Smart healing or cloning tool?

[pdxrjt]

I am trying to remove some wires in front of a complex background. (I tried a different spot for the photo, but didn't really work....so I was stuck with the wires.) Anyway, apart from just zooming way in and using the clone tool, do I have any options with smart cloning or healing? I searched the PSPX5 help file for smart and heal etc., but didn't find anything.

TIA

[photodrawken]

There are a few options. The two that are the easiest to use are PSP's Scratch Remover and the free Wire Worm plugin from MV's Plugins:
http://www.vicanek.de/plugins/wireworm.htm

For example, given this image:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

In PSPX5, choose the Scratch Remover (bundled under the Clone tool) and use the smallest width to just affect the line. (Do one line at a time.) This tool tends to leave a "blurry" effect, though:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

You can then use the Blemish Remover (bundled under the Makeover tool) to clean things up:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

The Wire Worm plugin essentially shifts the selection area and can give a good result:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
It tends to leave a hard edge which can be cleaned up with PSP's Blemish Remover.

[pdxrjt]

Thanks much. Will give them a try.

[pdxrjt]

Have used Wire Worm in the past but forgot about it. I tried using it in PSPX5 and got a "Memory Violation Error." Opened another editor and used it with pretty good results. Thanks again.

[Kathy_9]

I have some older plug-ins that produced the memory violation error. The workaround was to add PSP as an exclusion to DEP. Here's a link with instructions in case you are unfamiliar with the process.

http://antivirus.about.com/od/securityt ... romdep.htm

[photodrawken]

Just a word of caution about adding exclusions to DEP: If a memory violation error is being triggered, it's for a very good reason. If the latest version of a plugin doesn't solve the problem, I'd rather do without a poorly written plugin stomping over areas of memory where it doesn't belong....

(The latest version of Wire Worm is working OK here in Win7.)

[Kathy_9]

Just as an FYI - I wasn't putting a plug-in (poorly written or otherwise) as an exclusion. I put PSP, a trusted program, as an exclusion. If you have a citation that shows this is dangerous I would be interested in reading it.

My understanding is that DEP exclusions are done with trusted programs where malware threats are not an issue; more detail outlined in this article. http://www.windowsanswers.net/articles/dep-config

[photodrawken]

Just as an FYI - I wasn't putting a plug-in (poorly written or otherwise) as an exclusion. I put PSP, a trusted program, as an exclusion.

By adding PSP to the exclusion list, you're allowing any and all plugins used by PSP (poorly written or otherwise) to access memory storage locations for executable purposes. The proof is that it's only when the plugin is run that the access violation is triggered. Not good.

If you have a citation that shows this is dangerous I would be interested in reading it.

The very article you listed states several times that it's not good to have executable programs running unencumbered in memory areas allocated for storage. The whole purpose of implementing DEP in Windows is to prevent that behavior.

It's your computer and your choice as to how safely you operate it. When a program or plugin triggers an access violation it's time to think long and hard about whether that program or plugin is worth having. Not if you will ever use the plugin, but if you use it so frequently that it's impossible to accomplish the same effect without it. For me, code that does not comply with best coding practices is not worth having, but the choice is yours....

[Kathy_9]

It's your computer and your choice as to how safely you operate it.

You are correct; that is the bottom line and I have experienced no issues by excluding PSP from DEP but I thank you kindly for your concern.

[photodrawken]

Kathy_9,
And if you henceforth do not blithely suggest to others to circumvent security features, then this conversation will have served a truly useful purpose.

[Kathy_9]

Henceforth and blithely?? Thanks for the chuckle. I had a stressful day at work and needed a good laugh.

[photodrawken]

Cool. I'm glad a little bit of sugar helped the medicine go down.

[pdxrjt]

Well thanks to everyone for their thoughts. I may not have the latest version of WW as I downloaded it some time ago. Will try again with a fresh download. Take care.

[pdxrjt]

Latest version of WW works..... should have thought of that. Sorry. But thanks for the help.

[hartpaul]

Have not seen this mentioned so far so another method using PSP only.
1. I used the straighten tool to make the wires horizontal and without croppig the image.
2. Increased the canvas size to allow for a 5-10 pixel movement.
3. Duplicated the image.
4. Used the move Tool and the keyboard down arrow to place the top image out of register with the bottom one by about 5 - 10 pixels.
5. Used an eraser tool about 5-7 pixels in size (large enough to cover the wire and a few pixels either side), with opacity 100 and used shift erase to erase the wires from one layer to expose the leaves etc on the lower layer.

6. Merged the layers and then used the clone tool to take out (break up) obvious signs of duplication.
This was the final result after straightening and cropping.