Specific feather option to create transparent edges? (Solved)

[Darty]

Hello, I've been googling around a lot, but couldn't find a way to do what I want.
I work with objects on a transparent background and want to use a feather tool to make the edges soft.
This works fine with pixels close to eachother, but when there are longer lines (closer to horizontal/vertical) this doesn't seem to do the job right.
It doesn't hide the edges, it just stretches and fades them, resulting in a final image where you could still see the way the edges were before (see demo on right side).

I tried some plugins regarding feather, AA etc, but none worked like I wanted.
Is there a tool/plugin that specifically does what I want, or a trick to accomplish it?
See the image below as a demonstration for the issue.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Darty

[pdnnoob]

Try this plugin: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?showtopic=7644

[toe_head2001]

Hey @Darty,
 
Here's what I did:
 
1) Ran Median ( ) at default values
2) Ran the AA's_Assistant plugin at default values
 

[Darty]

Try this plugin: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?showtopic=7644

I want to, but is the downloadlink still valid? Where can I get it?

 

Hey @Darty,

 

Here's what I did:

 

1) Ran Median ( ) at default values

2) Ran the AA's_Assistant plugin at default values

Still not really what I'm looking for. It keeps a wavy form, while I want to have it like I demonstrated on top ("Desired Result"). It should somewhat fade over a length of pixels till the end of the 'line', instead of making transparent pixels around it, which keeps the same form eventually.

[dipstick]

Here's another way:

 

Create a mask using Gradient tool with secondary color set to zero alpha. Then use the Alpha Mask plugin to load the mask.

 

[Darty]

Here's another way:

 

Create a mask using Gradient tool with secondary color set to zero alpha. Then use the Alpha Mask plugin to load the mask.

Isn't this a way to 'extract' an object from an image within a circle or any form with faded border?

I don't see how this applies to the situation when you already have an object on a transparent background (same layer, deleted image background) and want to fade/feather the object outline.

Feather works for the biggest part like shown before, just with those horizontal/vertical lines it's ugly.

Any more ideas?

[toe_head2001]

I want to, but is the downloadlink still valid? Where can I get it?

 

You have two options.

@pyjo provided the source code on that page. You can Copy & Paste it into CodeLab.

or you can download it from archive.org https://web.archive.org/web/20130309145847/http://pgciarlo.interfree.it/Plugins/BasicAntialias11.zip

 

 

The Basic Antialias plugin won't solve your issue though.

[Darty]

You have two options.

@pyjo provided the source code on that page. You can Copy & Paste it into CodeLab.

or you can download it from archive.org https://web.archive.org/web/20130309145847/http://pgciarlo.interfree.it/Plugins/BasicAntialias11.zip

 

The Basic Antialias plugin won't solve your issue though.

Luckily the archive worked, I figured I had to compile it myself otherwise.

I must say, I'm very impressed by the effect of the plugin.

It does exactly what I want. Exactly the way I want it?

Well, see for yourself, what looks better?

> Feather vs Basic Antialias (which I can combine with Feather afterwards if needed):

Thanks, I can surely live with this result!

[Red ochre]

slightly off topic:
I just used codelab to build BasicAA as I was curious - it's a great effect I didn't know about. - Thanks Pdnnoob!
Perhaps a link to the web archive could be added to the first post in that thread?

[Ego Eram Reputo]

You have two options.

@pyjo provided the source code on that page. You can Copy & Paste it into CodeLab.

or you can download it from archive.org https://web.archive.org/web/20130309145847/http://pgciarlo.interfree.it/Plugins/BasicAntialias11.zip

 

Three. I added a zipped DLL to the Basic Antialias thread

[dipstick]

Seems to me that Basic Antialias plugin works better than AA's in my test. Don't know why the latter became more popular.

 

[MJW]

Perhaps what to do is obvious, and I'm just being dense, but I can't compile the code under CodeLab because of lines like:

if((x>selection.Left) && (x {

Is it supposed to be:

if((x>selection.Left) && (x<selection.Right))

That seems most likely, but there are other possibilities.

[BoltBait]

MJW, it is MUCH more complicated than that.

