Adobe CS5 apps: 32-bit or 64-bit?

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Adobe CS5 apps: 32-bit or 64-bit?

I'm considering keeping my 2011 iMac on Sierra and only upgrading my MacBook Air to High Sierra. One reason is my concern about problems with Adobe Creative Suite 5. So far, my reading has only turned up reports of problems (that actually started before HS) with Illustrator, which I don't use. But I'm confused about the other CS5 applications. I think at least some of them will not work with future versions of macOS, which is another reason to stick with 10.12. Most confusingly, they seem to be a combination of 32-bit and 64-bit applications, which is weird for different components of the same suite.

Here's a System Information report taken on my Air:

And here's information captured in Activity Monitor:

Both analyses say that Photoshop is 64-bit but InDesign is 32-bit, which I find odd. What's even weirder is that they disagree about the structure of Acrobat.

Does anyone here have any clarification about the status of these three applications? Thanks!

Posted on Oct 24, 2017 10:33 AM

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Answer 1

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Kurt Lang

Level 9

62,190 points

Oct 24, 2017 5:17 PM in response to Patty1

The Acrobat discrepency isn't as odd as it seems. Do a get info on the apps running as 32 bit (I think you can do this with many of the CS5 and CS6 apps). Most of them will have a check box which allows you to choose a 32 or 64 bit launch.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

146,708 points

Oct 24, 2017 3:28 PM in response to Patty1

For what it's worth, High Sierra still supports 32 bit apps. An imposition for 64 bit compliance is not expected until the subsequent macOS version.

To resolve any uncertainty read Upgrading macOS without fear. I don't know if those particular apps will work or not, but you can find out for yourself by using that technique. In any event 32 vs. 64 bit won't be the deciding factor.

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Answer 3

Patty1 Author

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123 points

Oct 24, 2017 3:39 PM in response to John Galt

Hi, John. Yes, that's what I meant by "future versions of macOS"--those beyond the current 10.13. I know that 32-bit applications won't work then; what I don't understand is why macOS is giving me inconsistent reports on which Adobe programs are 32-bit ones.

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Answer 4

Patty1 Author

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Oct 24, 2017 3:43 PM in response to Rudegar

I suppose I could ask Adobe whether each of those applications is 32-bit or 64-bit; whether they'd bother answering a question about such old software is another matter. But more to the point, the only thing that matters for running the programs on a Mac is what the Mac thinks they are. If macOS 10.14 thinks that Acrobat Pro is a 32-bit program, the Mac won't run it even if Adobe tells me that it's a 64-bit program.

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Answer 5

Kurt Lang

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62,190 points

Oct 24, 2017 3:54 PM in response to Patty1

They are exactly as they're listed. CS5 was a transitional release. In CS6, most components were 64 bit, but not all. Certain titles of both still require Apple's old Java 6 to launch and run. Even in the original CC apps, Dreamweaver required Java 6.

I haven't checked, but it's possible the installers are 32 bit. If that's the case, you may have some 64 bit apps that will run once installed, but it will be impossible to run the 32 bit installers in the OS coming after High Sierra.

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Answer 6

Patty1 Author

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Oct 24, 2017 4:00 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Hi, Kurt. That's interesting about both CS5 and CS6 having a mixture of 32-bit and 64-bit programs.

As for being exactly as they're listed, what about Acrobat, which is listed as 64-bit by System Information but as 32-bit by Activity Monitor? Is System Information the more authoritative source? However, a friend ran System Information on her Mac, and she has the exact same version of Acrobat (10.1.16) that I do, yet her Mac said it was 32-bit! So now I don't know what to believe...

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Answer 7

Kurt Lang

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Oct 25, 2017 5:02 AM in response to Patty1

The check boxes were a stop-gap solution when application vendors started started switching over from 32 to 64 bit apps. That solution was mainly for instances like the Adobe suite where some of your latest extensions or plugins were 64 bit, but older 32 bit ones were mixed in.

When an app launches, everything must be the same bit depth. So if 64 bit, none of your 32 bit addons will appear, and visa versa if you start up the app as 32 bit. Very clumsy to have to keep quitting the app and changing its startup mode, but necessary in order to use all of your addons until you had all of them updated to 64 bit.

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Answer 8

Patty1 Author

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Oct 25, 2017 7:45 AM in response to Kurt Lang

Thanks, Kurt. That explains why I never noticed the checkbox, because I don't use any add-ons to CS5 products. I'll make sure that the 32-bit checkboxes are unchecked for all Adobe products on both of my Macs.

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Answer 9

Rudegar

Level 10

174,054 points

Oct 24, 2017 3:34 PM in response to Patty1

what do Adobe say? if they feel since 32bit is not a no no they keep something which work as it were without poking it

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Answer 10

Patty1 Author

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Oct 24, 2017 5:28 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Oh, interesting! Yes, my copy of Acrobat was checked to open in 32-bit mode. Probably some holdover from when it was on a Mac running Snow Leopard. Thanks, I've unchecked that box.

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