Several Requests

[KeyLogic]

Some of these might have been mentioned before.

• Add a close button to the Image List for all projects and not just the currently selected one.
  In this way you don't have to select a individual project and wait for all layers to reload just to save & close it.
  
• Drag & drop projects in the Image List.
  So that that the projects that I'm using can be placed side-by-side; Because they are no always opened in order.
  
• "Clear all history" button (with confirmation).
  This can be used to clear up some virtual/memory without having to close and reload the project.
  
• Export History.
  It can be exported to a log file so that every time you reopen a project the text will be separated by one line.
  
• "Flatten selected layers" button.
  I've noticed that merging layers will result in the bottom layer's transparency and blending mode taking precedence, but flattening all layers within a project is inconvenient.
  
• Preview project in full screen.
  This is especially useful for desktop wallpaper designers who want to see the final result in full view without having to save it first and open it in a separate image viewer.
  Being able to zoom in and out and pan would also be nice.
  
• Crosshairs for the "Select" and "Shapes" tools + zoom-in window.
  This is especially useful on high-res projects where zooming in and out to precisely select around certain areas become tedious. When the cursor is moved to the side where the zoom-in window is, the window will move to the opposite side of the screen allowing you to see where you're selecting.
  For anyone that has ever used FastStone Capture... that is exactly what I'm talking about.
  
• Remember previous placement of windows.
  Because windows opening up in the center of the image is annoying.
  
• Delay Effects previews.
  Perhaps by pressing and holding a key on the keyboard that will delay the preview until the key is let go. This is especially useful when using sliders or you've already determined what values you want to set.
  
• Tool: "Select object" (plus hotkey).
  Basically the same as using the Magic Wand tool with 0% tolerance and then inverting the selection, but in one fell swoop.
  If somehow it were possible to select only one object on a layer where there are many, that would be perfect.
  
• Run all non-native plug-ins as separate processes.
  Could probably help to reduce PDN crashes and lock-ups.
  
• Auto-hide windows when selecting or drawing instead of semi-transparency.
  Similar to what was mentioned above about the crosshairs, the windows would move to the opposite side or disappear when selecting or drawing and the mouse is over that window.
  

I'm sure I'll have more suggestions later.

If something that I said here was misunderstood, please tell me and I will try to explain it a bit better.

[ventor1]

You forgot to mention air-conditioning and power steering.

[BoltBait]

"Flatten selected layers" button is not likely to happen any time soon as there is no way to select multiple layers. This would open a whole can of worms that Rick doesn't want to open until he figures out all of the correct behaviors. For example, what happens when you run an effect with multiple layers selected?

Now, I like the select object tool idea. It could work like the magic wand but only look at the alpha channel with the limitation that it could not select a totally transparent pixel.

[KeyLogic]

"Flatten selected layers" button is not likely to happen any time soon as there is no way to select multiple layers. This would open a whole can of worms that Rick doesn't want to open until he figures out all of the correct behaviors. For example, what happens when you run an effect with multiple layers selected?

Understood. What if, at least for now, it were made to work similar to Merge: "Flatten Layer Down"? Then the two layers would flatten and there would be no need to delete the other layers or open them in a separate project.

Now, I like the select object tool idea. It could work like the magic wand but only look at the alpha channel with the limitation that it could not select a totally transparent pixel.

Yup, that's exactly it. I wonder, though, how it might be made to ignore other objects that are on the same layer and just select around the object you click on, assuming, of course, that none of the non-transparent pixels from the other objects are crossing each other.

[pdnnoob]

Understood. What if, at least for now, it were made to work similar to Merge: "Flatten Layer Down"? Then the two layers would flatten and there would be no need to delete the other layers or open them in a separate project.

Workaround: create new layer under the two to be merged. Merge bottom layer and new layer, then next layer, etc.

The method doesn't work for every occasion, but it's helped me quite often when I've come across this issue.

An idea on creating a "merge selected layers" without technically having multiple layers selected: run whatever command necessary to select multiple layers (ctrl+click layers), but automatically flatten them instead of requiring the press of another button.

