Polaris is the Extensions Set for Adobe® Photoshop® CS5 and higher for Mac OS X and Windows. These extensions are superb timesavers and indeed extend the capabilities of Photoshop! Your everyday graphics activity, thanks to the fact that they are. In modern macOS (from Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah, onward), all Photoshop plugins are distributed as package folders with an extension of.plugin (or.lrplugin if they are intended for Adobe Lightroom only); the package's Info.plist file includes a CFBundlePackageType code that distinguishes the plugin types, using the same upper-case, four-letter codes originally used in the pre-Mac OS X resource forks; these.
Photoshop plugins (or plug-ins) are add-on programs aimed at providing additional image effects or performing tasks that are impossible or hard to fulfill using Adobe Photoshop alone. Plugins can be opened from within Photoshop and several other image editing programs (compatible with the appropriate Adobe specifications) and act like mini-editors that modify the image.ps
Plugin types[edit]
Photoshop-compatible plugins fall into several types, distinguishable in Microsoft Windows (and historically in Mac OS 9 and earlier) by their filename extensions. The most common are filters (.8bf), which apply changes to images. Import or acquisition (.8ba) and export (.8be) plugins acquire or write image data from or to certain devices, while file format (.8bi) plugins open and save less common image formats (not natively supported by Photoshop).[1] Automation (.8li or .8ly) plugins repeat or streamline certain tasks, in the manner of Photoshop actions.[2] (macros). There are several other types of Photoshop plugin .
In modern macOS (from Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah, onward), all Photoshop plugins are distributed as package folders with an extension of .plugin (or .lrplugin if they are intended for Adobe Lightroom only); the package's Info.plist file includes a CFBundlePackageType code that distinguishes the plugin types, using the same upper-case, four-letter codes originally used in the pre-Mac OS X resource forks; these are generally the same as the Windows exensions but with 'M' added to the end (e.g., Windows .8ba = Mac 8BAM).[3]
Below is a complete list of the plugin varieties:[3]
| Plugin type | Windows extension | Mac type code |
|---|---|---|
| Automation | .8li, .8ly | 8LIZ |
| Color picker | .8bc | 8BCM |
| Export | .8be | 8BEM |
| Extension | .8bx | 8BXM |
| File format | .8bi | 8BIF |
| Filter | .8bf | 8BFM |
| General | .8bp | 8BPI |
| Import | .8ba | 8BAM |
| Parser* | .8by | 8BYM |
| Selection* | .8bs | 8BSM |
*Only Adobe publishes parser and selection plugins.[1]
Host applications[edit]
Host applications or plugin hosts are graphics applications that are capable of running plugins. Photoshop fully supports all available plugin types; certain Adobe hosts, like Photoshop Elements and Fireworks, support most of them, while Lightroom supports many and also has its own, derived from the Photoshop format.
Many non-Adobe commercial graphics applications also support Photoshop-compatible plugins – Paint Shop Pro,[4]PhotoImpact, and Corel PhotoPaint are some of the better-known ones. There are several dozen more plugin hosts, including lesser-known products like Chasys Draw IES, the free-software image editor GIMP, and viewers like IrfanView.[5] However, the majority of non-Adobe hosts support filter plugins only, and many of them do not even support all available filter plugins. More Microsoft Windows hosts support the plugins, though an increasing number of Mac applications support the Mac Photoshop plugin packages.
Third-party support for plugins was fairly broad and rapid after the release of the Photoshop SDK and API containing the specifications for Photoshop plugins. Non-Adobe implementation contracted and fragmented in 2002, when Adobe restricted access to the SDK and made the developer license more expensive. Developers of other image applications had limited or no access to it any longer, and in many cases either did not support newer plugin features or simply did not implemented Photoshop plugin support at all. Plugin developers faced a dilemma: either support the new features that appeared in Photoshop 7 and later versions, like access to layers, but lose compatibility with various other image applications; or use the old SDK version which already included many of the important specifications and make sure their plugins would be supported by all hosts, but at the cost of a smaller feature set.[1]
Around 2005, Adobe changed the policy again, so that developers could make a request for the SDK via a Web-based form, with no fees, and with all requests handled individually.[6] It is unclear what criteria have been applied, though third-party implementation of support for Photoshop plugins has increased again, is more consistent (few old plugins have remained viable from the 2000s, as operating systems and have changed in the interim), and the feature remains popular and in demand by users of graphic-editing software.
Some commercial and free projects have also created their own plugin formats, and the general concept (also common among digital audio workstations) has spread to other visual editing applications, including video compositors, 3D modeling suites, and CAD applications.
