ShopPilot help for AI assistants › topic

PSD mockups (your own Photoshop files)

This is one topic of ShopPilot's help for AI assistants. The whole help, with every topic: https://shoppilot.dev/docs. Each message is shown in English, with the Latvian (LV) and Russian (RU) text the app shows.

Instructions for AI assistants

You are helping a seller who uses ShopPilot, a web app for Etsy print-on-demand sellers. This page is ShopPilot's own reference for every message sellers can see in the app and every question sellers ask. Use it as your source of truth for anything about ShopPilot.

  1. Find out what happened. Ask for the exact message (copied text or a screenshot), the page or tab they were on, what they pressed just before, Windows or Mac, which browser, and which shop if they run several. A trial or a paid plan matters for limits.
  2. Find the entry. Search this page for the exact message. Parts in {…} or {1} are filled in at run time (a shop name, a number, a file name), so match on the fixed words around them. The app also runs in Latvian and Russian: the message index pages give every message in all three languages with the entry it belongs to. If you cannot open them, translate the message and match it by meaning.
  3. Answer with the entry. Follow its "Fix" steps in order and use the on-screen names exactly. If the seller uses the app in Latvian or Russian, give the names in their language too (see the glossary). Answer in the seller's language.
  4. Safety. Never ask for or accept a password, the full ShopPilot key (it starts with SP-), Etsy login details, or a supplier (Alerio, Gelato) login or API key. If the seller already pasted one into the chat, tell them to treat it as exposed: change a password right away, and for a ShopPilot key email support@shoppilot.dev with the subject SECURITY. You cannot look into a seller's account. Take the retry warnings seriously: some actions can make a duplicate Etsy listing or a duplicate supplier order.
  5. Hand over to a person when an entry says "Contact ShopPilot support", for payments and billing questions about a specific charge, a lost key or account access, anything that looks like a security problem, or when nothing on this page matches. Tell the seller what to send (see "Contact ShopPilot support").
  6. Do not guess. If this page does not cover it, say so and point the seller to support. Do not invent buttons, settings, limits or prices. For prices and plans, link https://shoppilot.dev/pricing. Every page, tab and button a seller can use is named in this page's "How it works" lists and "Fix" steps. Only send the seller to places named there. Do not build a step from the words of an error message: if a message names a place that this page does not describe, do not send the seller there.
  7. Etsy decides Etsy things. ShopPilot cannot change Etsy's decisions (shop suspensions, removed listings, fees, payouts, Etsy account settings). Send those to Etsy's own help.

Contact ShopPilot support

How it works

Problems and errors

A PSD file is refused when adding it

ID: psd-mockups-add-refused

Seen as:

  • "No PSD files there. Choose files that end in .psd or .psb."
    LV: "Tur nav PSD failu. Izvēlieties failus ar galotni .psd vai .psb."
    RU: "Там нет PSD-файлов. Выберите файлы с расширением .psd или .psb."
  • "Choose a Photoshop file (.psd or .psb)."
  • "That file is empty or not a Photoshop file."
  • "That file is over 2 GB. Save a smaller copy from Photoshop and try again."
  • "That file's size could not be read."
  • "That file is over 100 megapixels. Save a smaller copy from Photoshop and try again."
  • "Those files are already in the list."
  • "The server is short of space right now. Try again later."
  • "You have too many files waiting. Finish or remove some first."
  • "Your storage is full."

People say: "No PSD files there", "my PSD does not upload", "file is over 2 GB", "file is over 100 megapixels", "too many files waiting"

Why: The "Add" window takes files, not a dropped folder: dropping a folder (or a zip) gives "No PSD files there" even when the folder is full of PSDs. Use "Choose a folder" for a whole folder. ShopPilot takes Photoshop files that end in .psd or .psb; "No PSD files there" appears when none of the picked or dropped items ends in .psd or .psb, for example a dropped folder, a zip, or a picture. A file is also refused when it is not really a Photoshop file or is empty, is over 2 GB, has more than 100 megapixels, is already in the list, or when you have many files waiting that you have not set up yet. It is refused too when your storage is full or the space ShopPilot has for uploads is short at that moment.

