Feature requests

[csanyk]

I've been using paint.net for years, but have been using it more frequently lately.

 

I have some feature requests. Apologies if these have already been discussed.

 

1. Allow expressions in number fields (in addition to literals).  It's very handy, for example, if I want to make a canvas size based off of a grid of, say, 16x16 cells, to be able to enter "8*16" rather than do mental math and type in 96.

2. Guidelines (like Adobe Illustrator).  In Illustrator, you can click in the ruler, and drag a guideline into the image. The guideline overlays the image and is not present in the image data, but is used as a visual guideline for the user to help them align stuff.  In Illustrator the tools are sensitive to their existence, and can snap a selected object to a guideline.

3. Support larger zoom levels than 3200% (arbitrary zoom?)  I do a lot of really low-res work.  When working on super small images, like 8x8 px or 16x16 px, at maximum zoom the canvas still does not fill my window.  

4. Keyboard shortcut to select sample from image vs layer? When I have a selection made by one of the selection tools, if I Ctrl+C to copy some pixels, it copies from the current layer.  I saw in the Settings there's an option to sample the whole image rather than the current layer.  I'd like to be able to do either, at will, using a keyboard shortcut.  Perhaps Ctrl+Shift+C to sample the image for the copy, or to sample all visible layers in the image within the selection area.
5. Remember multiple selections.  It'd be super handy to not have to re-do selections. If I've spent a lot of time doing an intricate selection, I'd like to be able to save it so I can easily go back and re-use it again later if the need should arise.  Automatically add selection paths to a list when a selection is created, and allow the user to choose one by clicking on the list item.  (The selection is just the paths that make up the marquee, not the image data contained within it.)  Allow the user to remove unwanted selection paths from the list if they want to clean it up.

[MJW]

35 minutes ago, csanyk said:

Keyboard shortcut to select sample from image vs layer? When I have a selection made by one of the selection tools, if I Ctrl+C to copy some pixels, it copies from the current layer.  I saw in the Settings there's an option to sample the whole image rather than the current layer.  I'd like to be able to do either, at will, using a keyboard shortcut.  Perhaps Ctrl+Shift+C to sample the image for the copy, or to sample all visible layers in the image within the selection area.

 

Assuming I understand correctly what you mean, there's already a shortcut to do that, and it's the one you suggest: Ctrl+Shift+C. If you press Ctrl+Shift+C, the currently visible (flattened) image is copied to the clipboard. If there's an active selection, the  flattened selection is copied to the clipboard, surrounded by a transparent rectangle the size of the bounding-rectangle for the selection.

[Rick Brewster]

#3 and #5 are actually being worked on for the next update. (#3 is pretty trivial to implement) I'll look at #4 as well. It'll probably be holding Control while using the Color Picker tool.

[Rick Brewster]

Coming in the next update. The selection is serialized as JSON, so you will have a lot of freedom to manage, manipulate, or even synthesize.

 

For example, you could use something as simple as Notepad to store as many selections as you need. You could author a script that reads the JSON from the clipboard, processes it somehow, and then writes it back to the clipboard. etc. etc. etc.

 

Paste Selection will also work if a regular image is on the clipboard. Either the embedded mask's geometry will be used as a selection, or the image's size will be interpreted as a selection (a rectangle at 0,0 with the same width and height).

 

Kitten not included.

 

[Rick Brewster]

re: JSON

 

This selection:

 

 

Results in this JSON:

 

{
  "polygonList": [
    "152,63,112,63,112,106,67,106,67,143,152,143",
    "67,63,112,63,112,26,32,26,32,106,67,106"
  ]
}

[MJW]

I can see how plugins might be able to use this to do some interesting things. A pugin could, for example, expand or smooth the current selection, and generate a file for the user to load. I'm guessing plugins will still be restricted from modifying the selection, themselves, though it might be nice if they could.

 

I realize disk space is cheap these days, but I was wondering if an aliased selection, such as generated by the Magic wand, would result in a rather large file, since the selection boundary must track a jaggy path around every pixel.

