New Free Plugin

[Benny Pedersen]

New Free Plugin (Action)

The below Quote is from http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showpost.php?p=141833&postcount=10
My biggest problem is defringing selections of sky through trees. So far I have not seen any techniques that do not leave a lot of artifacts.

The "hole in trees/leaf" problem is now completly solved by this action named "Blue Sky". Use it to replace a white sky with blue.
No need to be confused on THE message about further adjustments... not needed...
No selections or anything to make. Click and Done.

Download Two Files: "Special Actions.psd" and "Blue Sky.atn",
http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/gallery/fld/a/Special%20Actions.psd
and http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/gallery/fld/a/Blue%20Sky.atn

If you don't wont the "AngelicKim Rainbow", then skip the below file (experimental fun).
http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/gallery/fld/a/AngelicKim%20Rainbow.atn
If you skip the above, then you could delete a layer from "Special Actions.psd".

Create a folder named "Special_Actions" in "Programs Adobe Photoshop" folder like this:
...Previews\effects\Special_Actions\

Put the 2 files named "Special Actions.psd" and "Blue Sky.atn" into the Special_Actions folder.
Empty the Cache: ...Previews\Cache\
and start PE4. Wait 20 seconds and see the new plugin in Effects...

To empty the cache, use the information above, OR put a little program on your Desktop:
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13200

If someone interested about this thread, then I could create further plugins...
Got some ideas, or what ? :)

http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/gallery/fld/a/bluesky.jpg
---
Benny,
PS. Moreover (about scriptning),
Today I was able to get a JS script to work in both Photoshop 7.0 and in PSCS2
// Photoshop 7.0: Close all documents without saving. Script by Benny Pedersen
while(documents.length>0){activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANG ES);}

To select this script named "CloseWithoutSaving.js", do this:

(PS7.0)
Mouse: File Automate Scripts
or Keyboard: Alt f u ArrowUp Enter

(CS2)
Mouse: File Scripts Browse

[AngelicKim]

Benny, the plug-in appears to work on PSE3. However, I really didn't see any change to the photo.

[Inspeqtor]

Benny,

Thank you for the free Plug-In. I downloaded both files, loaded them into PSE4 as instructed, deleted the Cache as instructed. I then loaded a photo with a sky in the picture into PSE4, then double clicked on your plug-in. At this point your plug-in did it's "thing", then I got this message:

385

I do then click on Continue, but then at this point I am lost. I am a new enough user of PSE4 I have no clue what I am supposed to do next. Any help of what I am to do next would be greatly appreciated. For that matter, I am not even sure what your plug-in is supposed to do.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Charles

Edit: Kim, you and I were typing at the same time. I also did not see any change in my picture as well.

[AngelicKim]

Charles, I tried it again and got a very slight change in the sky color. Click the continue, then hold shift, ctrl, E and it makes a very slight color change in the sky.

[Inspeqtor]

Kim, thanks for your help. I tried it again, held down Shift/CTRL/E but I did not see any change.

Charles

[AngelicKim]

Charles I am going to try again tomorrow and see if the plug- in allows you to change the color. The icon for it is so pretty for it to be such a very slight color difference. Mine was barely noticible, I kept hitting undo, redo til I actually saw the difference.

[Benny Pedersen]

Kim, thanks for your help. I tried it again, held down Shift/CTRL/E but I did not see any change.

Charles

The effect should make more blue in a light sky.
Try Ctrl+Shift+E and then compare the two layers (Open and close the eye icon would let you see the difference between the top layer and the unchanged bottom layer named Background.

After a click on Continue (the last message box with my name...), then the Brush Tool should be selected automatically along with a black paint color, ready for your mouse to just paint black on the mask - this is made so you could paint on white areas that is not sky and thereby should be less blue. Try Hold the Alt key and click on the mask. If so then you should see the mask as Black and white (see white areas that is not sky to be painted with black) - Painting maybe not needed so just click Ctrl+Shift+E to merge the 3 top layers into one layer - if the bottom layer has closed eye icon, then you would endup with two layers.

