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Using Photoshop Plugins


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skiphunt.

 

Could you list which Topaz plugins you have gotten to work please. I don't think anyone here has been able to get more than a few of the Topaz plugins to work. For me Adjust, Detail, Simplify and B&W Effects work. Clarity, DeJPEG and Remask 4 do not.

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skiphunt.

 

Could you list which Topaz plugins you have gotten to work please. I don't think anyone here has been able to get more than a few of the Topaz plugins to work. For me Adjust, Detail, Simplify and B&W Effects work. Clarity, DeJPEG and Remask 4 do not.

DeNoise also works.

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I've got an older Topaz CS5 bundle. They "sort of" work. I had to enter licensing code for each and they crash if I try to use more than one during a session. I only really ever use Topaz Adjust 4 anyway. But, the remask doesn't work at all out of the bunch. Keeps telling me to "unlock the transparency". The rest will work if I only try to use only one during an AP session. 

 

It's looking like the problem is code the plugin devs have added that try to send the filtered/edited image back to PS. I'm guessing that's the issue I'm having with DxO too, unless someone has figured out a workaround. 

 

I'm not deleting my PSCS5 quite yet, but I'm hoping that the plugin thin with AP gets sorted out in the not too distant future. I only bought AP and AD because I really want this company to succeed. They really do seem to be righteous devs and the best hope at unseating Adobe at some point down the road.

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I've got an older Topaz CS5 bundle. They "sort of" work. I had to enter licensing code for each and they crash if I try to use more than one during a session. I only really ever use Topaz Adjust 4 anyway. But, the remask doesn't work at all out of the bunch. Keeps telling me to "unlock the transparency". The rest will work if I only try to use only one during an AP session. 

 

It's looking like the problem is code the plugin devs have added that try to send the filtered/edited image back to PS. I'm guessing that's the issue I'm having with DxO too, unless someone has figured out a workaround. 

 

I'm not deleting my PSCS5 quite yet, but I'm hoping that the plugin thin with AP gets sorted out in the not too distant future. I only bought AP and AD because I really want this company to succeed. They really do seem to be righteous devs and the best hope at unseating Adobe at some point down the road.

If you look closely I think you will find that the message is asking you to "unclock" the transparency. At least that is what it says on my machine. The AP engineers told me that was a Topaz message so the bug is in the Topaz code. I filed a bug report with them, but never heard back. Figures.

 

Also I believe that all of the plugins will work if you call them through the photoFXlab plugin that Topaz sells. All of my Topaz plugins (that is only 5) work with it, including Remask 4 which will not even launch when called directly from AP.

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If you look closely I think you will find that the message is asking you to "unclock" the transparency. At least that is what it says on my machine. The AP engineers told me that was a Topaz message so the bug is in the Topaz code. I filed a bug report with them, but never heard back. Figures.

 

Also I believe that all of the plugins will work if you call them through the photoFXlab plugin that Topaz sells. All of my Topaz plugins (that is only 5) work with it, including Remask 4 which will not even launch when called directly from AP.

 

yes, it does say "unclock" figured it was just a typo. I don't use Topaz much.. just the Adjust 4 one for quick exposure compensation and a color punch up. I sometimes use their denoise as well. Would like to be able to use DxO while in AP but it doesn't look like that's going to work unless someone here has figured it out.

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  • 3 months later...

Hey there,

 

without having read the whole topic – is there maybe an ongoing list out there with working or partly working plugins for Photo?

Or – by any chance – can someone tell me if the super handy GuideGuide plugin is working and how exactly to install it if so?

I tried the free CC 2015 version so far, but I’m not sure … it does not appear in the plugin list in Photo.

 

Thanks

Dennis ;)

2023_b.png.6eb47882072cc58253b7219526339b14.png

 

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Hey MEB,

 

oh, I see … what a shame.  :(

Could this or something similar work in the future maybe?

 

Cheers

Dennis

 

Impossible to do (or at least, nigh on impossible). Photoshop extensions rely on Photoshop's development framework, and Photoshops' features. The Affinity devs would have to replicate every single command and function in Photoshop to support extensions.

 

For example, Quixel 2 support would be great, but it is never going to be possible - extensions are completely and utterly integrated into and reliant on the Photoshop environment.

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I wonder if the Apple App Store technical restriction mentioned here previously is part of the reason Bohemian Coding have withdrawn Sketch from the App Store? Amongst the reasons given were "there are technical limitations imposed by the Mac App Store guidelines (sandboxing and so on) that limit some of the features we want to bring to Sketch". Bohemian Coding also felt that they could offer a better end user experience by selling Sketch directly themselves. It seems that both the AP devs and the plugin devs are being hampered by App Store restrictions. Could this be solved by Affinity offering some sort of "bridging assistant application" via their website that could deal with the plugin technical issues?

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I wonder if the Apple App Store technical restriction mentioned here previously is part of the reason Bohemian Coding have withdrawn Sketch from the App Store? Amongst the reasons given were "there are technical limitations imposed by the Mac App Store guidelines (sandboxing and so on) that limit some of the features we want to bring to Sketch". Bohemian Coding also felt that they could offer a better end user experience by selling Sketch directly themselves. It seems that both the AP devs and the plugin devs are being hampered by App Store restrictions. Could this be solved by Affinity offering some sort of "bridging assistant application" via their website that could deal with the plugin technical issues?

