Ah ok, Yeah it is with groups. I have yet to come across someone that wanted Comps..honestly it seems a lot more of a hassle than working with groups I've never used Layer Comps but after watching some vids on what they are and how they are used and I think you would be honestly using them inconveniently to want to really use them to divide up texture creation like that (when essentially you get the same with groups and just toggling visibility)
I still think back to your earlier comment "Groups based on specific texture details/ fragments would be much more logical and would be much easier to re-compose, re-scale , move etc." This is pretty much how you should be doing it anyways. The only reason you think of what channel it's going into is when you're wanting to save it. It has no bearing on anything you should be doing as an artist other than saving it into your final texture channels (which you're going to want to think about anyways for shaders etc.)
While it is totally in the realm of possibility, much like DDS support (which I have prototyped and could put in), unless enough people want it in, I'm not looking to add in niche features to add to the code complexity that I already have
SO...if you can find more people that use that same workflow I'll look at it...otherwise I'll have to pass on adding it to Lazy Save itself for the time being.
Long time no see! I made a small update to Lazy Save tonight which makes it so you don't have to run PS in admin mode to use it. A lot of people were running into the problem where apparently Admin Mode would make it so you couldn't drag and drop images into PS? (Never had myself but if others did then I'm glad to oblige )
Nice tool, works a charm in CC 2017 (whew). Little question though, is it possible to set a filename suffix with channel packing? I'm lazy and keep all my maps in one psd.
Nice tool, works a charm in CC 2017 (whew). Little question though, is it possible to set a filename suffix with channel packing? I'm lazy and keep all my maps in one psd.
Hmm good question. I don't think I've ever tested it myself. I believe it is setup that if you don't override the name (in settings) it will just take your File name so you "Should" be able to just set it as you would with regular groups ex: Document named - MyAwesomeArt.psd Orange Channel Packing group with other groups in it for the packing - _d if you have it set to group name as postfix it should produce MyAwesomeArt_d.whatever But I'll double check and let you know
Edit: Double checked and yes it is setup to produce that if you'd like
Just realized I didn't bump here. Did a small update/bug fix last week to make it so you can do channel packing with resizing...I have no idea how this went so long without being caught haha but it's in and working now!
Ooooh, So I was kind of pestered on Twitter again today about PNG's not supporting channel packing into the alpha channel (geeee thanks Expresso ) so I re-looked into it and apparently this should be possible with the SuperPNG plugin which I think I can throw into Lazy Save with a little bit of work so that will be hopefully be coming soon! Also, this next version is FINALLY getting the installer treatment that Pixelmate has had for months...so after this one you'll have an installer (and uninstaller script after install) script to handle copying stuff to where it needs to go! Caveat for current users is that you will have to delete the LazySave folder from the CEP/extensions folder as Windows will try to merge the folders when using the install script which breaks the signing process. I'll make sure to post about it again when I release it
And the design question comes into the play. Adding SuperPNG to LazySave brings up the question of where/how to add it. Would a new SuperPNG button (with applicable settings in the setting tab) be better than having a toggle in the settings to override the PS built in PNG? The main reason I am adding it was to make channel packing a PNG possible so I was originally going to just have it only work on that but seems like it could be useful if people want it for regular saves too... Any ideas?
Well for now, I've released LazySave 1.7.0 out into the wild. Patch Notes:
V 1.7.0
-------
Both Donator and Free:
Decided to un-lazy myself and put the installer I use for Pixelmate in use for LazySave as well.
Donator Only:
Donators now have access to SuperPNG for channel packing. This makes it so you can have an actual alpha channel to pack into (regular png is just transparency)
Some Black Friday (until end of the month) goodness for Lazy Save https://gum.co/LazySave/blkfriday17 50% off. If you were thinking of getting it before, mid as well pick it up now
Multi-Channel Packing Save. Can now have multiple sets of channel packed groups save out in one go! Hoping to get it out next week or so (bit busy with life stuff this week - half of next week )
Question! I've been out of the loop a bit, does the tool also come with an 'unpack'-feature? Most of my channelpacking happens through my texture software these days. However sometimes I want to go in for some quick fixes in photoshop. Each time I have to unpack the channels and then manually repack them. If your tool could do both, that's huge! I also can't remember if it's possible to do setup your own channelpacking to use (e.g.) ORM or RMA channel packing. I have to switch sometimes...
Question! I've been out of the loop a bit, does the tool also come with an 'unpack'-feature? Most of my channelpacking happens through my texture software these days. However sometimes I want to go in for some quick fixes in photoshop. Each time I have to unpack the channels and then manually repack them. If your tool could do both, that's huge! I also can't remember if it's possible to do setup your own channelpacking to use (e.g.) ORM or RMA channel packing. I have to switch sometimes...