It is my first plugin ever made and yesterday I knew nothing, so
I may adjust the plugin very soon to let it work more powerful...

Benny

[graficalicus]

It is my first plugin ever made and yesterday I knew nothing, so
I may adjust the plugin very soon to let it work more powerful...

bravo! it's a very subtle effect -

Today I was able to construct my first freeware plugin for
Photoshop Elements 4... (it may also work in other versions ?).

It's not a plug in - it's an action. it'll work in all versions of PS/PSE

Adobe seems to be not able to make a GUI
something like Microsoft Word customizing toolbar (small
icons to call preferred scripts in PE4).

It sure does - it's called the Actions Palette ;)

PSE doesn't officially support actions, so there's no actions palette. instead, actions show up in the effects palette with a thumbnail representation/trigger.

Are you writing this in javascript? That's the hard way ;) - PS has an actions palette that lets you record actions (macros) just like in Word, Excel, Powerpoint..... The trick is finding only the tools that PS & PSE share, so adding a curves adjustment (for instance) simply won't work in Elements. Also, "Stops" don't work in Elements - they have to have a "continue" option. So an action that stops and requests the user to do something won't work in PSE - the image wil revert back to where it started as soon as Stop is clicked.

[AngelicKim]

Benny, thanks. I will try it again later today after I get my MRI results this morning. I see now that I got a confused on the icon. The one in the pallette is actually your avatar and I was expecting more color because of that I guess. I am going to try it on a different photo. I was trying it on one with a gray sky after a thunderstorm last week. I was hoping it would not only pull some of the gray out but pick up the rainbow that faded out. I could see the rainbow in the sky but not in the picture. :( I'll let you know if I get better results with a different photo.

[Benny Pedersen]

AngelicKim - great expectation, but to let it fix both thunderstorms and rainbows is to much I think. The "Blu Sky" "plugin" would work fine on pictures where the sky is gone (pure white).

Graficalicus - Thanks for tips - No, not java but bin code, ex. a history back: nullobj 20 0000 0001 456E 6D72...
but I did saw the recorder and like what I saw. Alt Click like on a layers eye also work in the actions recorder/player. The continue after stop chechbox most be checked, else it stop the whole action was already figured out along with some other tricks, but that solve I will.

After my first atemp, I even couldn't find the ATN files :D so some progress is going on. Since all what I know such as loading other ATN files into the action recorder/player and that we could start a recording from any where in a record ex from line numer 5 in an existing record along with experience about that we could move, or delete from a record by using Ctrl Click and so... is good experience rather than knowlede so I could now do some research about others way to do it...

I find this stuff very interesting. As you said, the problems now is to figure out what would work in PE4. Curves not, I thought but maybe an action could use other actions already installed. I have a freeware curves here but normally I do not use such. A question here is ex the gradient: X and Y positions seems to be recorded so if an image is 2000 pixels height but 64 when recorded then it would be a problem (I think). An undo ALL instead of just undo -10 would also be usefull - relative or absolute, maybe those Adobe people is not so bad after all...

[graficalicus]

maybe an action could use other actions already installed.

Nope, not in PSE - you can't create an action that would run another action for Elements. Example: If you create an action that runs the default rain effect, then runs one of the default frame effects - it won't work. Tried it - it crashed.

Another thing that is a question here is a gradient. The X and Y positions seems to be recorded so if an image is 2000 pixels height but 64 when recorded then it would be a problem (I think).

Hint: Use Percentages instead of actual X-Y coordinates :cool:


An undo ALL instead of just undo -10 would also be usefull. relative or absolute, maybe those Adobe people is not so bad after all...

Hint #2: Create a snapshot somewhere in your action, and use it to recall that step - then create another action to revert the image back to that step.

