=================================================================== 77 Ways that Aldus PhotoStyler 2.0 Beats Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 =================================================================== Windows About This Document This document describes some of the ways that Aldus PhotoStyler 2.0 for Windows exceeds the capabilities of Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 for Windows, and why a graphics professional would benefit from these differences. It is not intended to be an exhaustive overview of the hundreds of features and benefits of either product, but an illustration of some of the strengths unique to Aldus PhotoStyler 2.0. This material has been carefully reviewed and was as accurate as possible as of March 22, 1994. However, because both applications are complex and (naturally) undergo continuous upgrading, some descriptions may become invalid at a later date. We therefore recommend that you do not rely solely on this document for a pur- chasing decision, but that you also carefully review the current specifications of each product to weigh the features and benefits that apply to your particular digital-imaging task. We welcome your comments and corrections. If you know of any inaccuracy in this document, please write to: PhotoStyler Product Marketing, Aldus Corporation, 411 First Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104-2871, U.S.A. You may also fax responses to PhotoStyler Product Marketing at (206) 343-4214. Comments may be sent via email to rod.bauer@aldus.com on Internet or 75216,3137 on CompuServe. Contents The Top 10 Ways Aldus PhotoStyler 2.0 Beats Aldus Photoshop 2.5.1 Unsurpassed Productivity Accurate and Consistent Color That's Easy to Achieve Superior Output Quality Program and File Integration Powerful and Customizable Interface The Top 10 Ways Aldus PhotoStyler 2.0Beats Aldus Photoshop 2.5.1 Feature----Number Built-in color management system----46 Multiple previews for changes----1 Ability to load and edit portions of an image----2 Built-in image management tools----58 Multiple transformations at once----6 Tool ribbon----62 Quick Command palette----64 Harder working Open dialog box----20 OLE support----59 Image Navigator----3 Unsurpassed Productivity 1. Multiple, side-by-side previews of changes PH Whether a user is trying out filters, effects, or color corrections, PhotoStyler provides three previews of the image within each dialog box: one with the original settings, and two test copies that can be adjusted independently. This Multi-Preview capability allows users to try out and compare changes before committing them to the original image. Moreover, users can examine the previews at either a 1:1 or fit-in-window view. The 1:1 ratio provides an accurate, pixel-level representation of the effects anywhere the user chooses within the image, while the full view provides a way to check overall results. PS For every effect for which it offers a preview, Adobe Photoshop provides only one preview, with no option to compare original settings to alternative ones before applying changes. (The only exception is the Variations dialog box, discussed below.) When available, adjustments are previewed on the main image window that's open on the screen, at whatever ratio the image happens to be at, such as 1:1 or 1:4. For dialog boxes without previews, the change must be applied to the actual image. If the change isn't right, the user must undo the change and reopen the dialog box for further adjustments. Adobe Photoshop's Variations dialog box does show either two or six before-and-after thumbnail previews of changes (depending on the effect applied). Unlike in PhotoStyler, however, this multiple- preview option is available only for adjusting the color balance, contrast, and saturation. 2. Ability to load only part of an image PH To reduce image processing time and increase the amount of RAM available for image manipulation, PhotoStyler users can opt to load only a portion of an image into memory for editing. They can choose precisely what portion they want as they open the file or at any time during editing. Once editing is complete, the loaded portion can be saved back into the original image or saved as a separate file. This capability increases user efficiency and product performance by allowing image editors to work on large images a piece at a time. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. Users must always load all of an image, which can't help but increase image- processing time and decrease available RAM for editing large images. 3. Image Navigator for constant bird's-eye view of active image PH PhotoStyler 2.0 comes with an Image Navigator that provides a thumbnail, bird's-eye view of the active image at all times. This optional palette makes users more productive in three ways: by helping them keep track of where they are in the full picture while they work at the pixel level; by showing the overall results of up- close changes; and by letting them quickly select exactly where to go in an image without panning, scrolling, or zooming out from the current view. The Image Navigator also provides shortcuts for going to fit-to-screen, 1:1, or any other magnification level. PS Adobe Photoshop does not provide a feature similar to the Image Navigator. Users must constantly rely on the grabber hand, scroll bars, magnification tool, and many zoom commands to move around in an image, check the overall results of a change, and keep track of where they are in a picture. 4. Memory-usage indicator PH PhotoStyler has a memory-usage indicator to help users keep track of the amount of free RAM and free virtual memory available to PhotoStyler. The indicator provides numeric values of free memory, as well as a colored dot that indicates how the memory is being allocated--using RAM only or RAM plus the hard-drive memory (i.e., virtual memory). Based on this information, the user may choose to adjust the memory usage--and thereby improve the pro- gram's performance--by turning off the Undo function, resampling the image, editing only a portion of the image at a time, or performing similar actions that PhotoStyler supports. PS Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 does not offer this capability, so the user doesn't have the access to how memory resources are being used. 5. Practice Pad for testing brush settings PH The Practice Pad in Aldus PhotoStyler enables users to test all paint settings--such as brush width, paint flow, transparency, and so on--before applying them to an image. Users can practice on the current background color, on a standard color test pattern, or on a copy of any portion of the actual image. The latter option is particularly useful, for it allows image editors to practice with the tool precisely where they'll use it in the image. And in case they get it just right in the Practice Pad, PhotoStyler provides an "Apply" button to transfer the practice strokes to the actual image, saving the effort of trying to duplicate them. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 6. Ability to test and apply multiple transformations at once PH PhotoStyler 2.0 has an innovative Multi-Transform dialog box that lets users try out multiple transformations on a low- resolution version of an image, see the cumulative effect, and apply all changes at once to the image. These transformations include re-sizing, skewing, rotating, adding perspective, and similar functions. Multi-Transform also shows all changes in real time--that is, PhotoStyler redraws the screen at the same speed that the user makes adjustments, so that visual feedback is immediate. This saves time by helping the user achieve the right results the first time. PS Adobe Photoshop allows users to apply only one transformation at a time, hampering experimentation and increasing the time it takes to get to the final result. It does not provide real-time screen redraw for transformations. 7. Drag-and-drop copying of selections between windows PH PhotoStyler provides drag-and-drop copying between windows, bypassing the standard copy-and-paste operation through the clipboard. In one motion, the user can either cut or copy the selection from an original image and transfer it to another, even without selecting the second image. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. Moving selections between images requires three steps: cut or copy the selection to the clipboard, select the other image, and paste the selection from the clipboard. 8. Electronic loupe PH Aldus PhotoStyler provides a unique magnification tool, called the Magnification Loupe, that simulates a traditional loupe. As the user moves the tool over an image, only the portion of the image that's beneath the loupe is enlarged. This enables a user to check on details quickly, without wasting time zooming and panning. Users can set the loupe's magnification level from 1x to 4x, and can resize the loupe. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 9. Ability to open and close multiple images at a time PH PhotoStyler lets users select and open any number of images at once from either the "Open" dialog box or the Album. They also can close only the active image, multiple selected images, or all images at once. Like other Windows applications, PhotoStyler supports the ability to open multiple files from the Windows File Manager by dragging and dropping files onto the PhotoStyler application workspace or icon. PS Adobe Photoshop users can select and open only one image at a time from the "Open" dialog box. To open multiple images at once requires multiple trips to the dialog box, or a return to the Windows File Manager for drag-and-drop file opening. Adobe Photoshop can close images only one at a time or all at once; it cannot close several selected images at a time. 10. Window Manager for handling multiple open images PH Several standard operations such as saves, closes, changes in views, and adjustments to image resolution can be applied to multiple images at the same time using the Window Manager in PhotoStyler. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. All similar operations must be performed on one image at a time. 11. Undo of multiple painting actions at once PH In Aldus PhotoStyler, several painting and image-editing tools (airbrush, paintbrush, pencil, smudge, blur, dodge and burn, and so on) provide the option of undoing all actions recently done with that tool, or just the last action. (For example, when users draw four lines, they can delete all four at once, or only the last one drawn.) This feature provides greater flexibility when painting and retouching images. PS Adobe Photoshop can undo only the most recent stroke made with its tools. 12. Selective Undo for painting tools PH Using the right mouse button, PhotoStyler 2.0 users can selectively undo (i.e., drag over to erase) any part of what they've added using a painting tool, without losing the rest of the strokes. This selective undo works for all painting tools and provides the flexibility needed to apply an effect and then remove any part of it--valuable when correcting painting mistakes or fine- tuning a dodge and burn, for example. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 13. Better eraser tool PH Aldus PhotoStyler's eraser tool allows the user to erase an image to white, black, or the background color, or to the last- saved version of the image. Users can also control the opacity, edge softness, shape, and size of the erasing tool. This flexibility provides a great deal of creative control--for example, users can apply a series of effects to an image, and then use a partially opaque, customized brush to selectively remove part of the added effects. PS Adobe Photoshop's magic eraser tool provides only a fixed-size, hard-edge eraser that can erase only to the current background color or to the last-saved version, without any control over opacity. 14. Better speed for standard functions PH Benchmarks on an 8MB image show that Aldus PhotoStyler 2.0 is an average 33% faster than Adobe Photoshop in the application of filters and effects. Tests on a 10MB image show that PhotoStyler is 10% to 500% faster for general functions, such as painting, computations, and file handling (including opening, closing, cutting and pasting, and duplicating). Out of 93 benchmark tests performed, Aldus PhotoStyler was faster in two-thirds of the functions. PS Although Adobe Photoshop's performance speeds beat PhotoStyler speeds in a third of the tests, the program showed a significantly slower performance than PhotoStyler as images got larger, due to slower handling of virtual memory. 15. More versatile borders capability PH When creating a border from a selection marquee, PhotoStyler 2.0 lets image editors control the border's width, position, and edge, as well as preview the border before committing to the settings. They can set borders from 1 to 256 pixels wide, and control the softness or sharpness of the edges by a value of 0 to 150. They can create the border on the outside or inside of the selection's marquee, or have it straddle the marquee evenly. PS Adobe Photoshop users can control only a border's width (1 to 64 pixels), not also its placement and edge. The program always straddles the border over the selection marquee (half the width inside, and half the width outside). Adobe Photoshop does not provide a preview of borders. 16. Ability to disable Undo for increased memory PH The Undo function in PhotoStyler can be disabled to increase the amount of memory available to manipulate an image. An image that takes up 15MB of RAM, for example, might need an additional 15MB of memory to support the Undo function. By turning off Undo, users regain that extra 15MB of memory. Undo can easily be turned on again right before a comparatively drastic change that the user might want to undo. