File -> Save, Save As behaviour

Ideas
1

One thing I’ve notied about the File “Save” and “Save as” is that it doesn’t quite feel right?

This is how i’d expect it to work.

If you create a new unsaved project.
“Save” disabled
“Save as” enabled

User open’s existing project and hasn’t yet made any changes / modifications to it..
“Save” disabled
“Save as” enabled

User open’s existing project and has made some changes to it..
“Save” enabled
“Save as” enabled

2

I’ve noticed this as well. It always seemed odd to me that it works opposite to what you’ve written.

3

lol - i’m glad it’s just not me then! :slight_smile:

4

When you create a new project, there’s no filename associated with it. So in my opinion, the “Save” option should be disabled — you can’t save a project without a filename.

1 Like
5

If the Save menu is disabled, this would mean that the Ctrl/Cmd+S combo will be inactive as well. This is bound to annoy many people.

Maybe what you need is for Save As to be always active, and for Save to work as it does now?

6

I think the most intuitive thing would be to remove the “save as” button and just use a “Save” button.

If it’s a new project, the application detects this and brings up the file explorer window and asks the user to name and save their .bsproject file, otherwise overwrite the one they opened.

Then add a “clone project” button instead, that will open a new design tab which is a clone of the original project, then when the user saves that, do the prompt to name the file and save it like normal.

I personally find the current setup intuitive since all the Microsoft Office apps are this way, but I guess that doesn’t make them the norm these days or mean it’s best practice.

7

Adobe Photoshop has Ctrl+S for “Save” and Ctrl+Shift+S for “Save as”. Interestingly if i create a new doc in Photoshop “Save” is disabled and Ctrl+S does nothing, BUT in Adobe Illustrator if i create a new doc the “Save” is enabled and Ctrl+S pops up the file save dialog!

8

I would say that would work fine!

9

This feels somewhat like a combination of:

  1. Allen Iverson “Practice”
  2. Hangover “We have bigger problems than that, Alan” moment.

:joy:

But this is how I find it in most apps.

Save:

  • Updates the current document in its existing location with any unsaved changes.
  • Does not prompt for a filename or location if one already exists.
  • Save is available whenever there are unsaved changes in an already-named document.

Save As:

  • Prompts the user to choose a new filename, folder/location, (optionally file format).
  • After completion, the newly named document becomes the “current” document in the session.
  • Save As is almost always available (even if no changes exist) so the user can create a copy under a new name or location.

Seems to cover most everything.

2 Likes
10

I completely understand if this isn’t high priority right now. That said, having used Photoshop and other industry-standard design and development software for over 30 years, I’ve developed a strong sense of the UX patterns that tend to feel intuitive. The current “Save” / “Save As” behavior felt a bit inconsistent with those expectations, which is why I raised it.

It’s a small detail, but those subtle touches can really help the software feel more polished—especially for new users. Appreciate the consideration either way.

1 Like
11

Probably a lingering leftover from the decades when every Adobe had specific teams for each product, and none of them coordinated with each other. It took them forever to get the UIs of Illustrator and Photoshop to look the same.

Honestly, I expected they’d have integrated the programs together by now, seeing as how many redundant feature there are in each. Illustrator has about half of Photoshops bitmap features, and Photoshop has about half of Illustrator’s vector features. They should just mash them together already!

1 Like
12

Hi, the “Save” / “Save as” in version v7.1.2 works perfectly and feels seamless! :slightly_smiling_face: