Plugins 101

Firstly, why should you? Well, because there are a wide range of filters available which are Adobe Photoshop compatible. These filters offer everything from simple, "must have" tools, such as button makers, through to complex effects such as painting, lens flares and much, much more.

Secondly, where do you get these filters from? Adobe Photoshop has a fairly wide range included in it. Now, the thing is you don't need to buy the full product to get the filters. Most of them are available in the demo version you can download from the web or get on CD. We'll list a bunch of useful locations later.

But also, there are a number of third party filters readily available, some you are free, some you pay for. Firstly there are the "Filter Factory" selection, an entirely free collection of over a hundred different filter effects. Next up are the two leading commercial packages Blade Pro and Eye Candy. Just above these is the widely acclaimed Kai's Power Tools. Finally there are some extra-ordinary packages such as Genesis, Extensis and Photolab tools which are aimed at professional graphics designers (and usually with "professional" prices).

How do I install them?

We'll handle the simplest example first, that of Adobe Photoshop's own filters.

1. Install Adobe Photoshop, whether the demo version or the full doesn't matter (except for the price you've paid!)
2. Next, start up Explorer, go to your Adobe Photoshop folder.
3. Find the file "plugin.dll". Make a copy of this file in your c:\windows\system folder.

4. While you are in c:\windows\system, check for the file "msvcrt.dll". Several different programs install versions of this file. The file size which works on my setup is 277,776 bytes.

   If your version is different and you later encounter difficulties, especially page faults, then rename this file to msvcrt.bak and re-install PaintShop. This will ensure that the version most compatible with PSP is loaded.

5. Basically, these two ".dll" files are actually bits of program code which are used by both PaintShop and Photoshop when using plugins.

6. Next step, is to make sure PaintShop can find the plugins. Start up PSP and select File, Preferences, General Program Preferences.
7. Select the Plug-in Filters tab. You need to have the following settings:
   1. Tick: Enable filters
   2. Tick: Include Sub-Folders
   3. Untick: Limit loaded plugins...
   4. Untick: Enable plugin automatic file format identification

   5. Folder 1: will be your standard PaintShop Pro plugin folder
   6. Folder 2: needs to be set to your Adobe Plugins folder
   7. Folder 3: can be a third folder, say Corel or your own folder

1. Now, open a picture, and make sure it 64 million colours.
2. Select Image, Plugins and you should see an extended list of plugins, the exact number and names will depend upon exactly which version of Adobe is installed.
3. To use the filters, just use the mouse to select the filter you want. Different filters have different dialog screens afterwards.... See the relevant manuals or help files for the filters.

Which filters would you recommend?

Not entirely a simple question this, as which filters you would want to use will depend upon what kinds of work you do. Below I have listed some of my favourite filters that I use regularly.

Adobe Photoshop Filters

I use nearly all of the Adobe filters on a regular basis, they have a number of paint effect filters which I commonly use in my kinds of images. In addition there are some common, and effective filters, such as "Clouds" and "Difference Clouds" which I use for creating textures. You will also find a "Lens Flare" and "Lighting Effects" filters there, which again are commonly used in professional graphics.

All in all, considering you get these free by just by installing demo's of either PhotoShop or Adobe PhotoDeluxe you can't go wrong.

Flaming Pear: Blade Pro

A very commonly used filter. Pretty much a must have, although it will cost a few dollars to purchase it. Blade Pro really does two key things: Firstly it creates buttons, secondly it applies textures and colouring effects. You can use either of these effects together or independently to bring interest to almost any graphic.

The PSP newsgroups have a healthy interchange of Blade Pro presets, although personally I just like tinkering with it.

Alien Skin: Eye Candy

A more professional version of Blade Pro in some respects. Eye Candy's forte is that somehow all the effects are crisper, more precise and professional looking. There are special tools for applying drop shadows, button bevels and cutouts that go way beyond the PSP built-in functions. Do not let this seeming duplication fool you - Eye Candy effects are much better than the PSP ones. Eye Candy costs just under $100.

Filter Factory Sets

There are over two dozen filter factory sets. These are free, home-made (although often by professionals) filters which use a special programming mechanism supported by Photoshop. There are literally hundreds of these filters and undoubtedly only some of them will be useful to you. They certainly vary in quality from the excellent to the frankly poor.

There is a lot more to filter factory sets than meets the eye, you are advised to read up at one of the many web sites that deal with them to learn the ins and outs of these filters.

Greg's Factory

There are two particular "must have" filters in Greg's extensive collection of filters. The first is "Pool Shadow". This is incredibly useful for adding any reflective light to any surface - a common instance is metal reflections. It seems like every other tip or technique uses this filter. The second is "Spotlight", allows you to position a spotlight on your image. These filters are free.

Greg also produces the "Fantastic Engine", a sort of paint effects process, but which is very programmable and quite different than most other paint effect engines. I really like this one, but it does strongly depend on the kind of images you want to create. This filter is free.

Photolab: Photographic Effects

The photolab filters emulate traditional photographic printing processes, for example Cibachromes and standard nomenclature colour filters. Useful, and meaningful if you have a photographic background.

Ulead: Type Effects and Particle Effects

These two low cost commercial effects can be bought separately or in bundles with other web graphic utilities. Personally, the particle effects I find less useful, but the Type Effects can be a god-send when I just need a quick text effect, without having to think too hard about them.

NVR Bordermania

Basically Bordermania makes buttons, quickly and simply. I often use this in preference to my other alternatives. Certainly as a free replacement to the fairly grotty PSP buttonize function this is a must have.

Hot Tips

This really only represents a small snapshot of the many, many filters available. Remember there are a few things to remember:

1. Make sure "plugin.dll" is in your c:\windows\system folder.
2. Make sure you have the correct version of "msvcrt.dll" in your c:\windows\system folder.
3. Make sure you have correctly specified the plugin folder and set the correct preferences in the PaintShop Pro, Preferences screen.
4. Most effects only work if your picture is 16 million colours. If the effects appear greyed-out, then you are working in 256 colours or black and white.
5. Some effects only work on selections, they usually tell you if you try to use them without a selection.
6. Nearly all PhotoShop compatible filters work with PaintShop Pro. There are a very small number of exceptions.
7. Many filters are available free as parts of demo products, or freeware from the web.
8. If you find shareware filters, please cough up, they are probably made by underpaid amateurs!

See the Resources Page for many links to PaintShop filters and other goodies.

Hope this all helps. Enjoy