BoltBait's Plugin Pack for PdN v4.1 and beyond. (Updated December 1, 2018)

[BoltBait 2,218]

Here is what I consider my "Essential", award winning , plugin pack for Paint.NET v4.1 and beyond.

 

It includes 43 plugins in 33 files, 1 palette file, and 48 shapes. This allows you to pick and choose to install only the effects you want. Then, later you can run the installer and uncheck an item to uninstall it.

 

When you see  in this post, you can click it for more information (including source code in some cases).

To install, download this file to your Desktop, unzip it, and run the install program.

 

          Download            Donate 

I'm going through a really tough financial time right now,
so anything you can spare would be much appreciated.

 

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Which of my plugin packs is right for you?

You need to look at the Paint.NET version number in the title bar.

 

Classic:   Download:
3.5.11      http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/8318-b
4.0.x         https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/32048-b

4.1+          You're in the right place!  Click the download button above (surrounded by blue arrows)

 

Windows Store version of paint.net: You're in the right place!  Click the download button above

When prompted, select the "My Documents\paint.net App Files" folder.

---

 

New for this pack:

 

I have gone through all of my plugins and redesigned the User Interface (UI) for each with the goal of making the UI dialog box shorter.  With shorter UI's, less of your image will be covered by the effect UI while you're working on it.

 

For example, here is a comparison of the previous version of Gradient (left) and the new version (right):

 

 

I have always been a fan of shorter UI's and in this pack I take advantage of some new functionality in Paint.NET v4.1 that allows for a more compressed look.

 

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Help:

 

If you need help with an individual effect, look for the question mark "?" in the top right corner of the effect UI (near the X) and click it.

 

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Installer / Plugin Manager:

 

Once you click the download button above and open the zip file, run the included install.exe file.  You'll see this:

When the installer first runs, it updates the check boxes to what's currently installed (checked for installed, unchecked for not installed). However, if nothing is installed, it automatically checks ALL the boxes figuring the user would like to install everything.

Carefully review each line and make sure the items you wish to install are checked.  When you click the Install button, checked items will be installed and unchecked items will be uninstalled from your system.

 

For high volume network managers: Plugin Manager has a silent install function... for more information:  C:\> install /?

 

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Once you install this plugin pack, here's what you get:

 

Adjustments menu

 

 Black and White+  Use selected method for converting a color photograph into B&W.

 Color Balance  Easily adjust the tint of an image. Useful for color correcting photographs taken indoors without flash. The difference between this and the built-in Hue/Saturation adjustment is that this one will affect black and white areas.

 Hue/Saturation+  Conditional Hue / Saturation effect.

Temperature/Tint  Temperature / Tint effect.

 Transparency  Adjust the transparency of a selection just like you can adjust it for an entire layer.

 

 

Effects menu

 

 Flip Horizontal - flips the selection on the vertical axis. Similar to the layer flip of the same name.

 Flip Vertical - flips the selection on the horizontal axis. Similar to the layer flip of the same name.

 

 

Effects > Artistic menu

 

 Dream  This makes your picture look like it was seen in a dream.

+ Oil Painting+  Makes your photographs look painted.

 Pastel  This makes your picture look like it was drawn with pastel chalk or water color paint.

 

 

Effects > Blurs menu

 

 Gaussian Blur Plus - With it, you can blur only the Red, Blue, Green, or Alpha channel of the image. It also allows you to blend the original picture with the blurred image. (Try blurring all channels of the image with a radius of 10 and a Darken blend mode. Cool stuff.)

 

 

Effects > Fill

 

 From Clipboard  Fills the current selection with the graphic on the clipboard.

 From File  Fills the current selection with a graphic file.

 

 

Effects > Object menu

 

An "object" is a group of pixels on a layer that is completely surrounded by transparent pixels (or the edge(s) of the canvas). These are useful when doing "cutouts" or with text on a new layer.

 

 Bevel Object  This effect allows you to make objects 3D. Works great with text!

 Feather  This effect softens the edges of objects. 

 Inner Shadow  Renders a shadow on objects so they look like they have been cut out.

 Object Shadow  Renders a shadow behind objects.

 OldFeather  "True Feather" is back! So many people have asked for this that I'm bringing it back for this pack. Enjoy!

 Outline - This effect puts an outline of the selected color around your object.

