PSP 2020 with PSP 2019 workspace

[JoeB]

I am aware that it is generally a bad idea to use a workspace from a previous version of PSP with a newer version. As far as I know, this is because the older workspace will not recognize new tools. However, I am wondering if that is the only real problem.

The reason I ask is because I have a very extensively customized PSP2019 workspace, with mods to the left hand toolbar, the Menu bar, various dropdown menus and items, and right click menus. Many of these involve adding buttons that are scripts bound with icons. In other words, a lot of work to re-do all customizations in PSP 2020 when I want to try it out.

I am also aware that PSP 2020 does not have much new stuff at all. The only new tools that interest me are the Smart Clone and the Refine Brush. And the Refine Brush isn't a tool, it's an option on the Tool Options palette, which is a palette that can't be customized anyway.

So assuming that I first have all PSP 2020 File Locations pointed to all of the folders and resources ( including Boundscripts, etc.) that I have my PSP 2019 pointed to, my intuition tells me that the only thing that would be missing if I load my PSP 2019 workspace into PSP 2020 would be the Smart Clone tool. And this could be easily added through Customize and then that workspace saved in PSP 2020.

So I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if my intuition is missing something in this instance, given the very few new items added to PSP 2020 compared to PSP 2019. In other words, is there something much less obvious that would be crippled or non-existent in PSP 2020 if I proceeded as above?

For those wondering why I don't just download the trial and see for myself, it's because:

(a) I am aware of the several issues with PSP 2020 that have been identified by others, and Simone in UK says that they are being addressed as we speak. So it seems to make sense to perhaps wait awhile before trying out a 30 day limited trial version.

(b) Likely more important is that the stuff that MIGHT be affected in PSP 2020 if I try the above procedure would be something much more subtle than simply missing tools and therefore something I might not notice for quite some time and until suddenly needed. I'm thinking that there are people who are more knowledgeable than I am about the internal workings of PSP who would already be able to some up with what those subtle changes - if any - might be. I'm assuming that stuff like the claimed faster text rendering, etc., is baked into PSP 2020 so shouldn't be affected by any workspace changes.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any ideas.

[Zantara]

So assuming that I first have all PSP 2020 File Locations pointed to all of the folders and resources ( including Boundscripts, etc.) that I have my PSP 2019 pointed to, my intuition tells me that the only thing that would be missing if I load my PSP 2019 workspace into PSP 2020 would be the Smart Clone tool. And this could be easily added through Customize and then that workspace saved in PSP 2020.

You would be missing:
* Smart Clone tool
* Photography workspace
* Personal adaptations of the standard toolbar
* (Your own) Color palettes

If you use the option of importing from previous versions, File > Import > Content from previous versions, in my case, only the plugins were imported.

What I don't know is what happens if you import the database backup you saved from PSP 2019.
Never tried that.

I have been given the 2020 Ultimate by a friend. But if you're happy with PSP 2019 and have put a lot of effort and thinktime into adaptations, I would stick to 2019.
I downloaded the trial and on the basis of that decided I would skip this version. Really not worth it. Just grateful for the gesture of a friend.
But that's my personal view.

[JoeB]

So assuming that I first have all PSP 2020 File Locations pointed to all of the folders and resources ( including Boundscripts, etc.) that I have my PSP 2019 pointed to, my intuition tells me that the only thing that would be missing if I load my PSP 2019 workspace into PSP 2020 would be the Smart Clone tool. And this could be easily added through Customize and then that workspace saved in PSP 2020.

You would be missing:
* Smart Clone tool
* Photography workspace
* Personal adaptations of the standard toolbar
* (Your own) Color palettes

If you use the option of importing from previous versions, File > Import > Content from previous versions, in my case, only the plugins were imported.

THanks for the reply!

First, I would say I'm not speaking of using the Import function, only pointing PSP 2020 to my PSP 3019 workspace.

And s I said, the only new things of interest to me would be Smart Clone tool and Refine Selection. And of course the Smart Clone tool can simply be added to my PSP 2019 workspace just using the Customize option, and the Refine Selection, being on the Tool Options bar which is not customizable should still be on that bar in PSP2020 anyway because it's baked in. The Photography workspace doesn't interest me at all. Those features are already easily available. I've never used the Adjust workspace in PSP either.

As for my personal adaptations of my Standard toolbar, back when I tried out PSP 2018 I pointed it to my PSP 2017 workspace. Because of a few real differences between the two versions it caused a couple of issues. BUT it did keep all of the adaptations I had made to the standard toolbar that were also available in PSP2018. So I do think that PSP 2020 would keep them also except for my having to add the Smart Clone tool.

The only other new thing in PSP 2020 I am aware of is copy/paste Layer Styles, and as I have never used Layer Styles it's not something that I would miss anyway. And if I want to experiment with Layer Styles and also try copy/pasting them I could always just experiment using LeviFiction's scripts. They might not be as fast (as he said) but would get the job done for something I likely wouldn't use much even if I tried them.

So all in all I have a feeling - given what you said and my previous experience - that given the minimal new stuff and changes in 2020, and the fact that I likely would have no problems getting the PSP 2019 workspace to work with Smart Clone and that Refine Selections would be baked into the Tool Options bar (and they are the only new things I can see using regularly), I'll give it a try and when the time comes will report back.