[Sticky] - What do you like/not like about PSP2023

[gtojon]

I have been waiting for bug fixes with file saves taking too long & resize issues for the last 3 versions. Cannot resize just one layer most of the time ... not all the time.

Please, somebody tell me they fixed these issues. Been using since ver 1.

Cheers, Jon

[Finfell]

The way the layers work. I've been working with editing programs for over 20 years.I learned in school on Adobe, and used that until they went subscription. I switched to GIMP and Inkscape until I could afford CorelDraw, which I own and use now almost exclusively. Growing pains! lol
I picked up PSP2023 on a Black Friday sale because it looked interesting. While it has some interesting features, I'll probably never use it as intended because how the layers work. It drives me CRAZY that I can't simply copy/paste something into the same layer. It automatically gets a new layer. I've searched, and can't find how to change that. I work a lot with repeats, and having 50 layers of the same graphic is unworkable.
But what really makes this a waste of my money is the fact that you can't fully lock layers, or create a background layer in an existing work. All you can lock is transparency, which makes it impossible to edit on a layer without also editing all the other layers at the same time. This the very point of working in layers, to be able to isolate something to edit it without affecting the rest of the image. This is so basic, I can't understand why it's not there. It's not like Corel doesn't have this feature in their other programs. Without the ability to work on an isolated layer, I might as well be editing in MS Paint.
One last thing. CorelDraw has the ability to create a palette of color from the document, but I can't see how to do that with PSP. For that matter, it's very confusing to have color palettes, but to call everything else a palette also. It would have been better to find a different word, say, workbox for example. Or cohort. Or toolflock, or anything but a word that has already been used for decades for sets of color.

[LeviFiction]

Ctrl + E - Paste as New Selection. I know it doesn't initially sound like what you want, but it is. It first creates a floating selection so you can move it around until you're satisfied with where you have it. Then you can either do it again, which auto-merges into the layer, or you can manually defloat (Ctrl + Shift + F) if you're done altogether.

I have also complained about the use of the word palette as it's used in several locations 1) Index colored images have a built-in color palette 2) Color Swatch categories are also called palettes 3) Palettes representing different functional modules. However, in all cases Palette is a perfectly correct word to use a a painter's palette refers both to the colors chosen and the surface they are presented on. Or a holding space for any item. It's annoying, I do wish they would change it, but also not wrong.

I don't know what you mean by "can't edit one layer without editing all of the others" because you can't. If you're editing one layer you can only edit that one layer. If you're referring to selection of a single layer then yes it's annoying that the Move tool while holding SHIFT is the only way to move a layer, and being precise by clicking on the nodes of the transformation cage with the pick tool needs to be precise. But ultimately editing the layer is restricted to the layer.

[kotaje]

My current picture editing program is no longer supported by Microsoft, thus, I will need to update it. For my purposes, Photoshop is an unnecessary luxury, and I've never been able to become comfortable with it. It seems as if the PSP would be a suitable improvement for me.

[Jean-Luc]

You can download the trial version from the Corel website (Alludo). It is fully functional. You can use it for 30 days. Try it and ask your questions here on this forum.

[rnmerchant]

It seems to me that I noticed that now PSP files are "version specific", like Corel Draw CDR files have been for some time. (mind you I am writing this from memory so I hope I am not wrong and wasting people's time).

By this I mean a file created with the 2023 program will not be read by the 2022 and earlier versions. This then becomes a major major problem for those like me, using 2 computers with different versions ( I don't need to pay for a newer version on both setups) - if one forgets to do a "save as" and use an earlier version then one cannot read the file on one's older version.

This is just a 'make work' project for me because I don't do things that are so complicated that they don't work on an earlier version and I don't need these new 'file stamps'; and further almost certainly there is nothing in my file that can't be read save for whatever stamp corel inserts to make it a "202*" version. Pain.

Enough that, for me, like other mentions in this thread, I don't need to buy the new versions and must stop having this unrequited and unmet need for "newer" and "better" features that in fact I never get.

There should be a utlity to strip out the bits of the image files that say 'version 20xx'.

[LeviFiction]

You don't need to buy a version for each computer unless you are going to use them simultaneously. One version can be installed on both just fine. But PSP has always had this in some fashion, often going several versions before a change in the program necessitated an increase in version # for the file format.

[Suffolk_bobby]

I have PSP 2018 and have held off upgrading as nothing really changed on the newer versions, however when Focus Stacking was introduced my interest was once again aroused.
To begin, the installation of 2023 failed many times, eventually, support requested a remote connection and finally success.
I have to say include Aftershot LAB, but instead of advertising the paid version, allow integration.
Having already paid for Aftershot Pro3 when it was released, the watered down version is pointless. I would have preferred the program to recognise the presence of the pro version and open that instead.

Focus Stacking, was sadly a real downer.
I have stacked images for many years using both Helicon focus and Photoshop, but having the operation under one roof instead of using separate programs seemed ideal.
My test subject consisted of three batteries arranged diagonally, with the camera locked on the tripod, I focused front, middle and back, an easy task which rendered perfectly in the ancient photoshop Adobe CS5.
In PSP2023 it really had problems, the image was reversed, no alignment and severe ghosting all over. I tried several differing compositions (and subjects both in RAW and JPG) but none were successful in stacking satisfactorily. Support were forwarded a video showing a 'start to finish' recording of my screen as stacking the images were performed using both PSP and PS, their reply was that I had focused incorrectly.