 

 

[Rick Brewster]

Plugins still won't have access for writing to the selection in this update. But you could easily use external tools, at least for the time being, to do ... yeah pretty much anything you want.

 

A complex selection, like that generated by the Magic Wand tool, could indeed use up a fair amount of memory. I wouldn't be too worried about it unless you're working with a large image ... and even then really only on 32-bit Windows.

[NinthDesertDude]

You'll be making the .ToJSON() part accessible from the selection object, right? Or at least somewhere a plugin could access it, I hope, because that would enable all the selection plugins to be jankily written now and upgraded when plugins are allowed to modify the selection directly.

 

There are definitely selection-related effects I want to perform, and though it's not as nice when you have to copy to clipboard and paste, possible is so much better than impossible. Aliasing / smoothing selection edges, removing islands with mass below a certain threshold, collapsing anti-islands into the selection when surrounded by selected pixels, etc.

Edited October 3, 2018 by Joshua Lamusga

[MXI]

To support the fifth request:

 

I'd love to have Selections list (F9 for example) alongside with Layers list (F7), and have it stored in the PDN file itself.

This will allow to use it as a sprite sheet - a single file with all the art pieces for a project.

Less context switching, more consistency within artwork when it all in front of your eyes...

A simple way to export all stored selections to files would also be helpful (point out to a folder and it will use selection names as file names).

 

I can adapt https://hluk.github.io/CopyQ/ to manage selections, but it will always be less convenient than it should be.

Edited October 7, 2018 by MXI

[Ego Eram Reputo]

What's wrong with this? Copy and paste the selections into a plain text document. Give each one a descriptive heading & save it. Copy & paste individual selections back in to PDN as needed.

[MXI]

9 hours ago, MXI said:

but it will always be less convenient than it should be.

I feel like I'm on some Linux users forum and all the best tools were already invented - nothing will ever surpass console and text editor (or even better, console text editor).

 

Why should I build a complicated workflow for the things that I feel can easily be just under one click of a mouse?

Granted, for now it's the only way to achieve the goal. But while new versions of Paint.NET are still made, we can shape it to be a better tool.

So better look at it with open mind.

 

I don't think this feature will be like fifth wheel or something. It will be a natural extension of what we got so far.

 

[Rick Brewster]

Windows has clipboard history built-in now. Check it out. I'm not going to build new features for Paint.NET that are literally already part of the OS  

 

[MXI]

You probably don't understand what I'm talking about.

Clipboard is a workaround. A common interface you rely on when you don't have a better solution.

Selections better be first class citizens in the app. With names. With the ability to keep and share them as a part of the project.

Like layers, they are a cross-section of the project, can think of it as an orthogonal one to layers.

In-app selections management will let you to provide a refined workflow for sprite sheets, UI kits, etc and spare artists time to figure out their own. Let alone saved time to switch contexts and get the right selection in place every time .

 

Can't check the new Windows clipboard yet, but I bet it's pretty bare-bones, no chance to name things.

Edited October 8, 2018 by MXI

[Ego Eram Reputo]

I think Rick understands. His reply was essentially: "Not going to invest time and effort into this "feature" as a solution is already available".

 

The ability to copy and paste selection geometry is very new. Let's give it time to bed in before we decide what we should do with it (this scenario is somewhat similar to when Shapes were opened up - who would have guessed that feature would spawn a whole sub-forum of Shapes packs?)

[TrevorOutlaw]

@Ego Eram Reputo Looks like *cracks knuckles* we have a very early entry for WEOMPA candidate.

[MXI]

1 hour ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

as a solution is already available

But it isn't, as I'm thinking one step further already and all of you saying step one is enough.

 

1 hour ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

Let's give it time to bed in before we decide what we should do with it

Hearing this from Rick instead of "Nope" would've been reassuring enough for me. But all I got is the same "Clipboard is enough for everyone" story.

 

I consider myself a developer too. I understand there are time and effort requirements in implementing any feature. I can see some of possible technical difficulties involved, and that there are things like priorities and a road map.

