Why doesn't the Eagle thumbnail automatically update after modifying PS/PSD files?

When you discover that thumbnails in Eagle haven't automatically updated after modifying files, this may be caused by the following reasons. This article will help you understand the possible causes and provide solutions.

Possible Causes and Solutions

Modified library files when Eagle was not running

If you directly modified files in the library from external sources without opening Eagle, the software cannot monitor file changes in the library and therefore cannot automatically detect file modifications.

Solution:

  1. Open Eagle
  2. Select the modified images that haven't updated, then right-click
  3. Select "More > Refresh Thumbnail", and Eagle will detect the image content and update the thumbnails of the modified files

Editing files using "Save As" function in third-party applications

When you drag files from Eagle to third-party applications (such as Paint, Photoshop), these applications will open the files directly. However, if you use the "Save As" method to save edited files, these modifications will not sync back to Eagle.

Solution:

  1. In the Eagle interface, right-click the file and select "Open in Default Application"
  2. Edit the file in the third-party application, using "Save" (not "Save As") function
  3. After saving, Eagle will automatically detect the file modifications and update the thumbnail display

Important Notes

  • Ensure Eagle is open when editing files so the software can monitor file changes
  • Prioritize using the "Open in Default Application" option to edit files rather than directly dragging files to external applications
  • Use "Save" instead of "Save As" after editing to ensure modifications are properly recognized by Eagle