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    LightFactory plugins

    My computerfriends complained about the Redfield plugins. Most of them allready used them. Here a plugin to add halo's and many other photograpic lens effects to your photo's.
    Attached Files

    #2
    put it in my plugins folder but do not see it in the effects folder when viewing an image...

    Comment


      #3
      - Open a nice picture with lots of sky;
      - Hit Ctrl+K (opens the plugins dialogbox);
      - Now click the button 'Add 8BF filters';
      - Search the folder Plugins\PSLightFactory and click OK;
      - Now the filterpackage 'Light Factory' is shown in the dialogbox;
      - Select the filter and click on the button 'Start selected filter'.
      That's all. See the example. Much succes!
      Attached Files

      Comment


        #4
        dga223 - the 8bf filters are not the same as the regular plugins that are automatically detected by IrfanView. If you start collecting them (and once your appetite is whetted you will), it is best to put them in a folder of their own.
        Its: Belongs to "It"
        It's: Shortened form of "It is"
        ---------------------
        Lose: Fail to keep
        Loose: Not tight

        ---------------------
        Plurals do not require apostrophes

        Comment


          #5
          It's good you emphasize this fact, Matera. That's why you need to load them separately in Image\Effects\Adobe 8BF filters (Ctrl+K).
          I wrote "Search the folder Plugins\PSLightFactory...", to give dga223 a hint to work like you suggested.
          To load new 8bf-plugins, IrfanView only needs a path to a specific folder with 8bf's, so no need (and no possibility) to select the 8bf files themselfs. Only after importing the filter(package), you can select one in the Adobe 8BF filter dialogbox.
          Last edited by Sjef; 25.07.2007, 12:23 PM.

          Comment


            #6
            I think this also emphasises the fact, that the situation about handling 8bf plugins is still rather fuzzy.
            IV has the default "plugins\Adobe 8BF" subdir, but the filters also can have their own named subdirs.
            Sometimes adding a filter is just placing the dll in the proper dir, But some filters have a setup-procedure with a fixed destination.
            Sometimes a filter isn't just a dll, but also has its own subdir with all kinds of presets or included tools.
            Quite confusing for the average user I guess.
            Plus the fact that there also is the group 'Filter Factory' plugins..
            They're .8bf files also, but treated as a different category.
            (The only difference being, that most FF-files are 57344 bytes long, while Adobe files can be much bigger)

            If I compare the quality of the dialogs between 'Ctrl+K' and 'K', I certainly fancy the Filter Factory one.
            Because of the split between filter groups and the included filters. More survey.
            So I would prefer if the Adobe section would be integrated in the FF dialog, but that's off-topic, because a request.
            0.6180339887
            Rest In Peace, Sam!

            Comment


              #7
              In the beginning only Filter Factory plugins were to be loaded with the K-key. Nice and simple. Then came the Adobe plugins. The classification of the plugins folder is less fuzzi. Any subfolder in it will be recognized by IrfanView's Ctrl+K dialog. Yet Adobe's Photoshop recognizes sub\subfolders in his plugin folder. IrfanView doesn't. Also the path to the FF folder isn't remembered in the 'K' environment. On Ctrl+K the path to the latest visited pluginfolder is remembered all right. Maybe inconsistent, but due to the standards in the FF dll. Filter Factory has produced some very nice plugins apart from the two 'demo's' in IV. According to my wish, Irfan had better produced one dialoogbox for all plugins, including IrfanPaint, a plugin which is to be started by pressing F12 instead of 'K' or Ctrl+K. Which keys for the next plugin? And which menu to start all that different plugins? What about Image\Effects\Filters Unlimited...? It's getting a little unsystematic.

              Comment


                #8
                (As someone said, confusion starts already with the 'native' IV extra's called 'plugins' too. Some of them having subdirs too.)
                It's already quite unsystematic.

                So to avoid it getting worse, I think it's right to call IrfanPaint with F12, instead of inside the menu of Ctrl+K or 'K'.
                I'm following the evolution of IrfanPaint, and I no longer consider it as a 'plugin', but as an 'add-on'.
                I work with el. sound, and it's like the difference of having a bunch of effect-pedals modulating the sound of the synth, or introducing a second synth, coupled to the first one.
                A plugin can change a source, an add-on can create a source.

                So, apart from remembering the path, I did a test between the 'K' and the Ctrl+K dialogs.
                1) I have 4 files in the 'Filter Factory 8BF' directory. With 'K' 3 of them were opened after "Add FF filter".
                The 4th one obviously didn't have the right filesize (> 57344 bytes) or what.
                2) Then I went with 'K' to the dir 'Adobe 8BF'. No filter could be added.
                3) Then the same locations via the Ctrl+K command. The 'Adobe' mode.
                Now the 4th file in the 'Filter Factory 8BF' directory could be opened as well.

                Provisional conclusions :
                With Ctrl+K you reach every plugin, with 'K' just a selection.
                So Ctrl-K has the best coverage, while 'K' has the best dialog.

                2 Sjef
                Filter Factory has nice plugins indeed.
                And I was amazed when I found out, that the source for compiling such a plugin was just a tiny ascii-file with some script.
                The .afs format.
                0.6180339887
                Rest In Peace, Sam!

