BoltBait's GPU Accelerated Plugin Pack for Paint.NET v5.0 (Updated 2023-01-28)

[BaconMann]

i dont know why, but Object > Bevel Object is missing.
this is the only one absent after installing and i don't know why
i clicked "install everything" when using the exe so i don't know what to do
i even cleared out my effects folder and reinstalled and no dice

edit: now everything in the Object tab is just not there aside from plugins that weren't included in this pack

Edited February 4 by BaconMann

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Show us a screenshot of your Effects folder so we can see what files are in there.

[BlastOfBN]

@BoltBait Oh yeah, I noticed the file for the fire effect is titled “Burninate”. That’s a Homestar Runner reference, right?

[spooky]

Is it possible to add an option to link the outline width with the font size in "Outlined/Gradient Text"? So even if you change the text size the ratio would be the same.

[BoltBait]

44 minutes ago, spooky said:

Is it possible to add an option to link the outline width with the font size in "Outlined/Gradient Text"? So even if you change the text size the ratio would be the same.

 

Sorry, not possible.

[Googolplexed]

On 1/12/2023 at 12:14 AM, BoltBait said:

That was a conscious choice on my part.  I was never happy with the fact that the outline had a gradual drop-off.  I always wanted Outline Object to render a solid shape that was anti-aliased (just like drawing a line with the line tool).  So, I fixed it.  I'm sorry if you were relying on the old, broken behavior.  But, this really fits the name of the plugin best.  I'm sure you'll find a workaround. 

Just got around to updating your awesome plugins. I know it's long overdue, but thank you for the fantastic work! I never realized I hadn't made a forum account, but the removal of the Alpha Slider within the v6 Object Outline spurred me to write a post and hopefully convince you to return it.

I do a lot of cut-out work, and the previous version of Object Outline was at the heart of my workflow. I would scrub the backgrounds out manually, use your Object Feather effect, manually touch-up anything that wasn't smooth or consistent, and then assure clean edges and defined boundaries by adding a (varyingly) thin outline to the entire object. Your version of Object Outline was the absolute best, and I know because I tried and compared all of the different object outlining effects I could find. Yours was the only one that perfectly balanced rounding out imperfections in my edging without overfilling intentionally sharp vertices. The alpha slider is what gave me that much needed flexibility and helped maintain my cutouts' silhouettes.

With the v6 update, I can no longer make cutouts anywhere near the same quality. Intentionally over-outlining and then re-feathering rounds out points, overfills crevices, negates manual touch-ups, and just makes cutouts look sloppy. The blur slider does not at all replicate the gradual transition to transparency. I cannot substitute Selection Outline, as has been suggested to the many others who miss this feature. Though Selection Outline and Object Outline are interchangeable if one can easily select the whole boundary of the object, since I am outlining irregular shapes with noticeably soft edges Selection Outline is not remotely helpful. I need my outlines to shore up the soft edges of the cutout itself, transitioning from the edge color to the outline color smoothly, just as the outline must fade to transparency smoothly. This cannot be done using a manual selection. Even if it theoretically could, possessing the precision to make such a selection in a reasonable amount of time is impossible. If I had hands that steady I could just brush the outline on myself and call it a day, hahaha.

I understand that you rewrote the code in pursuit of your ideal version of the tool, and that you perceived the old Object Outline's interaction with its alpha slider as unintentional and broken. But with all due respect, I do not believe that removing the alpha slider better fits the name of the plugin, as I am now unable to Outline Objects without seriously decreasing the integrity of the original silhouette. I really really hope for the alpha slider to be added to the v6 Object Outline and to operate as in previous versions. If that is not possible due to the new algorithm, then I would follow up by asking if there is any way to directly port the previous version (and its algorithm) to Paint.NET v5? I would be totally fine with the slower, non-GPU boosted Object Outline if I could retain my current workflow efficiency. Otherwise I fear I will be forced to downgrade Paint.NET back to v4 because of how desperately I need this functionality. If there already exists some way to run the v4.3.12 Object Outline on Paint.NET v5 (especially as a separate effect outside of ObjectTools.dll), please let me know.

[t22980]

On 3/4/2023 at 9:12 AM, Googolplexed said:

Just got around to updating your awesome plugins. I know it's long overdue, but thank you for the fantastic work! I never realized I hadn't made a forum account, but the removal of the Alpha Slider within the v6 Object Outline spurred me to write a post and hopefully convince you to return it.