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 17. Ability to empty the Undo buffer PH For those times when a user doesn't want to turn off Undo to regain memory for image manipulation, PhotoStyler also provides a way to simply empty the Undo buffer of its current contents. (The Undo buffer stores what the image looked liked before the current change was made.) Much like emptying a trash can, clearing the buffer "dumps" the memory reserved for undoing the last action and releases the RAM for the next operation. Being able to free this memory gives the user even more control over the program's performance when handling larger images. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 18. More flexible magic wand PH The PhotoStyler magic wand (a tool used for selecting areas within an image based on the color or grayscale values of the pixels) provides more controls and options than Adobe Photoshop offers. In PhotoStyler, the wand can select colors or gray-scale values based on one specific pixel, or it can take the average of the colors within any rectangular, freehand, or straightline selection the user drags. The tolerance setting for color similarity can range from 0 to 255, and the wand can work with a variety of selection criteria (RGB, HSB, Hue Only, Saturation Only, Brightness Only, RGB Range, and HSB Range). For times when a current selection isn't quite right, PhotoStyler has an "Update" button that lets the image editor quickly change the criteria and update the selection without first deselecting the area. PhotoStyler can also add, subtract, and find the intersection of multiple selections made with the magic wand. PS Adobe Photoshop's magic wand can only select colors based on one specific pixel or upon the average of an area that is 3x3 or 5x5 pixels. Like PhotoStyler, it provides tolerance levels from 0 to 255 for color similarity, but this is the only selection criterion it offers. Adobe Photoshop has no way to reduce the current selection based on a new tolerance setting unless the user deselects the area, changes the criterion, and then starts the selection over again. The program can add and subtract multiple magicwand selections, but it can't take the intersection of multiple selections. 19. Remove Holes command PH When created with several selection tools or cumulative criteria, an active selection will often end up with "holes"-- unselected areas in a large field of active pixels. PhotoStyler has a Remove Holes command to turn this kind of complex selection into a contiguous selection in one step. PS Adobe Photoshop cannot create a contiguous selection area from a non-contiguous ones. The user must manually lasso or draw a marquee around the holes, which can require extra zooming and careful drawing. 20. Harder working "Open" dialog box PH The "Open" dialog box in Aldus PhotoStyler provides much more than standard file and directory listings. A thumbnail preview enables users to see and crop an image before they open it, or to select just a part of the image to load and edit. Sort and search functions help users locate files by parameters such as creation date, file size, and filename. Other options let them open an image at screen resolution, open a copy of the image, or load multiple images at once. From this dialog box, users can also gain information about a selected file (its size, color mode, format, location, and so on), set several file options (such as which resolution a Kodak Photo CD image will open at), and gain access to color management controls and PhotoStyler image Albums. PS Besides the standard directory and file listings, Adobe Photoshop's "Open" dialog box provides only an image's name and file size. It does not provide a thumbnail preview, nor any of the other quick-access features that PhotoStyler offers. 21. Snap-to-edge for free selections PH A PhotoStyler user can opt to make the free-selection tool find the edges in an image automatically. This provides an easy way to isolate objects from an image or an image from its background. PS Adobe Photoshop's lasso tool does not offer this capability. 22. Support of virtual memory for all filters PH All of the effects and image-correction filters that come with Aldus PhotoStyler 2.0 can take advantage of a computer's virtual memory. Thus users can apply these filters to an image that's larger than available RAM. PS Many filters that come with Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 do not support virtual memory. Most notably, all the Distort filters (Displace, Pinch, Polar Coordinates, Ripple, Shear, Spherize, Twirl, Wave, and Zig-Zag) can work only with images that are small enough to fit into the computer's available RAM. The Lens Flare, Pointillize, and Crystalize filters also have some limitations based on available RAM. Such restrictions can severely limit the size of images these filters can be applied to. 23. Ability to backtrack to correct a freehand selection PH When an image editor uses the free-selection tool to draw a selection, it's not uncommon to go astray from the intended course. Applying the Backspace key enables users to correct their in- progress selection by backing up point by point or pixel by pixel, and then continuing with the selection again. PS The lasso tool in Adobe Photoshop provides no option for correcting a selection while the user creates it. To achieve the same kind of marquee-editing ability, an image editor must use the pen tool to draw a path, and then convert the path to a marquee. 24. Rate of flow for paintbrush tool PH Among several other options, the Aldus PhotoStyler paintbrush allows users to set the rate of paint flow to more accurately simulate the behavior of real brushes. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 25. Automatic text shadows PH PhotoStyler provides an option for creating text shadows automatically. Shadows can be offset in positive and negative values by an amount equal to the size of the text, and can be given their own color. PS Adobe Photoshop does not create shadows automatically. Users must duplicate, offset, and recolor text to achieve the same results. 26. Easy editing and updating of floating text PH In PhotoStyler, users have a choice of entering text as a mask, a floating selection, or directly onto the image. When entered as a floating selection, the text can be readily reformatted, resized, moved, and edited until the user accepts it as final text. PS All text in Adobe Photoshop is entered as floating but it is not editable. To edit or reformat the text requires deleting it and starting over. 27. Ability to import and paste text from other sources PH Aldus PhotoStyler can import text files of up to 50 lines, and can accept text pasted from the clipboard. These options save users from typing all their text in place. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. All text must be typed from scratch into an image. 28. Sketch Overlay for adding comments PH Acting much like a tissue overlay, an optional Sketch Overlay in PhotoStyler enables an image editor, art director, or reviewer to add comments to an image, say, to indicate edits, corrections, or other requested alterations. The overlay is also a valuable tool for verifying that work on an image has been completed as originally envisioned. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 29. More extensive image information PH A single dialog box in Aldus PhotoStyler provides full information about any image, including its format, resolution, name, and location on the hard drive; its color mode and dimensions; and its actual file size and file size on disk (these differ if the image has been compressed). This Image Information box also indicates an image's current status--for example, whether it's been modified, whether a current partial edit is active, how many views of it are currently open, whether an OLE client is using the image, and so on. PS Adobe Photoshop provides only a smattering of the image information that PhotoStyler gives--namely, an image's dimensions, resolution, actual image size, color mode, and color channels in use. 30. Simultaneous horizontal and vertical flipping PH PhotoStyler provides a time-saving command that will flip an image both horizontally and vertically in one step. PS Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 requires the user to perform each operation separately. 31. More versatile virtual-memory support PH PhotoStyler 2.0 supports up to four hard drives simultaneously for swapping out virtual memory. This provides greater flexibility to the user, as well as the ability to handle exceptionally large images. Users can set up PhotoStyler to use a particular directory on a drive for memory swapping, and can reconfigure the virtual- memory drives without leaving PhotoStyler. PS Adobe Photoshop supports only two drives for virtual-memory swapping and does not let a user specify which directory to use for memory swapping. Also, the user must exit Adobe Photoshop to reconfigure virtual-memory drives. 32. On-call system information PH PhotoStyler provides access to complete information about the user's computer and operating system from within the program. Users can find out their system's configuration, the resolution of their devices (monitor, printers, and scanners), which printers and scanners are active, the amount of virtual and free memory in use, their monitor's aspect ratio, and Windows information. They can also gain read-only access to all configuration files, WIN.INI and other system .INI files, and the PhotoStyler "ReadMe" files. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 33. More flexible restore PH PhotoStyler gives the user a choice of how much information to restore during a revert: the whole image without any mask; a selected part of the image; only the mask; or the whole image plus the mask. These options enable a user to retain specific changes and throw out the rest. Restoring only part of an image also saves image-reloading time. PS During a full revert, Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 always restores the entire image, consuming the same amount of time whether the previous changes were large or small. Version 2.5.1 users can also fill (in essence, "revert") selected areas of an image using either the saved version of the file or a "snapshot" they've previously taken of the image. 34. Batch-conversion of file types PH Using the Album, PhotoStyler users can convert any number of files at once from one file type to another, such as from TIFFo to Targa, or from Kodak Photo CD to BMP, with a single command. None of the files have to be loaded to make the conversion. PS Adobe Photoshop users can convert only one file at a time by first loading it and then using "Save as" to give the file a new format. 35. Real-time previews of image computations PH Like Adobe Photoshop, Aldus PhotoStyler provides image computations for controlling exactly how one image acts upon another when they are subtracted, added, blended, composited, shifted, and so on. Unlike in Adobe Photoshop, however, the computation dialog box in PhotoStyler 2.0 provides a visual reference of which images and masks are being manipulated, as well as a real-time preview at either fit-in-window or 1:1 view of the results of the computations. Thus users can see precisely what images and masks they're working with, and can also be sure that the results are what they expect and want before they apply the settings. PS Adobe Photoshop supplies only a text-based dialog box for the same kind of calculations. The user selects filenames of the desired images and masks, types in values or chooses settings from pop-up menus, and must execute the calculation to find out the results (this feature has no Preview option). Because there's no visual reference to go by while selecting files, it's easy to insert the wrong image into a composite, or to layer the images incorrectly. Every correction requires a trip back to the calculation dialog box. 36. Greater control over dodge and burn PH In Aldus PhotoStyler, the Dodge & Burn tool can adjust highlights, midtones, and shadows simultaneously, with each attribute being given different settings. The program comes with 11 predefined dodge and burn settings, such as Increase Exposure, Increase Contrast, and Darken Shadows, and users can name and save their own dodge and burn settings for future use. A selective Undo can remove (erase) either all or part of a dodge and burn action for precise control over the results. PS Adobe Photoshop's dodge and burn tool can affect highlights, midtones, and shadows only one attribute at a time. Thus it takes three dodge and burn passes to achieve the same result as one pass in PhotoStyler. The program has no predefined dodge and burn settings, does not allow settings to be named and saved for later use, and has only one level of Undo for dodge and burn actions. 37. More color-selection options with eyedropper tool PH The PhotoStyler eyedropper tool can select a color from a single pixel or it can take the average of the colors within any rectangular or freehand area or along any straight or freehand line. This gives the image editor more control over precisely what color to work with when adjusting or enhancing images. PS Adobe Photoshop's eyedropper tool can only select the color of a single pixel in an image or take the average of a selection area of 3x3 or 5x5 pixels. 