History

[bruce1951]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but I thought I would raise the subject again.

I have been asked by a magazine to give a step by step guide to one of my images.

The thing is I use a 'basic' work flow but never the same work flow. Each file being an individual work and thus requiring a unique work flow to get the desired result. Naturally I can't remember all my steps and actions/edits.

Question - Is there any way that I can save all the steps in a file? Is there a way to save the 'undo' steps? Or is it possible that each file could have something like an xmp file? The added problem is to be able to 'grow' that file. ie if I return the next day to continue editing the previous editing/steps would need to be retained and added to. Yes I could record the whole thing as a script but!!!!!!

Possible? If so how?

bruce

[Herbert123]

No, outside of saving each step separately as a new file, there is no built-in support for versioning or saving the history in the file itself, unfortunately. It would be interesting if we could save the history in the file itself, though, or have access to some sort of (visual) automatic versioning - like a local history of a file. There one competing product that is able to save the history in the file itself, so it is possible.

[bruce1951]

I wonder what the market reaction would be to such a feature?

Imagine PL saving each step to an XMP like file. And then being able to have that XMP like file applied to any file just like an Action. Wouldn't it be just like a preset? Many programs such as Topaz will let you save a preset then allow you to apply that preset to any image.
So if on a regular basis PL saved the steps to an XMP/preset file that XMP/preset could later be called up and applied to any image. Or before closing the file have the option to save all steps as a preset.

Just dreaming.

bruce

[Herbert123]

Woah, that is a brilliant idea. Imagine a photographer editing one of a series of similar images, or a bunch of renders of the same scene: all processed instantly with no need to apply an action. And the history would be non-destructive.

Sounds amazing.

[PhilM]

Saving the undo history would allow to come back to you work-in-process some day later, re-open your pld and continue you editing where you left.
(Then I could shut my pc at night without losing my undo history)

My preference would be to save the history in the .pld.
To avoid the risk of losing the XMP sidecar file.

At some point in time, it would be fine to purge the history.

It could also work together with the "Auto-save" that was introduced recently

Phil

[maxwell]

Hi,

there was already a discussion about history in the German forum

https://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5673

Though it would be a great feature, it seems not so simple to realize it.

Cheers

Josef

[bruce1951]

FWIW I've spent today trying to edit a file by starting an action. A series of actions. I my case I created a folder of actions just to break up the steps into smaller actions rather one huge one. Creating actions to reproduce results can be done. PROVIDED you know what result you want. However it doesn't work in my case. I edit in such a way that I often back track and swap from layer to layer and tool to tool looking for results.

If you want to in affect 'batch' a group of file an action will suffice. However if you are the 'creative' type and like to 'play' not knowing what your end result will be then there needs to be another way.

For me the 'simple' solution is to give me the option of saving all my steps just before closing the file. Save as a file similar to an XMP file or as a custom preset. This could be as simple as saving the Undo list as a preset/action.

I use Topaz plugins/Studio. Each step/adjustment can be saved as a preset for future use. Why can't the same principle by applied to PL?

bruce