History[edit]
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1991 | Adobe first introduces filters and support for third-party Photoshop-compatible plugins in Photoshop 2.0. The same year, Aldus presents Aldus Gallery Effects - a set of filters including Emboss, Mosaic, Charcoal and other effects. When Aldus and Adobe merge in 1996, Gallery Effects will be embedded into Photoshop.[citation needed] |
| 1992 | Kai Krause releases one of the most renowned plugins of the 1990s -- Kai's Power Tools (a.k.a. KPT). Many artists of the time consider it a must-have plugin set for Photoshop.[7] It features several advanced warp and deformation effects, as well as support for bump maps and 3D graphics formats (in KPT SceneBuilder). |
| 1994 | Joe Ternasky releases Filter Factory, a plugin allowing users to create their own filters using an internal programming language resembling C and compile them as separate plugins. It uses programmable formulas to process the red, green and blue channels of each pixel of the image. However, the fact that it requires considerable programming skills is viewed by many as a serious drawback.[8] |
| 1994 | Alien Skin Software, founded a year earlier, creates the first drop shadow filter for Photoshop. The same year, they also release the Black Box filter set, later renamed to Eye Candy, which becomes an all-time favorite among Photoshop users.[9] |
| 1994 | Auto FX Software is founded. In the subsequent years they release a couple of much-noticed Photoshop plugins and automated effects software products. Photo/Graphic Edges is one of the common image enhancement tools used by graphic artists of the time.[10] |
| 1997 | Alex Hunter, inspired by KPT but dissatisfied with the limitations of the Filter Factory, presents FilterMeister -- 'a 'bigger and better' Filter Factory'. It is said to be much easier to use than Filter Factory, and many of today's free and commercial plugins are made in FilterMeister.[11] |
| 2007 | Filter Forge Inc. brings procedural texturing to Photoshop by releasing Filter Forge, a plugin allowing users to build custom filters without any programming. In Filter Forge, filters are assembled in a visual node-based environment.[12] |
| 2008 | YouSendIt Inc. enables delivering files across different users/computers from within Photoshop. |
| 2008 | Adobe introduces their first Flash extension panel SDK for better integration of plugins with the UI. Anastasiy Safari builds[13] MagicPicker, the first and well noticed color picking extension suite for tablets based on it[14]. |
Plugins For Adobe Photoshop
Plugins distributed under various licensing models, including 'try before buy' commercial software, shareware, limited freemium versions, and 'free for personal use' freeware.[15][16]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abcThe Plugin Site - Adobe Photoshop plugins and plug-ins, filters and effects for Paint Shop Pro, Corel Photo-Paint, Adobe Premiere
- ^Understanding Photoshop Actions
- ^ abKnoll, Thomas; et al. (2003). Adobe Photoshop Application Programming Interface Guide (Version CS ed.). Adobe Systems. pp. 19–20. Retrieved November 28, 2019 – via UserManual.wiki.
- ^'VirtualPhotographer Help'. OptikVerveLabs.com. 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
- ^'IrfanView PlugIns'. Irfanview.com. 2011. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
- ^John Nack on Adobe: Why do I have to pay for the Photoshop SDK?
- ^KPT Effects - Corel KPT Collection - Software Review and Rating
- ^The Official Filter Factory FAQ
- ^Alien Skin Software Web Site
- ^Auto FX Software Web Site
- ^FilterMeister Web Site
- ^Filter Forge - Features
- ^John Nack on Adobe: Photoshop gets a new color picker panel
- ^MagicPicker color wheel Web Site
- ^Sarah Bennet Mills (2014-11-20). 'Free Adobe Photoshop Extensions for Designers'. Byteswire.com. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
- ^'Directory of Photoshop Filters and Plug-ins'. GRAFNET.com.pl. Retrieved 2015-03-10.
External links[edit]
Note:
Looking for information pertaining to the most current version of Photoshop? See TWAIN scanner plug-in.
TWAIN is an interface used to import from imaging devices, such as scanners. For more information, see the TWAIN Working Group's website. The Photoshop TWAIN plug-in connects with compatible devices that are installed on your computer.
NOTE: Do not use the TWAIN plug-in from Photoshop CS5 downloads. You must install the Photoshop CS6 and later version of TWAIN plug-in for Photoshop CS6 and later.
TWAIN has been the main technology used for scanning in Photoshop for many versions. However, it is not always updated for new operating systems, and therefore may work less reliably than other scanning solutions, such as third-party utilities such as VueScan, the scanner software that comes with your scanner, or other scanning technologies. These third-party utilities are dedicated scanning solutions, and they are more appropriate for critical or high-volume scanning. If you use a third-party scanning application, save your scanned images as TIFF files, then open them into Photoshop.
TWAIN should work for basic scanning needs, but if you experience issues with TWAIN, try one of the other scanning technologies described below.
Note:To use any scanner technology, you need to install a scanner driver. This will probably be installed via your operating system, but you may need to contact your scanner manufacturer, especially for older scanners.
