Only 4 plugins?

[MikeFromMesa]

When I access Filter -> Manage Plugins on my Mac I get a window that only seems to allow me to specify 4 plugins selections. Why only 4? That seems like a very small number.

I know that plugins from some companies, like Topaz, bundle all of their plugins in one folder and that PL only counts that as a single plugin, but some do not so and some might want plugins from at least 5 software manufacturers. Four as a restriction seems very limiting.

Is there a setting to allow more than 4 plugins somewhere buried in Preferences (I looked but could not find any)? Is there some reason for a limit of 4? There seems to be no such restriction concerning external editors.

[gmhofmann]

Not only 4 plug-ins.
PhotoLine can handle 4 plug-in directories

[MikeFromMesa]

Not only 4 plug-ins.
PhotoLine can handle 4 plug-in directories

Yes. I understand that. But 4 plugin directories may well mean only 4 plugins since I cannot just jumble all of the plugins together. If I have 5 plugins from 5 different companies I have to decide which one to not use and I just don't understand the restriction.

I can define perhaps a dozen external editors, but only 4 different plugin companies? Why? Or am I missing some way to expand that number?

[photoken]

I agree that we need more plugin directories. It's been a long-standing request:
http://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.ph ... ins#p30700

FWIW, I have established two general plugin directories:
"F:\Program Files\Bitmap Plugins x64"
"F:\Program Files (x86)\Bitmap Plugins"
and I install my plugins into the appropriate directory. Most of the plugins I have are simple and can be dumped directly into one of those directories. Some plugins get their own subdirectory created under those directories for their files, and PL finds them by searching subdirectories.

However, I have two sets of plugins that require their directories to be explicitly listed (searching sub-directories doesn't work for them), so I'm out of room for adding more directories. There'll be hell to pay if I get another plugin requiring its own listing.

[Martin Huber]

IHowever, I have two sets of plugins that require their directories to be explicitly listed (searching sub-directories doesn't work for them)

What happens, if their directories are not explicitly listed? Are the plugins missing in the menu or do they not work?

Basically it shouldn't matter whether the directory is explicitly listed.

Martin

[photoken]

IHowever, I have two sets of plugins that require their directories to be explicitly listed (searching sub-directories doesn't work for them)

What happens, if their directories are not explicitly listed? Are the plugins missing in the menu or do they not work?

Basically it shouldn't matter whether the directory is explicitly listed.

It's been a while, so I don't remember. I'll do some experimenting later today and let you know.

[photoken]

IHowever, I have two sets of plugins that require their directories to be explicitly listed (searching sub-directories doesn't work for them)

What happens, if their directories are not explicitly listed? Are the plugins missing in the menu or do they not work?

Basically it shouldn't matter whether the directory is explicitly listed.

It's been a while, so I don't remember. I'll do some experimenting later today and let you know.

OK, I have a set of plugins (the KPT Collection) that is provided as a "bonus" for registered users of PaintShopPro. It must be installed under the PaintShopPro/plugins directory. If it is not installed there, when any of its plugins is started, a prompt appears asking for a registration number (which is non-existent). So, I have to keep those plugins installed under that PSP plugins directory and list that directory in PL's plugins page.

In other words, it's not a question of the plugin not appearing or not working, it's a licensing requirement which the plugin checks for when started.

So, I'm forced to use up one of PL's plugin fields to explicitly list that PSP plugins directory.

When I wrote my first message in this thread, I also thought that the "special" Perfectly Clear plugin (also provided as a "bonus" to registered users of PSP) needed to have its directory explicitly listed, but I was mistaken. Apparently, the installer for that "special" version of Perfectly Clear must install the plugin under the PSP plugins directory. I now found out that I can move that installation directory out of the PSP plugin directory and into my general plugins directories and the plugin works fine from within PL, so I no longer need to explicitly list the Perfectly Clear directory in PL.

So, I've now used up 3 of the 4 PL plugin directory entries. That gives me a little breathing room.