Neue Testversion 17.90b1

[Hoogo]

When I use the gradient tool to draw a gradient in a layer mask, after deselecting/losing focus, and trying to use the gradient tool to edit the mask gradient: no gradient editor visible in the view.

This also occurs when an image with a gradient is part of a layer mask group: Photoline loses the gradient editor in the view, and I have to draw the gradient once again.

*edit* actually, Photoline loses the option to edit the gradient of a bitmap layer after drawing it - is it not supposed to remember those settings, and be non-destructive?

This kind of gradient tool is destructive, the result overwrites the old pixels of the layer, it isn't an effect.

Storing the gradient properties in the raster layer even when you switch to other layers or tools was a new feature for the current version. But this only works when there is no transparency within the gradient. And the stored properties are also lost when you paint, filter or otherwise change the pixels of that layer.

If you like it non-destructive, try color overlay in effects, or create a new layer, preferably a vector-layer.

[Martin Huber]

When I use the gradient tool to draw a gradient in a layer mask, after deselecting/losing focus, and trying to use the gradient tool to edit the mask gradient: no gradient editor visible in the view.

This also occurs when an image with a gradient is part of a layer mask group: Photoline loses the gradient editor in the view, and I have to draw the gradient once again.

This works fine here. If you didn't modify the layer content using other tools/filters, the gradient should stay editable. But this only works, if the gradient:
- is opaque
- the intensity is 100%
- the mode is "Normal"

This kind of gradient tool is destructive, the result overwrites the old pixels of the layer, it isn't an effect.

Since version 17.50b13 PhotoLine is storing opaque gradients along with the layer allowing editing them later. Nevertheless you are right, that the gradient tool is destructive. Therefore this feature is restricted to opaque gradients.

Martin

[bkh]

There's still something strange about gradients and layer masks. In the attached example file, the two colour layers have stored gradients.

gradients.png

Now draw a gradient (opaque, normal, 100 %) into the layer mask, then the stored gradient in the top layer disappears. Re-draw a gradient in the top layer, and the stored gradient of the layer mask is gone. Even creating the layer mask for the top layer removed the stored gradient of that layer.

[Martin Huber]

There's still something strange about gradients and layer masks. (…)

Yes, you are right. Adding, removing or modifying the child of a layer is treated like a modification of the layer itself. I will fix that.

Martin

[Herbert123]

Awesome, now it works. I had not noticed that I was applying a transparent gradient. And when I group the layer mask gradient, the opacity layer setting affects it as well. Even scaling, rotation, etc. keeps the gradient "live". Thanks!

When I use the gradient tool to draw a gradient in a layer mask, after deselecting/losing focus, and trying to use the gradient tool to edit the mask gradient: no gradient editor visible in the view.

This also occurs when an image with a gradient is part of a layer mask group: Photoline loses the gradient editor in the view, and I have to draw the gradient once again.

This works fine here. If you didn't modify the layer content using other tools/filters, the gradient should stay editable. But this only works, if the gradient:
- is opaque
- the intensity is 100%
- the mode is "Normal"

This kind of gradient tool is destructive, the result overwrites the old pixels of the layer, it isn't an effect.

Since version 17.50b13 PhotoLine is storing opaque gradients along with the layer allowing editing them later. Nevertheless you are right, that the gradient tool is destructive. Therefore this feature is restricted to opaque gradients.

Martin

[Herbert123]

Two suggestions to improve the workflow in Photoline:

1) it would be very convenient if we could click the eye (or selection checkmark) of a layer, and then, drag the mouse up or down to multiple-select or hide/unhide layers in one movement. Adobe apps also support this, and it really is a time-saver.

2) it would be nice if guides could be made to snap to lassos and/or selected objects/layers transparency. Often I need to create guides that snap to a specific object or lasso, which I then use to place other items in relation to the first one. Or I move a selection after I added one or more guides, and then want to snap a new guide to that selection.