38. Up to eight colors within a gradient fill (blend) PH Aldus PhotoStyler lets users include up to eight colors in the same gradient fill. The colors can be chosen from the entire color palette. PS Adobe Photoshop allows only two colors (the current foreground and background colors) to be applied to the same gradient fill. Achieving the effect of multicolor gradients requires several gradient-filled objects side by side. 39. On-screen leveling aid for rotating images PH PhotoStyler provides an on-screen leveling aid (with rotation degree display) that assists in rotating selections to a precise vertical or horizontal alignment. The user selects any two points on the image that should be level or plumb, and PhotoStyler rotates the image accordingly. This one-step feature is valuable for adjusting crooked scans and precisely aligning particular image elements, such as tables or walls, with the top or side of the image. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 40. Ability to shift pixels within a selection marquee PH PhotoStyler has a Shift command that moves all pixels of a selection by a specified distance within the selection boundary. The user can shift the pixels up, down, left, and right, and can control what goes into the area vacated by the moved pixels (such as a fill of the shifted-out image or of the background or foreground color). This feature extends an image editor's options for artistic effects. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 41. More control when creating new files PH PhotoStyler comes with numerous predefined image sizes and resolutions for new images, including sizes for common film recorder formats, 35mm film, 4x5 film, and the current screen size. Users can choose the resolution of new images based on the current screen, target printer, active document, or custom resolutions. Image editors can also manually define the height, width, data type, and color mode of the new image. PS Adobe Photoshop users must set the height, width, resolution, data type, and color mode for each new file they create in the "New" dialog box. The program has no predefined image sizes and resolutions. 42. Automatic sequence of commands after scanning PH The PhotoStyler 2.0 user can set up a specific sequence of commands to be invoked after an image has been scanned. This makes dialog boxes open automatically in preparation for processing and color correction. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 43. Images draw on-screen as they are being loaded PH Because large images can take a bit of time to open, PhotoStyler displays all loaded parts of an image as the image is being loaded into memory. This way, users can verify early that it's indeed the image they want; they can cancel the file loading at any time. PS Adobe Photoshop does not display any part of an image until the whole image is loaded into memory. Therefore users must wait before they can verify it's the one they want. Users can cancel the file loading at any time, in case they remember that they're opening the wrong one. 44. Saves that can be canceled PH Occasionally, users save an image and then realize at the last second that they're accidentally writing over the original, saving the image to the wrong directory, or not quite done making all the changes they want. PhotoStyler therefore allows users to cancel a save (or a "save as") to reclaim the file; the user can then rename the image, change directories, or make additional changes as necessary. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 45. Support for math coprocessors PH PhotoStyler can take advantage of a computer's math coprocessor to speed up interpolation and many filter operations. Without this support, users would have to wait longer for the computer to process the results of their changes. PS Only the Lens Flare filter for Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 supports math coprocessors. Accurate and Consistent Color That's Easy to Achieve 46. Built-in color management system (CMS) PH PhotoStyler uses the Kodak Precision Color Management System to bring predictable color to a computer system. A CMS is a universal color translator that interprets color among various devices, such as scanners, color monitors, and printers. With a properly configured CMS, users get consistent, accurate color through previewing, editing, and output. Because the CMS makes on-screen color more accurate, the results of image editing are more predictable in PhotoStyler, and the user ultimately wastes less time, money, and materials getting images right. CMS information can be attached to images saved as TIFF files, so applications that support the Kodak Precision Color Management System can use the information, too. PS Because Adobe Photoshop has no color management capability built in, it provides no automatic controls for ensuring that the screen representation of an image accurately reflects what will end up in the final output. Usually, an image editor must work by trial and error with many controls to obtain accurate color results. Third-party CMS plug-ins are available for separate purchase, but they lack the full CMS integration that PhotoStyler offers. 47. Better color from Kodak Photo CD images PH Because PhotoStyler uses the color management system that's produced by Eastman Kodak--the creators of the Kodak Photo CD system--it can optimize Photo CD images specifically for CMYK output and separations. PhotoStyler also utilizes Kodak's own color-space conversions to translate a photo's color space into the monitor's RGB color space. PS Adobe Photoshop does not have access to all the information encoded into Photo CD images, making it impossible for the program to approach the color quality that PhotoStyler can provide for Photo CD images. 48. Support for the HLS color mode PH PhotoStyler supports the HLS color mode (hue, lightness, and saturation) in addition to the RGB, CMYK, and HSB modes. Using the HLS mode lets image editors isolate and work with specific properties of a color, say, to adjust only the hue of a color but retain its current lightness and saturation to provide more realistic effects. PS Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 does not support the HLS color mode. 49. Ability to merge several ranges of colors when compositing images PH When merging two or more images, an image editor must have control over the overlaid pixels--that is, whether the pixels within one image are opaque or transparent in relation to the other's. For ultimate control over this kind of merging, the PhotoStyler merge controls enable users to adjust the transparency for any number of discontiguous color ranges along the RGB spectrum (such as all colors between 2 and 54, 98 and 103, and 113 and 115). PS Adobe Photoshop's composite controls allow only one range of colors to be merged between images, which provides much less control over the results of compositing. 