popcorn
Junior Forum Member
Is this the correct forum to post this; but I am open to constructive feedback
Posts: 243
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Post by popcorn on Sept 2, 2020 17:37:46 GMT
Hi
I have several of the Franzis Plug-in programs.
I am running them as separate programs which gives me a problem in that, after processing in the Plug-in, I can only re-import the image as TIFF or similar file, not as a psd.
Somehow I managed to plug-in the ZOOM app, but I did this when I installed Zoom. On my five other Franzis apps I missed that step in the install process.
I would now like to access them via "Automation Tools" in Elements, this re-imports them as psd files. I can't seem to find a support link to get an answer from Franzis. Can anyone either "show me how" or furnish a link to Franzis support?
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Post by Sepiana on Sept 2, 2020 18:23:17 GMT
Hi popcorn, Is this what you want? If you scroll down to the bottom of their home page, you will see a "Contact us" link. Click on it and you will be taken to a page where you can submit your message. www.projects-software.com
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popcorn
Junior Forum Member
Is this the correct forum to post this; but I am open to constructive feedback
Posts: 243
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Post by popcorn on Oct 15, 2020 12:16:42 GMT
Hi Sepiana, I am still struggling with the Franzis Add-ons. I eventually made contact again, thanks to your link. I followed their instructions but Unfortunately I still am unable to install the plug-ins into my Elements 2018. I now never use them because of the disruption to my workflow. This is a pity because they are good. This a copy of their last e-mail to me and my reply; "Dear Nigel, then take the latest plugins from the program installation folder, no matter which year it says. Copy the plugins into PSE plugins folder manually. Should be working. Best regards, Your FRANZIS Team" My reply with screen shots. Hi, I download the Add-in for Denoise#2 Professional ( see attached screen shot “de-Noise Add-in” ) I copy and paste in Elements 2018 Plugin Folder I go to Editor>Files>Automation Tools and I get this error message ( See attached screen shot “plug-in’ ) I check the Automation Tools menu and there is no deNoise? What am I doing wrong? This has now been going on for over two years. What makes it more of a mystery is that there is no sign of Zoom or Elements+, which are both operating add-ins in the plug-in folder. Possibly I am not using the correct Elements plug-in folder? Could you possibly help? Regards Popcorn.
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 15, 2020 13:16:00 GMT
Hi Popcorn,
Your screenshot shows that you are following this path to get to the PSE 2018 Plug-Ins folder.
C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2018\Plug-Ins
PSE 2018 is a 64-bit app. This should be the path . . .
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2018\Plug-Ins
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popcorn
Junior Forum Member
Is this the correct forum to post this; but I am open to constructive feedback
Posts: 243
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Post by popcorn on Oct 15, 2020 17:17:23 GMT
Hi again Sepians, This must rank as one of the most frustrating tasks I have ever tried to perform. This has taken 2 years to date!!! I have downloaded the plug-ins as per Franzis instructions. Into the correct folder as per your instructions ( see Elements 2018 path attached ) I have rebooted and opened Elements 2018 Editor. I open Editor>Files>Automation Tools and I get this error message ( See attached screen shot “One or more plug-ins not available " see attached. I open Help > System info and I get this window ( see attached "Help System info " ) This seems to suggest that I have a problem in Elements 2018? Regards Popcorn
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Post by Sepiana on Oct 15, 2020 17:35:08 GMT
Popcorn,
I may be wrong (and, if I am, someone please correct me) but I'm inclined to say that the problem is not with PSE 2018 but with the plug-in itself. The error message that keeps popping up seems to point in this direction.
This could be the root of the problem . . . PSE 2018 is a 64-bit app; 32-bit plug-ins are not compatible with 64-bit apps.
Make sure you installed the 64-bit version of the .8bf file (x64.8bf).
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Post by BuckSkin on Oct 15, 2020 19:32:31 GMT
According to that bottom screenshot, I think the problem is that you have the plug-ins in sub-folders instead of directly in the plug-ins folder.
If I understand, Photozoom does work for you; notice that the Photozoom plug-ins are directly in the plug-is folder and not in a sub-folder.
>>> On EDIT: Also, recently, I had trouble myself getting some of their plug-ins to work.