*edit* I am aware I might be a pain in the ****, but I am working on a larger project now (game, I will share the link later at some point), and most objects are vector - I select parts with the lasso tool, and then "copy merge" for further editing. The one thing I do not understand is why Photoline will not allow me to create/use a lasso when I work in vector layers! Now I have to create a dummy transparent layer that I select/move to create a lasso for this type of work. Would it be at all possible to have the lasso tool be accessible for vector layers as well?

[Herbert123]

Bug: create a lasso, then double-click the lasso tool to open the "Form Lasso" properties: the lasso moves to a completely different location.

Aside from this bug, I feel the form lasso should default to "Absolute", and not "relative".

And may I suggest that the form lasso dialog becomes either a non-modal dialog or part of the tool settings/a new attributes pane? I use it all the time, and having these features in a modal dialog really slows down the overall lasso workflow.

[Twindaddy]

Bug: create a lasso, then double-click the lasso tool to open the "Form Lasso" properties: the lasso moves to a completely different location.

I can't reproduce this behaviour here on Win 7 64-Bit with neither PL64 nor PL32.

[Herbert123]

Bug: create a lasso, then double-click the lasso tool to open the "Form Lasso" properties: the lasso moves to a completely different location.

I can't reproduce this behaviour here on Win 7 64-Bit with neither PL64 nor PL32.

Strange: it only occurs in this one file I am working in. Other files do not have this issue - I could send the file to the devs; however, it is a production file for a game we are developing,and I would have to slim it down a bit.

[bkh]

Strange: it only occurs in this one file I am working in. Other files do not have this issue - I could send the file to the devs; however, it is a production file for a game we are developing,and I would have to slim it down a bit.

I can easily reproduce the bug: in the sample file, select the top layer and do "form lasso", either from the menu or by double clicking the lasso tool. The problem seems to be that the lasso position shown in the "Form lasso" dialogue is relative to the active layer, but the lasso is drawn relative to the document. If you select the bottom layer, "Form lasso" works correctly.

Cheers

Burkhard.

[Herbert123]

A much more serious bug is now 'bugging' me: whenever I try to zoom in, Photoline will crash. Not sure what is going on: the file is 16000*1536. hundreds of objects. I already experienced screen update issues where panning the screen would leave behind lines and broken rectangles in the clipboard area outside the canvas. Now it crashes every time I try to zoom in - basically a show stopper.

Anyone familiar with this behaviour?

*edit* turning off a couple of background layers solved the immediate crashes.

[toyotadesigner]

Reading your sig with the specs of your system, I could imagine that your 3 monitor setup is too much for the system.With your system you should be able to run several instances of PL in parallel, all of them containing hundreds of elements.

[Herbert123]

Reading your sig with the specs of your system, I could imagine that your 3 monitor setup is too much for the system.With your system you should be able to run several instances of PL in parallel, all of them containing hundreds of elements.

I did notice that working with hundreds of different layers opened Photoline's redrawing just cannot keep up - sometimes it just will not redraw the screen at all when I zoom in or out - I have to pan the view a bit for it to update then. Beyond that point Photoline will crash. I do realize the files I am working with right now are very object-heavy.

With collapsed layers this is not a problem, though. And no other application has this issue on my system: inkscape works fine, Illustrator cs2 and cs5.5 work fast as well. Only in Photoline do I experience these problems. This leads me to suggest here that my system (which is still quite high-end) is not the culprit.

I can work around it, but it a shame, because the workflow in Photoline is excellent for the type of work I am doing right now. There exist some other niggles (like the odd selection behaviour), though the redrawing/slowing down is a bit problematic at times.

Perhaps I should send the file to the devs, so they can check how things can be optimized better?

[Gerhard Huber]

Perhaps I should send the file to the devs, so they can check how things can be optimized better?

Since such a problem didn't occur here in the past 15 years and you don't have a description how to reproduce it, it would be the only way to fix the problem.

Gerhard

[Herbert123]

I sent you the file. Crashing happens when I zoom in and out, pan the view. May take 10 seconds of panning and zooming, but it will crash, unless I hide some of the main groups.