50. Ability to drop out single colors when merging images PH The merging controls in PhotoStyler let users drop out a single color in an image--such as white, black, or any other solid color--by simply clicking an option to make the color transparent. This is useful when compositing images that have solid backgrounds. PS Adobe Photoshop has no single command to accomplish this. Dropping out a color can be done manually, but the task requires toying with slider bars to find the right combination that will make a particular color transparent. 51. More flexible indexed-color tables PH An image that's in indexed-color mode has a color palette that contains a fixed number of colors (256 is the most common). Like many image-editing applications, PhotoStyler gives the user access to the color definitions through "color look-up tables." Aldus PhotoStyler does, however, provide numerous editing controls that Adobe Photoshop doesn't have. Image editors can, for example, easily "walk" colors through the table to analyze an image's component colors or to create special effects. (This shifts the selected colors one entry to the right or left by moving, say, the color in the 256th location into the first location.) Users can edit colors, find and change all occurrences of a particular color or range, quickly invert colors, and automatically redefine colors so that they blend smoothly from one selection to another in the table. As for most other alterations, PhotoStyler 2.0 provides a real-time preview of the effect of color changes on the image. Being able to edit and preview the changes this way gives image editors significant control over special effects, image analysis, and how the pixels within images map to certain colors. PS Adobe Photoshop allows its indexed-color table to be edited, but lacks the interactive capability to shift colors through the table. The program also cannot invert colors, redefine colors so they blend between two selected colors, or provide real-time previewing of changes to the table (the user must execute the change to see the results). 52. Four color-palette layouts PH PhotoStyler 2.0 provides four different layouts for its color palette, suitable for managing screen real estate and controlling which tools should be at hand. The palettes become progressively more complete, providing information such as color-component values, the color spectrum, color wells of most recently used colors, access to Help, and secondary access to tools such as the eyedropper. PS Adobe Photoshop provides only two layouts for its color palette. Both offer the foreground color, background color, and color-component percentages; the enlarged palette also adds swatches of custom colors. 53. Fourteen color libraries PH PhotoStyler provides 14 libraries of process colors: PANTONEAE* (Coated, ProSim, Uncoated, PoSim Euro, Process, and Process Euro), Trumatch Four Color Selector, DIC Color Guide (Dainippon Ink and Chemical), Focoltone, Grays, Crayon, Munsell (High Chroma Colors and Book of Color), and ToyoPC. Users can also apply custom color libraries created in Aldus PageMakerAE. PS Adobe Photoshop provides only eight color libraries: ANPA, Color, Focoltone, PANTONE (Coated, Process, ProSim, and Uncoated), Toyo 88 Color Finder 1050 System, and Trumatch. Users can also create custom color librries. Superior Output Quality 54. Print Preview PH In PhotoStyler, a Print Preview shows all elements that will be printed on the page, including the image itself, printer's and crop marks, labels, and tiling breaks. Users can instantly verify whether everything will fit on the output. The preview is immediately updated whenever the user alters the printing specifications, for example, to change the image's scaling, orientation, aspect ratio, or centering. PS Adobe Photoshop can show only an x'd rectangle that indicates where on the piece of paper or film the image will print. It does not show the placement of labels and printer's and crop marks. Because users don't know exactly what they'll get until they print, however, they can sometimes waste valuable time and materials getting the results right. 55. Tiling of printed images PH Aldus PhotoStyler can automatically tile images when printing to fit large work onto multiple pages. PS Adobe Photoshop has no tiling capabilities. If an image is larger than the print area, the image gets clipped during printing. 56. "Soft proofing" of color output on screen PH The Kodak Precision Color Management System allows the PhotoStyler user to "soft proof" printed output to the screen for an accurate representation of what the colors will look like on any CMYK output device supported by the CMS. This softproof feature reduces wasted output and improves the user's ability to achieve accurate color correction. PS Adobe Photoshop does not provide this capability. 57. Thumbnails can be printed PH PhotoStyler 2.0 can print one or more thumbnails per page from its Album. PS Adobe Photoshop does not provide thumbnail printing. Program and File Integration 58. Built-in image management tools PH PhotoStyler has a feature called Album, an integrated program for cataloging, managing, searching through, viewing thumbnails of, and tracking revisions of all images filed on a user's hard drives, CD-ROMs, and disks. Album is available at all times from an on-screen icon, as well as from the "Open" dialog box. Users can save images automatically into the Album, and add comments, keywords, and descriptions to them. They can search through or sort files by title, keyword, or file format, and can load multiple images at once into Aldus PhotoStyler. The Album is valuable for browsing through the contents of Photo CDs, which can name files only by number (rather than with more descriptive labels). PS Adobe Photoshop has no image management and cataloging capabilities, and no way to view Photo CD images as thumbnails before opening them. 59. Support for object linking and embedding (OLE) PH PhotoStyler supports OLE as a server so that images can be placed into other OLE client applications, such as Aldus PageMaker, Aldus FreeHandAE, or Aldus PersuasionAE, and then updated automatically. PS Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 for Windows does not support OLE. 60. Ability to sociate file types from within PhotoStyler PH From within PhotoStyler, users can set up any compatible image file format so that it recognizes PhotoStyler as its editing application. This way, double-clicking on an image from the Windows File Manager simultaneously launches PhotoStyler and opens the image for editing--a time saver for those who want to get their work done faster. Users can set up file associations for any image format that Aldus PhotoStyler supports, including BMP, JPEG, Targa, and TIFF images. Like other Windows applications, PhotoStyler also honors file associations created from the Windows File Manager. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this built-in capability. Association of file types can only be done through the Windows File Manager. 61. Better control and information for JPEG PH When saving an image in the JPEG format, PhotoStyler users can select a compression level from 1 to 100, as well as decide whether to subsample the chromatic resolution to achieve a higher compression rate. (The latter option provides settings for None, YUV422, YUV411, or CMYK4114.) All options provide better control over the degree of compression, in which a lower level loses less data than a very high level. PhotoStyler also provides access to information about the compression level and subsampling that has been applied to any JPEG image. PS The only JPEG compression control that Adobe Photoshop provides is a slider-bar continuum of settings between "Fair," "Good," and "Excellent." It does not enable users to select subsampling options. There is also no way in Adobe Photoshop to determine how much an image has been compressed, or whether subsampling has even been performed. Powerful and Customizable Interface 62. Tool ribbon PH PhotoStyler has an optional tool ribbon that provides quick access to all the settings for the currently selected tool or brush. This everything-at-a-glance palette provides more information in one place than Adobe Photoshop can, and supports faster changing of attributes for every tool. PS Adobe Photoshop requires the user to double-click on each tool to check or change its current settings, and to close the dialog box before using the tool, even if the settings are OK. The program's floating Brushes palette does update to show the current brush size. 63. More previewing methods PH For almost every action, effect, or transformation, Aldus PhotoStyler has a way to help the user preview the results before committing to the settings. These previews include the Practice Pad for trying out paint tool settings; Multi-Preview dialog boxes for comparing the effects of all filters, effects, and color corrections between the original and two test images; optional thumbnail previews in the "Open," "Save," and "Save as" dialog boxes for examining files before loading or saving them; a Multi- Transform dialog box to verify the cumulative effect of several transformations at once; dialog boxes that show a graphical sample of the current settings for text, tools, gradient fills, and similar attributes; a Print Preview to show how all elements on a page will print; and a "soft proof" for an accurate representation of an image's colors based on the selected output device. Furthermore, PhotoStyler can provide real-time previews for all effects, regardless of the type of monitor or graphics card in use; the real-time setting is optional so that users who have slower computers can turn it off if desired. PS In general, Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 has only three types of preview methods: a Preview button in some dialog boxes to show the outcome of that particular effect on the actual image on-screen; low-resolution thumbnails in the Variations dialog box; and select dialog boxes that show a graphical sample of the current settings for text, tools, fills, and so on. (In fact, most of the effects in Adobe Photoshop have no kind of previewing capability.) Adobe Photoshop does not provide anything similar to a Practice Pad, Multi-Preview, or Multi-Transform dialog box, nor does it have thumbnails in its "Open" dialog box. It can provide previews of only one action at a time, and--except for the Variations dialog box, which shows multiple samplings for only color balance, contrast, and saturation settings--it does not provide a way to compare "before and after" changes. In addition, Adobe Photoshop can provide real-time, 24-bit previewing--for those dialog boxes that support it--only on computers that have an Adobe Photoshopn compatible graphics board. 64. Quick Command palette PH To help speed their work, PhotoStyler users can create their own floating palette of up to 16 menu commands of their choice, such as oft-used filters, effects, and transformations. They can arrange the commands in any order they like--for example, to reflect the sequence of steps that tasks such as color correction may require. The Quick Command palette also provides an automatic cache of up to 16 most recently used commands. Image editors can create and save an unlimited number of command palettes for use with other images or other tasks. Besides enabling faster processing of images that need the same kind of enhancement, the palette lets people customize PhotoStyler for others in the production team who may not know the program's interface but who understand the editing tasks required for an image. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 65. Customizable toolbox PH Using drag-and-drop actions, PhotoStyler users can create their own custom toolbox within the standard floating tool palette. They can select which tools to include and where to put them--useful, for example, when grouping tools according to frequently performed tasks. PS Adobe Photoshop does not have a customizable toolbox. 66. Ability to align multiple views of an image simultaneously PH Frequently an image editor needs to have multiple views of the same image open--for example, to view different channels or ratios simultaneously. In this case, the user would want all views to be focused on the same area of the image, no matter where the active window is scrolled. PhotoStyler therefore provides an automatic alignment option that can pan all of an image's open windows at the same time that the image editor uses the grabber hand to move around in the active window. This ensures that all views are focused on the area the user is working on. PS Like PhotoStyler, Adobe Photoshop can show multiple views of the same image, but it can't automatically focus all the views on the same area without the user manually scrolling each window independently to the appropriate spot. 67. Harder-working "Save" and "Save as" dialog boxes PH In Aldus PhotoStyler, the "Save" and "Save as" dialog boxes provide similar functionality as the "Open" dialog box, enabling users to search through their hard drive, see a thumbnail preview of the active image, and set up formats and file types for the file about to be saved. Even as they're about to save a file, users can delete large files when disk memory is low, easily find a particular drive or directory, attach comments such as version notes to files as they're saved, and perform other file maintenance tasks. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer similar capabilities in its "Save" and "Save as" dialog boxes. 