Thanks
Yeah in the full version you can use UDP's to setup Channel packing group setups. It doesn't do unpacking at the moment, if people are wanting it I'd be willing to look into it I guess
Thanks for that Cathodeus! Also @Dominique_ I've just finished the Un-packing script
ON THIS NOTE....
Users of Lazy Save, how many of you guys use cs6? I was going to update Lazy Save with the new Channel Unpack feature but was going to add it as a button to the UI and then found that I have apparently lost my file for editing the UI in Adobe's Configurator 4 (and to be fair that thing is busted af too) which would mean I'd have to make it from scratch again to add one more button...
This really is a if the majority of users aren't using CS6 (which god I hope you're not...) I really would like to drop support for it as it's been about ~2 years and the current version is stable but just not getting new features would mean I could actually make better things for the UI in CC if I want to.
I'm very much debating dropping support for CS6 because of this and because it's quite an old version that I have no doubt will not be supportable in the future and it's already a handful having to keep it updated as well...
IMO it's so crazy inconvenient to keep all those Normal , AO, Rough etc channels as layer groups while there are "Layer comps" in Photoshop. They are perfect to keep track of those "channels" and much more easy to work and cope with.
With all those Groups approach once you want to re-compose or re-scale something it quickly turns into an utter mess and takes forever to figure out where links are missing. It's so much more logical to keep this final "channels" out of your main layer stack.
If your script could pack " layer comps " into RGBAs without default Photoshop gamma messing it would be truly helpful.
IMO it's so crazy inconvenient to keep all those Normal , AO, Rough etc channels as layer groups while there are "Layer comps" in Photoshop. They are perfect to keep track of those "channels" and much more easy to work and cope with.
With all those Groups approach once you want to re-compose or re-scale something it quickly turns into an utter mess and takes forever to figure out where links are missing. It's so much more logical to keep this final "channels" out of your main layer stack.
If your script could pack " layer comps " into RGBAs without default Photoshop gamma messing it would be truly helpful.
I've never really worked with Layer Comps and I'm not honestly sure how you'd be wanting to set up your workflow for this. I did a very rough test which was setting up the groups like you would for Channel Packing (RGB) in Lazy Save and then in each group I put a Layer Comp'd file and did a test save and it worked with no issue. So I'm not sure passed that what you want to have really.
So I'm not sure passed that what you want to have really.
In a word I want to set only layer comps as final channels and no groups in the layer stack at all (theoretically).
Or rather having my layers grouped and linked by certain subjects in a way completely unrelated to output "channels". For example having layer groups something like '' base dirt" ,"stones" , "puddles" etc. composed by a complex depth combine trick based on height/depth images like what Height Blend node does in Substance Designer . it's possible since Photoshop CC with groups clipping. So I could move, scale and re -compose items any time easily. Including within assumed Z depth axis like what big 2d composers do.
And output channels like instantly switchable normal map, Ao, roughness etc that would be just "layer comps" in a separate panel. In fact Photoshop has some basic script to output layer comps as same named files. It just needs to be a bit more advanced like combining several layer comps representing RGBA or just color and alpha layercomps into a single file.
Someone did it before but that scrip stopped working a while ago and I can't find the link any more.
If I understand it right, I still think you'd be ok to have it setup with the groups in a PSD somewhere (just as a FINAL) output and do all your work like you're doing in the psb files (like you're likely doing now).
I'd imagine it would be like And then the "layer" in the group would just be the things you're working on and you can do whatever you want and obviously it would update in the final comp in this doc which would then allow you to one click save. Really Lazy Save is just supposed to allow you to work how you want really and just having the final setup like this allows you to just save quicker. I'm quite certain that I wouldn't be able to just out of the box make it work for LayerComps other than this way and I quite honestly won't put the dev time into it unless every user of Lazy Save would want it that way as the point of Lazy Save is to try to make it so artists can work how they want with as little dictation from me or my extension (the small bit that Lazy Save requires is just a group or in the case of channel packing, group setup with a colour)
I just wanted to say that IMO layercomps are more elegant and efficient way to keep track of final texture channels. Your linked example would definitely work too but it's another save/update waiting and honestly Photoshop does it forever sometimes, especially with 16 bit images necessary for proper depth and normal map editings .
There are numerous similar scripts and no one working currently doing it with layercomps so people just don't know how much easier and more logical it could be. But perhaps it's much harder to do I totally understand.
For sure, I just don't have any clue on how else you would construct something that would be as easy to just plunk things into place and have it save out a channel packed texture for example. I don't have exp with the layer comp setup to think of any way that would be as easy comparatively. I do see that it has some merit for composing things but I don't see how it would be effective in keeping track of stuff as easy (most artists I talk to about this think it would be easier to just have layers you move around and such instead of layer comps as well)
Thank you very much for this tool, I use it all the time. Unfortunately, I noticed that I don't have the ability to save my PNG files with 16 bits/channel. Do you think it would be possible to add this option in a future update?
