Introducing AfterShot Pro 2.2!

[Greg Wood]

Hi Everyone,

It is my pleasure to announce that AfterShot/AfterShot Pro version 2.2 is now live on aftershotpro.com. You can download it now from our updates page and in-product notifications will start popping up early next week.

We’re pretty excited about today’s update. While we’re very pleased that 2.2 includes the new camera profiles and ongoing product enhancements that have been the foundation of our other updates to AfterShot Pro 2, this one goes quite a bit further with the inclusion of a major update to our application framework (Qt). This update results in full support for Retina displays (Mac), enhanced High DPI monitor support (two much-requested features) and a host of new opportunities for the future.

You can find a list of improvements below.

The update to AfterShot Pro 2.2 does results in a couple of side effects to be aware of before upgrading. Plugins did (or do) need to be recompiled for AfterShot Pro 2.2. Recent research told us that most AfterShot users could wait “no more than 1-2 weeks” for plugin availability, and I’m pleased to report that the plugin developer community has responded and we have already have a variety of popular “2.2” compatible plugins available on aftershotpro.com. We’ve maintained access to previous plugin versions as well to support those among you who don’t plan to upgrade.

The update to AfterShot Pro 2.2 also meant an update to our system requirements. We are no longer supporting Windows XP or Vista, and minimum Linux requirements are now Ubuntu 12.04 (+ later) and Fedora 16 (+ later). Mac OS X support stays the same at Mac OS X 10.7.3 and later. If your OS doesn’t meet these minimum standards, we don’t recommend installing 2.2.

AfterShot community: Thank you for your contributions!
Please allow me to offer a quick thank you to everyone in the community who continues to help us improve and grow AfterShot. Thanks to our plugin devs who were so hardworking and dedicated to their peers in updating for 2.2. Thank you as well to everyone who has taken the time to test and comment on the product and its plugins, or who have responded to our surveys — your input motivates a lot of our decisions here.

Finally, thank you for your patience as we continue to enhance AfterShot, including the AfterShot plugin ecosystem and our update process. We have lots more great things planned, and we hope you’ll continue to be a part of it.

Sincerely
Greg Wood, with warm regards from Joseph, Alex & the entire Corel Photo Team

AfterShot/AfterShot Pro 2.2 Updates

New Camera RAW support
-Fujifilm X10, X-S1 and HS50EXR
-Nikon Coolpix P7800
-Leica D-Lux (TYP 109), V-Lux (TYP 114)

Enhancements
-Qt framework upgraded to version 5.4
-Mac Retina display is fully supported
-Improved 4K display support for Windows
-Thumbnail icons improved

Issues addressed
-HDR fixed for Ubuntu 12.04 64-bit version
-“RAW Impulse Noise Removal” stability fixed (issue occurred when OpenCL was enabled)
-Fujifilm: Chromatic aberration issue resolved
-HDR: Improved decoding and integration with main application
-Improved user interface for orientation bar
-HDR Batch Merge: Improved overall capability and stability
-Improved white balance adjustment for “Dark night” photos
-Mac/Linux HDR: Improved Auto Brush results
-Improved Athentech noise removal results

[baldrick777]

Thanks Greg,

I have to inform you though that this version is utter crap!

I have installed the 64-bit version, which worked - until I tried to load the 2.2 64-bit plugins. It simply didn't want to load more than the first one! If that isn't bad enough, the app no longer loads!

Even completely removing the app and config files, then re-install, it makes no difference.

I would re-install the previous 2.1 version, but that seems to have been removed from your website. Good one!

So, now I'm left up sh*t creek without a paddle!

Please test more thoroughly before releasing your next 'stable' version.

[afx]

I have installed the 64-bit version, which worked - until I tried to load the 2.2 64-bit plugins. It simply didn't want to load more than the first one! If that isn't bad enough, the app won't even load!

How about posting stdout or the log file to see why it does not load?

I would re-install the previous 2.1 version, but that seems to have been removed from your website. Good one!

Still available:
http://www.aftershotpro.com/en/support/updates/

cheers
afx

[baldrick777]

I have installed the 64-bit version, which worked - until I tried to load the 2.2 64-bit plugins. It simply didn't want to load more than the first one! If that isn't bad enough, the app won't even load!

How about posting stdout or the log file to see why it does not load?

I really shouldn't have to do this. Seems to me that QA isn't one of Corel's strong points...

I would re-install the previous 2.1 version, but that seems to have been removed from your website. Good one!