As it turned out, they had two packages that differed very slightly in name; I tried the second package and everything went to working.
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popcorn
Junior Forum Member
Is this the correct forum to post this; but I am open to constructive feedback
Posts: 243
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Post by popcorn on Oct 16, 2020 11:30:23 GMT
Hi Buckskin,
In the screen shot the two files for Denoise and Sharpen are both loaded directly into the Plug-in folder and are both x64.8bf files. The Sharpen file in the plug-in folder is SHARPENProjects3Professional-PH7x64.... The Denoise file is in the same format.
I do notice that there are 3 files for the Photo-Zoom, two of which are named "PHOTOZOOM Pro6 Automation", one an .8bf file of 290 KB, the other is a 8.li file of 3127KB, and there is a third .8be file of 2850KB. There is only one file each for DENOISE & SHARPEN, both .8bf and both 178KB, very small. I assume they are links from Elements to the main program.
There are two versions of the files in the download, one is for Mac and the other for Windows.
The Photo-Zoom add-in is activated from Elements Automation but is not pinned to the Task Bar, all of the other four Franzis programs are pinned to the Task Bar and are activated from there. That may be the problem, possibly the main files must also be copied into the Elements plug-in folder. However the file names for Phot-Zoom include "automation", which seems to suggest they are dedicated add-in files. Franzis support is very polite but they don't seem to understand my problem and give me complete instructions. My initial error was missing the link to add them as add-ins when I initially installed them.
I am presently using the other programs from the Tasl Bar, but it does not fit into my workflow. It is further complicated by the fact that files exported from the programs are either Tiff or jpg not .
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Post by BuckSkin on Oct 16, 2020 17:38:31 GMT
I just had a closer look at my plug-ins folder and had to resort to the magnifying glass to confirm what I was seeing.
It may have no bearing on the issue, but this is what I am seeing.
All of my MANY plug-ins that are accessible via the Filter menu are 8BF files; I am now thinking that the "F" means Filter.
My Franzis plug-ins that are accessed via the File > Export menu are not 8BF, but 8BE; therefore, "E" probably means Export.
You may need to find the 8BE files before it will work; OR, and I am sure you already looked, check your Filter menu and see if they show up there.
The Filter menu plug-ins all have only a single 8BF file and the Export plug-ins have only a single 8BE file.
Another big difference I experience between Filter menu plug-ins and File > Export plug-ins is this: When I use a Filter menu plug-in, the plug-in immediately opens, does it's thing, I click Okay, and it either applies it's effect to the existing selected layer, or creates a new layer with the effect applied; compared to Export plug-ins, the Filter plug-ins do their task pretty much seamlessly, without much intervention on my part. In contrast, the Export plug-ins will open the program (if it is not already open) with my chosen file/layer loaded and ready to go. --- What one would expect, but does not happen, would be for that program's window to then show up front and center; it does not; in fact, one would thing nothing had happened; however, when I mouse down to the program icon on the task-bar, there is my image layer loaded and ready. I then do my thing in the plug-in program and, instead of clicking Okay (like I do in a Filter plug-in), I click "Open in External Program". At this point, Elements comes front and center with the image from the plug-in loaded --- NOT as a new layer on top of my image, but as a completely different image file that I must then drag on top of my image.
Just as an experiment, temporarily remove the PhotoZoom 8BF and 8LI files, leaving only the 8BE, and see if it still works as an export from Elements; I have a suspicion that the 8LI is possibly a Lightroom plug-in. I also now suspect that, instead of 8BF files, you are going to need 8BE files before it will work.
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Post by BuckSkin on Oct 16, 2020 18:03:42 GMT
My initial error was missing the link to add them as add-ins when I initially installed them. Another thing you could try = after re-reading your post, I am suspecting the 8BE files you are missing are possibly included in the main installation file. First, and sometimes this will work, without uninstalling the program, run the installer again; use the "Custom" and not the soccer-mom option in the installer; when the installer advances to that part, make the selection to include it as a plug-in. If it will not allow you to run the installer over the installed program, Uninstall the programs that are not working (try just one of them first), and then run the installer, this time making sure to choose to install as a plug-in. If you decide to try this route, I would first manually remove those files from the plug-ins folder.