I do a lot of cut-out work, and the previous version of Object Outline was at the heart of my workflow. I would scrub the backgrounds out manually, use your Object Feather effect, manually touch-up anything that wasn't smooth or consistent, and then assure clean edges and defined boundaries by adding a (varyingly) thin outline to the entire object. Your version of Object Outline was the absolute best, and I know because I tried and compared all of the different object outlining effects I could find. Yours was the only one that perfectly balanced rounding out imperfections in my edging without overfilling intentionally sharp vertices. The alpha slider is what gave me that much needed flexibility and helped maintain my cutouts' silhouettes.

With the v6 update, I can no longer make cutouts anywhere near the same quality. Intentionally over-outlining and then re-feathering rounds out points, overfills crevices, negates manual touch-ups, and just makes cutouts look sloppy. The blur slider does not at all replicate the gradual transition to transparency. I cannot substitute Selection Outline, as has been suggested to the many others who miss this feature. Though Selection Outline and Object Outline are interchangeable if one can easily select the whole boundary of the object, since I am outlining irregular shapes with noticeably soft edges Selection Outline is not remotely helpful. I need my outlines to shore up the soft edges of the cutout itself, transitioning from the edge color to the outline color smoothly, just as the outline must fade to transparency smoothly. This cannot be done using a manual selection. Even if it theoretically could, possessing the precision to make such a selection in a reasonable amount of time is impossible. If I had hands that steady I could just brush the outline on myself and call it a day, hahaha.

I understand that you rewrote the code in pursuit of your ideal version of the tool, and that you perceived the old Object Outline's interaction with its alpha slider as unintentional and broken. But with all due respect, I do not believe that removing the alpha slider better fits the name of the plugin, as I am now unable to Outline Objects without seriously decreasing the integrity of the original silhouette. I really really hope for the alpha slider to be added to the v6 Object Outline and to operate as in previous versions. If that is not possible due to the new algorithm, then I would follow up by asking if there is any way to directly port the previous version (and its algorithm) to Paint.NET v5? I would be totally fine with the slower, non-GPU boosted Object Outline if I could retain my current workflow efficiency. Otherwise I fear I will be forced to downgrade Paint.NET back to v4 because of how desperately I need this functionality. If there already exists some way to run the v4.3.12 Object Outline on Paint.NET v5 (especially as a separate effect outside of ObjectTools.dll), please let me know.

This describes my situation almost perfectly. If you find a way forward please share it here. I doubt we're the only ones in this same boat.

Edited March 5 by t22980

[MistaLOD]

In your "outlined/gradient text v6.0" plugin, I remember there being an option to align left, center, and right, but I don't see this option in the new version. Is there something I'm missing or are there plans to include this in a future update?

 

[BoltBait]

7 hours ago, MistaLOD said:

In your "outlined/gradient text v6.0" plugin, I remember there being an option to align left, center, and right, but I don't see this option in the new version. Is there something I'm missing or are there plans to include this in a future update?

 

 

Text alignment was never a feature of Outline/Gradient Text.  I have no plans to support this.  Sorry.

[MistaLOD]

16 hours ago, BoltBait said:

 

Text alignment was never a feature of Outline/Gradient Text.  I have no plans to support this.  Sorry.

I figured out the confusion. The original plugin I used was the one from xod (which you had since updated), and their plugin had center text as the default instead of left-aligned text. I'll figure it out, but thanks anyways!

[naf165]

On 1/21/2023 at 3:10 AM, BoltBait said:

 

The issue you were seeing has been addressed in Pack65.  Download from the first post and refresh my plugins.

@BoltBait I just downloaded the pack today, Pack67 I believe, and am having the same exact issue as described in their post. Was this change reverted? Or is there a way to download older versions? Thanks

Edited March 14 by naf165

[BoltBait]

3 hours ago, naf165 said:

@BoltBait I just downloaded the pack today, Pack67 I believe, and am having the same exact issue as described in their post. Was this change reverted? Or is there a way to download older versions? Thanks

 

Please describe more detailed what problem you're having.  Show me images of the problem.

[naf165]

16 hours ago, BoltBait said:

 

Please describe more detailed what problem you're having.  Show me images of the problem.

It's exactly the same as they described in their post. Essentially, the feather object tool now eats away a fixed portion of the border of the object which becomes more noticeable the lower the resolution is.
Here is a sample image:

Here is feathering at 7 with the 4.X version:

And here is feathering at 7 with the 5.X version:

 

Notice how much more of the border is removed with the current feathering at the same intensity. Lowering the intensity does not match the old functionality either, as the feathering effect will be lessened along with the less image removed. I often use this on cropped people's silhouettes and the updated version now removes much of the outer layer of the object. It's more noticeable in images with important detail on the border that gets removed, instead of this generic shape, but I don't want to post any of the people I edit, so hopefully this illustrates the issue properly. Thanks!

