Fixing default settings for Add Border?

[terrypin]

First, sorry if I've asked this before but I don't recall doing so and a quick search found no relevant thread.

An operation I perform frequently in PSP 8 (still my preferred work version) is to add a top and bottom white border to an image. But the default settings displayed are always as shown:


Where does that come from and can I change it to my preference and ensure that becomes permanent?



Terry, UK

[Andy2011]

In my copy of PSP2020 it does remember the border settings last used.

However, another way is to record and save a script adding a border with your preferred settings. I have the script tool visible in the workspace so it is quick to get to scripts. Even if navigating from the File menu, it may be just one more step and quicker than adjusting the borders in the dialogue.

If you know any Python, it would be easy to make a script that altered the borders in proportion to the size of an image. I have a script I wrote to add a bottom border and print in it the description and shooting month/year taken from the EXIF data.

[hartpaul]

I am not experiencing that Terry . My version is 8.00
I load an image resize it to 800 pixels across and then do Image > Add Border and untick Symmetric. Changed top and bottom to 20 pixels and left and right to 0.
This added a border. I repeated with a second image and the previous values were remembered.
I closed PSP8 , waited a few seconds and reloaded it and again loaded an image, resized and then add border and the previous values were remembered.

So for me there is no need to put in a permanent setting as the previously used setting is remembered and that has been the case with all versions i have worked with.

If you are not getting this then you may have to reset PSP8 to its default and if that does not work then you might have to reinstall.

[terrypin]

Thanks both, appreciate those prompt tests.

I've just checked again and see that my previous settings are maintained after closing and re-opening PSP8. So it seems that they must be lost after a PC restart. I did so yesterday. I'll test again tonight and report back. And perhaps someone who plans to reboot/restart quite soon would make a point of testing please?

[hartpaul]

No change here after rebooting. PSP remembers the past settings after restarting PSP and also after rebooting which should have nothing to do with the program anyway.
If the values are stored in a cache and that cache is cleared then that is a possibility because PSP would then have to restore to default settings.

[Andy2011]

Just for information, PSP keeps some of the presets as 'scripts' (e.g. Preset_MeshWarping_ Last Applied.PspScript) in C:\Users\username\Documents\Corel PaintShop Pro\2020\Presets - or similar.

For "Add Borders" and a many others the preset values are stored in the Registry (e.g.) - Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Corel\PaintShop Pro\X12\CmdStandard\AddBorders

[terrypin]

Thanks both.

This is proving more mysterious than it first seemed. After rebooting (and before doing anything else) I went to my Win 10 taskbar to open PSP 8. I was surprised to find two PSP 8 thumbnails available instead of just the usual one. And Task Mgr confirmed two instances of Paint Shop Pro.exe. I opened one from the taskbar and its Add Border settings were the same as they were last night. I then went back to the taskbar to try the second - but its thumbnail had vanished. But both still exist in TM as I compose this.

I then examined this registry key:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Jasc\Paint Shop Pro 8\JascCmdStandard\AddBorders
which correctly show the current settings.

Before sending this I thought I'd close PSP 8 in the normal way and check TM again. But both instances are still present!



I'll pursue that 'two instances' problem later today, looking at my Start Up folder and using Autoruns, etc. Checking right now in Task Scheduler, the only Corel entry is for CorelUpdateHelperTaskCore to run every day (at the curious time of 18:57).

Any further ideas will be very welcome please.

[migf1]

Hi Terry,

seems like the "background leftover" issue when closing PSP is much older than I thought lol. Check out this thread: https://forum.corel.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=66762

You will probably need to manually kill the leftover task from the task manager, every time you close the program (or at least check if there is a leftover).

My own test case with X7 and 2020 is somewhat easier. If there is a leftover task running in the background, then when I try to open PSP it does not start (well, it does start, but never makes it to actually open the program). When that happens, I open the task manager, I close both instances (the leftover from previous usage and the new one which didn't make it into opening the program window). Then I start PSP and this time it opens normally.

[lata]

Any further ideas will be very welcome please.

For your borders you are best to do as Andy suggested in his earlier post
“However, another way is to record and save a script adding a border with your preferred settings”

The program hanging in Task Manager Backgrounds is annoying for the user but does not appear to annoy Corel enough for them to fix, maybe some day.

[Andy2011]

I find it both interesting and worrying that PSP uses the registry and scripts to retain settings for tools. Surely it's a result of different systems architects over time and they have't been bothered to put the effort into standardisation. This could result in bug-prone code and maintenance problems. It can be a sign of a product reaching the end of its life-cycle as changes and feature improvements become overly expensive to implement.

[migf1]

Hi Andy,

Sadly that's how things look for PSP since a very long time. I've come to the same conclusion long time ago, with the exception of reaching the end of its life-cycle. It looks like it can get away with that (in my eyes this must be going on for many years) most probably because it still offers quite a lot for the money. But it seems like its popularity is getting progressively lower each year

The program is full of inconsistencies all over the place, and clear signs of very poor software design/development/programming tactics. It could be any of several reasons, like laziness, too tight deadlines, undermanned dev team, underpaid staff, frequent staff changes, poor to mediocre skills, etc.

There have been so many "wake up" calls for Corel already throughout the years, alas most of them being either ignored, or not being capable of doing what it takes. To me, the most recent such "wake up" call should be Affinity Photo. No one really knew about it, until a few years back when they decided to completely scratch their existing code and started re-building everything from 0. Now they even challenge Ps.

This makes me really sad because PSP could be a major kickass program in its genre today (actually it could have already been since a very long time). It actually was a major player back in the day.

[ehume]

Hi Andy,

Sadly that's how things look for PSP since a very long time. I've come to the same conclusion long time ago, with the exception of reaching the end of its life-cycle. It looks like it can get away with that (in my eyes this must be going on for many years) most probably because it still offers quite a lot for the money. But it seems like its popularity is getting progressively lower each year

The program is full of inconsistencies all over the place, and clear signs of very poor software design/development/programming tactics. It could be any of several reasons, like laziness, too tight deadlines, undermanned dev team, underpaid staff, frequent staff changes, poor to mediocre skills, etc.

There have been so many "wake up" calls for Corel already throughout the years, alas most of them being either ignored, or not being capable of doing what it takes. To me, the most recent such "wake up" call should be Affinity Photo. No one really knew about it, until a few years back when they decided to completely scratch their existing code and started re-building everything from 0. Now they even challenge Ps.

This makes me really sad because PSP could be a major kickass program in its genre today (actually it could have already been since a very long time). It actually was a major player back in the day.

What this poster says is Gospel. As an owner of AP, I especially like the fact that the AP devs routinely update their installed base, so that the total cost of ownership is less. The one thing that keeps me from migrating from PSP to AP is the way ratios are handled in Crop.

[Andy2011]

We have wandered a bit off-topic and had a good rant - I feel better for it at least!
Hope Terry gets his phantom PSPs sorted.

[terrypin]

We have wandered a bit off-topic and had a good rant - I feel better for it at least!
Hope Terry gets his phantom PSPs sorted.

Thanks all. I'm checking regularly and so far so good. Reassuring to know that the multiple instances issue is not confined to my ancient version, or my PC, although I dislike lingering puzzles!

[terrypin]

For the record, and in case anyone comes up with an explanation of this quirk, the mysterious change of settings was back again today. (But I haven't methodically tried it every day in the preceding two weeks.)

I've recorded a simple script to restore the defaults, but still like to discover what triggers this issue. I immediately checked TM and there was only a single process running.

Terry