[Paint.NET v3.5.2 is now available]

Hey, I missed the last 2 updates, so I was like :shock: when tried the latest version! There are some very helpful improvements and new tools that makes my life a lot easier

I only miss the old interface from v3.36 that was easy readable. Is there any chance to use the old interface in the new version? I suppose that the new icons were designed for use with Windows Vista and 7, but they are too hard to read, especially with the fact that I use 77/128/128 (RGB) as background color for the Windows Explorer instead of white.

I also think that it would be cool if we can choose between the old (dashed) and the new (solid) selection border, because the old one was easier to spot in certain situations.

The blue "Tolerance" bar is too dark and I'm not able to see the number of % while drag it with the mouse. It's also too hard to set the % to exact value, so I thnk that it may be done easier by adding two new commands there:

1. While dragging with the mouse, the Left and Right arrow keys may act exactly the same way they do when moving a selected area.

2. Left double-click changes the value to 0%, middle (single) click resets the value to 50%, and right (single) click changes the value to 100%.

Thanks again for the cool update and keep up the good work!

Edit: I found some of the icons at C:\Program Files\Paint.NET\Resources\en-US , so hopefully I will be able to replace them with the old ones from v3.36 :wink:

[Various requests]

For #1 just use Edit->Paste into New Image, Ctrl+Alt+V ...........

Hello, thanks for the reply and the hint about the keyboard paste command. And sorry about the late reply, I had some problems with the cookies of my browser and I was not able to log-in until today!

I also would like to give another idea for a possible "Options" menu where we can adjust the settings of Paint.NET.

It would be VERY helpful if we can set an individual custom brush size for each tool, so we won't be forced to click too many times the brush size buttons. Example - we need to draw Lines with 2 pixels brush width, Rectangles with 5 pixels brush width, and Paintbrush with 30 pixels brush width. I often combine 2, 3 or more tolls and this forces me to adjust the brush size every few seconds which is boring and takes double time. :oops:

Another HELPFUL feature would be if we have some kind of a floating "Zoom window" (with adjustable size) where we can see a certain area of the picture with custom zoom. And we should be able to use our tools directly on the Zoom window (when opened it's the active window), so we don't need to zoom-in and zoom-out the original picture so many times when we edit some small detail and still see the entire picture in the same time. Below is an example of such Zoom window:

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/1904 ... dowzh1.png

Another option is to have a vertical split-screen where we can see our image in 2 separated windows, each with individual zoom level. The second (right) window can be opened/closed by clicking on some kind of a small arrow located on the right side of the screen. Example icon here:

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1155 ... eentf0.png

[Various requests]

Hi guys and gals, it's my first post here. My name is Bobi and I'm from Bulgaria. I often use Paint.net in my work because it has great range of powerful tools, add-on based effects and user-friendly interface. It quickly became my favourite paint program since I used it for the first time. During the years I always wanted to post some new ideas here but something happened and I was unable to register until now. Since English is not my native language I would like to excuse if I make some grammatical mistakes.

I also would like to translate the program into Bulgarian language, but I don't know what's the process. If someone can send me the English version in text file format (txt, doc, rtf) I would be able to add the Bulgarian text in the same document and re-send it to the developers.

Below are some of the features that I would like to see in the further Paint.NET 3 (or 4) updates, I will add more ideas when I have some more free time.

1. Clipboard canvas resize. When copy an image in the clipboard and then then start Paint.NET, the program should automatically resize the canvas to the resolution of the image in the clipboard (one of the great features in the original Paint). Also, it may be used even when you already opened the program and then copy an image in the clipboard. When you paste the picture from the clipboard, possible options could be:

- Expand canvas (existing option).

- Shrink canvas (non-existing option). It should scale down the canvas (and appear in the menu only) IF the image from the clipboard has a lower resolution in one or both directions. Example - current canvas size is set to 800x600 pixels and the clipboard image has 300x280 pixels. The new canvas size will be 300x280 pixels.

