New in version 9.52:
Browse-Function
- Preview images of JPEG-files are created faster now.
- The content of a Browse-window can be sorted by several criterias.
- The Browse-function can show additional informations now.
- It is now possible to select several files in a Browse-window and
to edit all at the same time.
- Write-protected files are marked by a red lock.
- "Create Print Document" has been enhanced once more. This way it
is possible to print an appealing overview very fast.
Common Enhancements
- EXIF
EXIF-information of a JPEG-file can now be inspected by using the
function "Document/Document Information...".
- Multiple Selection
The layer tool can now select several layers at the same time. This
eases moving and aligning operations.
- Coal and Chalk Tool
The roughness of the coal and the chalk tool can now be adjusted.
Furthermore the coal tool now creates softer brushes.
- Antialiased Brushes
Brushes are now antialiased by default.
- New Painting Tool: Pencil
Because of the antialiased brushes there is now a tool that uses
non-antialiased brushes: the pencil.
- MOV-Export
Animations can now be exported as MOV-files by using Quicktime.
- Global CMYK-Settings
Now it is possible to define a standard separation, that will be used
for converting CMYK-data to RGB and the other way round. This way
a more consistent handling of CMYK-data is achieved.
- New Tool: Spiral
There is a new tool for creating spirals. You can create rectangular
and round spirals.
- Text Layers: Decimal Tabulators
Text Layers are supporting decimal tabulators now.
- Other Enhancements:
Fast switching to the layer tool by pressing ESC, layer settings
dialog with icon bar, Curves now with white point, layer frames
optionally always visible, graphic tablets now with now input modes,
painting using a graphic tablet now with smoother brush support, ...
New in Version 9.00:
New Browse Function
The Browse function - accessible through the menu command "File/Browse" -
was completely reworked. Now ther is a folder tree at the left side in order
to allow quick switching of the current image directory. The most important
image directories can be added to the favourites list. Pictures can now
be rotated directly by using the browse window, JPEG images optionally
lossless.
Files in the Browse window can be easily copied or moved by dragging them
to the folder tree.
If a folder is dragged to PhotoLine, a browse window for this folder will
be opened.
Web Export
Nowadays many images are edited in order to use them on a web page.
In order to ease exporting in a web file format, that are JPEG,
JPEG2000, PNG und GIF, PhotoLine has now the function Web Export. It offers
a direct preview of the result and the corresponding file size for a selectable
file format. Additionally the settings of the chosen file format can be
edited directly. Because of these features and because of the fact, that two
file formats can be compared beneath each other, the choice of the right
file format is made easier.
The Frame Function
The Frame function - accessible through the menu command "Document/Frame" -
allows to create manifold frames around an image, while the original data
stay unmodified. There are several options: simple clippings are as easy
as complex three-dimensional effects. A shadow can be added, too,
in order to create additional depth.
Clipping Layers
Clipping layers are clipping - as there name already promises - other layers.
All layers are clipped, that are in the same group but are drawn before the
clipping layer. But the clipped layers will not be modified, they will only
be drawn differently. Every type of layer can be a clipping layer: text,
vector or image.
A layer can be made a clipping layer very easily by using the layer panel.
If you are clicking on the visible-field (the small square with an eye inside)
of a layer while holding Shift, this layer will be converted to a clipping
layer (symbolized by a small pair of scissors) or clipping property will be
deleted. The menu command "Layer/View/Clip Previous" has the same effect.
If an image is made a clipping layer, it will be converted automatically
into a gray image without an alpha channel.
Texture Colors
Until now PhotoLine supported "simple" colors, pattern colors and blend colors.
Since Version 9.0 there are texture colors, too. Texture colors are similar
to pattern colors, different only by the fact, that the content of the color
is not defined by pictures but is calculated. Texture colors are very flexible.
It is possible to create simple geometrical figures or to simulate natural
structures. Of course texture colors can contain (partly or full) transparency.
Shearing and Rotating Pattern Colors
Previous versions of PhotoLine only allowed to scale pattern colors and
even scaling was restricted because the new pattern size had to be a multiple
of a whole pixel. This restriction no longer exists. Patterns can now be
scaled to any size. Furthermore it is possible to scale and to shear patterns.
Align Colors To Layers
Until now pattern colors (inlcuding blend and texture colors) have always
been relative to the current page. This had the effect, that a layer could
look totally different after scaling or moving. Therefore it is now possible
to align a color to the layer which is using it. This way all changes applied
to the layer are applied to the color, too. This option can be turned
on and off in the Layer Info-dialog.
New Filters: Clouds, Difference Clouds
Clouds and Difference Clouds - located in the menu "Filter/Special Tools" -
are creating cloud-like structures. While clouds is replacing the currently
selected image, Difference Clouds is combining the clouds and the image by
using the blend mode Difference.
