External program question

[bruce1951]

I have installed Fotosketcher as an external program. Works fine. However FotoSketcher wont return to Photoline on save. I have to do a save and reload that file into PL.
Is there a way I can force FotoSketcher to send the result back to PL? A FotoSketcher issue but I'm hoping that PL is 'smart' enough to find a solution!!

bruce

[evren]

I'm using PhotoSketcher as well and have the same issue. But I guess looking for a solution to it will end up with many other problems in many applications.
First thing, how it works
when you send a layer etc to an external program, photoline creates a solid copy of that layer (you define the format from settings) and pass it to the program. After PL keep checking that temp file and ext program. When the program terminates, PL takes back the temp file to replace the layer.
Second, the problem
If the external program doesn't support overwrite, in other manner only gives option to "Save As", the temp file keeps staying same and another file created without the attention of PL.
Solution 1 (safe)
On PhotoSketcher (or whatever) browse to temp folder and overwrite the temp file. That's it. You can create a shortcut to temp folder to access fast.
Solution 2 (unsafe)
PL can approach this issue by filesystem hooks or injecting a DLL etc to follow what external software creates. Sounds nice but it's so complicated progress since, because of many different type of apps and their aproaches, this will end up with errors in many other external apps.

So, it's kinda hard deal ;)

[MikeFromMesa]

Yes. That is a good explanation of how the external editor process works. A couple of comments.

Sometimes the external editor that is called does not have a Save As and will only save the image to some specific location. Since PL uses the temp folder for its work that means that PL can not reload the changed image, and I do not know an easy solution to that problem. You can, of course, manually move or copy the file to the proper location, but that seems like a lot of work.

Sometimes the external editor does have a Save or Save As, but saves the image with a slightly different image suffix - say tiff instead of tif or jpeg instead of jpg, and then the same issue arises. PL can not find the changed image. Often you can manually change the suffix in the Save As dialog box and address this issue.

None of this is PL's fault as it does not know where the external editor plans to save the changed image.

[evren]

None of this is PL's fault as it does not know where the external editor plans to save the changed image.

exactly, and the solutions will come with more problems :(

the source of the problem is the applications which doesn't offer a save function, using save as as default option. in other way of saying, they assume that their users are idiots, who can not manage to take backup. this behaviour makes me really mad.

[bruce1951]

I have simply overcome the issue by saving the image from the application. Then loading that image into PL. Do a copy then a paste as new layer. A bit awkward but it is at least a work around.

bruce

[chrischa]

To make this workaround a littlebit faster: If you drag the saved picture on the open picture in PL, it is added as a new layer. Just keep a Windows Explorer-Window (or Finder on Mac, I think) open in the background and switch to it, after you have saved the file in the other application.

[evren]

I have simply overcome the issue by saving the image from the application. Then loading that image into PL. Do a copy then a paste as new layer. A bit awkward but it is at least a work around.

bruce

This approach will not preserve your attributes and filters (resize, warp, rotate, adjustments etc.) over your image. Better overcome is to create a shortcut for the TEMP folder on your desktop and drag and drop your saved file on that shortcut (overwrite).
But just pay attention on the filename. Some apps adds prefix or suffix to the saved files, need to clean them to make it same name

Steps
1 - Check the name of file
2 - Overwrite the file on TEMP folder
3 - Close the external app

[bruce1951]

Thanks but I think you are miss reading what I said. In a multiple layered PL file I will select the layer I need/no attributes etc. Copy it and send it to the external program. (In my case Fotosketcher). In the external program, once finished, I do a save. (Fotosketcher has it's own naming format). Back in PL I open that file/single layer, and copy it. Then paste as a new layer in PL. So there are no attributes/filters etc involved.

If you have a multiple layered image with Adjustment layers/attributes etc then that is a whole nuther issue.

bruce