Filters Unlimited and Xara X

[Kimi]

Do any of you use a plugin called Filters Unlimited with Xara X? It's basically a PhotoShop compatible filter management tool, but the program itself acts like a plugin.

I recently purchased the full version, and I have successfully used Filters Unlimited with Paint Shop Pro 7, PhotoImpact 6, and PhotoBrush. It "works" in XaraX, but the preview screen has gray stripes running across it, whenever I try to look to see how a filter previews. The final image renders fine. The preview screen appears fine with all of the other programs that I use Filters Unlimited with....everything except Xara X. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, is there a fix or a workaround for it?

The plugin itself is nice, btw. It manages .ffx, .ffl, and .8bf plugin formats, and has a preview window to see what the plugins do, before actually applying them to your graphic. Also, since Filters Unlimited acts as a plugin (which can house hundreds of other plugins), the loading time for a program using plugins is MUCH shorter. I also tried a similar program called Plugin Commander, but liked the interface and functionality of Filters Unlimited much better.

I'm just hoping there's a way to see the preview window clearly in Filters Unlimited with Xara X. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Thanks,
Kim

[Kimi]

Do any of you use a plugin called Filters Unlimited with Xara X? It's basically a PhotoShop compatible filter management tool, but the program itself acts like a plugin.

I recently purchased the full version, and I have successfully used Filters Unlimited with Paint Shop Pro 7, PhotoImpact 6, and PhotoBrush. It "works" in XaraX, but the preview screen has gray stripes running across it, whenever I try to look to see how a filter previews. The final image renders fine. The preview screen appears fine with all of the other programs that I use Filters Unlimited with....everything except Xara X. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, is there a fix or a workaround for it?

The plugin itself is nice, btw. It manages .ffx, .ffl, and .8bf plugin formats, and has a preview window to see what the plugins do, before actually applying them to your graphic. Also, since Filters Unlimited acts as a plugin (which can house hundreds of other plugins), the loading time for a program using plugins is MUCH shorter. I also tried a similar program called Plugin Commander, but liked the interface and functionality of Filters Unlimited much better.

I'm just hoping there's a way to see the preview window clearly in Filters Unlimited with Xara X. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Thanks,
Kim

[gwpriester]

Actually Xara kind of acts like a Filter Organizer too. When you are in the Plug-ins tabbed section in the Page Options, you can add as many plug-in sources as you want. And they can be anywhere on your hard drive, not just in Xara's Plugins folder

Then whenever you look in the Bitmap Effects Plug-ins section of the Untilities menu, you will see all your plug in filters listed.

If a company has several filters in the set they should be listed in a fly out subset menu.

Gary

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[Jackie]

I get exactly the same result, unfortunately. All the filters within FUn work properly, but the preview is messed up. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

It's too bad, because I currently have more than 4000 Filter Factory compatible plugins converted to work from within FUn. It's a great space and resource saver.

The preview does work correctly in all my bitmap editors; it's just Xara that's wonky.

[Kimi]

Thanks for letting me know that the same thing happened to you too. At least I know it's not just me. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Kim

[Erik Heyninck]

You can also put all your plug-ins in a special folder in the root, for example C:

Then, in your graphics software, you only put a shortcut that directs to the special folder.
You only have to install them once, and you can use them in all your progs without cluttering their plugin folders.

If you don't work against time, time often works for you.

[Kimi]

Erik,

That's good advice, and exactly what I do. All of my plugins are in one folder on my main hard drive, and I have the path to it set with all of my image editing programs. I initially started by putting the plugins in separate directories, but quickly realized how convenient it is to have them all in one place! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Kim