Something like that has been suggested before. The idea was that Serif would offer two versions - one from the Apple Store and one from their own website with their website version not being limited to the "sandboxing" restrictions of the Apple Store. That would probably require Serif to keep two separate code trees or, at the very least, to create separate code segments within their AP code, and that means more work, more engineers and either a higher cost or a lower profit margin. I would like them to do it, if only because I would like to have the ability to run my external plugins, but I am not holding my breath.

 

The companies that I am familiar with that offer two versions use the Apple Store version as an intro app with their own version as an "upgrade". I just don't see Serif doing that. What would work, and be less work for Serif I believe, would be to offer access to an external editor via something like Lightroom's Edit In functionality. That would allow AP to call the Nik plugins as well as the Topaz ones. I suggested that earlier this year but never heard that anyone else thought it a good idea.  ;)

 

Also possible would be what I think you are suggesting - a special plugin that would then ignore the sandboxing rules and call other plugins, but I do not know if that is even possible as I am not familiar with the Photoshop plugin architecture or their SDK.

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I've been posting about plugins in other threads, but it looks like this is the main one. After some trial and error, I was able to get the following Nik filters to work:

 

Color Efex

Analog Efex

Silver Efex

HDR Efex

 

I was NOT able to get the following to work:

 

Viveza

Sharpener

DFine

 

As I reported in other threads, ON1 is not recognized and DxO Film Pack causes AP to "unexpectedly quit".

 

ETA: The Nik Efex filters noted above work but do not create the effect on a new layer and place a layer mask as it does when used in PS. Within the filters that do "work", some of the fine adjustments don't always seem to be active (such as control point manipulation).

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Nice work csp - thanks!  

 

One loose end - why do Topaz plugins work in Aperture?  Is Apple applying one rule for themselves and another one for 3rd party apps, or is the key in the Topaz Fusion Express 2 that is required to enable the plugins to work in Aperture?  If the former, I guess we are at the "find a brick wall and beat head against it until you no longer care" point; if the latter, perhaps you could follow up with your Happiness Specialist contact at Topaz Labs and ask?

 

Regards

 

Bill

Thanks for question :) 

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I guess this issue is a really big deal as the lack of plugin compatibility will severely limit adoption of AP as a fully viable alternative to PS, however good AP is. Ironically, having seen AP receive the Apple "Best Mac App" award this year, next year Serif may have to pull AP out of the App Store in order to realise it's full potential, much like Sketch. Either way, I hope we see a solution to this issue soon.

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I've been posting about plugins in other threads, but it looks like this is the main one. After some trial and error, I was able to get the following Nik filters to work:

 

Color Efex

Analog Efex

Silver Efex

HDR Efex

 

I was NOT able to get the following to work:

 

Viveza

Sharpener

DFine

 

As I reported in other threads, ON1 is not recognized and DxO Film Pack causes AP to "unexpectedly quit".

 

ETA: The Nik Efex filters noted above work but do not create the effect on a new layer and place a layer mask as it does when used in PS. Within the filters that do "work", some of the fine adjustments don't always seem to be active (such as control point manipulation).

I downloaded the Nik plugins just to see how they worked and if they were worth the cost, so I am very unfamiliar with them. However one of the things I noticed was that they are .app files, not .plugin files. Given that, how did you get any to work with AP? I thought that only .plugin files could be added to the plugin dialog box. Can you tell me where you pointed the AP plugin dialog entries to? That is, what folder?

 

Thanks.

 

UPDATE:

 

Never mind. Got it figured out.

 

You had Photoshop or Elements installed when you installed the Nik Collection so you got the plugins. I did not, so I did not get the plugins.

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I have two plug-ins that I use a lot in my workflow:

 

- Imagenomic Noiseware Professional

 

- Digital Light And Color's  Color Mechanic

 

Both seens to not work. Any clues ?

 

Thanks !

 

 

My fault ! I tested the Windows Version of the DLC Color Mechanic. Never mind, I need to check the Mac Version (if it exists).

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My fault ! I tested the Windows Version of the DLC Color Mechanic. Never mind, I need to check the Mac Version (if it exists).

 

I downloaded ans installed the Color Mechanic Plug in and it's working on PS Elements 11, but not even showing on the plug in list on Affinity.

 

All Dxo Labs Plug ins are crashing Affinity. I tested with Film Pack and View Point. Any fixes ?

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  • 2 weeks later...

I also had AP unexpectedly quit when attempting to use DxO.

 

ON1 is simply not recognized.

 

I was able to get some Nik filters to work (all the Efex ones).

 

It is possible to use DxO and ON1 standalone, but it is a big interruption to work flow.

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  • 4 months later...

I also had AP unexpectedly quit when attempting to use DxO.

 

ON1 is simply not recognized.

 

I was able to get some Nik filters to work (all the Efex ones).

 

It is possible to use DxO and ON1 standalone, but it is a big interruption to work flow.

yes, I also encountered a similar situation your

ON1 is simply not recognized  :(

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