External app question

[MikeFromMesa]

I occasionally use one of the Nik apps as an external editor when using PL and I noticed that the return image is handled differently when using different Nik apps. For example if I use Viveza 3 and specify that PL should Edit the entire document it (PL) loads the returned image and replaces the existing layer. If I use Nik's output sharpener and specify that PL should Edit the entire document it (PL) loads the adjusted image as a new (that is, second) layer.

Neither of these is a problem as PL does load the returned image properly, but I am curious as to why that adjusted image is sometimes loaded as the only layer and sometimes as a second layer. What causes the difference in the way the returned image is handled?

[MikeFromMesa]

Never mind.

I have been doing some additional testing of this difference in functionality and it appears that the return images from the Nik modules take different forms depending upon the PL settings when the image is originally sent (that is, Edit Document, Edit Active Layer) and so the issue is probably due to how the Nik module receives and processes the image information. In some cases PL displays the changed image information as a new background layer and sometimes as a Group with 2 layers in the group, so it is surely a question that I should be directing at Nik, not at PL.

[Martin Huber]

If you are using a file format for data transfer that supports more than one layer, and the external app creates a file with mpore than one layer, the following will happen:

• With "Edit Active Layer" the edited layer will be replaced by a group containing the layers of the transfer file.
• With "Edit Document" the document's content will be replaced by the layers of the transfer file.

You can test that easily by creating a copy of PhotoLine and using that copy as external app. This way you can create new layers in the transfer file and check the result.
You just mustn't confuse which PhotoLine called which

Martin

[MikeFromMesa]

Yes, I see that when testing it as you suggested, and it corresponds to what I saw when using the Nik apps.

Thank you for clarifying that for me.