[KeyLogic]

I've got some more requests.

• Disable all but currently selected layer / re-enable / enable all. (right-click options)
  Instead of turning off each layer one at a time or opening the layer that you want to see in a new project, a simple option to 'turn off all but selected layer' would be useful.
  
• History per layer.
  I'm going to assume that this is going to be more difficult to implement, however, if it is, it would make PDN much more convenient to use.
  The History window would only show the history for the selected layer.
  
• Ignore all non-transparent pixels when rendering most effects. (except for "Render" effects)
  This would save huge amounts of time, especially when rendering blur effects over a small object within a large canvas.
  
• Predefine save settings for quicker and easier saves.
  The current way of saving the project to anything other then .pdn,can get a bit frustrating. First, it has to reload the project image, this can take quick a bit of time on a slow computer, then it has to confirm whether or not I want to flatten the image. By predefining the exact way I want the files to be saved, it'll cut of some time on what should be a simple and quick process.
  
• Save layers as individual projects.
  This could be useful for backing up layers before flattening or merging them and then closing the project only to realize that you need to adjust one of its properties.
  
• Bump Map effect.
  I'm not sure exactly how to describe this. It works different from the Emboss effect. Example: Original image - Image w/Bump Map effect.
  
• Frame Mask.
  This would be similar to adding the shape of an image over the existing one (e.g. the shape of a house, leaf, etc.) and then removing the transparency outside of that shape.
  

Workaround: create new layer under the two to be merged. Merge bottom layer and new layer, then next layer, etc.

The method doesn't work for every occasion, but it's helped me quite often when I've come across this issue.

An idea on creating a "merge selected layers" without technically having multiple layers selected: run whatever command necessary to select multiple layers (ctrl+click layers), but automatically flatten them instead of requiring the press of another button.

Thanks for the reply. I'll try these out.

Edited December 2, 2010 by KeyLogic

[jerry533482]

Clear all history was done before, but Rick removed it as he dismissed it as "useless".

As for file>export history as TXT, perhaps if we can get enough people to voice their desire for it, then Rick'll try it.

As for selecting multiple layers, I doubt Rick will try it for a LONG time, but that would be awesome.

Think about it, you could create an interstellar object and not have to flatten the layers in it. :)

edit: what about drag n' drop layers (like, you select a layer and drag it up ten spots so you don't have to click move layer up 10x)?

Edited December 2, 2010 by jerry533482

[KeyLogic]

Clear all history was done before, but Rick removed it as he dismissed it as "useless".

Aw, that's unfortunate. Maybe it just doesn't matter for computers with lots of RAM. Too bad I only have 512MBs.

As for file>export history as TXT, perhaps if we can get enough people to voice their desire for it, then Rick'll try it.

As for selecting multiple layers, I doubt Rick will try it for a LONG time, but that would be awesome.

Think about it, you could create an interstellar object and not have to flatten the layers in it. :)

Yes and Yes.

[edit: what about drag n' drop layers (like, you select a layer and drag it up ten spots so you don't have to click move layer up 10x)?

Agreed. I think this was requested by some people as well.

Another good idea is layer folders. This would make everything much more compact and organized.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

RE: Bump map. Try looking up 'Normal Map' and see if that comes close.

[Rick Brewster]

Aw, that's unfortunate. Maybe it just doesn't matter for computers with lots of RAM. Too bad I only have 512MBs.

History data is saved to the hard drive, not stored in memory. It is 100% useless to have a "Clear History" button. Memory management is my job, and not something that should be shrugged off into an end-user "feature".

[jerry533482]

Aw, that's unfortunate. Maybe it just doesn't matter for computers with lots of RAM. Too bad I only have 512MBs.

You know my computer has 3GB of RAM; but it's still slow though because I have a single core (1.6 Ghz).

Memory management is my job, and not something that should be shrugged off into an end-user "feature".

But you already implemented it...

