Bug fix release 31-Aug-2019

[jsachs]

I have posted a new release (31-Aug-2019).

The changes (taken from the update log) are:

Stack Images: Added an item to the Settings Menu called “Load a Set of Images…”. This clears out any current images and resets all the curves and amount controls and then lets you select one or more image files. If a file is already loaded, the loaded copy is used, otherwise each file is opened in a new top-level image. The opened files are then selected as inputs to Stack Images. This saves a lot of time opening and selecting each image one at a time. Also fixed a minor problem with Stack Images when dragging the dialog box from one monitor to another with different scale factors.

Stack Images: added Exposure Compensation slider for Filter and Subtractive Filter operations.

Blend: fixed problems with black and white input images.

Masks: fixed problem causing output image not to be generated when the dialog box opens.

Batch execution was crashing – disabling Visual C++ whole-program optimization seems to make the problem go away so this may be caused by a bug in the Microsoft compiler.

[rfuerman]

Hello, again. PW 31 Aug
Batch looking good! YAY! Thank you!
First batch with three files, I saw the 'File Open' dialog between each batch dialog, but I cannot reproduce this. I'll keep a watch for that.
Back to the weekend . . . Bob

[MarkT]

Wow, thank you so much for the "Load a set of images" option in Stack Images. Works perfectly.

There is a strange black square that shows up in the display preview when Stack Images is first selected from the Transformation menu:

pwp8_stack_images_black_square.JPG (19.15 KiB) Viewed 4940 times

Of course it's replaced with the correct image once the set of images is loaded...

[jsachs]

When there are no input images the output image is set to a small black Square.

[MarkT]

Okay, good to know.

This is a huge time-saver for me. I use the 20-60 frames per second option of the Nikon 1 V3 to record a scene at high ISO, and then use Stack Images and Median Blend to reduce the noise. Being able to load up 16 images in one step really helps.

Thank you.

[jsachs]

I would expect Blend mode to reduce noise slightly better than Median, but I could be wrong. Have you tried both?

[MarkT]

Yes I have tried both methods, and honestly can't see any difference between the results. Except where some detail has moved between images, so Median removes the ghost, where Blend can leave a faint ghost behind. The level of noise reduction seems equal.

Compared to NeatImage 8.4, which is my go-to noise reduction software, Stack Images achieves far superior results. NI is very, very good for most circumstances, but with a large series of images taken within a second, Stack Images is amazing.

NR results compared:

NR_comparison_small.JPG (123.14 KiB) Viewed 4901 times

[jsachs]

Thanks for posting those examples.

[rfuerman]

Hello PW 31-Aug
10) File | open multiple working OK. Open WS batch script with File | Open multiple as first command, then [Cancel] file open -> opens an empty image headed <DSC123.jpg> on workspace with error message 'bad input image' on the transforms. Note that the file <DSC123.jpg> is stored in the WS script at 'image index 1' although I saved the WS w/o images:
"image index 1 caption ″DSC123.JPG″ saved_as ″″ saved_on ″″ parent -1 bypass -1 same_size 0 size_specific "
and the File | close commands are not available.
So if user does not select a file, where should the WS script leave you? Probably at work space with batch | file open dialog?? or could cancel the batch??
11) enhancement request, not urgent: the file | open multiple dialog to start the WS batch script. I don't want to see raw or video files on the open dialog, so it would be nice to remember that the file filter = *.jpg or *.tif or ??
12) enhancement request, not urgent: The batch | file open dialog - perhaps add a count of files in the batch?
13) Suggest add instructions to <batch processing.pdf> on where to find the add breakpoint command.
And user can save the batch to a WS script to reuse. First command = File | open multiple; last command = Transform | file export.
Thanks, Bob

[rfuerman]

one more:
14) Open WS batch script, select files, click [run all] -> batch saves two copies of the file, so I have <DSC0345.jpg> AND <DSC0345 v1.jpg> in destination folder. Check file properties & both files have same time stamp!
Bob