 Paste Alpha - This effect takes the graphic on the clipboard and converts the colors to shades of gray and then uses that for the alpha values of the current layer. Useful for using masks.

 Switch Alpha to Gray - This effect converts the image to shades of gray based on the alpha value of each pixel. Useful for making masks.

 Switch Gray to Alpha - This effect deletes white from and image and converts all other pixels to black. Useful for isolating line art.

 

 

Effects > Photo menu

 

 Combined Adjustments  Many adjustments for photographs all on one screen

 Level Horizon  Rotate an image by drawing a line across the horizon.

Meme Maker   Create your own Memes.

 Remove Dust  Removes little white dust particles by clone stamping them out. I find this very helpful when scanning photographs.

 Sharpen Landscape  Makes your landscape photographs look like they belong in a magazine!

 Seam Carving - Reduce height  Reduce the height of an image without scaling (squishing) the image.

 Seam Carving - Reduce width  Reduce the width of an image without scaling (squishing) the image.

 Vignette+  Extends the capabilities of the built-in Vignette effect with colors and the ability to render a vignette to a blank canvas.

 

 

Effects > Render menu

 

 Calendar  Render a monthly calendar.  Month name and Days of the week are localized. Includes many options.

 Dimensions  This doesn't measure anything. It just renders the dimension arrows and label text.

 Flames  This effect allows you to render flames. It is based on Tom Jackson's excellent fire tutorial.

 Gradients  Render colorful HSV (rainbow) gradients.

 Grid / Checkerboard  Create checker board or grid patterns.

 Polygon / Stars  This effect allows you to render triangles, pentagons, hexagons, etc. It also allows you to render stars. It is useful in making standard shapes and the pointed edges of stickers.

 

 

Effects > Selection menu

 

Effects in this menu perform their effect by following the selection outline (marching ants). While they will work with a square selection (or no selection by using the edges of the canvas as their path), they are more interesting when the selection is curved , selected by hand , or by magic wand .

 

 Bevel Selection  This effect allows you to make selections 3D. Works great with text!

 Blur Selection Edge - This effect feathers the edges of a selection using the surrounding colors instead of transparency. Useful when the selection is not surrounded by transparent pixels.

 Feather Selection  This effect softens the edges of your selection. It works just like the feather in other graphic$ program$.

 Inner Shadow Selection  Renders a shadow on the inside of a selection so it looks like it has been cut out.

 Outline Selection  This effect allows you to outline a selection.

 

 

Effects > Stylize menu

 

 Floyd-Steinberg Dithering  This effect will reduce the colors of your image using the Floyd-Steinberg dithering technique.

 

 

Effects > Text formations

 

Outlined / Gradient text  Creates text that is outlined with a selected color and filled with a solid color or a gradient.  User "xod" has published a version of this plugin with even more features.  If you find that my plugin isn't enough, install his.

 

 

Window > Colors > More > Open Palettes Folder

 

 I have also included my Rainbow Palette. This is very popular on the forums.  In the Color docker window, click the  button and choose Rainbow from the list.  This is what the Rainbow Palette looks like:

 

 

 

Custom Shapes

 

This plugin pack also includes 48 custom shapes.  In the installer, you can pick-and-chose which ones you want.

 

 

This pack supersedes my plugins available elsewhere. I will be updating the other locations eventually, but if you want the latest versions, download my plugins from this post.

 

Enjoy.  

 

---

Also, for you luddites that refuse to use the installer, here's a zip file with all the DLL's in it: BoltBaitPack49DLLs.zip  How to install Paint.NET plugins.

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[hippolippo 0]

Why do I need to give this administrator permissions?

[BoltBait 2,218]

16 minutes ago, hippolippo said:

Why do I need to give this administrator permissions?

 

Administrator permissions are required by Windows to install files in the Program Files directory.

 

If you have the classic install of Paint.NET, that's where these plugins are going to be installed.

 

You can be sure that my plugins are safe as they have been vetted by MANY users here on the forums... and I'm a moderator here.

 

[ArgusMagnus 28]

On ‎9‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 8:37 PM, BoltBait said:

 

I have always been a fan of shorter UI's and in this pack I take advantage of some new functionality in Paint.NET v4.1 that allows for a more compressed look.

 

How can we (plugin authors) do this?

