Two questions

[MikeFromMesa]

I have been testing version 24 to see if I should update, and as part of this testing I decided to create some actions to make a series of curves adjustment layers, each with a particular luminosity mask. All of that works, but the steps involved in making the masks and adding the adjustment layers required using some dialog boxes. In particular I had to use the Change Channel dialog box and adding a curve layer with one of those masks requires accepting the default adjustment. When I played the actions each dialog box stopped the playback until an entry was manually entered, and of course that largely removes the incentive for creating the actions to begin with, so the first question is whether there is any way to specify that the action recording not require a manual response when the dialog box opens. That is, how do I record an action that accepts the enter key or mouse click used during the action creation as something to be done automatically rather than having to do it manually.

Another thing I wanted to automate was the creation of a stamp layer, but I can not find any command in PL to create a stamp layer, only for merging layers. I know I can duplicate the entire layer stack and then merge the copies to create what is essentially a stamp layer, but I thought that there might be some command to do it that I might be missing.

One other question. Is there any way to rename layers? My attempts to do so have failed, probably because I am missing what I should be doing, so I guess there really are three questions.

[der_fotograf]

Rename layer: Double-click the first text line in the layer and rename it.

Actions: Make sure that the first (left) box of the action contains a checkmark and the second (right) box is NOT gray. If you click the second box in any step, this will cause the step to pause for an input.

For the stamp layer I don't have any idea, because I never used it.

[Martin Huber]

I have been testing version 24 to see if I should update, and as part of this testing I decided to create some actions to make a series of curves adjustment layers, each with a particular luminosity mask.All of that works, but the steps involved in making the masks and adding the adjustment layers required using some dialog boxes. In particular I had to use the Change Channel dialog box

Shift+clicking the layer thumbnail in the Layer List creates a luminosity mask.

and adding a curve layer with one of those masks requires accepting the default adjustment.

I don't understand this.

When I played the actions each dialog box stopped the playback until an entry was manually entered, and of course that largely removes the incentive for creating the actions to begin with, so the first question is whether there is any way to specify that the action recording not require a manual response when the dialog box opens. That is, how do I record an action that accepts the enter key or mouse click used during the action creation as something to be done automatically rather than having to do it manually.

You don't want to show the filter/command dialogs during action playback? If so, then this isn't done while recording. Instead, turn off showing the dialog in the Action panel:

ActionShowDialog.png

Another thing I wanted to automate was the creation of a stamp layer, but I can not find any command in PL to create a stamp layer, only for merging layers.

What is a "stamp layer"?

I know I can duplicate the entire layer stack and then merge the copies to create what is essentially a stamp layer, but I thought that there might be some command to do it that I might be missing.

If this is about lossless editing with tools like Copy Brush, ..., then you simply create a new empty, transparent image layer and paint your changes into that layer. Most tools have an option in the tool settings which data is used for the work of the tool:

ToolSource.png

One other question. Is there any way to rename layers? My attempts to do so have failed, probably because I am missing what I should be doing, so I guess there really are three questions.

der_fotograf already mentioned double-clicking the name in the Layer List. Just an additional note: If the layer is the active layer, a single click is sufficient. This is indicated by the mouse pointer turning into a text cursor when it is over the name.

[MikeFromMesa]

Rename layer: Double-click the first text line in the layer and rename it.

Actions: Make sure that the first (left) box of the action contains a checkmark and the second (right) box is NOT gray. If you click the second box in any step, this will cause the step to pause for an input.

Thank you.

I guess I was double-clicking on the wrong part of the layer, and I was wondering what the square in the actions panel was for.

[MikeFromMesa]

> Shift+clicking the layer thumbnail in the Layer List creates a luminosity mask.

Thank you. I did not see this in the manual so I did not know.

> I don't understand this.

When I created the luminosity mask I added it to the stack using a Curves layer. What I was trying to say is that when I played back the action the command to add the Curves layer to the layer stack opened the Curves dialog and required me to press the OK button before the action completed. Now I understand to leave the square in the Actions dialog off.

> What is a "stamp layer"?

A stamp layer is a layer comprising all of the layers below it. Essentially it is a new layer which is flattened from all of the layers below it. The advantage is that if you create it to add some filters to it you do not disturb all of the previous layers as they are still there.

I know I can create one by duplicating all of the visible (or invisible as well) layers and then flattening them, but I thought there might be some command I was missing.

