Graphics Software Talk ...

[Barman58]

One major change in PS CC 2014, perhaps the change with the biggest fallout on a practical terms, is the fact that Extension panels now only support HTML

This has at a stroke rendered the vast majority of "panels" obsolete.

I can understand that Adobe had to take this step at some time, to remove the dependence on Java, with all it's recent Malware problems but I think it could have been a more gradual progression.

A policy of only accepting HTML coded extensions for Adobe Exchange, for a period, one or two releases perhaps, whilst still supporting the Java code, would have made the transition a lot less sudden.

The fact that the vast majority of Panels on exchange, (including Adobe coded examples), would not work with CC 2014, cannot make things easy for Adobe to support - and means that anyone who uses a particular panel in their workflow either have to change their workflow or retain the older PS version until the panels are re-engineered.

This will sort itself out over time, and indeed Adobe panels are being re-issued in HTML, ( but why were these not available on release day?), I can see issues for some of the smaller developers, having to change their development process and a lot of confusion where panels are available in multiple versions.

I would advise anyone contemplating installing a panel on photoshop to check that it explicitly mentions that it works with your particular version of PS

The Kuler extension is one that is now re-issued to work with CC 2014, but did not work for a week or so after release

 

[Stephanie]

I use Kuler in Photoshop CS6 version 13.0 x64 its great and so easy to use

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Just wondering if CorelDraw x6 users use it signed in or signed out the majority of time ?
Signed out it actually cut out allot of the internet crap cd7 worked much better but I believe it was too dependent on the online content and premium subscription stuff and started to bloat out either signed out or in,

Beside some of the menu stuff not being listed like Internet on the object properties... I haven't seen any performance difference ?
I generally don't like to be signed in if nothing else to keep unnecessary processes from bloating the programs themselves ?
One thing I don't miss about cc6 being signed in just to use the program
Cheers.

 

[kado897]

My version of CorelDRAW X6 is the Home and Student which doesn't sign in.

 

[Barman58]

Just wanted to quash One statement often given about Photoshop CC and the rest of the Creative Cloud Apps

You do not have to be online to use the program(s) - You have to be online to download them :sarc: but after that you need to log on every thirty days to confirm that the product is licensed though nothing will happen if you do not do this for up to 99 Days which should cover most trips away.

You will need to be online when you install and license your software. If you have an annual membership, you'll be asked to connect to the web to validate your software licenses every 30 days. However, you'll be able to use products for 99 days even if you're offline.

Source

I run my copy online and find no issues, though I do have a good connection to the net

 

[kado897]

Just wanted to quash One statement often given about Photoshop CC and the rest of the Creative Cloud Apps

You do not have to be online to use the program(s) - You have to be online to download them :sarc: but after that you need to log on every thirty days to confirm that the product is licensed though nothing will happen if you do not do this for up to 99 Days which should cover most trips away.

You will need to be online when you install and license your software. If you have an annual membership, you'll be asked to connect to the web to validate your software licenses every 30 days. However, you'll be able to use products for 99 days even if you're offline.

Source

I run my copy online and find no issues, though I do have a good connection to the net

I'm also usually connected and it works just fine even if the connection drops. I lost the internet for a couple of hours last week (to upgrade some hardware) and used CC with no issues.

 

[ThrashZone]

Just wanted to quash One statement often given about Photoshop CC and the rest of the Creative Cloud Apps

You do not have to be online to use the program(s) - You have to be online to download them :sarc: but after that you need to log on every thirty days to confirm that the product is licensed though nothing will happen if you do not do this for up to 99 Days which should cover most trips away.

You will need to be online when you install and license your software. If you have an annual membership, you'll be asked to connect to the web to validate your software licenses every 30 days. However, you'll be able to use products for 99 days even if you're offline.

Source

I run my copy online and find no issues, though I do have a good connection to the net

Then you are one of the lucky ones Nigel, great system spec's and great internet connection
Online stuff bogs down my system because it's already borderline compatible
No need to squash buddy if that's what you meant by "quash" ?
Unnecessary processes running are just that unnecessary and resource hogs in my world/ system
Cheers.

 

[ThrashZone]

One thing that is really annoying about corel paint is the marching ants on small items like screen grids... it's impossible for me to see what the heck I doing
That I seen there's No way to disable them on selected items ?

 

[Barman58]

Ctrl-H hides them in Photoshop, there may be something similar in Photopaint

 

[ThrashZone]

That's interesting I don't remember ever seeing them in cc6 ?
I'll try that later in honesty I haven't scratched the surface of cp but I'm looking harder at it,
Settings wise nothing in clear sight yet found,
Cheers.

 

[Barman58]

I just did a quick search and an old post said something about Ctrl-H hiding the selection - but that was an old blog post.

the other way to work is to use the quick mask I seem to remember Ctrl-J controlling mask options once it was active (strange what you recall ), but haven't used CP for many years

 

[Stephanie]

@ Mike try CTRL-D .. no promises

 

[Barman58]

Steph, I think Ctrl-D deselects the current selection - same as Photoshop

 

[Stephanie]

I thought that what Mike wanted to do ?

 

[ThrashZone]

Thanks
Masks are another thing that comes up allot on some effects that need to be applied first to use but I really don't understand very much what or how to apply them yet :/
Lacking allot of research in cp obviously,
CD is going pretty good on the upside of things,
But without paint allot of effects are lacking on projects besides what is available without a mask...
Cheers.

 

[Stephanie]

Thanks
Masks are another thing that comes up allot on some effects that need to be applied first to use but I really don't understand very much what or how to apply them yet :/
Lacking allot of research in cp obviously,
CD is going pretty good on the upside of things,
But without paint allot of effects are lacking on projects besides what is available without a mask...
Cheers.

I find I can get the desired effect I want by using up to three graphics programs, its not often I make something in one application

 

[Barman58]

The mask as a concept is pretty standard faire across bitmap editors, the implementation may be different but the basic usage is the same.

To use an analogy think of it as respraying a car or something similar - you apply masking tape to those areas you don't want the paint to land on - Masks in software are digital masking tape


You can normally change the display colour of the mask, so that it does not clash with your work image - but it is normally applied using the black and white brush tools Black blocks the effect , white allows it to apply. Where it gets interesting is the fact that you can actually paint using grey shades, or paint using a feathered or soft brush, - 50% grey allows 50% of the effect to apply etc

I often use a layer mask on the top layer of a two layer composite, rather than a selection and cut as you can always go back and edit the effect by adding more black or white paint to the mask, it gives a non destructive workflow which is the way I like to work

 

[ThrashZone]

I hate to use other programs I know there's a way to accomplish it in one,
But gimp does come in handy when I get frustrated in corel

Yes the mask color is distracting but applying it is the challenge I'm facing now,
Nice description Nigel I didn't know you could use grey not allot I've found on cp usage,
Like most programs there's a learning curve cp is just another curve but it seems steep at this point,

One of the good things about cc6 or photoshop in general was there's a ton of tutorials available,
cp not so much

 

[Barman58]

It's at the stage now that Photoshop experience is a saleable commodity on Resumes (CVs),

 

[ThrashZone]

I believe that I just had to make a decision on programs and I was really liking vectors in Inkscape but it lacked a bunch of options,
I probably could of/ should of kept cc6 but it was like a distraction and although pretty cheap I'm really trying to give corel my full attention and I just decided to bail on it the way updates were going and it was just unpredictable which possibly another stick of ram might of cured the issues I was having ?
Uninstall and reinstalling cc6 was becoming very boring