[BoltBait 2,218]

On 9/9/2018 at 11:37 AM, BoltBait said:

I have always been a fan of shorter UI's and in this pack I take advantage of some new functionality in Paint.NET v4.1 that allows for a more compressed look.

 

On 10/20/2018 at 1:13 AM, ArgusMagnus said:

How can we (plugin authors) do this?

 

These graphics I prepared should give you some ideas.

 

The colorwheel control now has 3 different sizes to choose from:

 

 

As big as the "Alpha (Largest)" colorwheel control is, it is still smaller than having a separate alpha slider.  And, you can make it even smaller by hiding the colorwheel's reset button.  Not all controls have reset buttons. So, I think hiding the colorwheel control's reset button shouldn't hurt usability that much and saves you quite a bit of vertical real estate.

 

 

Before we had a filename control, we had to use a string control followed by a button control:

 

Use CodeLab to generate the code for you after using the Interface Designer.

 

[ScrapbookWithPDN 114]

Hi, Boltbait

 

I didn't want you to have to ruin or interfere with your Saturday and family stuff. It could have waited until you got around to it during the week, late night midnight oil burning, etc...but that you fixed it and so fast, was very appreciated. Even if you had to wait a day or two or three. It's appreciated. It works flawlessly, yet, again, once more. You did it.
Thank you,

Lydia

Edited December 1, 2018 by ScrapbookWithPDN

[BoltBait 2,218]

On 12/1/2018 at 3:57 PM, ScrapbookWithPDN said:

 

I didn't want you to have to ruin or interfere with your Saturday and family stuff.

 

It was no problem. 

 

While it is true that I am very busy with family stuff this weekend, I did have a few hours at home for chores, etc. so I was happy to do it. 

[Thundrex 0]

Thank you for this great pack!

[Bounce 0]

Trojan:Win32/Cloxer.D!cl is being detected by Windows Defender. That's a ubiquitous antivirus app. Please create a ZIP file with only the DLL's in it.

Thanks!

[BoltBait 2,218]

3 hours ago, Bounce said:

Trojan:Win32/Cloxer.D!cl is being detected by Windows Defender.

 

That is a "false positive". You can ignore it.  When you click on details, you can restore the file by clicking the "Restore" button.

 

3 hours ago, Bounce said:

Please create a ZIP file with only the DLL's in it.

 

I did that already.  You can find it at the bottom of the first post in this thread.

 

3 hours ago, Bounce said:

Thanks!

 

You're welcome.

 

BTW, I just submitted the zip file to VirusTotal and here are the results:

 

https://www.virustotal.com/ui-public/index.html#/file/4cacadaa4a19b03b44e25f899b85f26bd286d8ed3707f9c9c6e9225af6a51d6a/detection

 

And, here are the results of the unzipped exe file:

 

https://www.virustotal.com/ui-public/index.html#/file/9360ec0dc4c3f14fff82e06297c28931f62adbf1c4abc1c9799cc20c8805b86b/detection

 

Looks pretty safe to me.  

 

EDIT: I have submitted my package to Microsoft as a false positive. They should correct Defender soon.  I've had to do this before and it didn't take long.

 

EDITEDIT:  ...and, one hour later, it's done!  Here is the response from Microsoft:

 

Quote

We have removed the detection. Please follow the steps below to clear cached detection and obtain the latest malware definitions.

1. Open command prompt as administrator and change directory to c:\Program Files\Windows Defender

2. Run “MpCmdRun.exe -removedefinitions -dynamicsignatures”

Alternatively, the latest definition is available for download here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/definitions

Thank you for contacting Microsoft.

 

Final determination: Not malware

 

[graspee 0]

Is there something wrong with the Floyd Steinberg dithering? It's showing these little horizontal artifacts that don't appear under other implementations.

 

[BoltBait 2,218]

1 hour ago, graspee said:

Is there something wrong with the Floyd Steinberg dithering?

 

I actually think there is. I've noticed the problem before.  I'll look into it.

 

EDIT: I just looked at the source code and yes, there is a problem.  I'll see if I can fix it next weekend.

[BoltBait 2,218]

@graspee, here's a fix:

 

FloydSteinbergDithering.zip

 

See if that works better for you.

 

I also added some additional functionality, such as a new 64 color Pebble Watch palette and some new sliders:

 

 

EDIT:

 

NOTE!  This update is not currently included in my plugin pack!  So, if you want it, install my pack, then install this update.