[Benny Pedersen]

Don't wanna give away TOO many secrets (I do sell these to keep my site afloat, after all..;) ) But:

:-)

Maybe we should exchange e-mail address ?

Benny,
OOPS a fast reply :p
I was modifying my previous reply, didn't saw (just saw) your reply was here on this new thread page numb 2)

[AngelicKim]

Benny, easn't expecting it to fix both, just hoping maybe a little blue would bring it out since everything else I tried didn't. I used it on a different photo from the same day and it changed the sky very slightly like the one I tried last night. I again had to click undo and redo a couple of times to see it.

Thanks for the action though. I am sure it is not the action that is the problem but that I just don't have the right photo for it right now.

[Benny Pedersen]

Benny, easn't expecting it to fix both, just hoping maybe a little blue would bring it out since everything else I tried didn't. I used it on a different photo from the same day and it changed the sky very slightly like the one I tried last night. I again had to click undo and redo a couple of times to see it.

Thanks for the action though. I am sure it is not the action that is the problem but that I just don't have the right photo for it right now.

If I may borrow your picture in good quality, I could make another plugin
so when a user download/installs plugins, he/she would see a new menu item named "AngelicKim Thunderstorms" effects, or something like that ?

Benny

[AngelicKim]

Benny, you are more than welcome to the photo if you want it. It isn't anything great, just tree tops and a dark gray sky where a very light rainbow was after the storm. Unfortunately, I couldn't pick up the rainbow since it was so light. If you want it let me know how you want me to send it to you.

[Benny Pedersen]

Benny, you are more than welcome to the photo if you want it. It isn't anything great, just tree tops and a dark gray sky where a very light rainbow was after the storm. Unfortunately, I couldn't pick up the rainbow since it was so light. If you want it let me know how you want me to send it to you.

firstname dot lastname @ gmail.com

benny.pedersen

[AngelicKim]

Benny, just sent it. Good luck with it.

[Benny Pedersen]

Download the two files and instructions from:
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showpost.php?p=151146&postcount=1

and the "AngelicKim Rainbow.atn" from:
http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/gallery/fld/a/AngelicKim%20Rainbow.atn

Put the new file "AngelicKim Rainbow.atn" into the same folder.

The previous two files is both updated.
e.g. "Blue Sky" now has more information about how to create a better image, etc...

The other file "Special Actions.psd" hold the two Effect icons to click on.

The "AngelicKim Rainbow" plugin maybe updated later. As is, it
request an image 3072 px width, 2048 px height, and 180 dpi.
But to make a Thunderstorms like the picture I got from Kim, you could
just Fill the whole layer with dark grey (#636B75).

Update - Rome was not build in one day (danish proverb).

Benny

[AngelicKim]

Benny per my e-mail here is the photo with both action applied. I didn't quite get them shape of the rainbow I wanted but I will keep working on it.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1ftyufZmDKCLkT4uezk3MeXALc2FVV1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ftyufZmDKCLkT4uezk3MeXALc2FVV1)

Thanks again for the action.

[Benny Pedersen]

Benny per my e-mail here is the photo with both action applied. I didn't quite get them shape of the rainbow I wanted but I will keep working on it.

Thanks again for the action.

You could try either Filter Distort Pinch or maybe Filter Render 3D Transform on a circle,
else a good alternative would be just to shoot another photo :)

[Wendy]

Hi Kim ...

Dave Cross did a Video on making a Rainbow and adding it to an image. Its in the Subscriber Area>Videos (26th January 2006) :)

Wendy

[Benny Pedersen]

Hi Kim ...

Dave Cross did a Video on making a Rainbow and adding it to an image. Its in the Subscriber Area>Videos (26th January 2006) :)

Wendy

Hi Wendy :)

This thread started on topic about a "Blue Sky" Action, Wonder how it would end. People in this forum always got some other questions (me included) and that is okay, ofcause. I was hoping that you or some of the other gurus had some comments about this new topic, my new action. Im still a newbee you know. So have you tried my action download (page 1 in thread) ?

