Topic: Curvemeister and more than one image loaded into PS

[Alex314]

I have started reading Dan Margulis' book on the use of Lab. While working through his examples I ran into the following problem using Curemeister 2.0.

There are e.g. two images loaded into PS CS3 (I load an image and duplicate it - leaving the original in the background). I start CM but I see no effects when manipulating the curves. (This has nothing to do with Lab or RGB or CMYK or Margulis - maybe this should go to a different place  ). It appears that the special window that CM produces is not there at all, and that's why I see nothing happening.

When I close CM I find that the changes *have* been applied to the image I worked with!

Only when I minimize the image in the backgroud (the one that doesn't have the focus) CM works like expected.

Is this normal behavior or could it be that I miss something?

[RonBoyd]

Alex,

I cannot duplicate your problem. However, I am not sure I fully understand what you are saying.

1. "It appears that the special window that CM produces is not there at all..." You are referring to the CM Preview Window, aren't you? That's the one when you click on the far left icon a the top, the Pin Menu pops up (or disappears) on the left side.

2. "Only when I minimize the image in the backgroud..." Do you mean clicking on the "eyeball" in the Layers Pallet to disable the "background" layer? (I really am unsure what you mean so this is where I could have fallen off the tracks.)

In any event, I open an image file (in CS3) and then duplicate the layer (Ctrl J). I can then use CurveMeister to manipulate either layer (separately) and view the changes in real time in the CM "Preview Window."

Ron

[Alex314]

Alex,

I cannot duplicate your problem. However, I am not sure I fully understand what you are saying.

That is because I express myself badly.

1. "It appears that the special window that CM produces is not there at all..." You are referring to the CM Preview Window, aren't you? That's the one when you click on the far left icon a the top, the Pin Menu pops up (or disappears) on the left side.

Yes: I couldn't think of the proper name.

2. "Only when I minimize the image in the background..." Do you mean clicking on the "eyeball" in the Layers Pallet to disable the "background" layer? (I really am unsure what you mean so this is where I could have fallen off the tracks.)

No: it is a different image that also has been opened in CS3 but doesn't have the focus. (I just work with one layer to begin with.)

In any event, I open an image file (in CS3) and then duplicate the layer (Ctrl J). I can then use CurveMeister to manipulate either layer (separately) and view the changes in real time in the CM "Preview Window."

I will try that, it is maybe a better workflow.
My idea was to load an image, duplicate the image and keep the original 'behind' the duplicate with: Image/Duplicate... The copy gets a name like "Sequoia_Natl_Park copy".
When I start CM on this image, I never get to see the CM preview window (see CM_dupl_im.jpg). When I stop CM I see both the images with the original shifted to the lower right of the screen (see CM_end.jpg).

My question is: is this my CS3 or is it CM or is it me?

[derekfountain]

My question is: is this my CS3 or is it CM or is it me?

I didn't really understand the problem, but I did notice one thing: you're using CM in Photoshop's full screen mode. CM doesn't work very well with this mode. This is something I've pointed out before and, since I spend almost 100% of my time in full screen mode, it continues to pain me each and every time I use CM.

Try it without the full screen mode.

[Alex314]

Derek:

OK!! That was the solution! Thank you very much. I seem to remember having similar troubles when I followed the CM-class some time ago, but I didn't look into the matter closely.

Ron:

As you see I have the solution to the riddle now, thanks for responding so promptly (both of you). What a great medium: internet....

greetings,   Alex

[curvemeister]

Hmmm - I thought CM worked a little better than this in full screen mode.  I'll take a look and see if I can improve this.

[Alex314]

Hello Mike,

That would make CM really perfect - but as it is now, I more and more appreciate the way CM offers possibilities PS has neglected to include, like the colors in the Lab a and b channels, the symmetrical rotation of curves around the center (or any other point you care to define), the possibility of having the Lab values of any point in the image you want to know, etc. etc. And I only just have started to discover these properties...

Alex