After a long break from my Wacom Intuos 3 tablet, I finally have a new pen for it (thanks, Ray) and wanted to start using it again.

I am having problems with it. In mouse mode, the cursor is stuck to the top left hand corner of my right hand monitor and won't budge. I don't really care about mouse mode, but needed to mention it, anyway.

In pen mode, it sometimes works. If Photoshop is closed or minimized, it works perfectly across both monitors (even in Bridge, as long as PS is minimized).

When Photoshop is open, it only works on the right monitor but won't go down onto the taskbar. It won't go across to the other monitor at all.

I have tried playing around with all the settings (see two examples of the Properties box) and various combinations, nothing makes a difference.

My setup:
Photoshop CS5
Windows 7
Wacom Intuos 3 with latest driver installed.
Computer rebooted.

I am guessing there may be a setting inside of PS that I haven't found yet (although that doesn't explain the mouse mode problem which isn't influenced by PS)?

Any ideas?

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

03/24/2012 10:17:54 PM · #2

A tablet "directly addresses" the pixels on your screen -- imagine a miniature monitor image on your tablet, which is why you don't have to scroll with it to move the cursor across the screen ... I don't know how to make one tablet address two monitors; I'd think you would have to manually switch it somehow from one monitor to the other.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

03/24/2012 10:53:01 PM · #3

Wacom, at least as far back as the Grafire 4, works on 2-monitor setups. Whatever your issue is, it's not an inherent limitation of the tablet.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/24/2012 10:53:54 PM · #4

This won't help your issue at all, but when I plugged in mine (I have two monitors) it automatically picked up both. The tablet 'splits' in half.

adigitalromance

Nikon D750

03/24/2012 11:11:02 PM · #5

Where it says "Application" it looks like you can select Photoshop and adjust the settings that that. Have you checked those settings as well?

03/24/2012 11:39:19 PM · #6

Yes, the tablet works on both monitors. As mentioned in my first post, that problem ONLY occurs when Photoshop is OPEN. When Photoshop is closed or minimized, it works fine across both monitors.

Yes, I have tried making application specific (i.e. PS) adjustments. According the dialog box, all is fine. It knows I have two monitors and it claims it is using both of them. But it is lying to me.

03/24/2012 11:48:04 PM · #7

My settings box doesn't have Photoshop listed in the Applications area like yours does.... maybe clicking on the ps icon and deleting it will reset all functions to all applications?

03/24/2012 11:51:47 PM · #8

Originally posted by pamb:

My settings box doesn't have Photoshop listed in the Applications area like yours does.... maybe clicking on the ps icon and deleting it will reset all functions to all applications?

Actually, it wasn't there to start off with. When it wasn't working, I added it in the hope that being application specific it MIGHT work, but it didn't.

So it doesn't seem to matter if it is there or isn't there.
And I think by now I have tried every possible combination of settings.

So there is nothing from inside of Photoshop that addresses tablets?

03/25/2012 12:03:04 AM · #9

Just got this from a forum:

After making the move to Windows 7 a few months ago everything went fine regarding my tablet. Then a month later the driver died, i installed a newer version of the tablet for W7 and since then ive been having nightmares regarding the touch functionality of the tablet.

As of a week or two ago, the pen functionality has started dieing too. Im almost certain that what ever problems im having is not related to the tablet itself but my machine.

When photoshop is not the active window, my pen can control the cursor to any position on the screen, however once photoshop is the active window, i can only control the upper left corner of the monitor. Ive tested it on a few apps and the same is happening on Fireworks, After Effects.

//iaza.com/work/100421C/186136.jpg << shows the area in which i can move to

I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit

I have the latest patch for Photoshop CS4 (11.0.1)

Have the latest patch for my tablet (5.2.1-6) - Bamboo Fun Pen & Touch

Is there some settings in photoshop that changes where the tablet controls and such or?

Thanks, (i hope this is in the right place )

Correct Answer by toxic_panic on Jul 25, 2011 1:21 PM

I just talked to Wacom Tech support.

Using an Intuos 4, and Windows 7, I was having some problems with CS5. He told me that the drivers weren't completely installed. Here's what he told me to do.

Open the Start Menu
Open the Control Panel
If in category view, click Hardware and Sound
Under "Devices and Printers", click Device Manager
After opening the Device Manager, go down to "Mice and Other Pointing Devices" and click the drop-down arrow
If you see two "HID-Compliant Mouse" categories, click on both of them, and find the one that says "Wacom Virtual HD Driver" under 'Location'.
Once you have found the correct device, click on the Driver tab, and click the Update Driver button
Click on Browse My Computer for Driver Software
Click Browse -> Computer -> Program Files -> Tablet // OR type in the box " C:\Program Files\Tablet " and make sure you have the "Include subfolders" option checked.
Click Next
And it should update itself.

I hope this clears things up. If not, try calling the Wacom Tech Support.

end of forum post

Message edited by author 2012-03-25 00:05:07.

03/25/2012 12:19:53 AM · #10

Oh heck, Pam, that sounded so good!

However, I followed the steps and my computer told me that:
"The best driver software for your device is already installed. Windows has determined the driver software for your device is up to date" :-(

I thank you for trying, Pam (and also thanks to the other try-ers)

Message edited by author 2012-03-25 00:22:27.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/25/2012 12:28:56 AM · #11

Roll back to previous driver?

Uninstall and reinstall device?

Sorry, that's about the limit of my 'puter knowledge. I'm sure the tech heads will chime in shortly! (thank heavens for tech heads...)

adigitalromance

Nikon D750

03/25/2012 01:45:13 AM · #12

I wonder if it's related to the video display drivers.

You might try updating your video drivers, then making sure you have the newest version of directx from Microsoft.

I don't know of any Ps specific settings that would cause anything close to this behavior.

Eta: To test this, could you try disabling openGL in Ps and see if there is a change?

Message edited by author 2012-03-25 01:46:57.

03/25/2012 02:04:51 AM · #13

Originally posted by adigitalromance:

I wonder if it's related to the video display drivers.

Would that not be an issue ALL the time, instead of being PS specific?

Originally posted by adigitalromance:

... could you try disabling openGL in Ps and see if there is a change?

Ugh..... now you're speaking Greek at me :-(

ETA: nevermind, I found it. Disabled it, restarted PS, the problem remains *sigh*

Message edited by author 2012-03-25 02:07:41.

03/25/2012 02:25:05 AM · #14

found this addition to the previous forum post...

This works like a charm. solved my problem. win7 64bit, cs5.
I don't like the idea installing and reinstalling and wait for ... wacom.
Remember that we tend to plug in the tablet first, MS driver comes in and play, then we install wacom driver, it won't replace MS driver completely.

This is what I did:

1. Go to Device Manager.
2. There are 2 HID-compliant mouses (exactly the same Properties, Provider: Microsoft ... in both, no Wacom Virtual HD Driver) and 1 Wacom Mouse Monitor.
3. I chose the second HID-compliant mouse, point to Browse -> Computer -> Program Files -> Tablet, exactly as toxic did --> driver is updated, provider: Wacom, it becomes "Wacom mouse".
4. Switch back to Photoshop, it WORKS.

note: no need to restart/log out&in the computer, nor restart Photoshop.

end of post

03/25/2012 03:16:27 AM · #15

Nope, no go with that one :-(

I even had hubby looking over my shoulder, and he is my hardware guru.

RayEthier