I think I will download some learning stuff from the Subscriber Area>Videos. :rolleyes:

Maybe you have some other advice...

Benny,
BTW Thanks for your last reply about my problems in the "Flag on Car" - Project. It was you that wrote that learning stuff, I think.

[Wendy]

Hi Benny ...

I haven't has a chance to try it yet ... but I will look at it later today and let you know how I go on :)

Wendy

[Inspeqtor]

[QUOTE=Benny Pedersen]Hi Wendy :)


I think I will download some learning stuff from the Subscriber Area>Videos. :rolleyes:

Benny,


Benny, my question for you is this... are you saying you are able to download the actual videos from the Subscriber Area? I had attempted that in the past, but it would only get me the htm portion, not the actual video file. I did not think it possible to download the actual video. I can understand that Adobe would not want the videos floating around. What would compel people to join the Subscriber Area if they can get the videos elsewhere on the net.

Charles

[AngelicKim]

Inspeqtor, check this thread for instructions on downloading video

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13244&highlight=download+video

[Benny Pedersen]

[QUOTE=Benny Pedersen]Hi Wendy :)
...SNIP...
Charles

Benny, my question for you is...

Yes, but I open the movie online and it would be saved on HD.
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showpost.php?p=146606
I could download all the videos along with all pictures and other stuff in one click.
ex. ALL and everything from... :eek:
Ehmm, :rolleyes: the movies that have an extension GVP is for "GoogleVideoPlayerSetup.exe", and the MOV files is for "QuickTimeInstaller.exe". You can easyli modify the "TutMov.FND" file (see link above) to including both formats. *.GVP,*.MOV (if I remember)...

Benny,
PS. Its possible to convert those videos to AVI but that isn't a good idea.

[Wendy]

Hi Benny ...

Sorry I just noticed your comment about the Flag on Car tutorial ... glad to help with it ... and yes that is one of my tutorials :)

The car is my husbands and he wan't too impressed with the way I changed it :eek:

Wendy

[Inspeqtor]

Inspeqtor, check this thread for instructions on downloading video

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13244&highlight=download+video

Kim,

Thanks for your help here. I was able to find one video, 3dpolaroid. I have since watched other videos, such as Border Breakout, whihch I dearly want to save, but it never comes up in the search.
I have watched other videos as well, but they don't come up in the search. Please help me more! :eek: :eek:

Charles

[Inspeqtor]

[QUOTE=Inspeqtor]

Benny, my question for you is...

Yes, but I open the movie online and it would be saved on HD.
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showpost.php?p=146606
I could download all the videos along with all pictures and other stuff in one click.
ex. ALL and everything from... :eek:
Ehmm, :rolleyes: the movies that have an extension GVP is for "GoogleVideoPlayerSetup.exe", and the MOV files is for "QuickTimeInstaller.exe". You can easyli modify the "TutMov.FND" file (see link above) to including both formats. *.GVP,*.MOV (if I remember)...

Benny,
PS. Its possible to convert those videos to AVI but that isn't a good idea.



I thought I knew quite alot about computers, but the longer I use them, the more I realise how little I know about them! you lost me in the link above which I show below... I understand the Click Start/Run ... then at this point I type in %TMP% in the run field... when I click OK, then it brings up a search window where it searched my HD.
How can I do the Back Space > Back Space with the search window already up? Sorry I am so dense.

Charles

Click Start > Run > %TMP% > OK > Back Space > Back Space
Click Functions > folder settings > show > Show hidden files and folders > OK
Right Click the folder "Local Settings" > Search > *.MOV > Click the Search button
Files > Save Search > Click Desktop in the left menu > TutMov.fnd > Click the save button
Close

[Benny Pedersen]

[QUOTE=Benny Pedersen;152383]



I thought I knew quite alot about computers, but the longer I use them, the more I realise how little I know about them! you lost me in the link above which I show below... I understand the Click Start/Run ... then at this point I type in %TMP% in the run field... when I click OK, then it brings up a search window where it searched my HD.
How can I do the Back Space > Back Space with the search window already up? Sorry I am so dense.

