Herbert123 wrote:Here is mine. Please post and share yours too, so the developers may gain insight in most wanted features and novel ideas to improve Photoline. I realize some features are rather "big" wishes, and may never come to pass. Others are small improvements.
My Wishlist
[edited and amended 31/01/2016]
GUI
- scrollbars of document are still standard system scrollbars; ideally these should be restyled according to the user interface background colour chosen in Options.
- document windows in window mode (set side by side, for example) still display like regular windows: the chrome, such as the title bar, the scrollbars, etc. looks out of place now, and is quite jarring.
- the curve adjustment layer's curve area cannot be scaled currently. It would be extremely helpful if the user could scale it the same way as we can scale the variable width curve panel. This is now possible for the sub-curve editor (double-click on a curve button at the top of the Curves adjustment layer options, for example)! Excellent! Really helpful.
I do wish Photoline would remember the state (position and window dimensions) of the last-used curve editor dialog, though.
Photo Editing
- a content aware move tool or option.
- a content aware transformation/scale tool or option.
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*new* Focus stacking
- the copy brush: it would be very useful at times to have an option to be able to copy ABSOLUTE transparency of the target area, and replacing the transparency of the painted area.
- option to control the re-sampling algorithm when fixing a layer
- perspective options for the distort tool
- puppet warp type deformation - perhaps extend distort tool?
- image calculations (Refer to Photoshop)
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*new* Improved bracketing, and create HDR image: allow for as many brackets as we want, and allow for 16 bpc files. When processing 16bpc brackets, generate a 32bpc image.
- camera shake reduction option that automatically tracks the direction and reduces the shake.
Layers
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*new* a way to lock the transform of unrelated layers in the layer stack would be a great help with compositing and texture generation in Photoline. Please see this discussion:
http://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5052
Layer Effects
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*new* a layer effect can only be applied to one layer at a time. Ideally we would be able to multiple-select any number of layers, and apply a layer effect to all the layers at once.
We should also be able change the layer effect for multiple selected layers with existing layer effects as well. When existing layer effects are conflicting, any change will affect all of them, but any setting left alone should remain unchanged for all layers. For example: the user selects a number of layers. All of them have a shadow effect, but only some of them have an overlay effect applied. Adding an inner shadow affects all of them, but the existing layer settings remain unchanged. When the overlay is changed, however, all of the existing overlay effects for the ones that do have an overlay effect applied, will be changed to the new settings.
- at times it can be truly useful to split the layer effects into individual layers for further processing and export. Currently PL offers no function to achieve this. "Convert Layer Effects to Layers"
- normal map and bump map layer effect!
Painting tools
- the painting tools are lagging behind the competitors. Even GIMP now has the MyPaint brush engine embedded. The painting tools are in need of an update.
Page Layout
- page templates! It would be incredibly handy if we could designate a page as a template for other pages.
- Page spreads. And custom spreads. Spreads should be visible in the page pane, and be displayed side be side in the view. Export to PDF as spreads.
- An option to display all the pages in the view, not just one at a time.
- An option to control separate guide systems for templates (See also: guides)
Text & Typography
- a division of font name and families for font selection. For example, I have Myriad Pro installed, which consists of 24 members. In Photoline it is often quite confusing to select a particular member. Some are part of the list, others can be reached through a combination of clicks on other buttons. Select the font family, and then offer a second drop-down to select the exact member would truly simplify the process.
- font selection: typing the first letters of a font name ought to filter the rest (hide from the list). Example: type "M" and only font names starting with "M" will populate the visibile list.
- glyph or symbol panel to easily select a specific character for insertion.
- any other typography related design app on the market offers a) kerning, and b) tracking. Kerning and tracking are two very different things in typography, and equally important to have. PL only offers kerning, and the inclusion of tracking would be extremely helpful for type related work in Photoline.
- improved ligature control and open type functionality. With many typefaces letter variants are now included (such as proportional old style number variants). These cannot be selected or worked with in Photoline. Likewise, ligature control is limited: with headlines ligatures are avoided, but there does not seem to be an option to turn off ligatures at the text/character level.