[Martin Huber]

A stamp layer is a layer comprising all of the layers below it. Essentially it is a new layer which is flattened from all of the layers below it. The advantage is that if you create it to add some filters to it you do not disturb all of the previous layers as they are still there.

I know I can create one by duplicating all of the visible (or invisible as well) layers and then flattening them, but I thought there might be some command I was missing.

Well, then there is no stamp layer in PhotoLine.

But as I said, the tools in the toolbar can paint their changes in a new layer which has the same effect.
And adjustment layers also operate on all layers below them.

[Hoogo]

What about CTRL+SHIFT+C, CTRL+V (Edit > Merged copy , Edit > paste as layer)?

[shijan]

Add Image(s) and Adjustment Layer(s) into a Group and enable "Draw Isolated" in Layer Group attributes. So adjustments and filters inside group will not affect to any bottom layers located outside group.

Note that Clipping Mask layers use a little bit different logic. If you put them into Group and don't check "Draw Isolated", they Clip only layers inside group.

[MikeFromMesa]

But as I said, the tools in the toolbar can paint their changes in a new layer which has the same effect.
And adjustment layers also operate on all layers below them.

A stamp layer can be very helpful under certain circumstances. If you have a large layer stack with multiple adjustment layers and you want to call an external plugin like Topaz you have to supply an image layer for the call. If you specify the background layer you lose all of the adjustments so a stamp layer, which is basically a merged copy of all of the previous layer is helpful. The same thing seems to be true if you call an external editor. If you specify that PL provide all layers it reduces your layer stack to a merge layer, which may not be helpful.

I have just added an action to create a stamp layer so the fact that it is not natively available in PL is not a serious issue for me. I just wanted to know if there was some command to do it before I created the action.

[Hoogo]

Seriously, what about CTRL+SHIFT+C, CTRL+V (Edit > Merged copy , Edit > paste as layer)?

[shijan]

It is also possible Paste group as Virtual Copy. In this case you will have single layer but you will be able to edit contents of source group if you need.

Another method - in Layer Attributes change "Type" form "Group" to "Placeholder". This will create single Placeholder Layer.
If you want to change something later, use "Edit Placeholder" in layer menu. Placeholder will open as separate document so you edit it and just save.

[MikeFromMesa]

Seriously, what about CTRL+SHIFT+C, CTRL+V (Edit > Merged copy , Edit > paste as layer)?

I have created an action to create the stamp layer, at least for my use. I work on a Mac so what I do is

Edit -> Select all
Cmd-V (to copy the selected layers)
Layer -> Merge Layers to merge the copied layers into a single layer
Change name of layer to Stamp Layer

It helps me preserve my layer stack and use any external tools that I find useful. It also allows me to consolidate my changes into a single layer without affecting any of the layers lower in the stack. I know it is not necessary as long as I stay completely within the PL environment but using a stack layer does help me organize and use all of the tools that I have.

[MikeFromMesa]

For what it's worth -

I had an image and layer stack that I was processing and realized, after a fair amount of work involving adjustment layers and masking, that it also needed some perspective correction. Doing that, of course, would distort the image, but not the masks, and so destroy all of the work I had done. The only solution was to create and use a Stamp Layer.

Of course had I done the perspective correction first this would not have been necessary, but it is one more situation when a Stamp Layer is helpful, and there are probably more situations that I have not thought about or come across.

[bkh]

I had an image and layer stack that I was processing and realized, after a fair amount of work involving adjustment layers and masking, that it also needed some perspective correction. Doing that, of course, would distort the image, but not the masks, and so destroy all of the work I had done.

One solution would be to group all your material (except the background layer) and distort the enclosing group.

Cheers

Burkhard

[MikeFromMesa]

One solution would be to group all your material (except the background layer) and distort the enclosing group.

I am missing something here.

If I am working with a layer stack where the only image layer is the background image how can I distort a group that does not include the only layer?

If I am working with a layer stack where there is an image layer other than the background layer and if I place all of those layers in a group, then will any distortion affect both the layer and the masks?

Most of my processing would be like the first case if I did not use a Stamp Layer and I guess I don't see how any distortion processing could work in that case. First, there is no image layer in the group to distort and, second, if I did distort the group I am not affecting the image layer at all.

As I said, I must be missing something here.