Charles

Click Start > Run > %TMP% > OK > Back Space > Back Space
Click Functions > folder settings > show > Show hidden files and folders > OK
Right Click the folder "Local Settings" > Search > *.MOV > Click the Search button
Files > Save Search > Click Desktop in the left menu > TutMov.fnd > Click the save button
Close

The Start Run %TMP% should definitely NOT open a search....

What OS are you using, 98/XP or what ?

I previous used a "video tut maker". I will now search my old CD's and see if I could find it. If so then I will make a video tut.

Benny

[Inspeqtor]

Benny,

I am using Windows XP Home Edition

Charles

[Benny Pedersen]

Benny,

I am using Windows XP Home Edition

Charles

Me too.

Rember to empty the Internet Cache, and copy the tuts out of the Cache to your destination folder. :eek:

When you click on a video you see a progress bar in the bottom of the QuickTime Player - When the progress bar is 100%, then you grab the Video. Ex. Double click "TutMov.fnd" and let it stay open. Hit the subscriper video icon > Progress 100% > Hit Search button > Close the Video > Copy the video to destination > Hit the Back Button... And so on... Repeat. Next video...
When you have downloaded all and everything, then you grab the HTM page for off-line. Modify the HTML and you end up with your own page with descriptions but the links goes to your downloaded videos. This could take some days - Ex. Grap 5 each day...

Here is the tut about how to create the FND file named "TutMov.fnd" (without sound)

WMV file: http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/tut/TutMov.wmv

Tell me when you have got the WMV file, etc. - I don't think that I have enough space on my website to keep it for a long time...

Benny

[Inspeqtor]

Me too.

Rember to empty the Internet Cache, and copy the tuts out of the Cache to your destination folder. :eek:

When you click on a video you see a progress bar in the bottom of the QuickTime Player - When the progress bar is 100%, then you grab the Video. Ex. Double click "TutMov.fnd" and let it stay open. Hit the subscriper video icon > Progress 100% > Hit Search button > Close the Video > Copy the video to destination > Hit the Back Button... And so on... Repeat. Next video...
When you have downloaded all and everything, then you grab the HTM page for off-line. Modify the HTML and you end up with your own page with descriptions but the links goes to your downloaded videos. This could take some days - Ex. Grap 5 each day...

Here is the tut about how to create the FND file named "TutMov.fnd" (without sound)

WMV file: http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/tut/TutMov.wmv

Tell me when you have got the WMV file, etc. - I don't think that I have enough space on my website to keep it for a long time...

Benny

Benny,

I have the Tutmov.wmv video. Thank you, but, it may take some time and luck to understand everything in the video since it is not in english and the video moves along very quickly. :(

How do you empty the Internet Cache? Do I need to do this after every video I watch and download?

Charles

[Benny Pedersen]

The video is following the instructions,
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showpost.php?p=146606
so you could use the video pause button ||

Empty Cache is not required, but we don't want a full cache while we grab -
(A full cache would deleting files from the cache).

To clean the Cache: Start > Run > Cleanmgr
, or simply delete the files, or right click IE > button delete, or ...
Whether or not using "TutMov.fnd" the cache should be deleted anyway. Each day, or only once a week is a question that all users may answer. But since I have a lot of advanced stuff here, then I don't fear a full cache and thereby a computer crash caused by the stuff that are hidden in that cache.

[Inspeqtor]

Benny,

I finally got it! Thank you for your help. Apparently what I needed to do was clean my Cache by using Cleanmgr. When I did that, now after running a video until the buffer is in, now I can find it using the search! :D :D

Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!!

