New version of Photoline v18.53 is out!

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herbert123
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Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2013 1:06 am

New version of Photoline v18.53 is out!

Post by herbert123 »

New version of Photoline is out. Some really nice improvements (and if you already registered for v18, a;; free!)

Most of you may never have heard of Photoline before. In a nutshell, it is up to par to Photoshop without the 3d and video fluff (not unlike Photoshop minus the "extended" part) in terms of image editing. Some things are actually an improvement over Photoshop, while other parts are either similar, or somewhat behind Photoshop. You win some, you lose some.

Give it a try, you might be pleasantly surprised. No rent-for-the-rest-of-your-life model, full license, and it can also be installed on a portable USB device. A mere 50mb installation foot print, and available for mac and windows (even XP still works!). 32bit and 64bit versions. Works without problems in Wine under Linux (the devs actually unofficially support this). The interface can be customized from a dark grey theme with monochrome icons to a light theme with coloured icons.

It allows you to work in LAb, RGB, CMYK, greyscale, and monochrome (with transparency!) image modes in full 8/16/32 bits per channel. It also offer (real) vector layer support, and a range of vector editing tools. PL offers a predominantly non-destructive layer adjustment layer based workflow, with most filters also acting as non-destructive filters.

Unique in PL:
- each layer can retain its own custom image mode: the layer stack can consist of a mix of RGB, CMYK, greyscale, etc. based layers, without the need to "switch image mode". Photoshop users know how inconvenient this can be. Even combine different bit depths in the same layer stack!
- colour adjustment layers, such as curves, can be applied in different image modes (Lab anyone?) without the need to switch image modes (a tremendous workflow enhancer!)
- layer opacity can be set from -200 up to 200% ! Again, very useful. Invert a blend mode effect by merely applying a negative opacity value.
- layer masks are independent layers! Feel free to create groups of layers that act like one layer mask, combine with as many vector, text layers, and bitmap layers to generate layer masks!
- since layer masks behave like regular layers, you can apply adjustment layers and layer effects as well! Amazing!
- any layer, layer mask, and layer group can be duplicated as a so-called "virtual layer", which is basically an instanced clone of the original source layer that updates in real time when changes are made to the source layer. Incredibly useful. Masks can be easily (non-destructively) recycled in your layer stack!
- adjustment layers can be combined into a 'super' adjustment layer that holds as many adjustment as you like in one layer.
- multi-layered EXR files can be loaded and saved out of the box!
- when you save a jpg version by mistake, the original source file is also saved automatically. No more nasty surprises when you thought you lost your original layered file!

Photoline also allows the user to create an external app link to send accross individual layers or entire documents to external editors and stand-alone bitmap utilities. This new version improved the external app link so that pdf can now also be used to link up other applications. Works really well with InkScape, for example: select a vector layer in Photoline, send it to InkScape, edit (even add layers, etc), and save. The original layer is automatically updated in Photoline.

You can also use other bitmap editors as a plugin: GIMP can be hooked up to Photoline, and Krita as well. Or stand-alone tools like Fluid Mask, effectively turning almost any external application that can deal with bitmaps or a pdf into a plugin.

The new features are highlighted here: http://www.pl32.com/pages/rnote.php

Some new highlights are:
- overall processing speed significantly improved due to caching of groups
- nice new vector cut options
- smooth stroke options!
- polar coordinates filter

- and many, many small workflow enhancements that make working in Photoline that much more of a pleasure. For example, ctrl-clicking layers and channels to load up selections, improved alignment options, Windows 8 touch gestures improvements, vector editing tools improvements, and so on.

Also improved speed when working with many pages of connected text boxes (yes, Photoline does pages too!)
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Víctor Paredes
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Re: New version of Photoline v18.53 is out!

Post by Víctor Paredes »

Very interesting, I will give it a try. Thanks.
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