[MJW]

Whatever it is, when I cut and paste it into CodeLab, I get four unclosed-parentheses errors. I'll untangle what this horribly formatted code is doing once I have a version that compiles.

[BoltBait]

I don't think pyjo understands the code. He probably copied it out of a book or something.

MJW, I sent you a PM.

[MJW]

Thanks, BoltBait!

[Red ochre]

Hidden Content:

// Name:
// Submenu:
// Author:
// Title:
// Version:
// Desc:
// Keywords:
// URL:
// Help:
#region UICode

#endregion
void Render(Surface dst, Surface src, Rectangle rect)
{
    PdnRegion selectionRegion = EnvironmentParameters.GetSelection(src.Bounds);
    Rectangle selection = this.EnvironmentParameters.GetSelection(src.Bounds).GetBoundsInt();
    ColorBgra CurrentPixel;
    for(int y = rect.Top; y < rect.Bottom; y++)
    {
        for (int x = rect.Left; x < rect.Right; x++)
        {
            if (selectionRegion.IsVisible(x, y))
            {
                CurrentPixel = src[x,y];  
                int i,j,p; 
//VERTICAL
                double x1,x2;
		for (p=1;p>=-1;p-=2)
                { 
//Addition
                   if((x>selection.Left) && (x<selection.Right-1) && CurrentPixel.A==0&&src[x-p,y].A==255)
                   {
                    for(i=y;src[x,i].A==0 && src[x-p,i].A==255 && i<selection.Bottom-1;i++);
                    for(j=y;src[x,j].A==0 && src[x-p,j].A==255 && j>selection.Top;j--);
                   
                    if(src[x,j].A==255&&y<=(i+j)/2) //bottom
                     {
                      x1=((double)y+(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(-j+i-1);
                      x2=((double)y-(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(-j+i-1);
                      CurrentPixel=src[x-p,y];
                      CurrentPixel.A=(byte)((x1+x2)*127);
                     }
           
                    if(src[x,i].A==255&&y>(i+j)/2) //top
                     {
                      x1=((double)y+(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(-j+i-1);
                      x2=((double)y-(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(-j+i-1);  
                      CurrentPixel=src[x-p,y]; CurrentPixel.A=(byte)(255-(x1+x2)*127);
                     }
                   }
                   
//Subtraction
                   if((x>selection.Left) && (x<selection.Right-1) && src[x,y].A==255&&src[x-p,y].A==0)
                    { 
                     for(i=y;src[x,i].A==255 && src[x-p,i].A==0 && i<selection.Bottom-1;i++);
                     for(j=y; src[x,j].A==255 && src[x-p,j].A==0 && j>selection.Top;j--);
              
                     if(src[x,i].A==0&&y>(i+j)/2) //bottom
                      {
                       x1=((double)y+(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(-j+i-1);
                       x2=((double)y-(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(-j+i-1);        
                       CurrentPixel.A+=(byte)((x1+x2)*127);
                      }
                        
                     if(src[x,j].A==0 &&y<(i+j)/2)  //top
                      {
                       x1=((double)y+(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(-j+i-1);
                       x2=((double)y-(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(-j+i-1);
                       CurrentPixel.A-=(byte)((x1+x2)*127);  
                      }
                    }
        
                 }
                
            
//HORIZONTAL
              
                double y1,y2;
                for (p=1;p>=-1;p-=2)
                 { 
//Subtraction
                  if((y>selection.Top) && (y<selection.Bottom-1) && CurrentPixel.A==255&&src[x,y-p].A==0)
                   { 
                    for(i=x;src[i,y].A==255 && src[i,y-p].A<255 && i<selection.Right-1;i++);
                    for(j=x;src[j,y].A==255 && src[j,y-p].A<255 && j>selection.Left;j--);
                        
                    if(src[j,y].A==0&&x<=(i+j)/2) //going up
                    {
                     y1=((double)x+(0.5))/(i-j-1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(j-i+1);
                     y2=((double)x-(0.5))/(i-j-1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(j-i+1);
                     if(x==((i+j)/2)) CurrentPixel.A=(byte)(255-((y1/2)*127));
                      else CurrentPixel.A+=(byte)((y1+y2)*127);
                    }
                   if(src[i,y].A==0 &&x>=(i+j)/2)  //going down
                    {
                     y1=((double)x+(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(i-j-1);
                     y2=((double)x-(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(i-j-1);
                     if(x==((i+j)/2)) CurrentPixel.A=(byte)(255-((y2/2)*127));
                       else CurrentPixel.A+=(byte)((y1+y2)*127);
                    }
                  }
            