68. Better online Help PH PhotoStyler provides a complete context-sensitive Help that's accessible from every menu, dialog box, and tool ribbon. It includes an on-screen quick reference of all keyboard and mouse shortcuts, as well as hints at the bottom of the screen that briefly explain the purpose of any tool, palette, palette item, or menu command the cursor passes over. A visual Help reference shows the entire interface (complete with palettes and tools) side by side with the Help contents; a user merely points and clicks to see a complete description of a selected item. A full index is also available as a side-by-side window to keep users from losing their place in the index as they read among the entries themselves. PS Adobe Photoshop's online, context-sensitive Help is available for all of its menu items but for only two-thirds of its dialog boxes. It does supply on-screen hints about tools that have been selected, but not also for menu items, palettes, and palette items. It also lacks a visual reference for interface items, a quick- reference of shortcuts, and a true index (what it labels an "index" is more like the table of contents in PhotoStyler's Help). 69. Private .INI files PH PhotoStyler supports private .INI (preferences) files for different users, working styles, or types of jobs. The .INI file stores the workspace settings and tool and palette preferences that were in place when a user last left the program. PS Adobe Photoshop does not support private preferences files. 70. Complete "Fill" dialog box controls PH Aldus PhotoStyler provides significantly more control over fills than Adobe Photoshop. Image editors can set the fill color as black, white, the background or foreground color, or one of up to eight custom colors PhotoStyler saves for the user. In the same dialog box, they can set a fill's opacity and color mode, change its component-color values, get to the color picker to select a new color, and use an eye-dropper to select a color from a thumbnail of the active image. A Preview button shows the results of the current fill settings on the active selection. Being able to control so many fill attributes from one place aids experimentation and increases productivity. PS Adobe Photoshop 2.5.1 can fill an object with the current foreground color, a pattern, or with the corresponding portion of either the saved version of the file or a "snapshot" they've previously taken of the image (the latter option in essence "reverts" selected portions of the image). The user must reset the foreground color before opening the "Fill" dialog box, where only the fill's opacity and color mode can be set. All other color settings must be built into the foreground color. 71. Choice of color in work area PH When an image window is sized larger than the image itself, PhotoStyler lets users select from among seven background colors for one that interferes least with the colors in the image. This improves their ability to assess and correct colors accurately, with less distraction. The choices include white, black, and shades of gray, including 18% gray, the best choice for most viewing environments. PS Adobe Photoshop gives no choice to the user, instead making an image background of light gray or black. 72. Measurements in millimeters PH PhotoStyler lets users specify units of measurement in millimeters, as well as in the standard inches, pixels, picas, points, and centimeters. Millimeters are useful in Europe and other countries where the metric system is in common use. PS Adobe Photoshop cannot specify units in millimeters. 73. More flexible plug-in support PH PhotoStyler supports both the PhotoStyler for Windows and Adobe Photoshop for Windows plug-in specification. In addition, users can configure PhotoStyler to load plug-in filters that support either plug-in standard from up to nine separate hard-drive locations, providing users with more flexibility in installing filters. PS Adobe Photoshop for Windows supports only the Adobe Photoshop for Windows plug-in standard, and can only load filters located in the Photoshop PLUGINS directory. 74. All painting attributes always displayed PH PhotoStyler has a Painting Options palette that displays all attributes for the current paintbrush or airbrush tool, including its opacity, spacing, soft edge, rate of flow, and stroke length settings. Showing all attributes at once and in one place allows for faster double-checks and adjustments. PS Adobe Photoshop requires the user to check in three places to find out all current settings for a painting or airbrush tool: the tool's own dialog box (accessible by double-clicking the tool), the Brushes palette (which can always be open), and the Brushes Options dialog box (accessible only from the Brushes palette). 75. Constant feedback about whether selection areas are active PH The rectangular selection tool in the PhotoStyler tool palette always indicates whether there's an active selection area in the image. By "marching" in place in the palette, the tool alerts users when even one pixel is still selected, or when a selection marquee has been temporarily hidden. This saves them the aggravation of accidentally applying tools to the selection instead of to another part of the image. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability; users must often second-guess why a particular tool may not be working the way they expect, when the tool is actually being applied to a selection they don't realize is still active. 76. Two sizes for tool icons PH Tool icons in PhotoStyler can be set at either 24x24 or 32x32 pixels to govern the size of the palette and how well it fits on- screen. This feature is especially useful for those who have small monitors. PS Adobe Photoshop does not offer this capability. 77. Ability to open the program in maximized window mode PH A preferences option can set PhotoStyler to always open in maximized window mode. This was a popular request from version 1.1 users, many of whom would create a macro to perform this one task during launch. Being able to open PhotoStyler into the user's typical working configuration saves an extra step that is otherwise a nuisance task. PS Adobe Photoshop cannot be configured to open in maximized window mode. Copyright 1994 Aldus Corporation (in Australia, trading as Aldus Software Pty. Ltd.--ACN 054 247 835). All rights reserved. Aldus, the Aldus logo, PageMaker, Aldus FreeHand, and Persuasion are registered trademarks and TIFF is a trademark of Aldus Corporation. PhotoStyler is a registered trademark of U-Lead Systems Inc., licensed to Aldus Corporation. Adobe Photoshop is a trademark of Adobe Systems Inc., which may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Kodak is a registered trademark and Photo CD is a trademark of Eastman Kodak Company. Other product and corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of other companies, and are used only for explanation and to the owners' benefit, without intent to infringe. 3/94 Produced in USA Available from Aldus Corporation as document #988-929M ---End of document---