New Filter: Perturbation
Perturbation perturbates - nomen est omen - images. The kind of effect can
be quite different. After applying the filter, the image can look like it
has been treated with a sandblast unit, but also, as it was viewed through
a wavy glass pane.
Lighting Support With Waves, Vault and Projection
The filters Waves, Vault and Projection are - in the strict sense - operations,
that project an image to the three-dimensional space. Therefore it suggests
itself to illuminate the result by a light source. Exactly that is possible
in version 9.0. The lighting can be turned on and off and the position,
color and intensity of the light source is adjustable.
The Chart Tool
There is a new tool in the toolbox: the chart tool. This tool allows to
create simple charts. The data needed for the chart can be entered in the
corresponding settings dialog, but it is simpler to import the data from
an existing file. PhotoLine is able to import normal text data files.
Line Patterns
PhotoLine is now supporting various kinds of line patterns. The line pattern
kind easily be chosen in the Line Editor.
New Polygon Function
The tool for creation triangles has been replaced by a polygon tool. Now
it is possible to create nearly any polygon very fast.
Layer Distortions
Layer distortions modify the shape of vector and text layers.
Similar to layer effects the layer itself keeps unchanged. Only the appearance
of the layer changes. Layer distortions can be applied to groups, too. In
this case they affect all layers inside the group.
User-defined Context Menu
In order to allow faster working it is now possible to define an own context
menu. This is done in the Options dialog, on the subpage "Usage/Context Menu".
This context menu can be accessed by clicking the middle mouse button or
by Ctrl+right-click (on Windows) or by Ctrl+Command+click (on Mac OS).
Text Layers: Find And Replace
Text layers are now supporting "Find" and "Find/Replace". Of course the
usual options like "Match whole words only" and "Match case" are there, too.
Text Layers: Sub- and Superscript
Text in text layers can now be sub- and superscripted. Annoying manual
formatting isn't necessary anymore.
Adjustable Screen Gamma
The Options dialog ("Options/Options/Display/Screen Gamma") now allows to
adjust the brightness of images which is PhotoLine is drawing on the monitor.
By doing that images can be displayed correctly on too dark screens, too.
Minor Enhancements
Beside the new functions above there are a lot of minor enhancements. The
most important are:
- Lock Transparent Areas
The Layer dialog now allows to protect the alpha channel of an image.
This way the transparent areas can no longer be changed accidently.
- Extended Shape List
Till now the shape list - accessible through the menu command
"View/Dialogs/Shape List" - could only keep simple vector paths. Since
version 9.0 it is possible to enter complete layers, this means groups,
too. This way the shape list can be used to save often used cliparts for
faster access.
- New Guides Dialog
The new guides dialog allows to create guide lines by number und thus
more precisely. There are two ways to open the guides dialog: by using
the menu command "View/Setup Guides..." and by double-clicking an existing
guide line.
- Vectorizing Color Images
"Convert Layer Type" can now be used to convert color images to vector
graphics. By doing this the number of colors of the original image may
be reduced, because otherwise an endless number of vector layers had
to be created.
- Extended Vectorizing Of Text
The conversion of text layer to vector layers by using "Convert Layer
Type" has been extended. Now it is possible to choose to create a single
path - some text attributes like outline and color may be lost, to convert
as shown on the screen which creates paths as long as possible, or to
convert characterwise in which case a vector layer is created for every
character.
- Mini-Sliders
Below some text fields there are small sliders, the mini-sliders: they
allow to enter values quickly and precisely in the text field by using
the mouse.
- Calculations in Text Fields
Text fields are now supporting simple calculations. It is able to
calculated the basic operations like +, -, * and / including parenthesis
as well as functions like sin(), cos(), tan(), sqrt() and ^ (exponential
funktion). But you have to note, that the term may contain only one unit
abbreviation and this has to be at the end of the term.
- Scanning Multipage Documents
On batch-scanning PhotoLine is now creating optional multipage documents
instead of creating a document for every single scan.
- Font-Popup With Preview
The font-popup for setting the font used in text layers is now showing
a preview of fonts in the list. This wllows easier choice of the correct
font.
- Enhanced Drag&Drop Behaviour
Drag&Drop in several list fields (pattern list, brush list, ...) has
been enhanced. Without pressing a modifier key a new entry will be created
before the entry below the mouse. In this way an existing list can be
sorted without any problems. By pressing Shift (Windows) or Alt (Mac OS)
the entry below the mouse will be replaced by the dragged one.
- Copybrush And Water With Channel Selection
The copybrush and the water tool now have a channel selection. Therefore
optionally only single channels will be modified.