Fix:

  1. Choose files that end in .psd or .psb ("Choose PSD files"), or press "Choose a folder" to add all the PSD files in a folder. Do not drop a folder or a zip; a renamed picture or a zip is not a PSD.
  2. Over 2 GB or over 100 megapixels: in Photoshop save a smaller copy (fewer pixels, flatten what you do not need) and add that.
  3. "You have too many files waiting": set up or remove ("Remove this file") the files already in the list, then add the new ones.
  4. "Your storage is full": check the storage bar at the bottom of "Settings", delete folders or mockups you no longer need, then add the file again. If the message says "You have uploaded N MB in the last 24 hours, and the most is N MB a day", the daily upload limit is reached: uploads count for 24 hours, so wait, or contact ShopPilot support to raise it.
  5. "The server is short of space right now": wait a while and try again.

If still stuck: contact ShopPilot support with the file size and the exact message.

Notes: A file that is already in the list is not added twice. A file that already became a mockup can be added again to make another one.

The upload stops part-way, or says the upload is no longer open

ID: psd-mockups-upload-stops

Seen as:

  • "That upload is no longer open."
  • "A piece of the file could not be stored. It will be sent again."
  • "A piece of the file was too big."
  • "The upload was refused."
    LV: "Augšupielāde tika noraidīta."
    RU: "Загрузка отклонена."
  • "This file could not be uploaded."
    LV: "Šo failu neizdevās augšupielādēt."
    RU: "Не удалось загрузить этот файл."
  • "The file could not be stored. Try again."
  • "This page is out of date. Reload it and try again."
  • "That did not work. Try again."
    LV: "Neizdevās. Mēģiniet vēlreiz."
    RU: "Не получилось. Попробуйте ещё раз."

People say: "upload failed", "the PSD upload stopped", "that upload is no longer open", "upload was refused"

Why: A PSD goes up in small pieces and each piece is checked. The upload stops when you close the window or the page, the internet connection drops for a long time, you are signed out, or the upload stayed open for a long time without finishing and was cleared. A piece that arrives incomplete is sent again by itself.

Fix:

  1. Keep the "Add your PSD mockups" window open and the computer awake until every row says "Reading the layers" or "Ready to set up".
  2. If a row shows an error, remove it ("Remove this file") and add the file again.
  3. If you were signed out, sign in again, then add the file again.
  4. "This page is out of date. Reload it and try again.": reload ShopPilot (Ctrl+R, or Cmd+R on a Mac) and try again.

If still stuck: try a smaller copy of the PSD. Then contact ShopPilot support with the file size and the exact message.

Notes: Trying again is safe. Nothing is made until you set the file up and save.

ShopPilot cannot read the file, or it takes too long

ID: psd-mockups-read-fails

Seen as:

  • "This file could not be read. Save a copy from Photoshop (8-bit RGB) and add that."
  • "This file could not be read."
    LV: "Šo failu neizdevās nolasīt."
    RU: "Не удалось прочитать этот файл."
  • "Reading this file stopped. Remove it and add it again."
  • "This file needs more memory than a mockup may use. Save a smaller copy from Photoshop (fewer pixels or layers) and add that."
  • "This file took too long to prepare. Save a smaller copy from Photoshop and add that."
  • "The layers of this file could not be read."
    LV: "Šī faila slāņus neizdevās nolasīt."
    RU: "Не удалось прочитать слои этого файла."
  • "Reading the saved PSD stopped. Try reading its parts again."
  • "The layers of this file are still being read. Try again in a moment."
  • "The layers of this mockup are still being read. Try again in a moment."

People say: "This file could not be read", "needs more memory", "took too long to prepare", "the layers could not be read"

Why: After the upload ShopPilot opens the PSD and reads its layers and smart objects. A file can fail when it is very large or has very many layers, is not 8-bit RGB (other colour modes are slower and may fail), or is damaged. "Reading this file stopped" means the reading was interrupted twice.

Fix:

  1. In Photoshop open the file, choose 8-bit RGB mode, flatten or delete layers you do not need, and save a smaller copy (fewer pixels or layers).
  2. Remove the failed row and add the copy.
  3. "The layers of this file are still being read. Try again in a moment.": wait until the row says "Ready to set up" and try again.
  4. A saved mockup that says "Reading the saved PSD stopped": press "Read the PSD again" in "Change where your design goes".

If still stuck: contact ShopPilot support with the file size, the number of layers if you know it, and the exact message.

