Transformations, mask dialogue.

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Marpel
Posts: 692
Joined: September 13th, 2009, 3:19 pm
What is the make/model of your primary camera?: Nikon D810
Location: Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

Transformations, mask dialogue.

Post by Marpel »

Am in the process of doing multiple Composites and Drop Shadows. In preparation, I previously generated a bunch of masks and saved them as images.

To start, I opened a few, non-mask, images as well as a half dozen mask images. The whole operation requires over a dozen, pre-made, masks but as I find it difficult to keep track of everything, I open only a few masks at a time, do some operations, save the last image in the chain, close everything, then do the same thing again.

As a result, I have a couple questions/requests. Admittedly, many/most users may not be confronted by the same, but thought I would ask anyway.

I think I understand the mask numbering format (open mask images line up in sequential order, any transformation generated masks also line up in sequential order, but above the open images....I think), although initially I had to actually stop and study it.

1. Why, if a Composite Transformation is started (same for Drop Shadow), resulting in the Dialogue opening, then immediately cancelled, even if no mask is chosen nor any operation completed, does the subsequent mask numbers jump by one, or more?

So - Transformation, using a mask > that mask is numbered, for example "2", in subsequent mask drop down list.
- Open and immediately cancel a Transformation. No mask or Overlay image need be identified.
- Open Transformation and use mask. That associated mask is subsequently numbered "4". No "3" exists.
Conceivably if, rather than opening and cancelling a single time, it is done three times, the next number after "2" would be "6".

2. Why are the available masks listed in the drop-down mask list, only a title and absent a thumbnail, in contrast to the Overlay image drop-down list? For an operation where only a couple steps occur, this is no issue as all the available masks are visible in the Browser Window, either as an image or as a thumbnail attached to a Transformation. However, once the Transformation stack gets long enough, it forces some of those mask images/thumbnails to disappear outside the Window, so it becomes difficult to quickly identify the correct mask.

Marv
jsachs
Posts: 4203
Joined: January 22nd, 2009, 11:03 pm

Re: Transformations, mask dialogue.

Post by jsachs »

I believe the mask number you are referring to is the same as the transformation with which it is associated. Transformation numbers are incremented each time a new transformation is created so there is always a unique identifier for each one. Since masks are listed by transformation number it is generally pretty easy to locate them in the image tree, whether they are the result of a File Open or a mask created for use with some other transformation.

I will look into listing masks with thumbnails as for other image menus.
Jonathan Sachs
Digital Light & Color
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