[AlicatArt]

I have been using PSP since version 5, when it was still Jasc.
I never skipped a version.
From this version onward, Corel has lost a loyal customer.
The new PSP has nothing new to offer.

I write about PSP for the Dutch speaking PSP community who use it for creative creations only. There are a lot of websites and groups who write creative tutorials.
By making PSP completely 64-bits, they will lose that community as they are still using a lot of the old plugins.
There is also a considerable international community of creative tutorial writers who still use the 32-bits plugins in their work. And even 16-bits.

It was probably inevitable that PSP would become 64-bits only.
For photo editing it is the way forward.
I have been using 64-bits PSP for a while now, but the versions I have, will do me fine.
There is absolutely no incentive for me to buy PSP 2023.

I wouldn't underestimate the amount of loyal buyers who, from now on, will stick to their older versions until they work no more. Unless Corel really re-invents PSP, which seems unlikely.
PSP is still subscription free and Corel is moving towards the subscription models. They recently acquired a cloud service. The new CEO sees the subscription model as the way forward.

It is the end of an era, I think.

Also, I personally don't think they offer a big enough discount for upgrades.
Especially considering the fact that a new version is released yearly with minimal benefits.

I have been using PSP since Jasc v1 and with every Jasc and Corel versions. I have several copies of the newer Corel versions installed on my current PC inc 2023. I create and sell products made with PSP, and also, own 2 multi national stores with many designers also using PSP to create products to sell in our stores. I am in a large community with other sellers who sell the same type of products. I also interact with many of your customers that use PSP and plugins.

I agree about the plugins, not just the Dutch Community. also the French, USA, UK and other countries too. They are all LARGE communities, on FB, forums, blogs and websites. who all use the 32bit plugins, many have stuck with older versions as gradually over time some of the plugins did not work on new versions and now with 2023 we cannot use 32bit plugins!! These customers do not want to upgrade to the new versions because they cannot use the plugins. I am not talking a handful of people, I and talking hundreds, or thousands of your customers all around the world. I understand the need to move to 64 bit technology, so If these plugins can be replicated in 64bits it will keep all these large communities happy.

In the past when we have contacted PSP with plugin ISSUES, many of your support staff have never used or understood the plugins or realise the vast number of people using them. They don't seem interested or understand why we rely on them. If you want to find out more come and speak to us.

[AlicatArt]

Overall I love PSP and used it for many years.

My wish list, In the batch rename option on the menu where you chose the options you wish to use in your rename there is a little hyphenation option which defaults to using the hyphenation. I would like that option to NOT be a default, and as I use Batch rename quite often for several folders at a time, it is very tedious having to untick that option for every selection of files I need renaming!! It is would speed up the process if that was not a default.

The "pic to paint" idea I find very limiting, and though it has been updated slightly over the versions, it seems to keep the same "Designs" for each different version. It would be nice to have new options and to be able to tweak the options, ie colours, style, tones, shapes, portrait, landscape etc.

Also, why do we get the same Free software in each new version? Sometimes it may be a new version, sometimes it is the same version.

I also feel we should have more FREE templates, I feel they are very expensive, so don't use them for that reason.

With the new AI technology, ie Mid Journey, are you going to introduce something like that in PSP using our own creations to create an AI image?

I loved the GRFX program we got with version 2021, It is a shame that the original company is no longer around. Would love something similar.

[asterix]

I need it to import from my SD card to the computer and place pictures in folders.
I want the crop to be more powerful, as to be able to hold halt and click and drag a corner of a crop and all corner move at same time toward or away from center.
The strait tool to be inside the crop tool.
I want totally not destructive.
When I change to another picture in the film strip, I want it to take maximum 3 sec to load.
I want to use 2 screens.
I want it to use the graphic card and multiple CPU way better, so it's faster.

[daioros]

Like:
1.- "AI Portrait Mode". Not good, but it's a start.

2.- Quickest that older versions for bigger images (I was using X8 and previous). It handles better RAM.

3.- AI for Resize: it's really good. Congratulations to programmers.

Dislike:
1.- Buggy as hell, on average it crashes once every 30 minutes.
And doing simple things (adding a layer, saving image, going to menus...).
Sorry, but it's not believable that developers/programmers hadn't see this.

2.- The "Adjustmnent Layers" bug since version X2 (year 2006): no matter how much powerful your computer is, if you add one of this "Adjustment Layers" to a simple photo of 20 Megapixels, and you try anything (like cloning, drawing, deleting...) it becomes as laggy as Windows Vista, almost imposible to work and really frustates. Imagine working hours and hours with 2 or more layers in every single image.
The solution fixing this for programmers seems pretty simple: don't redraw all the full image every single second, just the part affected by the cursor/pointer/mouse.
The problematic adjustment layers:
- Local Tone Mapping
- Fill Light Clarity
- Vibrancy
- Histogram Adjustments


3.- *** EDITED: My mistake. ***

[Jean-Luc]

Dislike:
3.- Couldn't save image in older versions format of PaintShop Pro.

Go to Save as (F12) -> Options -> Version / Save as compatible version.

[daioros]

Dislike:
3.- Couldn't save image in older versions format of PaintShop Pro.

Go to Save as (F12) -> Options -> Version / Save as compatible version.

Thanks!
I haven't see that, perhaps because I was using version X8.

[Jean-Luc]

I think this option exists since many earlier versions. In PSP X7 installed on my PC, it is there.
Don't worry, we can't know everything.