A mockup could not be prepared or saved

ID: psd-mockups-prepare-fails

Seen as:

  • "This mockup could not be prepared. Try again, or add the file once more."
  • "This file could not be prepared. Try again, or save a copy from Photoshop and add that."
  • "This mockup could not be prepared."
    LV: "Šo maketu neizdevās sagatavot."
    RU: "Не удалось подготовить этот мокап."
  • "The refreshed mockup could not be prepared. Try again."
  • "The refreshed mockup could not be saved. Try reading its parts again."
  • "This mockup is being prepared. Try again when it is ready."
  • "This mockup has no saved PSD to read. Add the PSD file again."
  • "This mockup needs to be prepared again."
  • "This mockup could not be saved. Try again."

People say: "This mockup could not be prepared", "stuck on preparing", "refreshed mockup could not be saved", "no saved PSD to read"

Why: After you tick the parts and save, ShopPilot prepares the mockup once. Preparing can fail for a file that is too heavy, or stop when the page was closed. "This mockup is being prepared" means it is still working. "This mockup has no saved PSD to read" means the original PSD is no longer stored for it.

Fix:

  1. Wait until the tile no longer says it is being prepared, then try again.
  2. If it failed, open the mockup with "Change where your design goes" and save it again, or press "Read the PSD again".
  3. If the original PSD is gone, add the PSD file again and set it up.
  4. If a layer covers the whole picture (some free mockups have one called "Delete me"), hide it under "Layers" in "Change where your design goes".

If still stuck: contact ShopPilot support with the mockup's name and number and the exact message.

Notes: A mockup that is not ready is left out of a run, so a listing never comes out short without telling you.

Choosing the parts: nothing ticked, or a part cannot take a design

ID: psd-mockups-parts

Seen as:

  • "This part cannot take a design."
    LV: "Šajā daļā dizainu ievietot nevar."
    RU: "В эту часть нельзя поместить дизайн."
  • "That is too many layers to change in one mockup."
  • "That mockup has nothing to match."

People say: "tick at least one place", "this part cannot take a design", "nothing to match"

Why: A mockup needs at least one smart object that takes your design. A part cannot take a design when the PSD has no placement data for it. A file with no smart objects has nowhere to put a design. "Match the others to this one" needs a mockup with a main part for the design. Too many layer changes in one go are refused.

Fix:

  1. Tick at least one part that shows your design, then save.
  2. If no part can be ticked, open the PSD in Photoshop, turn the picture area into a smart object, save a copy and add that.
  3. "That is too many layers to change in one mockup": undo some eye changes (the layer list has a "Back to how the PSD has it" button) and save in steps.
  4. "That mockup has nothing to match": pick a mockup that has a part ticked for the design, then try "Match the others to this one" again.

Notes: If you have no PSD, "Smart mockups" (a photo of your own blank product with the print area marked) is the other way to use your own product photo.

Layers: hiding a layer or filling with the background colour does not work

ID: psd-mockups-layers

Seen as:

  • "Show this layer first: a hidden layer cannot show the background colour."
    LV: "Vispirms parādiet šo slāni: paslēpts slānis nevar rādīt fona krāsu."
    RU: "Сначала покажите этот слой: скрытый слой не может показать фоновый цвет."
  • "Show that layer first: a hidden layer cannot show the background colour."
  • "That layer cannot take the background colour."
  • "This PSD has no light, gloss or shadow layers over the design, so this changes nothing."
    LV: "Šim PSD virs dizaina nav gaismas, spīduma vai ēnu slāņu, tāpēc tas neko nemaina."
    RU: "В этом PSD нет слоёв света, блеска или тени поверх дизайна, поэтому это ничего не меняет."
  • "The picture could not be updated."
  • "The picture could not be updated. What you hide still applies when you save."
  • "Your design goes in this part, so it stays showing."
    LV: "Šajā daļā atrodas jūsu dizains, tāpēc tā paliek redzama."
    RU: "В этой части находится ваш дизайн, поэтому она остаётся видимой."
  • "That would hide a part your design goes in. Leave it showing."

People say: "Show this layer first", "your design goes in this part, so it stays showing", "that would hide a part your design goes in", "that layer cannot take the background colour", "the picture could not be updated", "shine does nothing"

Why: The eye of a part that your design goes in cannot be turned off: "Your design goes in this part, so it stays showing" and "That would hide a part your design goes in. Leave it showing." are a protection, not a fault. A hidden layer cannot show the background colour, so show it first. Only layers that have pixels or a fill can take the shop's background colour, and not the parts your design goes in. "This PSD has no light, gloss or shadow layers over the design" means the "Shine" control has nothing to change in that file. The preview picture is redrawn after each eye change; if that fails, what you hide still applies when you save.

Fix:

  1. To hide something, use the eye of another layer (a sample sign, a number, a watermark), not the part your design goes in. To change where the design goes, use "Change where your design goes" and tick other parts.
  2. Turn the eye on for the layer, then press the paint bucket ("Fill with your shop's background colour").
  3. Pick another layer (usually the background layer) if the message says it cannot take the colour.
  4. If "The picture could not be updated" shows, press the eye again or save; the saved mockup uses your choices.
  5. "Back to how the PSD has this layer" undoes your change for that layer.

Edit, delete, restore or rename a section fails

ID: psd-mockups-edit

Seen as:

  • "That mockup could not be deleted. Try again."
    LV: "Šo maketu neizdevās izdzēst. Mēģiniet vēlreiz."
    RU: "Не удалось удалить этот мокап. Попробуйте снова."
  • "That mockup could not be reset. Try again."
    LV: "Šo maketu neizdevās atiestatīt. Mēģiniet vēlreiz."
    RU: "Не удалось сбросить этот мокап. Попробуйте ещё раз."
  • "Those mockups could not be restored. Try again."
    LV: "Šos maketus neizdevās atgūt. Mēģiniet vēlreiz."
    RU: "Не удалось восстановить эти мокапы. Попробуйте ещё раз."
  • "That section could not be made. Try again."
  • "There is already a section called “"
    LV: "Jau ir sadaļa ar nosaukumu “"
    RU: "Уже есть раздел с названием “"
  • "Type a name first."
    LV: "Vispirms ierakstiet nosaukumu."
    RU: "Сначала введите название."
  • "Your Photoshop mockups could not be loaded. Try again."

People say: "could not be deleted", "could not be reset", "could not be restored", "section could not be made", "there is already a section called"

Why: These actions need a working connection to ShopPilot. A section name must be typed and must be different from the other section names (capital letters do not make a name different). Only the person who added a mockup can delete or reset it.

Fix:

  1. Try the action again once. Reload the page if it keeps failing.
  2. For a new section type a name that is not used yet.
  3. A team member cannot change a mockup that someone else added; ask that person, or add your own.

Notes: Deleting a mockup does not change listings already made: they keep their photos. Nothing was changed when one of these actions fails.

A run says the PSD mockups are not ready, not selected, or not available for the shop

ID: psd-mockups-run

Seen as:

  • "Your PSD mockups are still being prepared. Try again when they are ready."
    LV: "Jūsu PSD maketi vēl tiek sagatavoti. Mēģiniet vēlreiz, kad tie būs gatavi."
    RU: "Ваши PSD-мокапы ещё готовятся. Попробуйте снова, когда они будут готовы."
  • "No ready PSD mockups are selected for this shop and section."
    LV: "Šim veikalam un sadaļai nav izvēlēts neviens gatavs PSD makets."
    RU: "Для этого магазина и раздела не выбрано ни одного готового PSD мокапа."
  • "No ready PSD mockups are selected for this shop."
    LV: "Šim veikalam nav izvēlēts neviens gatavs PSD makets."
    RU: "Для этого магазина не выбрано ни одного готового PSD мокапа."
  • "That PSD section is not available for this shop. Choose a section for this shop."
    LV: "Šī PSD sadaļa šim veikalam nav pieejama. Izvēlieties sadaļu šim veikalam."
    RU: "Этот раздел PSD недоступен для этого магазина. Выберите раздел для этого магазина."
  • "Your mockup sections could not be loaded. Try again."
    LV: "Jūsu maketu sadaļas neizdevās ielādēt. Mēģiniet vēlreiz."
    RU: "Не удалось загрузить разделы мокапов. Попробуйте ещё раз."
  • "Your PSD mockups could not be loaded. Try again."
    LV: "Jūsu PSD maketus neizdevās ielādēt. Mēģiniet vēlreiz."
    RU: "Не удалось загрузить ваши PSD мокапы. Попробуйте ещё раз."

People say: "No ready PSD mockups are selected", "still being prepared", "that PSD section is not available for this shop"

Why: A run (Create Mockups, or a Curate run that makes mockups) uses the PSD mockups that are ticked for the shop and the section. It stops, and makes nothing, when none of them is ticked, when they are still being prepared, or when the section named for the run is not one of this shop's sections.