I just wish i knew about this when I took the Online Training Videos :(

Charles

[Benny Pedersen]

Hi Benny ...

Sorry I just noticed your comment about the Flag on Car tutorial ... glad to help with it ... and yes that is one of my tutorials : )

The car is my husbands and he wan't too impressed with the way I changed it :eek:

Wendy

http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/traurig/sad-smiley-043.gif
Wendy, about your:
I haven't has a chance to try it yet ... but I will look at it later today and let you know how I go on

- that you wrote some days ago. I guess you forgot it, or maybe
it didn't work?, if so, then I should modify my action. I know you have created a tut about how to replace a white background/sky with blue. So my action is just another way to it.

In http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showpost.php?p=145699&postcount=15 Richard Lynch said:
Benny, I thought I knew them all (and then some)...nice trick!

But he didn't wrote a reply about an Action, which is now using my above trick.
Nor has another action maker (Grant) did not reply (I wrote an e-mail to him with a link to that topic).
Maybe those people are just busy about making money :rolleyes:

I now have two options.
1. Remove and delete that actions I made, or
2. Learn something (read tuts and practise) and then improve
the action, and create a lot of other actions...

I know that Im not very good to just talk about the weather while drinking coffe with others, and I also often don't say what u want to hear but to call me a computer nerd is completly wrong (I think) :)

Benny

[Benny Pedersen]

Benny per my e-mail here is the photo with both action applied. I didn't quite get them shape of the rainbow I wanted but I will keep working on it.

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1ftyufZmDKCLkT4uezk3MeXALc2FVV1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1ftyufZmDKCLkT4uezk3MeXALc2FVV1)

Thanks again for the action.

Hi Kim ...

I have now seen the Video on making a Rainbow by Dave Cross,
and I have also just subscribed in another photoshop forum - I found
a tutorial (tut) about a rainbow so I now have two tuts about this topic.
After some feather research, I will later update "our" Rainbow Action :)

[AngelicKim]

Thanks Benny, I'll watch for it. I used your Blue Sky action on a photo I took today that the sun made a little to light (I shouldn't have taken it but wanted the shot). Anyway, it worked.

Also, thanks for the Cleanmgr advice. I usually run one at least once a week or so and I have spent so much time in this forum and playing with tuts that I had forgotten to run it in a while. My computer is running so much better now. I had so many cache files in my recycle bin from deleting them from elements when I add things. :eek:

Thanks again for all your help.

[Wendy]

Hi Benny ...

I have been really busy this last couple of weeks and at the moment I have a long list of things on my to do list :(

I have just taken a look at your action and it works really well ... I also played around with it and varied the effect by applying a blue to transparent gradient to the top layer. The sky tends to shade in colour so I think that looks more realistic.

It also works fine in Photoshop ... :)


Wendy

[Benny Pedersen]

Hi Benny ...

I have been really busy this last couple of weeks and at the moment I have a long list of things on my to do list :(

I have just taken a look at your action and it works really well ... I also played around with it and varied the effect by applying a blue to transparent gradient to the top layer. The sky tends to shade in colour so I think that looks more realistic.

It also works fine in Photoshop ... :)

Wendy

Oh thanks. That your reply I will soon take a closer look on later. Havn't got any sleep :)
The gradient to the top layer was thought but I first wanted the basis done...
Hmm, Im now looking outside this forum to get more resources - and since Im
learning very fast, I think I could improve those actions...

[Benny Pedersen]

I got a little problem with the "Red Sky" action.
I can't get the lens flare from the lower picture onto the upper ?

See picture:

http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/tut/problem.jpg

If you don't know, then I may try later...

[Benny Pedersen]

I got a little problem with the "Red Sky" action.
I can't get the lens flare from the lower picture onto the upper ?

See picture:

http://hjem.get2net.dk/b_pedersen/tut/problem.jpg

If you don't know, then I may try later...

Solved (guess I was just tired) :)

BTW.
http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?p=155134#post155134