[Rick Brewster]

Actually, technically I didn't. Michael Kelsey did, iirc. There was a resources usage problem in older versions of Paint.NET whereby it's allocate 1 GDI bitmap object per history item, even for items that used the same little 16x16 bitmap. After awhile Windows would stomp Paint.NET in the face, "you're using too many!!!" Now it collates all of those, and there's really no reason to have "Clear History."

I repeat: there is no reason to have Clear History. It will not save memory or make it run faster. Stop asking for it.

[Manc]

You forgot to mention air-conditioning and power steering.

could also do voice recognition.Just tell the program what you want it to do.loads of fun.

[LanceJZ]

I have not seen a request for this in the forum as yet, though I hope I'm not the only one who would find something like this useful.

In MS Paint for Windows 95 it had a selection option that it would ignore the current color that was selected as the secondary color (Background color). This made making sprite sheets faster. You could just select, and everything but the background was selected without having to go through several clicks with the magic wand in your paste of the selection. This way, when you did this all but background color selection, when you paste that color in the paste would be transparent.

They removed it from further versions of MS Paint it would seem.

I kindly ask that you add this as a feature for Paint.NET, as it is meant to replace MS Paint after all. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to ask me. I could send you some some screen shots.

Thank you for your time.

[Rick Brewster]

You can accomplish the same things in Paint.NET. Just use layers, magic wand, and Tolerance of 0. For specifics, experiment or ask here in the forum. Or both!

Along with resizing the canvas by dragging the corner, I classify that as a "bad" feature of MSPaint: something that got people used to a convenient, but unfortunately far too limited, means of accomplishing tasks. The "vocabulary" in higher-end imaging software (GIMP, Photoshop, and yes Paint.NET) is more sophisticated, but far more rewarding once you learn it.

[KeyLogic]

Hi Rick Brewster. Thanks for clearing up the "Clear History" thing. I now understand why that would be useless to re-add.

Here's a new request:

• Internal Snapshot. Quicker saves for image formats.
  Basically, like external snapshot programs, this will take a picture of the entire project as seen and then present you with the option to save in whatever image format you choose (JPEG, PNG, etc.). This will save an enormous amount of time seeing as you won't have to flatten all of the layers before converting the project to an image and then saving.
  Perhaps also this can be used to replace my previous request to Preview project in full screen by taking the snapshot of the project and then open a new window that will display it in fullscreen. Another reason why I'm requesting this is because, from what I've seen, projects that contain patterns such as small lines, bumps, etc. do not display correctly within Paint.NET when zoomed-out (made to fit the screen) but only display correctly when converted to an image, which, as I mentioned above, can be painful and slow if it's a large project with multiple layers that all need to be flattened.
  

Edited December 29, 2010 by KeyLogic

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Internal snapshot:

CTRL + PrtScrn

CTRL + N (OK)

CTRL + V

CTRL + S

You can crop as you wish in between the last two steps.

[KeyLogic]

• Shrink/Expand effect
  Not to be confused with resizing, this effect would allow you to make an object thin or fat via a slider and/or by typing in the exact number of pixels that you want to be effected.
  
• Respect Object Boundaries and Transparency
  This would allow you to draw shapes or paste images over an existing object without "coloring outside of the lines" of that object.
  
• Acquire Texture from Clipboard/Snapshot
  If I create a texture from within the project that I'm working on, it's a huge inconvenience to first have flatten all of the layers, save it and then load the texture over the object.
  This would allow you to copy the finished texture to the clipboard and then apply it as a texture.
  
• Cookie Cutter
  This would allow you to use any shape as a cutout for other objects.

[jerry533482]

Actually, technically I didn't. Michael Kelsey did, iirc. There was a resources usage problem in older versions of Paint.NET whereby it's allocate 1 GDI bitmap object per history item, even for items that used the same little 16x16 bitmap. After awhile Windows would stomp Paint.NET in the face, "you're using too many!!!" Now it collates all of those, and there's really no reason to have "Clear History."

I repeat: there is no reason to have Clear History. It will not save memory or make it run faster. Stop asking for it.

I understand it has no uses, but it could be used for aesthetic purposes. Also, Photoshop uses it. Why can't PDN?

It just seems pointless to cut a feature.