PhotoLine 21

PhotoLine is available for Windows and macOS.
The registration fee is 59 Euro.
An upgrade for an existing license costs 29 Euro. If you ordered the previous version after 1st of April 2018, you will get the upgrade for free, just send an email.
Description
PhotoLine is a versatile all-purpose image and graphics editor. You can edit images or optimize them for the web, but you can also prepare print-ready PDF data.
PhotoLine offers the creative professional sophisticated tools: CMYK and Lab color space, color management with ICC profiles, adjustment layers, recording actions and 16/32-bit color depth per channel. Vector graphics can be edited as well as PDF files.
The most important new features of this release are:
- Scripting: There is now a VBScript interface on Windows and an AppleScript interface on macOS.
- Page spread: Page-spanning objects can be created more easily.
- Lens correction: This new function removes lens distortions, optionally also automatically for raw images.
And of course there are numerous small enhancements and performance improvements.
Scripting
Actions are a good way to automate repeating tasks. Sometimes, however, you reach their limitations, because certain work steps are not feasible. This is where scripting comes in.
It offers the following advantages:
- Working with several documents With scripting you can load new documents, access all open documents, save and close documents.
- Extended information Scripting gives you better access to information. This allows you to make operations dependent on the layer type, the layer size, the layer name or ...
- Clarity At first glance, scripts are more difficult because they require programming skills. Especially with complex tasks, however, actions quickly become messy because every switching of the active layer and every operation must be recorded. You quickly lose track of which action step has what purpose. With scripting, on the other hand, you can insert explanatory comments and always see all the settings of an operation at a glance.
On Windows PhotoLine supports the VBScript interface and on macOS AppleScript.
Graphics and Layout Improvements
Page Spread
PhotoLine now supports multiple pages, e.g. double or triple pages. This makes it easier to create cross-page elements in brochures and leaflets and judge their impact.

Editable Vector Patterns

The colors used in a vector pattern can now be changed directly in the Color Editor if they have been given a name.

Document Colors with Transparency

If you have previously changed a document color, only the color value of the new color was used in the document, the transparency was not changed. Now document colors optionally "inherit" their transparency. Just as you turn document colors into spot colors, this property is also activated in the Color Editor.
New Image Processing Features
More Flexible Selection Functions
Up to now, selection functions (lasso, mask, ...) could only be used in combination with image layers. This restriction has now been lifted.
All lasso tools can now be used independently of the active layer. The same applies to the mask functions (in the menu under "Tool > Mask").
The selection tools (Automask, Mask Brush, Quick Selection and Border Matting) now also work together with placeholder layers.
Lens Correction
Lens Correction is a new feature that solves common problems when taking digital photos:
- Distortions caused by the lens
- the perspective distortion of the subject
- the vignetting in a photo
- chromatic aberration
(in the menu under "Filter > Digital Camera > Lens Correction")
Improved Filter Dialogs
In filter dialogs, the size of the controls can now be better adjusted to
your needs. If you need a higher accuracy, simply make them larger.>
Raw Import
In the past, when importing raw images, a background image was always created that contained the actual raw file, and two adjustment layers that "develop" the raw image. PhotoLine can now create a placeholder layer instead of a background image:
- an embedded placeholder The behavior is quite similar to a background image with a similar resulting file size.
- a placeholder referencing the original file This makes the resulting file significantly smaller, but is only complete together with the original file.
What both variants have in common is that dynamic filters can be applied to the raw layer. PhotoLine does that and automatically creates a lens correction layer when importing a raw file. If PhotoLine does not find a suitable lens in the lens database, the lens correction layer is switched to invisible, and you can later select a suitable lens yourself.
(in the settings under "File > Raw")
Enhanced Adjustment Layers
- Adjustments can now be copied and pasted in the layer list via the context menu.
- New working layers that are not grouped with a layer are now given the size of the document.
- If a histogram adjustment layer is created by an action, the automatic mode is now also supported.
Miscellaneous Enhancements
- Plug-in paths: Up to now four plug-in paths could be set in PhotoLine. This restriction no longer exists, so you can define as many paths as you like. (in the settings under " Extended > Plug-In Modules")
- Color Filter: The range limits can now also be changed via text fields - and thus also with the mouse wheel or the arrow keys. In addition, Shift+click now reads a color for the background in the document window. Previously this was only possible with a simple click for the foreground. Furthermore, it is now possible to exchange the upper and lower limits of the range. This reverses the range of action of the color filter.
- Reduce Colors: The number of colors is no longer limited to powers of 2.
General Improvements
Auto Save
Modified documents are now optionally saved automatically after a specified time span. This does not overwrite the original application file, but creates a new file in the settings directory.
These backups are deleted at the end if the program is closed normally. If PhotoLine is unexpectedly closed, the next time you start the program, you will be asked whether you want to load the backup copies.
(in the settings under "File > Save Options")
Automatic Update Check
By default, PhotoLine now checks once a week if there is a newer version. Also, if a newer version is found, more information about this version is now displayed.
Of course, the time period for the update check can be set and it can also be switched off completely.
(in the settings under " Extended > System")
Font Substitution
If an unknown font is found when loading a PDF or PSD file, PhotoLine asks for a replacement font. This inquiry dialog has been completely overhauled.
It now offers the following options:
- Perform a replacement only for the active file. Optionally, you can also specify that this file is no longer asked for.
- Save the replacement permanently and use it for all of the following files.
- Stop loading.
Layer Attributes Dialog
- Position and size now support multiple selection.
- Scaling and rotation/shear now support multiple selection.
- If an angle, shear or perspective distortion is reset, this is now optionally done relative to the reference point.
File Imports
- JPEG and TIFF import: Guides are imported.
- SVG import: Distorted gradients are now read better.
- PDF Import: DeviceN images are no longer converted to CMYK, but read as single images with overprint.
- PDF Import: Incorrect PDF files are read a bit better.
- PSD import: Placeholder layers are now grouped with their image substitution.
Minor Improvements
- Show PDF Bleed: The new function "View > Show PDF Bleed Border" marks the extent of the bleed for PDF export in the document window.
- PDF Proof Mode: If the PDF proof mode is activated, this is now displayed in the title bar of the document window.
- Layer tool: An auxiliary grid can now be added to the layer tool as an orientation aid for perspective transformations.
- Edit Vector Points tool: There is now an option for "intelligent" removal, which keeps the curve more similar after deleting a curve point.
- Edit Vector Points tool: Patterns and gradients can usually be edited in the document using the "Edit Vector Points" tool. However, if the control elements of the colors should interfere, this can now be switched off.
- Distort tool: The Distort tool can now also distort the image data of placeholder layers.
- Font controls: The font can be changed with the mouse wheel.
- Antialiasing: There is now a menu item for antialiasing: "Edit > Antialias".
- Action list: Disabled actions are no longer displayed in button mode.
- Page list: Preview images are now displayed faster.
- Layout > Vector > Fit In Vector Layer: Without an active layer, the new vector layer gets the size of the page.
- various other small changes