 

Here's a GIF to more easily show the comparison:

Edited March 14 by naf165
Adding GIF to clarify

[BoltBait]

5 minutes ago, naf165 said:

I don't want to post any of the people I edit, so hopefully this illustrates the issue properly.

 

Here are 3 pictures of me you can use to illustrate your complaint:

 

https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/112589-show-yourself-redux/

 

 

 

[ArcadiaBay]

As someone who designs calendars for a living along with being the go to person for any graphic design, animation, or social media, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU for taking the time to code the calendar generator as this significantly streamlines production. I can just focus on actual design as opposed to making sure each grid is perfectly in sync with the actual year.

[Shambles_SM]

Has anyone else experienced Paint.net freezing with Apply Alpha Mask when selecting a mask layer?

[naf165]

On 3/14/2023 at 6:51 PM, BoltBait said:

 

Here are 3 pictures of me you can use to illustrate your complaint:

 

https://forums.getpaint.net/topic/112589-show-yourself-redux/

 

 

Thank you, I have used photos from this handsome gentleman to illustrate my point

Since I was limited by the upload limit, here's a gif showing the difference:

 

I started with a very rough crop from your image, and then applied a Feather Object effect at strength 7 in both the old Pack 47, and the new Pack67. Just to reiterate, my issue with the new behaviour is that it seems to further eat away at the edge. In the old functionality it would just feather the edge. And to be clear, I applied both feather effects to the same cropped base image.

 

It also now is applying that feathered effect to the bottom and side edges of the image which then creates an empty gap on what should be the edge of the frame. It seems to me as though it is first removing the border area of the object and then feathering it, (which would explain why it is now feathering the frame edges that it shouldn't be) thus resulting in a weird loss of the some of the object.

 

Thanks for you time!

[BoltBait]

4 hours ago, naf165 said:

I started with a very rough crop from your image, and then applied a Feather Object effect at strength 7

 

Ah, that's what I suspected.

 

You see, Feather is really only useful at 0, or 1 setting for feathering.  Beyond that it is more of a "Soften Edges" plugin--it uses a different algorithm.  And, the settings in that range are different between the two plugins.  If you want to use it to soften edges, you'll need to adjust your settings for the effect you desire.

 

You see, the old algorithm (47) just blurred the image making the object slightly bigger.  I always hated that.  So, I rewrote the algorithm (67) so that it only makes the object smaller by softening the edges.  You'll probably just need to apply less of the effect.

[naf165]

2 hours ago, BoltBait said:

 

Ah, that's what I suspected.

 

You see, Feather is really only useful at 0, or 1 setting for feathering.  Beyond that it is more of a "Soften Edges" plugin--it uses a different algorithm.  And, the settings in that range are different between the two plugins.  If you want to use it to soften edges, you'll need to adjust your settings for the effect you desire.

 

You see, the old algorithm (47) just blurred the image making the object slightly bigger.  I always hated that.  So, I rewrote the algorithm (67) so that it only makes the object smaller by softening the edges.  You'll probably just need to apply less of the effect.

 

Understood. The lower intensities still remove some of the image, and also do not have a strong enough blurring effect, so they don't work for my purposes. Luckily, I was able to download an older version of Paint.Net and keep working just fine with Pack47. (I was nervous I'd have to finally buy photoshop haha)

 

Do you have any plans to add the old soften edges functionality as it's own option now that feathering has been changed?

[f.m.]

I just wanted to chime in here and say that I'm sorely missing the old version of the Outline Object plugin as well. The transparency/alpha slider allowed me to perfectly create the exact effect I needed with ease. I haven't been able to find a suitable replacement method that produces the same perfect effect that I would use on a daily basis.

 

Please consider figuring out a way to re-implement it.

[BoltBait]

1 hour ago, f.m. said:

I just wanted to chime in here and say that I'm sorely missing the old version of the Outline Object plugin as well.

 

[TheDuckDealer]

Any chance you could post an upload of the older version of Object Bevel? The new one isn't really doing what I want.

[toe_head2001]

2 minutes ago, TheDuckDealer said:

The new one isn't really doing what I want.

 

Perhaps you simply haven't mastered the new version yet.  What are you trying to achieve?

[TheDuckDealer]

16 hours ago, toe_head2001 said:

 

Perhaps you simply haven't mastered the new version yet.  What are you trying to achieve?

something similar to the way this beveling looks ^, but whenever I try to do it, the bevel smears around edges regardless of what options I pick

Edited March 26 by TheDuckDealer

[BoltBait]

1 hour ago, TheDuckDealer said:

whenever I try to do it, the bevel smears around edges regardless of what options I pick

 

Show me the original picture and what settings you are using.