Selection problems with the Refine dialog box.

[Michail]

1. I tried using AP to mask objects in front of a greenscreen. I used the color range selection ("Select" -> "Color Range"). After that I wanted to improve the edges. But the "Refine" function doesn't seem to work with this kind of selection. So this type of selection is very limited.
2. I also want to address again a very old problem with the Refine dialog: The output as "Selection" and as "Mask" is of poor quality. It also differs from the preview and therefore cannot be used. The only output you can use is "New Layer". Are you aware of this fact?

[Chris B]

Hi Michail,

1. What do you mean it doesn't work? What happens? As long as you're doing it on a pixel layer it should work the same as using the Selection Brush Tool. 

2. Can you attach a file or screenshots to show what you mean? Refine (to me) is working as well as I'd expect it to.

[Michail]

On 8/16/2019 at 4:00 PM, Chris B said:

1. What do you mean it doesn't work? What happens? As long as you're doing it on a pixel layer it should work the same as using the Selection Brush Tool.

I have made a small video for clarification. In the dialog box "Refine selection" the selection is not converted into a red mask. Instead, the whole area turns red.

On 8/16/2019 at 4:00 PM, Chris B said:

 2. Can you attach a file or screenshots to show what you mean? Refine (to me) is working as well as I'd expect it to.

I took some pictures to illustrate the problem.
Screenshot 1 shows the preview displayed in the "Refine Selection" dialog box. I have selected "Preview" transparent in the popup.  That's why the new background is already displayed. The selection still looks good here.
Screenshots 2 and 3 show the results with the output settings "Mask" and "Selection". The selection looks much worse than it was shown in the preview.
Screenshot 4 shows the result with the output setting "Layer". The selection is good and corresponds to the preview.

If required, I can also provide you with the corresponding afphoto files.

[Cecil]

I have a different workflow of selecting my pixel image (selection brush) and refine; however, yesterday it took numerous attempts to select students from a photo to replace background. Each time I had to use the mask to remove unwanted background.  I actually believe 1.7.1 worked better.  I cannot provide photo, as I do not have the permission from the students parents. I will say that the background was similar to girls hair and several hats on the boys.  I ended up with fairly acceptable image, slight background imperfections.

[Chris B]

Hey Michail,

Thanks for the video—that is what I concluded from your first post but I needed to make sure.

What I think is happening, is that the Refine button has absolutely no idea a pixel selection has been made by the Select > Colour Range command and this is why you are getting the red area over the whole pixel layer. The same thing happens if you make no selection at all and just hit Refine. 

I'll check with dev and also provide feedback from the Refine functionality itself. Thanks.