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Chris
Established Forum Member
Posts: 490
Open to constructive criticism of photos: Yes
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Post by Chris on Oct 16, 2020 18:56:43 GMT
Popcorn, I am sure that with perseverance you can succeed. Sepiana and Buckskin have given good advice. As long as the Frantzis plug ins are compatible with PSE 2018 they should work.
I have checked my system for Sharpen projects.
SHARPENProjects_PH7_x64.8be and SHARPENProjects_PH7_x64.8bf have been copied to the path "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 2020\Plug-Ins".
They work fine. They can be accessed from Filter/Frantzis/Sharpen projects. Or File/Export/Sharpen Projects.
I only ever use the Filter menu option.
Kind regards Chris
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Post by BuckSkin on Oct 16, 2020 19:18:10 GMT
They can be accessed from Filter/Frantzis/Sharpen projects. Or File/Export/Sharpen Projects. I only ever use the Filter menu option. Hmmmm...., the Filter menu option is definitely the best option; I wonder whether if I were able to find the 8BF files that my Elements 7 would then be able to access the program through Filter menu as well.....? When I ran my installer, it may have been there, but I don't remember any plug-in option to choose. In fact, after the fact, I had to go to the site and find and download the packages of 8BE that I now have; there were no 8BF in those packages. It works fine via the process I described, but the Filter menu process is a lot quicker/easier. I have not yet hunted for them; but, I suspect that the program is producing and storing all the image files that I have been sending via Export; when I do find them, there will probably be hundreds, one for every image that I have used it on. I had a different program that did this behind the scenes; and, one day I was investigating something and found hundreds upon hundreds of huge TIFF files stored away.
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Post by BuckSkin on Oct 17, 2020 0:02:57 GMT
Have you tried here for the plug-ins ? Click your choice to jump to that projects support downloads. www.projects-software.com/supportSince the plug-ins package you got is not working, and providing you are certain you got the correct ones, maybe it would be worth your time to try some that are specified for other versions. They did not have anything for Elements 7; so, I downloaded two packages for Elements 11; the first package I tried didn't work, but the second one did.
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popcorn
Junior Forum Member
Is this the correct forum to post this; but I am open to constructive feedback
Posts: 243
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Post by popcorn on Oct 18, 2020 16:48:38 GMT
Hi Buckskin, Chris and others,
I apologize for not responding to your comments and advice, I have been laid low with a stomach bug for the last few days.
This is one of those moments that I regret my age, geriatric moments are much more frequent!! I had been so focused on accessing the programs via Elements>File>Automation Tools that I had not checked the Filters menu.
When Buckskin noted that access via Filters was more convenient than through Automation Tools, I opened an image file and checked Filters, there they were, both Denoise & Sharpen.!!! I checked see if the worked, they did. I downloaded the plug in for my Franzis Neat add-in and after restarting the Editor, there it was too. They all work on the BBF files only. Unfortunately Photo Zoom was not there, I checked the Automation Tools and Zoom was there. I reasoned that maybe the BBe and BLi files were taking precedence and overriding the plug-in file, so I removed them from the Plug-in folder Unfortunately the Photo-zoom did not appear in the Filter folder, so I rebooted my computer. Still no Photo Zoom. I checked the Elements Automation Tolls folder and Photo-Zoom was no-longer available there either.
I re-instated the two files in the Plug-in folder and Photo Zoom was back in the Automation Tools but still not in the Filter.
I now have access to the add-ins that I need for editing from the Filter folder and since I only use Photo-Zoom when I print, it is not the end of the world that I have to access it from Automation Tools.
I have managed to access Franzis support through the link Sepiana gave me, and the say I have to upgrade top a later version of Photo-Zoom to be able to access via the Elements Filter folder. My present version fills my requirements and I can't justify the expense of upgrading, so Photo-Zoom will remain where it is a little longer..
Thank you all, I would never have solved the problem, and ended my frustration, without your help. This forum is the best!!!
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Post by BuckSkin on Oct 18, 2020 19:00:14 GMT
Glad to hear (read) that you got it sorted out.
If my memory is correct, PhotoZoom is a program that will enlarge small image files to larger proportions without them becoming all pixelated, right ?
Does it do a really good job at this ?
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