 

The next time I update my plugin pack, I'll include this update.

[Apollo702 0]

Hi, I am forced to post because of an issue updating and a question. However, before all of that I have to state that in the past maybe half year I went and downloaded seemingly every plugin and went nutso with them!

 

For years I had been making images and I was kinda stuck at a low level. I downloaded some YouTube videos and once they showed me how to do a couple of remarkably simple things I took the rest from there and I was able to start creating the kinds of images that I always thought that I would have to pay other people to do. Not only am I getting a lot done- it is a lot of FUN!

 

Now, back to the issues at hand. I went and updated this plugin pack and after restarting PDN all of the plugins(from this pack) are showing doubly in the menus. I will include a sample image to show what I am seeing. I restarted PDN and the doubles remain.

 

Has anybody else seen this one or have any ideas on what to do here?

 

A secondary question is about "Burninate." I don't see this one anywhere. Is it the same thing as "Render, Flames" just under another name?

 

As a side note the other day I needed to create a pair of images with  carpet floors. I couldn't think of how to do it at first and soon I tried generating some flames and playing with the settings, a few other tweaks and they turned out looking just like carpet! How cool is that? I had no idea that creating art could be fun fun fun!

Edited January 20 by Apollo702
missing image

[BoltBait 2,218]

If you are running the "classic" version of Paint.NET, go to the following directory and show us a screenshot:

 

    c:\program files\paint.net\Effects

 

If you're running the "store" version instead, go to the following directory and show us a screenshot:

 

    cd %USERPROFILE%\Documents\paint.net App Files\Effects

 

You should only have plugin dll files in ONE of those two directories.

 

Another thing you can check:

 

Hover your mouse over the duplicate entries in the menu and compare the file paths:

 

 

If the paths are different, you can eliminate one set of plugin files.

 

If you do this, be sure to keep the newest versions of the plugins (compare the version number in the top line of the tool tip as shown above).

 

[Apollo702 0]

OK. Here it is- and thank you for responding so quickly:

[BoltBait 2,218]

That looks good. Now, look at my additional edits above and report back.

[Apollo702 0]

This was interesting.  The DLLs are in BOTH folders. When hovering over them the paths are identical and I made sure to read the version numbers as shown. They show identically.

 

Here is a sample from a random plugin:

Edited January 20 by Apollo702
Clarification

[BoltBait 2,218]

If you have DLL files in both directories, pick one directory and delete the files in there.

 

You should only install DLL files to ONE of those directories, not both.

[Apollo702 0]

There is something strange. I went and checked both folders and the files are very different.

 

Do you think that maybe I should compare them, do some copying and pasting... and then delete one set?

[BoltBait 2,218]

I suspect that the effects that are doubled in the menu are the same files in both directories.

 

However, some of your effects are not doubled.  You should leave those files alone.  (Although, to be honest, you can move all DLL files to the same directory. That might be one good way to be sure you don't have duplicate files.)

 

 

[JKDesign 0]

Thank you for this plugin pack. After years of using PS commercially, I'm using paint.net at home because of budget as I am getting some graphics ready for streaming.

 

So I thought I'd send you a greeting and let you know that your hard work is very much appreciated. 😄

[Christiane 0]

Good Morning,

 

I have paint.net 4.1.5 installed on Windows 7 64-bit

 

Unfortunately I have a problem installing the plugin. Please see attachment.

I tried installing the pack with the mark on "I am running the store version" and also without marking it.

Clicking the button "Continue" has no effect.

 

Is there a solution available?

 

Kindest regards,

Christiane

[BoltBait 2,218]

2 hours ago, Christiane said:

Is there a solution available?

 

Arial is one of the fonts that comes standard with Windows.  For some reason, on your system, Arial is not working.

 

I would recommend installing the Arial font.  Just do a google search for the Arial True Type Font (TTF) and install it.

[Christiane 0]

Hello BoltBait,

 

Thank you very much for the prompt help.

 

When I googled the Arial True Type Font (TTF) I learned that I was not the only one having an Arial font problem with Windows 7 or 10. That is somehow comforting 🙂

 

However, after installing the Arial font the installation of your plugin ran smoothly within a few seconds. Thank you.

 

Have a good afternoon.

 

Christiane