                Comment


                  #9
                  It's a funny theory Sam added here. So IrfanView not only supports plugins, but add-ons too! And in the 'K' dialog they are called filters! It's getting more and more intricate. In early days it was still easy: 'K' for the filters (8BF-plugins), which came only from Filter Factory. Maybe an agreement or contract, what ever. Nice & simple. In
                  http://irfanview-online.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16 Sam wrote:
                  Originally posted by Sam_Zen View Post
                  Filter Factory recently has declared freeware, because development stopped.
                  It is obvious the FF filters are a bit dated and on their last breath. An extra consideration why I suited for just one plugin dialog (if need be without FF). Sam wrote:
                  Originally posted by Sam_Zen View Post
                  2) Then I went with 'K' to the dir 'Adobe 8BF'. No filter could be added.
                  You see why it's so mixed up and confusing? 8BF-plugins always are Adobe plugins. The FF-plugins are stored in my Plugin folder which I use in Photoshop too. Micheal, the maker of the 'K' dialog has made a routine that's only letting trough the plugins from Filter Factory. Later, mr. Skiljan wrote a routine himself (see Ctrl+K) where you can import Filter Factory filters (plugins)! No one can convince me, that it's a logical approach to have three ways to start a plugin within the same program. I can't endorse Sam's opinion about calling IrfanPaint an 'add-on'. IP should eighter be embedded within i_view.exe (then F12 would be qualified) or used as a plugin-library (paint.dll). Which it is now. And Sam wrote it himself in http://irfanview-online.com/vb/showt...=1485#post1485:
                  Originally posted by Sam_Zen View Post
                  A thing like this surely should be added in the plugin-section...
                  Last edited by Sjef; 27.07.2007, 11:15 AM.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Obviously I'm in favour of one 8bf plugin dialog as well.
                    That's why I propose to associate the 'K' command with the Adobe routine of 'Ctrl+K', but still done with the 'K' dialog.
                    This will cover all 8bf plugins, including subdirs with FF filters.
                    Then command 'Ctrl-K' could be used for something else.
                    I'm not sure about the role of "FFactory.dll" in this and its necessity. Is this only called by the 'K' command ?

                    I called IrfanPaint an 'add-on' in a semantic way, to discriminate the tool from other sources in the plugin library, called 'plugins'.
                    I think the abilty to paint, is a step higher in the application hierarchy than some color effect or a format interpreter.
                    So it would be a logical step to embed it in IV's executable under e.g. F12.
                    I guess IP is still in a beta phase, so testing it as paint.dll for the time being seems logical.
                    0.6180339887
                    Rest In Peace, Sam!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      We're getting pretty much in conformity about the filters/plugins/add ons of IV. I'd call it a good idea to pick up all plugins through the 'K'-dialog and I agree the Ctrl+K routine could than be used for something else (maybe IrfanPaint).

                      I don't think both FF filters (3DMaker and Afhbevel) are special adjusted for IV, but Afhbevel will only work if started from the Filter Factory 'K'-dialog. 'K' needs FFactory.dll to be able to start up (FFactory.dll = FilterFactoryDialog). Maybe the 8BF-dialog (Ctrl+K) needs a certain FF-flag or parameter to start Afhbevel. Both FF-filters are standard plugins though and they work in Photoshop too (which is obvious, because 8BF-format).

                      So it's very confusing all 8BF's can be started via Ctrl+K, except Filter Factory's Afhbevel.8BF! I have 80 other Filter Factory plugins and strangely they all can be started from whithin the Ctrl+K dialog! The 'K' dialog seems able to import (FF)-filters by group, the Ctrl+K dialog just loads single 8BF's. When Ctrl+K was introduced it was not the simple Irfan Skiljan way of handling things anymore.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        One could say the contrary too : Ctrl+K was too simplified. I like the 'K' dialog with groups and single effect. More survey.

                        I just checked my Afhbevel.8bf with Ctrl+K and it was no problem loading it in the dir-list and running it.
                        0.6180339887
                        Rest In Peace, Sam!

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Ctrl+K recognizes groups too, it depends on the plugin. I work with IV-4 and the version 4 plugins, but can't load Afhbevel.8bf using the Ctrl+K dialog. I use XP-SP2 and I thougt you work with 2K. But I doubt this could be the reason.

                          In Plugins.txt you can read: 1. 8BF_FILTERS.DLL - This PlugIn allows IrfanView to load Adobe Photoshop 8BF filters. Note: this PlugIn may require additional system DLLs (see "i_plugins.txt").
                          In i_plugins.txt is spoken about Plugin.dll and Msvcrt10.dll, but those libraries are not in my IV-install folder. Could that be the reason I cannot load Afhbevel.8bf into the Ctrl+K dialog?

                          The story about plugins is beginning to look like a story without an end between Sam & Sjef. Apart from dga223 no one else seems to have problems with them...
                          Last edited by Sjef; 29.07.2007, 11:39 AM.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Sjef View Post
                            In i_plugins.txt is spoken about Plugin.dll and Msvcrt10.dll, but those libraries are not in my IV-install folder. Could that be the reason I cannot load Afhbevel.8bf into the Ctrl+K dialog?
                            Those files need not be available in your IV folder ... If its there in your Windows\System32 folder, it will be recognized and picked up, so check if those files are there in your system32 folder.

                            If its not there as well, they could easily be got from the net. The plugin.dll would be required anyway to open any 8bf filters using any program that opens them.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Even a dialogue between two can be valuable on a forum..
                              I don't think the OS is the problem, but, as you say, the additional two DLLs, Plugin.dll and Msvcrt10.dll.

                              Although the text recommend to put those files in a Winsystem dir, I placed them in the IV root, and it works fine.
                              0.6180339887
                              Rest In Peace, Sam!

                              Comment

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