- text flow tools: a) visible treads that show how text boxes are linked. b) simplified text threading: drag links.
Effects and filters
- integrate stamp tool in the regular painting tools by allowing the stamps to become part of the brushes panel
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Effects and filters
- lighting effects: please make this non-destructive, and apply the controls on-canvas instead of that modal window.
- expand the blur or motion blur adjustment layers with addition blur options, such as a spin blur and path blur.
- automated normal map and bump map adjustment layer, with settings to control the generation.
Fills, Gradients, Patterns, and Textures
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*new* vector-based fills
*being worked on*
- non-linear curve based option for smoother blending between colour stops in gradients. At the very least a smooth blend option between colour stops. DONE! right-mouse click on the gradient widget in the view. A new "Cubic" interpolation option is now available.
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*new* on-canvas widget to control the pattern/texture positioning, rotation, scaling.
- an option in the pattern and texture dialog (aside from rotation and shearing) to position the pattern/texture in the x and y axis.
- non-modal context sensitive panel for the gradients, patterns, and textures options. Depending on the object selected, this panel will display the options that are now only accessible when double-clicking the fill and line colours in the tools palette and the layer properties.
- additional texture noise generators: Voronoi, Worley, Cellular
- increase the maximum texture resolution to at least 2048px, please? And/or an option to recalculate the texture at a higher resolution on a per object basis: scale an object with a texture fill/stroke, and allow the texture to be recalculated at full resolution when "Align Pattern" is turned on for that layer.
Masking
- additional options to refine a mask (comparable to Photoshop's refine mask option)
- focus or depth of field auto masking
- apply depth maps (z-maps): in 3d applications depth maps can be calculated. When these are imported in Photoline (for example, as part of an EXR) these are unsupported. Ideally Photoline could utilize the 3d information in a depth map to apply effects, clouds, etc. depending on the depth and adjust the strength of the effect.
Layers panel
- a search box, with the option to filter layers temporarily.
in progress!
- filter by layer type option.
in progress!
- an option to lock layers from editing. DONE!
Channels
- introduce custom channels in the channels panel. Currently custom channels are loaded up as a layer in the layer panel, which is rather inconvenient. The way how tiffs with custom channels are currently handled in Photoline is merely a reminder of how useful it would be to keep custom channels separated from the regular layers.
- saving selections to a custom channel.
- Gimp's channel panel works quite well in this respect. Look for inspiration there.
- custom channels for duotone, tritone, hexachrome, special inks, etc. (See "Print")
External Programs
- option to send selected layers to external application (as a psd containing only those particular layers).
- when additional layers were created in the external application, Photoline inserts those layers automatically when the file is sent saved in the external application.
Print
- support for duotones, tritones, hexachrome, special inks, and so forth. Again, before these are implemented the workflow as to how custom channels are treated in Photoline must change first, in my opinion (see "channels").
Guides
- diagonal guides
- layer dependent guides (or at least an option). More complex grids and guide systems are incredibly tough to manage in Photoline, since guides reside statically on their own "layer" that exists outside the layer stack. Ideally guides should be part of the active layer when the guide(s) is(are) created. This way the user can manage different guide systems easily, and decide whether he/she wishes to group the guides into subgroups, and move certain guide groups on top, and others below particular layers. See also: page templates.
Workflow
- a library pane that collects reusable objects and elements on a document level. Edits made in a library item cascade throughout the document and its pages. Instances of library items on a page should be detachable from the original. Simple drag and drop to create new library items and drag them in the document.
- improved search and replace options for text. Highlight all instances on the page. Options for all selected text boxes, page, and document.
- search and replace option for graphics: colour, stroke properties, font, transformation, path shape, and other properties. Similar to Freehand. Options for all selected, page, and document.
- when multiple layers are selected, transforming should act on all the selected layers, not just the active one. Grouping is often not an option: especially with more complex designs and layer setups. DONE!!!
