Can PhotoIMpact brighten all selected photos by batch proces

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 5:25 am

Hi,

My first post here (but many on the VideoStudio forum).

I have just installed PhotoImpact 8 SE (free on a PC magazine).

I was hoping that it might allow me to do BRIGHTEN all the photos in a folder by the same amount (I have many photos which all print too dark at photo labs and so thought that if I brightened every one by a yet to be determined amount they would then print ok).
I have found information on batch processing in the help file but cannot work out if I can in fact brighten pictures selected by the same amount.

I am now turning to the learned readers of this forum to advise if this is possible, how to do it (if it is possible) or a suggested program if PhotoImpact cannot do this.
Thanks

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:19 am

I'm not familiar with PI 8 but am certain that it can do it. Since I don't know what the interface looks like and I have managed to f**k up my PC with trying to download/edit recorded files from a PVR which doesn't now let me start PI on this machine (I get the dreaded "PI has encountered a problem and neds to close...."

), I will have to get back to you from a different PC or try to help you from memory.

Did you locate the Task Manager in PI? If you did, you need to create the task first, i.e. Start recording a new task in Task Manager. This will record every step you take and, after saving the task, can be used in a batch process to work on all images in a certain folder.

It may be better for you to head over to the PhotoImpactInternational (PII) forum http://p083.ezboard.com/bpirc67276 for advice. These guys and girls are breathing PI and you are sure to get help there in a jiffy. I participate in that forum as well under the user name "heinzdau".

You might also find a tutorial about how to use the batch process on their tutorial sites http://www.pircnet.com/

I better get back to fixing this PC of mine...

never ever, regardless of what reason is given, will I ever install a down loadable codec pack again. I rather don't use a gadget at all if it doesn't work with what I've got and the supplier won't or can't (same diff) tell me exactly what codec I do need

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 9:20 am

Thanks Heinz,

So you "have a finger in this pie" too - good for you (and me).

Funny you should say that you 'f**' up your PC. When I was running PI yesterday (just after installing it) I got the dreaded "??? has encountered a problems and needs to shut down". After that I got a message something about "wait while the contents of memory is written to disk" (never seen that before). I got tired of waiting (after a few minutes) so pressed the reset button on my PC. Well that darned PC (thankfully it's my second PC which I used to try our unknown software) now will NOT boot up. I am almost sure something has happened to the onboard video (built into the motherboard) has died as I get nothing displayed on the monitor (and I have tested the monitor on another PC) and the monitor does not come out of its sleep state which normally happens seconds after the PC starts its boot process.
Hope that you have better luck than me (I have now resorted to my "third best PC as my second PC).
Thanks for the info on running in "batch mode" via Task Manager. I will look at that later.

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 1:47 pm

That is the worst thing you can do, press the reset when Windows is still doing something

You may be right with the on-board video but it might also be due to a stuffed up boot record. Win knows that it had a problem and tries to load the memory dump when you start it up.

I got my system up and running again but haven't really had a chance to put it through its paces. It kept restarting on me or making fun of me with that stupid error message. I still think that I have some confused/corrupted dll's causing the error but the restarting by itself had me worried. Turned out that I had a lot of dust collected inside the box and the CPU heat sink was all clogged up with it.

Let's hope that was the reason for that, the dll problem I will get sorted anyhow.

I'm sure you will get constructive help at the PII forum. They are really good there.

Post by **jparnold** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:04 pm

Heinz,
After reading your reply I had hopes that I could resurrect my second PC and by replacing or fixing (the boot blocks on) the hard drive the HD but I'm sure that the motherboard has died as the PC does not sound the 'beep' noise when powered on and the monitor does not receive any signal even when I disconnect all drives. No great problem though as I have 3 other PC courtesy of the two schools I work at (they upgraded PCs and were going to dispose of the old ones). THey are only 1.3Ghz celeron (1 PC) and P4 1.5Ghz (2 PCs) but fast enough for a second PC. I generally use my second PC to install and try out new software which I am not sure I will want to keep on disk so that my "No 1" PC remains "clean".
Now I will re-install PI 8 on another PC and try to figure out a mass change of brightness level on my photos.
Thanks for you help and enjoy the remainder of your stay in Melbourne (BTW it has been raining in Sydney off and on since Friday morning)

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 12:37 am

Thankfully, it has been raining a bit here too. We can't seem to get enough of that stuff in Melbourne.

BTW, I live in Melbourne. I'll be sure to enjoy the rest of my stay here

No offense intended

Post by **jparnold** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 2:22 am

Sorry Heinz

I was confusing you with "Mattman" on the WindowsBBS website forum (where I had posted a question regarding my second PC which appears to have died). He is from Sydney but is presently in Melbourne.

heinz-oz · Post by **heinz-oz** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:16 am

No need to be sorry JP, can happen to anyone

I had to chuckle a bit when I was trying to imagine what I would be doing for the "rest" of my stay here

I never take things too seriously and tend to see a funny side in almost any situation.