Workflow, Automation and Actions

[HOlthof]

Hi,
I've been struggling with my understanding of workflow in PWP.
As I read the documentation, it appears to be basically for application of a standard process (with the option of breakpoints) to multiple images.
I also see some aspects which look tantalisingly like the PWP equivalent of Photoshop Actions. Can workflow be used in the same way?
For instance, in PS, I have some actions to do often-used tasks, such as creating edge and surface masks and using these masks to apply USM for edge and contrast-enhancement.
Can workflow be used in the way?

regards,
Hans

[ksinkel]

Yes, you could certainly create a workflow that created edge masks and then apply it on other images for sharpening. Here are some hints in doing this.

To create the workflow, open an image and go through the steps needed to create an edge mask. For example you might use the edge, blur, and monochrome transformations. (Masks must be 8 bit b+w images.)

Then save the workflow in a convenient location -- perhaps in your root Pictures folder or in the Workflow folder. A convenient way to save the workflow is from the History tab of the browse window. Right click on the final image produced by the above procedure and select Save Workflow.

You can now apply the workflow to new images. It is most convenient to do this as you open the new image. For instance open the image from Browse by right clicking on the image and selecting Open Image and Apply Workflow. Alternatively you can open it from the File Open menu. Select the image, set the Apply Workflow option and click OK.

Please note that these are just outline procedures, not detailed ones. But I hope they are enough to get you started.

Kiril

p.s. To make the Picture Window application folder easier to access from Windows file dialogs, add it to your Libraries list in the Windows file explorer.

[HOlthof]

Hi Kiril,
Thank you for the reply.
That's gotten me to the point of being able to create 'actions'.
Is there any way to return the output to the workspace? The Rename/File Save terminal widget provides for displaying in the workflow window -that's nice because I can drag the result into the workspace. But it always wants to save a file in all cases that then litters a directory.
I see also that the Rename/File Save widget forgets the setting for 'display in window'.

Also, I can't see a widget for extract channel (I'm using the beta version). Will such a widget be added?

If there is any documentation that I am missing please steer me to it!

regards,
Hans

[ksinkel]

The output of workflow in the workflow window must always be saved to avoid any memory issues -- workflows are often run against hundreds of images. However if you do not want to make these results permanent, you can save to a separate folder (I call mine 'test') that can then be easily deleted.

There is not an extract channel widget at this time. However you can accomplish much the same thing with the monochrome widget. Use the channel mixer method and set the desired channel to 100 and unwanted channels to 0.

It sounds like you may be doing some interesting things -- feel free to share any techniques you develop in the forum.

Kiril

[HOlthof]

Hi Kiril,
Thank you for the response.
I've been putting the output files into a temp directory - it's not a big deal to then purge them as you suggest.
I understand the implications of running a batch and then posting the output to the workspace.

What I am trying to do is use the workflow to produce 'snippets' of work that can be invoked on a single image. The image is open in the workspace, I apply a workflow 'snippet' to it and have the result posted back to the workspace for the next step of processing.

The ones I am using as a test case are the sharpening recipes from the Fraser/Schew book (namely, create an edge mask, blur and use a mask for USM) for edge and surface sharpening. I've found that these recipes produce near-identical results to photoshop and also Nik.
By creating such snippets, I can build workflow for different target output devices (e.g. inkjet printer, iPAD/Retina, web etc.)

Your response indicated to me that the thinking is that workflow is more associated with file-open events - I'm actually more interested in the mid to back stages of workflow.

I'll acknowledge that none of the steps I am trying to automate are lengthy or complex - I'm just lazy :)

I found through a search of the forum the 'texture mask' mask - now that produces nice edge masks - with better resultant quality than a simple edge mask. ... alas! no widget to produce masks!

I see the workflow as being tantalisingly close to a macro facililty as well as being the stored history of processing that an image underwent.
It would be nice to see a facility where the workflow, input image, generated masks could be bundled into a zip file (well, I guess that's all a photoshop PSD file is after all) as a native PWP file type.

regards,
Hans

[ksinkel]

Workflows can be stored with the input image. To do that, when you store the image, check 'Store Associated Workflow'. The workflow will be saved in the input image folder, named with the input image name with .wfl appended. (You can override these -- that's the default.) The workflow includes any masks that were used. The workflow can then be applied against the original image or other images.

This is just one of many ways to use the workflow. There are many other combinations.

Kiril

[den]

To supplement Kiril's suggestions as there are many approaches depending upon PWP understanding and post-processing preferences... ...this is how I will create/use a 'snippet' workflow:

Part 1: create the snippet...

1) open PWP and its Browser
2) open an image into the workspace...
3) switch from the Browser tab to the History tab... note: the tree grows with the number of transform widgets under an image branch
4) perform operations on the open workspace image that have widgets, Sharpen, for example
5) do a File Save As [use a name that describes the 'snippet'] with "Save associated workflow" checked
6) close the image and the PWP session

Part 2: using the snippet...

1) open PWP and its Browser
2) from the Browser, right click on the resulting snippet image thumbnail, and select Open Image and Apply Workflow
3) switch from the Browser tab to the History tab...
4) 'Minimize' the snippet image
5) open an image to which the snippet is to be applied
6) in the History tab tree for the snippet, right click on the workflow symbol of the desired transform widget [or the last transform widget] and select "Apply Workflow..." "to Screen Images"
7) select the image to which the complete workflow or transform is to be applied, click OK

The snippet workflow completes and a new 'untitled' image is added to the workspace.

When masks are reguired: I will use a 'snippet' workflow that creates a global image version that is 'overdone'... ...then click on the starting image, create an active mask, then Composite Blend the starting image as Input and Amount active mask with the universal image version as the Overlay... ...in this manner, the masks can be image specific but the workflow is generic.

For snippets to work, they must be the first images opened for a PWP session before the actual starting images are opened... ...ie, the snippets must be the first images in the History...

...I have a generic 'snippet' that will universally HiPass Filter at a Radius of 10, Threshold 100, Amount 100; then USM at Radius 2, Threshold 100, Amount 100; and then apply an 100% Amount RGB curve that limits brightness of light half edge contrasts. This universal image [used as the Overlay] is then Composite-Hard Light blended, usually at an 20-40% Amount with the starting image as Input... ...this is a medium radius HighPass Sharpening technique I favor.

The basis for this snippet workflow is described in this message board thread: PhotoShop's "Freaky Detail" and PWP"... ...http://www.dl-c.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=628

Ask if there are questions... ...advise an email and PWP version if you would like a copy of the *.wfl snippet file [compatible for PWP6 and PWP7beta, but will have to verify for PWP5]...

...den...