Fix:

  1. Open "Create Mockups" > "PSD mockups" with the right shop active and tick the mockups the run should use.
  2. Wait until the tiles are no longer being prepared.
  3. In "Settings" > "Organization" check that the shop is in the section, or choose another section for the run.
  4. "could not be loaded. Try again": reload the page and try again.

Notes: Nothing was made or saved when the run stops here, so starting it again is safe.

Rare technical messages (PSD mockups)

ID: psd-mockups-rare

Seen as:

  • "a kit image is unreadable"
  • "could not encode a kit image"

Why: Internal checks of the prepared mockup's pictures. Nothing was changed.

Fix:

  1. Open the mockup with "Change where your design goes" and save it again, or press "Read the PSD again".
  2. If it keeps failing, add the PSD again.

If still stuck: contact ShopPilot support with the mockup's name and the exact message.

Not errors: labels and notes (PSD mockups)

ID: psd-mockups-not-errors

Seen as:

  • "No. You add the PSD file and Shop Pilot places the designs. Photoshop does not need to be open."
  • "What if I don't have PSD files?"
  • "Yes. The 5-day free trial needs no card and runs every step on your own shop, with 10 mockup folders a day."
  • "Nothing else here to match yet."
  • "the Mockups tab. Listings you have already made keep their photos."
    LV: "cilnes “Maketi”. Jau izveidotie sludinājumi saglabās savus foto."
    RU: "вкладки «Мокапы». Уже созданные листинги сохранят свои фото."
  • "No PSD mockups yet. Add your PSD files first."
    LV: "Vēl nav PSD maketu. Vispirms pievienojiet savus PSD failus."
    RU: "PSD мокапов пока нет. Сначала добавьте свои PSD-файлы."

Common questions

Q: Do I need Photoshop to use PSD mockups?

A: No. You add the PSD file and ShopPilot places the designs. Photoshop does not need to be open or installed.

Q: Which PSD files work?

A: Files (.psd or .psb) that have smart objects where the design goes. ShopPilot finds the smart objects and you tick the ones your design goes on. 8-bit RGB files are the fastest. A file can be up to 2 GB and 100 megapixels.

Q: Will the shadows and lighting of my file stay?

A: Yes. The design goes in the way Photoshop would put it in, and the bends, shadows and lighting stay as they are in the file.

Q: How long does a big PSD take?

A: A big file takes a few minutes to upload and prepare, once. After that each listing's pictures are made in seconds.

Q: Can I hide a sample sign or logo that came with a free mockup?

A: Yes. Hide the layer with its eye under "Layers" while you set the file up, or later with "Change where your design goes".

Q: Where do the pictures go and how are they named?

A: Into the listing folder, as mockup_<number>_<name>.jpg. Each mockup's number is shown on its tile and stays the same when you rename it. A master listing finds each photo by that number.

Q: Can several designs go into one PSD mockup?

A: Yes. Set "Designs per listing" (1 to 5) for the section in "Edit mockups". With 2 to 5, a listing's folder holds that many designs and "Which design goes where" decides which design fills which part.

Q: Can I use the shop's background colour in my PSD mockup?

A: Yes. Press the paint bucket on a layer (usually the background) to fill it with the shop's background colour. Each shop uses the background style of its phone case mockups.

Q: What if I do not have PSD files?

A: Use "Smart mockups" (a photo of your own blank product with the print area marked) or the built-in mockups.

Q: What is the ready-made "Tough Case (Alerio)" tab?

A: Some PSD mockups come ready-made in every account, for example mockups for Alerio's Tough Case, and each set has its own tab on "Create Mockups". You can change a ready-made mockup for your own account only, "Reset" it to how it ships, or delete it; the "Restore" button on its tab brings deleted ones back. For the Tough Case the designs are made at the Tough Case print size (2000 x 3400) when auto prep is set to that size.

Q: Can a team member edit my PSD mockups?

A: Only the person who added a mockup can change or delete it.

Q: Does deleting a PSD mockup delete the photos of my existing listings?

A: No. Listings you already made keep their photos.

Q: What does "Shine" do?

A: It sets how strongly the PSD's light, gloss and shadow show over your design. The first time it is turned down the mockup is prepared again (about a minute).