//Addition
                  if((y>selection.Top) && (y<selection.Bottom-1) && CurrentPixel.A==0&&src[x,y-p].A==255)
                   {   
                    for(i=x;src[i,y].A==0 && src[i,y-p].A==255&& i<selection.Right-1;i++);
                    for(j=x;src[j,y].A==0 && src[j,y-p].A==255&& j>selection.Left;j--);
                   
                    if(src[i,y].A==255&&x>=(i+j)/2) //going up
                    {
                    CurrentPixel=src[x,y-p];
                     y1=((double)x+(0.5))/(i-j-1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(j-i+1);
                     y2=((double)x-(0.5))/(i-j-1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(j-i+1);
                     if(x==((i+j)/2)) CurrentPixel.A=(byte)((y1/2)*127);
                       else CurrentPixel.A=(byte)((y1+y2)*127);
                    }
                   if(src[j,y].A==255&&x<=(i+j)/2) //going down
                    {
                     CurrentPixel=src[x,y-p];
                     y1=((double)x+(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(i-j-1);
                     y2=((double)x-(0.5))/(j-i+1)+(0.5)*(i+j)/(i-j-1);
                     if(x==((i+j)/2)) CurrentPixel.A=(byte)((y2/2)*127);else
                      CurrentPixel.A=(byte)((y1+y2)*127);
                    }
                  }
                 }      
                dst[x,y] = CurrentPixel;
            }
        }
    }
}

This compiled ok in codelab

[BoltBait]

Thanks, Red ochre, for finding the original code.

I have updated the BasicAA thread with that code.

[toe_head2001]

Yeah, the code worked fine yesterday. It got mangled somehow when @Ego Eram Reputo edited the post to add the attachment.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Yeah, the code worked fine yesterday. It got mangled somehow when @Ego Eram Reputo edited the post to add the attachment.

 

Did not.

 

I also tried compiling the source only to find the errors MJW reported. I did get it working with selection.Right -1 that Red used but  I missed the continuation   && CurrentPixel.A==0&&src[x,y-p].A==255) which simply didn't appear in the code I copied & pasted from the forum. The formatting was awry so it may have been a forum software issue.

 

Thanks to BoltBait and Red Ochre for restoring the code.

[toe_head2001]

Did not.

 

I also tried compiling the source only to find the errors MJW reported. I did get it working with selection.Right -1 that Red used but  I missed the continuation   && CurrentPixel.A==0&&src[x,y-p].A==255) which simply didn't appear in the code I copied & pasted from the forum. The formatting was awry so it may have been a forum software issue.

It worked when I made my comment about using CodeLab. You must have copied it after you started your edit.

While I there's no archive from yesterday, you can see the script in the post was fine until it was edited.

https://web.archive.org/web/20160320182657/http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?showtopic=7644

[Ego Eram Reputo]

I'm still blaming the forum formatting software

 

There is no way attaching a DLL should mess with the code. I certainly didn't delete those four separate sections accidentally - they were removed with some precision.

[Red ochre]

Gremlins!

[MJW]

I was curious about how Red ochre and others got it to compile. I'm sort of glad it was a strange error; I was worried it was something completely obvious, and I looked like a fool.

[Maximilian]

Seems to me that Basic Antialias plugin works better than AA's in my test. Don't know why the latter became more popular.

 

Perhaps because Basic Antialias produces a subtle smoothing of jagged edges upon the first run, and successive runs render no further results unless the edges have become jagged again by the use of another effect (some distortion effects tend to do this). On the other hand, AA's Assistant smoothens (and also bites off) an object's edges every time you run the effect and this is why many people like it so much, especially those who are seeking a quick smoothing of edges.