- Presets for new images: allow for main categories (web, print, video, comics, etc), and for a subcategories (web-->800x600, web-->1140x768, etc).
- in the Colors panel: allow for filtering by type (cmyk, rgb, lab, etc), and by name (typing part of colour name)
- cloning tool. I really wish we had a good cloning function in Photoline. The one in InkScape allows for different symmetry schemes, and shift, scale, rotation, blur & opacity, color, and even a trace option that creates clones depending on a bitmap. This would also be great for cloning bitmap layers.
Files and Export
- a way to set the export options on a per layer and layer group basis while working (preferably with a preview option). This would include options to set the export format, the settings for each export format, and an option to export multiple version of the same layer/layer group at different sizes. Also an option to set the resample method.
A simple "export options" button in the layer properties would be awesome. Clicking on that button would take the user to a dialog where all the export settings can be made/edited, and an export preview of said layer/layer group (similar to the current web export dialog).
- PSD import: support for the new art boards. DONE!
- option to import multiple files in one go as external file layers. Currently only one at a time can be imported. DONE! Drag multiple selected files in the browser or OS file explorer, and then hold down ALT when dropping them in a document. External placeholder layers will be created.
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*new* PDF: allow (selected) layers to be exported as PDF layers. Essential for translations, maps, and so on.
- autosave function with version control (option to set rules for creating an automatic new version)
- drag any layer, layer group, or multiple selected layers/layer groups to the desktop to export quickly (export settings dependent on the "export options" layer properties button described above).
Path Painting (!)
- please make this a LIVE effect!!! When the curve is changed, the effect path painted stroke should automatically update. This would expand the possibilities a thousand-fold.
- move the Path Painting options in its own non-model panel, or amend the (for example) Line Style or Line Pattern with these options for easy access.
- finally, add an option to control the layer order (on top or below the actual vector stroke).
Vector Editing
- when in Edit Vector Points mode, add a modifier key to reshape straight segments to a curved one in order to avoid having to first convert the straight segment to a curve with the Convert Vector Points tool. This would save a lot of unnecessary clicks.
- preference option to increase or decrease the size of the vector anchor points and handles points. Also option to change colour(s).
- Boolean operations that remain live and editable (non-destructive!)
- drag linear and curved line segments by just dragging the segment with a shortcut key.
- when multiple nodes are selected on a curve, an optional transform cage appears, allowing for quick transformations of groups of selected nodes (including rotation). This is pure gold! With shift and ctrl modifier keys a real workflow enhancer. Also works with multiple selected objects' nodes (see next point). And the transformation origin can be set as well. Awesome tool.
- the option to work on nodes of multiple paths (vector layers) simultaneously. Shift-select two or more vector objects with the edit path tool, and work on the nodes of multiple paths of objects.
- Photoline does not offer an option to snap vector nodes to other vector nodes or line segments of the same path. Another reason why I often switch to InkScape. It does work with other vector layers' nodes and segments, but the nodes of those remain invisible, and it becomes trial and error to figure out where they snap. See previous point.
- path outline option which displays (highlights) the paths I am working on. Great for more complex work, and for when elements obscure each-other. In Photoline I solve this by changing the opacity of layers, but it does slow down work.
- quick and easy join/merge nodes functions. (In InkScape: shift-J - Done! InkScape also offers many shortcuts to speed up node editing.)
- easy offset tools for path offsets (preferably live effect)
- vector painting and sculpting tweak tool for easy creative path editing. See InkScape for inspiration - it offers many options.
- paths, nodes, handles, etc. highlighting when hovering before selection. Makes it much easier to select paths when working with more complex artwork. (Photoline already does include highlighting paths for snapping!)
- anything based on VectorScribe 2 type functionality for PL's vectors... (one can dream
Web, Screen & Mobile assets creation
- export options per layer & layer group (see File and Export)
- option to set export canvas size & crop size per layer & layer group.
- option to create sprite sheet automatically from selected layers.
- transform tools: allow for 9-slice scaling of objects/layers.