New in version 9.52:

Browse-Function

Common Enhancements


New in Version 9.00:

New Browse Function

The Browse function - accessible through the menu command "File/Browse" - was completely reworked. Now ther is a folder tree at the left side in order to allow quick switching of the current image directory. The most important image directories can be added to the favourites list. Pictures can now be rotated directly by using the browse window, JPEG images optionally lossless.
Files in the Browse window can be easily copied or moved by dragging them to the folder tree.
If a folder is dragged to PhotoLine, a browse window for this folder will be opened.

Web Export

Nowadays many images are edited in order to use them on a web page. In order to ease exporting in a web file format, that are JPEG, JPEG2000, PNG und GIF, PhotoLine has now the function Web Export. It offers a direct preview of the result and the corresponding file size for a selectable file format. Additionally the settings of the chosen file format can be edited directly. Because of these features and because of the fact, that two file formats can be compared beneath each other, the choice of the right file format is made easier.

The Frame Function

The Frame function - accessible through the menu command "Document/Frame" - allows to create manifold frames around an image, while the original data stay unmodified. There are several options: simple clippings are as easy as complex three-dimensional effects. A shadow can be added, too, in order to create additional depth.

Clipping Layers

Clipping layers are clipping - as there name already promises - other layers. All layers are clipped, that are in the same group but are drawn before the clipping layer. But the clipped layers will not be modified, they will only be drawn differently. Every type of layer can be a clipping layer: text, vector or image.
A layer can be made a clipping layer very easily by using the layer panel. If you are clicking on the visible-field (the small square with an eye inside) of a layer while holding Shift, this layer will be converted to a clipping layer (symbolized by a small pair of scissors) or clipping property will be deleted. The menu command "Layer/View/Clip Previous" has the same effect. If an image is made a clipping layer, it will be converted automatically into a gray image without an alpha channel.

Texture Colors

Until now PhotoLine supported "simple" colors, pattern colors and blend colors. Since Version 9.0 there are texture colors, too. Texture colors are similar to pattern colors, different only by the fact, that the content of the color is not defined by pictures but is calculated. Texture colors are very flexible. It is possible to create simple geometrical figures or to simulate natural structures. Of course texture colors can contain (partly or full) transparency.

Shearing and Rotating Pattern Colors

Previous versions of PhotoLine only allowed to scale pattern colors and even scaling was restricted because the new pattern size had to be a multiple of a whole pixel. This restriction no longer exists. Patterns can now be scaled to any size. Furthermore it is possible to scale and to shear patterns.

Align Colors To Layers

Until now pattern colors (inlcuding blend and texture colors) have always been relative to the current page. This had the effect, that a layer could look totally different after scaling or moving. Therefore it is now possible to align a color to the layer which is using it. This way all changes applied to the layer are applied to the color, too. This option can be turned on and off in the Layer Info-dialog.

New Filters: Clouds, Difference Clouds

Clouds and Difference Clouds - located in the menu "Filter/Special Tools" - are creating cloud-like structures. While clouds is replacing the currently selected image, Difference Clouds is combining the clouds and the image by using the blend mode Difference.

New Filter: Perturbation

Perturbation perturbates - nomen est omen - images. The kind of effect can be quite different. After applying the filter, the image can look like it has been treated with a sandblast unit, but also, as it was viewed through a wavy glass pane.

Lighting Support With Waves, Vault and Projection

The filters Waves, Vault and Projection are - in the strict sense - operations, that project an image to the three-dimensional space. Therefore it suggests itself to illuminate the result by a light source. Exactly that is possible in version 9.0. The lighting can be turned on and off and the position, color and intensity of the light source is adjustable.

The Chart Tool

There is a new tool in the toolbox: the chart tool. This tool allows to create simple charts. The data needed for the chart can be entered in the corresponding settings dialog, but it is simpler to import the data from an existing file. PhotoLine is able to import normal text data files.

Line Patterns

PhotoLine is now supporting various kinds of line patterns. The line pattern kind easily be chosen in the Line Editor.

New Polygon Function

The tool for creation triangles has been replaced by a polygon tool. Now it is possible to create nearly any polygon very fast.

Layer Distortions

Layer distortions modify the shape of vector and text layers.
Similar to layer effects the layer itself keeps unchanged. Only the appearance of the layer changes. Layer distortions can be applied to groups, too. In this case they affect all layers inside the group.

User-defined Context Menu

In order to allow faster working it is now possible to define an own context menu. This is done in the Options dialog, on the subpage "Usage/Context Menu". This context menu can be accessed by clicking the middle mouse button or by Ctrl+right-click (on Windows) or by Ctrl+Command+click (on Mac OS).

Text Layers: Find And Replace

Text layers are now supporting "Find" and "Find/Replace". Of course the usual options like "Match whole words only" and "Match case" are there, too.

Text Layers: Sub- and Superscript

Text in text layers can now be sub- and superscripted. Annoying manual formatting isn't necessary anymore.

Adjustable Screen Gamma

The Options dialog ("Options/Options/Display/Screen Gamma") now allows to adjust the brightness of images which is PhotoLine is drawing on the monitor. By doing that images can be displayed correctly on too dark screens, too.

Minor Enhancements

Beside the new functions above there are a lot of minor enhancements. The most important are: