Wish List for PaintShop Pro version X9

[daioros]

-

- An easy way to transform an "Adjustament Layer" to "Mask Layer". An option in the Right-click layer would be nice.

Not sure that this will be what you want.

I think of a mask layer as being an adjustment layer for Opacity. If you applied a Levels adjustment or a Vibrancy Adjustment and was able to convert that to a mask then you would lose the effect of the levels or vibrancy and finish with just another Mask (opacity mask).

But yes it would be nice to be able to copy or save the adjustment layer whether to disk or in the alpha channel and then be able to use that mask on another image and convert it to an adjustment layer for any of the adjustments and then be able to apply that to the same or another image without having to redraw the the masking / adjustment.

Exactly, I loose the effects, but i've got indeed the Mask.

Simply i duplicate the Layer Effects and need a quick and direct way to convert this second one to Mask (Right click option).
Then, for example, with that mask i can work easily adding more differents Layers Effect with the exact same shape (or even sub-shapes).
.

[Rick_R]

- Better help and lots of examples for advanced working with scripts, not just a mild reference to "learn Phython" without knowing how to interact with the PaintShop Pro program and his variables.

That's like saying, "I want to know how to write French sentences without learning French."

If all you're going to do is record scripts, then you don't need to learn Python ... or any other programming language. But to do anything more then "go through the motions" and have PSP generate the code ... you have to learn the language. It's the same thing like doing advanced macros in Microsoft Excel or Corel WordPerfect.

If you want examples ... just record scripts and look at the code.

One huge advantage about the macros being generated in Python is that you're not stuck with a completely custom language (such as WordPerfect's PerfectScript language ... which, by the way, is phenomenal ...) and so the only information available is what the product vendor publishes.

Go to http://www.Python.org or search Amazon for books on Python -- there are loads of tutorials and literally tens of thousands of Python modules available for free on-line -- for example, at the Python site click the PyPi link. Also, check out the PyCharm IDE (Integrated Development Environment), Community Edition, at https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/downl ... on=windows

--------------------------------------------
And, again, another consideration is "resource allocation". Full price for PSP is $80. The vast majority of PSP users are not interested in doing advanced script development. PSP's leading competitor -- Photoshop Elements -- has no scripting capability.

Corel has to decide where to spend its development resources: "Do we put a lot of time and money into developing and testing scripting examples that less than one percent of our customers will be interested in? ... Or do we add features that competitors' products such as Photoshop Elements have, so our product can remain competitive in its price range with our target customer demographic?"

[photodrawken]

PSP's leading competitor -- Photoshop Elements -- has no scripting capability.

Of course it does. It uses JavaScript, as does Photoshop. In fact, the excellent ElementsPlus utility works its magic by using scripting.

Back when I used PSE, I worked with Photoshop's fine little scripting editor to modify PSE's behaviour to provide a text tracking function.

[BrentM43]

Better performance all around. I just tried the Beta for Affinity photo and that program is blazing fast compared to PSP X8...in every way. I have a great workflow in PSP and I like the layout, but the performance is just slow. I hope in X9 performance is top priority.

[mc_peko]

Is there anywhere to see some of what's coming in X9? Is there a beta out? Will there be a X8 SP3?

[daioros]

- Better help and lots of examples for advanced working with scripts, not just a mild reference to "learn Phython" without knowing how to interact with the PaintShop Pro program and his variables.

That's like saying, "I want to know how to write French sentences without learning French."

If all you're going to do is record scripts, then you don't need to learn Python ... or any other programming language. But to do anything more then "go through the motions" and have PSP generate the code ... you have to learn the language. It's the same thing like doing advanced macros in Microsoft Excel or Corel WordPerfect.

If you want examples ... just record scripts and look at the code.

One huge advantage about the macros being generated in Python is that you're not stuck with a completely custom language (such as WordPerfect's PerfectScript language ... which, by the way, is phenomenal ...) and so the only information available is what the product vendor publishes.

Go to http://www.Python.org or search Amazon for books on Python -- there are loads of tutorials and literally tens of thousands of Python modules available for free on-line -- for example, at the Python site click the PyPi link. Also, check out the PyCharm IDE (Integrated Development Environment), Community Edition, at https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/downl ... on=windows

--------------------------------------------
And, again, another consideration is "resource allocation". Full price for PSP is $80. The vast majority of PSP users are not interested in doing advanced script development. PSP's leading competitor -- Photoshop Elements -- has no scripting capability.

Corel has to decide where to spend its development resources: "Do we put a lot of time and money into developing and testing scripting examples that less than one percent of our customers will be interested in? ... Or do we add features that competitors' products such as Photoshop Elements have, so our product can remain competitive in its price range with our target customer demographic?"

Let's make this straight.
Recording scripts isn't just enough because they do only basic stuff.
And all examples i've found in the Internet are all basic too.

Even looking at recorded scripts I don't have any knowledge of the variables used by the program or the image, like size of the image, layers, depth, colors, format, a particular pixel in a particular position...
I've searched in the Help and no clue either.
It's impossible to make advanced scripts if you don't have that stuff.

I don't care about learning Python, it's not a problem for me and it's completly an easy language.
But what I want to know is the name of that variables.

Is it so hard?
Is it too much to ask for?

[Cassel]

If you just want to learn about scripting for PSP, there is one course that is available here:
http://scrapbookcampus.com/paintshop-pr ... ng-course/

It was written by Suz Shook. It explains the basics of scripts and scripting specifically for PSP. It does touch on more advanced knowledge of Python but only in the context of creating scripts for PSP, It is very well written and once you get through that, you can go on further and learn more about Python to do much more than 99.9% of PSP users/scripters will do.

I don't think it makes sense for Corel to include that with the program as it would not be used enough but that resource might be your answer.

[LeviFiction]

The scripting resource topic in the scripting sub-board has links to the API and full documentation called Scripting for Script Authors that helps you to understand how to use python with the PSP API. Including some basics on using TKinter to create your own GUI for your scripts. Scripting For Script Authors is fully available from Corel, the API not so much. Never could figure out why. Scripting for Script Authors is one of the extra downloads you can access like the KPT plugins or the extra brushes and so on.

http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=104&t=56846

Please check them out. It also includes links to other people's scripts both simple and advanced to help. A basic understanding of Python is necessary to really understand all that's going on, so that list also includes some excellent starting tutorials.

[AndrewDT]

Do you know when Corel will release a new Version of PaintShop Pro ?

[LeviFiction]

No one knows but the company. They have a habit as of late of a new version every year give or take a couple months. So if you look at the X8 release date and add a few months you might be close to a good guess.

[brucet]

Scripting! I would like to know how many users of PSPx8 use scripting. My guess is that there aren't enough to convince Corel to put much effort into it. My guess is that the vast majority of PSPx8 users don't even know what scripting is.

regards

[ADonahoo]

Scripting! I would like to know how many users of PSPx8 use scripting. My guess is that there aren't enough to convince Corel to put much effort into it. My guess is that the vast majority of PSPx8 users don't even know what scripting is.

regards

I think you would be guessing wrong. There are a lot of people who use scripting in PSP, have done it since the Jasc days. I have a lot of custom scripts that I have recorded to automate repetitive tasks. I also regularly use scripts created by Suz Shook. I know a lot of other people also using and creating scripts. Just because you don't know about something doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

[daioros]

The scripting resource topic in the scripting sub-board has links to the API and full documentation called Scripting for Script Authors that helps you to understand how to use python with the PSP API. Including some basics on using TKinter to create your own GUI for your scripts. Scripting For Script Authors is fully available from Corel, the API not so much. Never could figure out why. Scripting for Script Authors is one of the extra downloads you can access like the KPT plugins or the extra brushes and so on.

http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=104&t=56846

Please check them out. It also includes links to other people's scripts both simple and advanced to help. A basic understanding of Python is necessary to really understand all that's going on, so that list also includes some excellent starting tutorials.

Thanks.
It became in handy and finally i've found good and useful information.

Not easy to find, not advanced examples at all, but finally i've finally found those variables and, with a little more effort, figure out how to program them.
http://www.corel.com/6763/psp_downloads/pub/script.pdf

[ADonahoo]

The scripting resource topic in the scripting sub-board has links to the API and full documentation called Scripting for Script Authors that helps you to understand how to use python with the PSP API. Including some basics on using TKinter to create your own GUI for your scripts. Scripting For Script Authors is fully available from Corel, the API not so much. Never could figure out why. Scripting for Script Authors is one of the extra downloads you can access like the KPT plugins or the extra brushes and so on.

http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=104&t=56846

Please check them out. It also includes links to other people's scripts both simple and advanced to help. A basic understanding of Python is necessary to really understand all that's going on, so that list also includes some excellent starting tutorials.

Thanks.
It became in handy and finally i've found good and useful information.

Not easy to find, not advanced examples at all, but finally i've finally found those variables and, with a little more effort, figure out how to program them.
http://www.corel.com/6763/psp_downloads/pub/script.pdf

You might find this helpful. I got it back in the day with PSP XI, but never used it. It is a collection of html files that open like the regular Corel help files. I don't still have the original but I zipped up the folder for you.

PSP_XI_Scripting_API.zip

Edit to add: Recent versions of PSP come with a Scripting Guide. I can't find them on the Corel web site but I have one in each of my downloads folders, starting with X6. It is a .pdf file with sample scripts.

[Ken Berry]

Recent versions of PSP come with a Scripting Guide. I can't find them on the Corel web site

If you go to Corel.com and sign in, then look for the Downloads page in the "Your Products" section, you will see the Scripting Guide there too. It is indeed for X6 but I don't think things have changed since then...