[Layer Window Bug]

Images Added Above...

I also found out during screen capture, that if you paste a new during the process, the problem does not occur. I have duplicated the bug on two computers (both WinXP SP2), open a new instance of Paint.NET and follow the steps above to duplicate.

[Layer Window Bug]

A layer can "disappear" from the Layer Window. Still actually there but needs user input before it will revalidate.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Open an image

2. Create a new layer (Layer 2)

3. Move Layer 2 to bottom

4. Select original layer

5. Zoom in 3200%

6. Gaussian Blur

7. Zoom Window

8. Import Layer From File

-- Layer 2 is no longer visible in the Layer Window.

[Gradient - Text]

Not directly, but you can by using multiple layers...

Create a layer with your gradient.

Create a layer with your text.

On "Text" layer, Shift+Magic Wand select the background (adjust tolerance to desired level)

Switch to "Gradient" layer (while still selected) and press delete.

Delete "Text" layer.

Blur/Sharpen "Gradient" layer until text looks correct.

EDIT: you beat me to it BoltBait

[Moving an image pasted into new layer]

Use the "Move Selected Pixels" Tool (black arrow)

[Bug: Paste into new image gives white background]

Looks like "Paste to New Image" is not taking the alpha value, if you use the new gradient tool on Transparency Mode and Copy/Paste to New Image, the alpha levels are not preserved.

[Recolor]

Open Paint.NET and hit "F1" for the Help Topics...

Recolor replaces one color with another and takes brush size and tolerance into consideration.

[Font display bug]

If you have a font selected who's name is longer than the visible area in the drop down list, the name wraps and becomes difficult to read.

[Color Swap bug]

If I enter in a Hex value for a color and then do a color swap, the color reverts back to the previous color.

Also happens if you use do anything in between entering a Hex value and the color swap.

[Can u]

Paint.NET does not support brushes, so you wouldn't be able to follow the tutorial from beginning to end...

But, Paint.NET does support layers and blending modes, so if you found a background image you like (say the Direct Effect sample image linked to in the tutorial), you can import that image into a background layer, and overlay any color you like to get the desired end effect.

[ForeColor Effects Plugin - build error]

Hey Rick,

When I was updating my Cloud Effect plugin, I accidentally built against the 3.0 dlls.

When I tried compiling my plugin, I received a warning (as expected) for EnvironmentParameters.BackColor being deprecated and to use SecondaryColor instead.

What threw me off was EnvironmentParameters.ForeColor throws an error and won't let me finish building the project. I know ForeColor has been replaced with PrimaryColor, but shouldn't I receive a warning (like I did with BackColor) instead of an error and still be able to build my project? The BackColor function should just make the call to PrimaryColor right?

(built with Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition)

[Clouds Plugin]

* You should probably put the random seed values r1, r2, and r3 into the token. You cannot assume that your configuration dialog was ever called before your Effect, and it looks like you're relying on it to set these values. For example, if I'm using this effect outside of Paint.NET, or if I'm relying on the Effect->Repeat... menu item, your configuration dialog will never have existed and these values will be 0 and we'll have some (presumably) boring looking clouds.

Fixed in version 1.1 - moved random seed values into the token (and GUI).

* The "Random" class, from what I recall, is not thread safe. You can work around this by putting the [ThreadStatic] attribute on it. For performance sake, only retrieve this field once in your Render() method and store it into a private method variable. You can check out our Add Noise effect's code to see what we do here. (By the way I'm serious about the performance -- performance went up 10x with the retrieve-the-field-once optimization.)

Added [ThreadStatic] to the Random class called when the "Reseed Noise" action is triggered.

I am only calling the Random class once (per click) as of version 1.0. The Noise function in CloudEffect.cs could still be optimized... Looking into it...

[Feature request: Pixel stretch]

but i said i didn't simply wanted that, i want to stretch the last pixel of each row that doesn't have Alpha = 0

My bad trickman, is this more of what you are looking for?

void Render(Surface dst, Surface src, Rectangle rect)
{
   for(int y = rect.Top; y < rect.Bottom; y++)
   {
       for (int x = rect.Left; x < rect.Right; x++)
       {
           if (x > 0) dst[x, y] = (0 == src[x,y].A) ? dst[x-1, y] : src[x, y]; 
       }
   }
}

[Feature request: Pixel stretch]

nope. only the first column of pix's are stretched...

That looks like what is being done in the animation... Just change the x-offset to get your desired look.

[Feature request: Pixel stretch]

Try this in the Code Lab...

void Render(Surface dst, Surface src, Rectangle rect)
{
   for(int y = rect.Top; y < rect.Bottom; y++)
   {
       for (int x = rect.Left; x < rect.Right; x++)
       {
           ColorBgra pix = src[0, y];
           dst[x, y] = pix;
       }
   }
}

Is that what you were looking for?

[HOW TO INSTALL PLUGINS/General Plugin Troubleshooting Thread]

I'm not saying that this is at all difficult for the end user, because it shouldn't be, but maybe some of the confusion lies in the fact that the folder in which the "Plugins" go is called "Effects". To make this as simple as possible, for those people who are just that, you could rename the "Effects" folder to "Plugins" in future PdN versions.

There are two types of Plugins - Effects and FileTypes - and there are separate directories for each.

[Clouds Plugin]

Thanks Rick, I will take a look at my code and see what I can do.

[Clouds Plugin]

Could you tell me what do the values do?

These values are inputs to a Perlin Noise function which generates psudeo random values that determine the look of the clouds.

Frequency gives you number of noise values defined between each 2-dimensional point.

Persistence is a constant multiplier adjusting our amplitude in each iteration.

Octaves define the number of iterations over the noise function for a particular point. With each iteration, the frequency is doubled and the amplitude is multiplied by the persistance.

Amplitude is the maximum value added to the total noise value.

Those variables act within the perlin noise function to generate a cumalative total. There are two other user adjustable variables that act upon the total after the noise function that help in defining the finished look of your scene.

Cloud Coverage is a constant that gets added (or subtracted) to each total. The default value is zero, meaning that the total should not be altered. Adding values will increase the size of the clouds, while subtracting will reduce them.

Cloud Density is a constant that gets multiplied with the total to increase or decrease the apparent thickness of the clouds. The default value is 1, meaning the total should not be altered. Any number between 0 and 1 will reduce the apparent density (making the clouds appear more like fog).

More information on the Code Lab implementation can be found in my blog entry at: http://www.sepcot.com/blog/2006/08-2006-PDN-PerlinNoise2d.shtml

[Feature Request: Point to Point selection and cloud effects]

I would like point to point selection and also a cloud effect.

Just finished my implementation of a Cloud Effect: http://paintdotnet.12.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=2105

[Clouds Plugin]

I have finally got around to creating the "Clouds" plugin I promised.

 

Cloud Effect Configuration Dialog (version 1.1):

 

 

DLL Download Link (version 1.1): <broken link removed by EER> (Unzip - Drop the CloudEffect.dll file into your Paint.NET\Effects folder)

Source Download Link (version 1.1): <broken link removed by EER>

Edit: Updated to version 1.1

Changes made (v1.1):

• 1. Added random numbers to the dialog box for the user to set if they like.
  2. Set default random numbers - same cloud pattern will appear with each invocation (until reseeded)
  3. Moved the GUI around - simple options at the top to more advanced at the bottom

Left to do:

• 1. Optimize the noise function

 

Download >>   CloudsEffect.zip

(Note: DLL recompiled by @Ego Eram Reputo from original source on GitHub. HDPI fixes by @ReMake May 2022).

 

 

Plugin can be found under the Effects > Render > Clouds