Topaz Filters in AfterShot Pro

[OldRadioGuy]

I have tested only Topaz Adjust, but I believe all of the Topaz Labs filters except ReMask can be run in ASP. To use these filters, you must install Topaz Fusion Express, available as a free download (there's a Mac version and a Windows version). Then assign Topaz Fusion Express as your external editor in ASP (another reason to have multiple editors available in ASP).

For Windows 7 users, the Topaz Fusion Express EXE file is installed in Programs/Common Files.

In the tests I ran with Topaz Adjust, there appeared to be differences in the way the image looked when altered in the external filter and the way it looked when brought back into ASP, but it's worth experiments. I haven't tested the other filters yet.

Bob

[gareth]

so is that a (destructive) edit of the Raw file? Not used this tool before.

[MikeFromMesa]

is that a (destructive) edit of the Raw file?

ASP loads and converts the RAW image into some intermediate form for processing. When you save that file it is saved as a TIFF or JPG depending upon your choice. At no time is it written as a RAW file by ASP so, as far as the original RAW image is concerned, all editing is non-destructive. Only if you load a TIFF or JPG and save the file with the same name does the process becomes destructive. So calling plugins with an original RAW image is non-destructive to that RAW image.

[MikeFromMesa]

I haven't tested the other filters yet.

I had FusionExpress2 on my system before I downloaded and installed ASP so I tried it before I posted. In fact I have tried to run most of the Topaz plugins from ASP and nothing that I have tried has actually worked. Here are my experiences,

1) Remask cannot be run from ASP since it requires a non-background layer,
2) I was able to call Adjust5, Clean3 and Simplify3 from ASP, but after accepting the change in the plugins (that is, pressingOK) there was no change in the image in ASP. In other words ASP did not display the returned image from the plugin,
3) Djpeg and Denoise5 create more subtle changes and, for a decent image, the changes can be difficult to see, but it appears to me that there is no difference at all when calling these plugins.

So I can see no difference at all after calling the Topaz plugins from ASP when the call can be made and, of course, no difference when the call cannot be made. Given that it appears to me that the Topaz plugins, which work very well in CS5 or PSP X4, do not work when called with FusionExpress from ASP. Keep in mind that when the plugin allowed very strong changes (that is, converting the image into an oil painting or changing the image to Grunge) I chose that option so I would be sure of what I was seeing after processing with the plugin. Very strong plugin changes resulted in no change in the ASP image.

[grubernd]

the original image (the raw) will never show the results of the external editor, it just cant do that. but the TIFF that comes back should be able to do so.. now i dont know how the Topaz filters save their results, they have to modify the TIFF and save as single-layered TIFF again with all renderings applied. everything else will not work.
i have run 16bit TIFF files from ASP through various other softwares and have no problems in seeing and using them again in ASP when i stick to the above rules.

[MikeFromMesa]

the original image (the raw) will never show the results of the external editor, it just cant do that..

No 3rd party editor will actually change a RAW file. When RAW files are edited by CS5, Elements, Dxo, ASP, Sagelight, etc changes are only made to a saved version of the file in some other format than the original RAW. Usually tiff or jpg although other formats can be used. For my Canon RAW files even Canon's software, DPP, which can and does write out a modified RAW file, only adds correction data which allows the file to be set back to its original content.

but the TIFF that comes back should be able to do so.. now i dont know how the Topaz filters save their results, they have to modify the TIFF and save as single-layered TIFF again with all renderings applied. everything else will not work.
i have run 16bit TIFF files from ASP through various other softwares and have no problems in seeing and using them again in ASP when i stick to the above rules.

Other editors I have used (CS5, PSP X4, even, as I recall, LR3) accept the returned image from a plugin as a modified version of the original image and display it. It does not change the original RAW file, but it does change the display. Topaz's plugins, when called, do not change the displayed image in ASP. The image is returned as a separate file and therefore ASP loses its ability to keep all change information. In essence the non-destructability of its editing is lost. The original image in ASP shows none of the changes from the plugin and the modified file, which is added to the ASP catalog, cannot be returned to its original (pre-plugin) state.

So it seems to me that it is untrue to say that the plugin works. Any image sent to a plugin get broken into 2 files. One does not have the plugin modifications and the other cannot be reverted to its original form.

It thus seems reasonable to me to say that the Topaz plugins do not work in ASP.

[afx]

The original image in ASP shows none of the changes from the plugin and the modified file, which is added to the ASP catalog, cannot be returned to its original (pre-plugin) state.

You are not using a plugin but an external program that modifies a TIFF file generated by AS for being worked on with the external editor.
Only real AS plugins will operate in the pipeline.
When using the editor shortcut in AS, the changed TIFF will show up in AS (after a refresh), but as the pipeline is has been left already, it will not pick up any changes made to the original raw file as it is already a distinct rendered image file.

So using the word plugin in this context is completely wrong and misleading.

cheers
afx

[grubernd]

So using the word plugin in this context is completely wrong and misleading.

exactly.. clever marketing speak and hiding stuff in the UI is what makes users believe that Aperture (who started this trend) and others tell them they are using a plugin while in reality their data gets baked, then send on a roundtrip somewhere else. Aftershot is about letting the user decide what he wants to do and showing it, while giving developers the ability to create Real Plugins™ that are a part of the program itself. using an Aftershot plugin will not open a new process on your computer, that's as real as it gets.

[MikeFromMesa]

OK. Fair enough. You are right of course.