Still available:
http://www.aftershotpro.com/en/support/updates/

cheers
afx

Thanks. It should be easy to find on their download page. I'll give it a crack.

[Kneops]

I installed the new version, but when I start it it first asks me where to put the files. So I set the location of my folders .AfterShotPro and my catalogfolder, click OK, but then nothing happens. When I try it again, same thing happens. Do I have to delete something first? Like the cache?

http://i.imgur.com/PU1oPh1.png

EDIT: I tried it with choosing the default .AfterShot. That lets me start ASP, but with no catalogs, while i have the right folder.

EDIT: I deleted the . AfterShot folder, uninstalled and reinstalled. Now nothing happens at all. I can't even choose the folders.

[alphadingo]

Same issue here. I had to rename my currently existing .aftershot and catalog files in order to open the program then I copied them back. I'm using ASP2 on a macbook retina running mint 17.1 and everything is still super tiny. Is the retina support for mac only?

[Kneops]

What do you mean 'copied them back'?
I copied the contents of my old settingsfolder into the new one, but that didn't work.

Linux Mint 17.1 here too.

[alphadingo]

Actually, now that I think about it, the data from .aftershot folder I was unable to successfully replace. I was able to copy over the catalog though.

[baldrick777]

So it's seems I'm not the only one, Corel.

Please test, test and test again more thoroughly before you release a "stable" update to market. If it were a beta, such issues would be expected, but it's been released as stable when clearly it's not. Not good form at all. When can we expect a fix?

Oh, and while I'm at it, are there any plans to include an option where a user can choose the the system's desktop theme? The current 'Windows 8' ASP UI looks butt ugly with my chosen desktop theme.

Cheers.

[dsigman]

Just upgraded to ASP 2.2. 64 bit using Windows 7. No problems yet and some issues have been fixed i.e. deleting files and HDR.
I await more plugins.

[benoitgphoto]

Thanks Greg for the update and the info.

Just upgraded to 2.2 on Mac and everything seems pretty good so far. Application seems more stable also. I noticed that Athentech Noise removal seems improved. Small detail, I also noticed that there is no more square around the loupe which is more aesthetic.

Thanks
Benoit

[fukapon]

Hi Greg,

Thanks. I'm trying 2.2 and it works well so far.
Finally, I confirm a problem which doesn't develop 645Z PEF correctly on Windows x64 is fixed. I'll use ASP more than ever.

[Dutchmm]

Could be because I was running a 32-bit version of 2.1. before I made the upgrade to 64-bit 2.2 (this is on a W8.1 laptop, BTW, haven't touched my production linux system), but:

• 1. The old 32-bit version has been left installed
  2. The shortcuts on the desktop and task bar still refer to the 32-bit version
  3. The association between ASP Plugins and the 32-bit version has not been removed, nor redirected towards the newer 64-bit version
  4. Although the 64-bit version loads, and installs some 64-bit plugins - Wavelet Denoise and Wavelet Sharpen - these are not recognised by ASP2

Although the release notes point us at the aftershot plugins page for "information" on which plugins have been recompiled for 2.2, there is no indication of which plugins are compatible and which not.

Here are what I take to be the relevant lines from the log file:

Code: Select all

3526.117: Heaps: 3
3526.117: Failed to enable LFH for heap 1 Handle 2ea40000 . Error 87
3526.141: Bibble program arguments ("C:\Program Files\Corel\Corel AfterShot 2\build\AfterShotPro.exe")
3526.142: Loading plugins
3526.147: "Error loading plugin: C:/Users/MichaelRJH/AppData/Local/Corel/AfterShot 2/Plugins (64-bit)/Wavelet Denoise.afplugin"
3526.147: "Plugin library contained no recognizable symbols."
3526.147: 
3526.151: "Error loading plugin: C:/Users/MichaelRJH/AppData/Local/Corel/AfterShot 2/Plugins (64-bit)/WaveletSharpen2.afplugin"
3526.151: "Plugin library contained no recognizable symbols."
3526.151: 

I hope this will assist progress towards a more useful release package

[afx]

Although the release notes point us at the aftershot plugins page for "information" on which plugins have been recompiled for 2.2, there is no indication of which plugins are compatible and which not.

You have to check each plugin explicitly. Those that have been recompiled have 2.2 downloads.

The WS plugins unfortunately have not been made available yet.

cheers
afx

[andreas]

remove the installed plugins manually from the plugin directory then start with installing the new plugins. ASP 2.2 ist not plugin compatible to old versions.

Andreas