- Resize canvas horizontally (non-existing option). Same as the above, BUT it should scale down the canvas (and appear in the menu only) IF the image from the clipboard has a lower resolution in one of the directionsa and higher resolution in the other direction. Example - current canvas size is set to 800x600 pixels and the clipboard image has 500x900 pixels. The new canvas will resize to 500x600 pixels.

- Resize canvas vertically (non-existing option). Same as the above, BUT it should scale down the canvas (and appear in the menu only) IF the image from the clipboard has a lower resolution in one of the directionsa and higher resolution in the other direction. Example - current canvas size is set to 800x600 pixels and the clipboard image has 500x900 pixels. The new canvas will resize to 800x900 pixels.

- Keep canvas size (existing option).

- Cancel (existing option).

Also, add the option to place the clipboard image in a new layer. Example menu:

http://img92.imageshack.us/img92/9224/p ... ei1nt6.png

2. Save selected area(s) in the *.pdn file. When you select an area of the image, you should go to Edit > Save Selected Area. when you save the image in the native file format, next time when you start the program it will remember all the custom saved selected areas. currently I'm forced to do this by adding a new layer, then paste the selected area and fill it up with some color. That's just too repetitive and also forces me to add too many undesired layers.

3. Line improvements:

- Arrow aspect ratio. Have TWO separate sliders (line thickness and arrow size) to control the aspect ratio between the arrow end and its body (the straight line). Sometimes the arrow end is too large in comparison with the line, i.e. when you set a thickness around 4 or 5 the arrow end looks about 80% oversized.

- Rotate the elements of the dotted/dashed lines with custom angle.

- Keep dotted/dashed line ends solid.

Will be great if we can add in a library our own shapes for dotted/dashed lines, too. Ring, rhomb, triangle, etc.

Examples:

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/6103 ... ei2rj3.png

5. Fast brush width select. Gives you quick control over the brush/line width. Right mouse click on "-" will reset the size to 1, while Right mouse click on "+" will CHANGE the size in custom steps (NOT the same like the existing Ctrl+Left mouse click combination that increases/decreases the CURRENT brush width with steps of 5 pixels). Example: Current brush width is set to 17 pixels. Right click on "+" 3 times and the brush width will become 15 pixels (1st click = 5 pixels; 2nd click = 10 pixels; 3rd click = 20 pixels; 4th click = 50 pixels; 5th click = 100 pixels etc...).

6. Save back-up. Saves a back-up copy of the current image in the same (or custom) file folder BUT you continue working with the current image. Back-up copies should add increased number after the original file name. Examples:

Original file name = Picture.png

1st Back-up copy = Picture_backup_0001.png

2nd Back-up copy = Picture_backup_0002.png

3rd Back-up copy = Picture_backup_0003.png

4th Back-up copy = Picture_backup_0004.png

7. Split PNG. Automatically split the PNG image (if the alpha channel is included) into 2 separate layers - Default layer should be the main image and the second layer should include the alpha data. OR add "Split PNG" command somewhere in the program menus. I'm having problems with PNG when I open renderings made in Rhinoceros (a 3D CAD program for NURBS modeling - http://www.rhino3d.com). Paint.NET does not want to open the alpha data and even if I save my renderings from Rhinoceros in Paint.NET as 32-bit PNG, the program replaces the original alpha data with a solid black color... The good old Paint does not have that problem.

8. Upgraded Layer properties. Add "Lock layer" and "Stay in current layer". "Lock layer" will preserve the corresponding layer from being modified unless you change its properties OR click on it's padlock (non-existing in the current Paint.NET version) to lock/unlock it. "Stay in current layer" will help you in the cases when you are in Layer 3, but you just want to hide it for a moment and see the picture with layers 1 and 2 only, then you show Layer 3 again. Sadly, the new active layer will be... Layer 2. That may cause some problems if you don't watch about these changes. In the current Paint.NET, when you hide some layer the program will deactivate it and will activate the lower layer. If we have "Stay in current layer" option in the properties menu, we will concentrate on our work rather than watching for undesired changes in the layers list.