But nothing bad in discussing possible features and what paths they open for users. Let people think in terms of possibilities and evaluate their uses for new features. By the time the feature gets into development, there better be a good understanding of how and what for this feature will be used.

The answer cutting any creative input and further exploration won't be beneficial for anyone. It might end up in a situation when formally implemented feature won't or can't be used by those who were seeking for it. If ever implemented.

 

1 hour ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

who would have guessed that feature would spawn a whole sub-forum of Shapes packs

It would be really shortsighted not to see people will start sharing what is worth to be shared and possible to do so. 

 

50 minutes ago, TrevorOutlaw said:

WEOMPA

Local thing? I'm not familiar with this abbreviation.

Edited October 8, 2018 by MXI

[TrevorOutlaw]

@Rick Brewster I am not understanding what is happening with "Paste Selection."  Maybe I am being dense, but for example, I had a honking big image (5254x3407) that I copied and pasted to the clipboard, and then in another PDN file, I used Magic Wand to select a circle, create a new empty layer with the selection still activated, and click on Paste Selection, and instead of having the Clipboard content being pasted inside the circle, all I am seeing is an empty selection box.

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2018 by TrevorOutlaw
Removed video.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Mentally add the word "Geometry" to "Paste Selection" and you get Paste Selection Geometry. This is the natural pair to Copy Selection (Geometry).

 

It will make more sense if you paste it into a word processor and look at what you get (hint: it's a mathematical description of the selection outline, and not pixel data).

 

I think I described it quite well here: https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/EditMenu.html#9.2

 

1 hour ago, TrevorOutlaw said:

@Ego Eram Reputo Looks like *cracks knuckles* we have a very early entry for WEOMPA candidate. 

 

I don't see it.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

33 minutes ago, MXI said:

But nothing bad in discussing possible features and what paths they open for users. Let people think in terms of possibilities and evaluate their uses for new features. By the time the feature gets into development, there better be a good understanding of how and what for this feature will be used.

 

Agreed. No one is shutting you down. We are listening BUT as far as Rick is concerned, there are more pressing priorities.

[TrevorOutlaw]

11 minutes ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

Mentally add the word "Geometry" to "Paste Selection" and you get Paste Selection Geometry. This is the natural pair to Copy Selection (Geometry).

 

It will make more sense if you paste it into a word processor and look at what you get (hint: it's a mathematical description of the selection outline, and not pixel data).

 

I think I described it quite well here: https://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/EditMenu.html#9.2

 

 

I don't see it.

 

I see.  So it wasn't what I was hoping it meant.  Oh well.

[Rick Brewster]

3 hours ago, Ego Eram Reputo said:

 

Agreed. No one is shutting you down. We are listening BUT as far as Rick is concerned, there are more pressing priorities.

 

This. It just isn't a high enough priority right now compared to literally everything else on the list that's above it. You (MXI) are currently the only one requesting (well, demanding really) this functionality. That isn't enough yet. Nothing personal, no offense intended, that's just reality.

 

It's not like I'm sitting idly and smirking at everyone requesting stuff ... if you saw the github commits you'd realize how much code is being added and refined, how many fixes are going in, etc. But unless you have a cloning machine and can make 10 copies of me, it's gonna be awhile.

 

[Rick Brewster]

3 hours ago, TrevorOutlaw said:

 

I see.  So it wasn't what I was hoping it meant.  Oh well.

 

It's not a half bad idea; I'd probably call it "Paste into Selection" or something (rough draft...).

 

You can still do this though it just takes a few extra steps.

[BoltBait]

1 hour ago, Rick Brewster said:

 

It's not a half bad idea; I'd probably call it "Paste into Selection" or something (rough draft...).

 

You can still do this though it just takes a few extra steps.

 

There's a plugin in my pack that does exactly that function.

 

It is called:

 

Effects > Fill > From File

Effects > Fill > From Clipboard

 

https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/113220-b

 

[Syphrin]

Absolutely love the program but the only thing that I could think of that could really help me out an addition of guiding lines from the rulers like you would see in photoshop to help line images up better.