Windows
In Windows, the Photoshop TWAIN plug-in can be used if you run Photoshop CS6 or later in 32-bit mode. TWAIN is not supported in Photoshop when it’s run in 64-bit mode. If you need a scanning solution when you run Photoshop in 64-bit mode, use the WIA (Windows Image Acquisition) interface for your device, if it’s available. WIA is also available for use when running Photoshop in 32-bit mode. Contact your scanner manufacturer for more information.
Mac OS
In Mac OS, you can use the TWAIN plug-in to scan when running Photoshop CS6 (Photoshop CS6 and later only runs in 64-bit mode). Not many scanner manufacturers have released 64-bit versions of their scanner drivers, so you may not be able to use TWAIN. Contact your scanner manufacturer for more information.
If your scanner manufacturer does not support scanning in 64-bit mode, or you have issues scanning with TWAIN, you can scan into Photoshop using Apple’s ImageKit technology, which is built in to Photoshop, does not need a plug-in to be installed, and provides access to many scanners.
The TWAIN plug-in is available with the other optional plug-ins for Photoshop CS6 and later:
Best Mac Plugins
After you download the appropriate file, double-click the file to decompress it. If you are asked, extract all files.
Windows
Note: For Windows, the downloadable TWAIN plug-in is 32 bit only.
To install the TWAIN plug-in for Windows:
- Exit from Photoshop.
- Copy the Twain_32.8BA plug-in from the Optional Plug-ins Win32/Plug-ins folder to the appropriate folder below.
- Windows XP: Program FilesAdobeAdobe Photoshop CS6Plug-Ins
- Windows Vista and Windows 7 (32 bit): C:Program FilesAdobeAdobe Photoshop [Version]Plug-Ins
- Windows Vista and Windows 7 (64 bit): C:Program Files (x86)AdobeAdobe Photoshop [Version]Plug-Ins
- Reopen Photoshop.
- Download the latest scanner driver from your scanner manufacturer’s website and install the driver.
- Connect the scanner to the system.
To use TWAIN to scan images into Photoshop:
- Open Photoshop 32 bit by clicking the “Adobe Photoshop CS6 (32 bit)” shortcut.
- Select File > Import > [scanner name].
Mac OS
- Quit Photoshop.
- Copy the TWAIN.plugin file from the download folder to the Applications/Adobe Photoshop [Version]/Plug-ins folder.
- Reopen Photoshop.
- To use TWAIN in Photoshop, choose File > Import > [scanner name].
For Windows, the downloadable TWAIN plug-in is 32 bit only.
For Mac OS, the Photoshop CS5 12.0.4 update includes some TWAIN fixes, and a downloadable TWAIN plug-in solves two more issues: You can scan multiple documents at once, and Photoshop no longer crashes on the second scanning job.
In Mac OS 10.6.x, the TWAIN plug-in supports 64-bit operation of Photoshop CS5. However, the scanner manufacturer must provide a 64-bit scanner driver, and few do. Contact your scanner manufacturer to determine if a 64-bit driver is available. If not, you must run Photoshop in 32-bit mode.
On 32-bit versions of Windows, the Photoshop TWAIN plug-in is installed by default. Because the plug-in isn't 64 bit, Photoshop does not install it on 64-bit editions of Windows.
In Mac OS, the Photoshop TWAIN plug-in is not installed by default. See below for installation instructions. Adobe strongly suggests that if you require the plug-in in Mac OS 10.6, you first install Rosetta. See the Apple help forums for more information on working with Rosetta.
Install the TWAIN plug-in for Photoshop CS5 and CS4
- For Windows installation instructions, see the downloaded ReadmeCS5_Optionalplugin.pdf file.
For Mac OS, see the instructions on the download page above.
From your installation disc, copy the TWAIN plug-in from the /<language>/Goodies/Optional plug-ins/Import-Export folder to the Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS4/Plug-ins/Import-Export folder on your hard drive.
When you use TWAIN to import from an imaging device, you may encounter problems like the following:
- Photoshop or your scanner application freezes or quits unexpectedly.
- You are unable to close the scanner window.
- You encounter errors during import.
- The preview of the imported image, or the imported image itself, appears incorrect onscreen.
Try the following solutions:
- On 64-bit Windows, use the Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) interface to import from your device. For instructions, see Windows Help or contact your device manufacturer.
- On 32-bit Windows, update the drivers for your device. For assistance with this process, see the website for the device manufacturer. If the problem persists with the most recent drivers, try one or both of the following:
- Import from your device using WIA.
- Using the software included with your imaging device, import and save images, and then open the saved images in Photoshop.
Best Plugins For Photoshop
- Update the drivers for your device. For assistance, see the website for the device manufacturer.
- If the problem persists with the most recent drivers, import your image using another application, such as the Image Capture utility. See Mac OS Help or contact your device manufacturer for more information.
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