Thank you very much for this tool, I use it all the time. Unfortunately, I noticed that I don't have the ability to save my PNG files with 16 bits/channel. Do you think it would be possible to add this option in a future update?
Thank you!
Hey, I've just checked on my end using the latest version of Lazy Save and I can save out png's as 8/16 bit. You have to set the mode yourself though. I think it's safer if users set their modes/color types as I don't personally want to be messing with the host document
Hello! I just tested again with the latest paid version 1.7.5 from Gumroad and actually, I managed to export a single layer as 16 bits/channel but it only works when exporting a single layer. When I try to export an entire group in the Selected Group Mode, the files keep getting saved as 8 bits/channel even though my PSD document is set as 16 bits/channel. Is it working for you when you try to export in Group Contents Mode?
I'm starting Lazy Save 2.0! Since I decided to not continue updating the CS6 panel a while ago, (and Adobe breaking some functionality of Lazy Save...) I'm going to do a UI/UX overhaul and make it as html/css panel'd as I can. I've got the start of it going, next will be figuring out where/what to put in the settings area and what to put in the main area. But it's coming (at some point) along with bug fixes that have fallen by the way side.
Also, going to try to do some UI mockups in the next bit and see what people think is the best to go with so keep your eyes peeled for that!
Replies
I have yet to come across someone that wanted Comps..honestly it seems a lot more of a hassle than working with groups
I've never used Layer Comps but after watching some vids on what they are and how they are used and I think you would be honestly using them inconveniently to want to really use them to divide up texture creation like that (when essentially you get the same with groups and just toggling visibility)
I still think back to your earlier comment
"Groups based on specific texture details/ fragments would be much more logical and would be much easier to re-compose, re-scale , move etc."
This is pretty much how you should be doing it anyways. The only reason you think of what channel it's going into is when you're wanting to save it. It has no bearing on anything you should be doing as an artist other than saving it into your final texture channels (which you're going to want to think about anyways for shaders etc.)
While it is totally in the realm of possibility, much like DDS support (which I have prototyped and could put in), unless enough people want it in, I'm not looking to add in niche features to add to the code complexity that I already have
SO...if you can find more people that use that same workflow I'll look at it...otherwise I'll have to pass on adding it to Lazy Save itself for the time being.
I made a small update to Lazy Save tonight which makes it so you don't have to run PS in admin mode to use it.
A lot of people were running into the problem where apparently Admin Mode would make it so you couldn't drag and drop images into PS? (Never had myself but if others did then I'm glad to oblige
I believe it is setup that if you don't override the name (in settings) it will just take your File name so you "Should" be able to just set it as you would with regular groups
ex:
Document named - MyAwesomeArt.psd
Orange Channel Packing group with other groups in it for the packing - _d
if you have it set to group name as postfix it should produce MyAwesomeArt_d.whatever
But I'll double check and let you know
Edit:
Double checked and yes it is setup to produce that if you'd like
Did a small update/bug fix last week to make it so you can do channel packing with resizing...I have no idea how this went so long without being caught haha but it's in and working now!
Also, this next version is FINALLY getting the installer treatment that Pixelmate has had for months...so after this one you'll have an installer (and uninstaller script after install) script to handle copying stuff to where it needs to go!
Caveat for current users is that you will have to delete the LazySave folder from the CEP/extensions folder as Windows will try to merge the folders when using the install script which breaks the signing process. I'll make sure to post about it again when I release it
Adding SuperPNG to LazySave brings up the question of where/how to add it.
Would a new SuperPNG button (with applicable settings in the setting tab) be better than having a toggle in the settings to override the PS built in PNG?
The main reason I am adding it was to make channel packing a PNG possible so I was originally going to just have it only work on that but seems like it could be useful if people want it for regular saves too...
Any ideas?
Patch Notes:
https://gum.co/LazySave/blkfriday17
50% off. If you were thinking of getting it before, mid as well pick it up now
Multi-Channel Packing Save. Can now have multiple sets of channel packed groups save out in one go!
Hoping to get it out next week or so (bit busy with life stuff this week - half of next week
I've been out of the loop a bit, does the tool also come with an 'unpack'-feature?
Most of my channelpacking happens through my texture software these days. However sometimes I want to go in for some quick fixes in photoshop. Each time I have to unpack the channels and then manually repack them. If your tool could do both, that's huge!
I also can't remember if it's possible to do setup your own channelpacking to use (e.g.) ORM or RMA channel packing. I have to switch sometimes...
Thanks
It doesn't do unpacking at the moment, if people are wanting it I'd be willing to look into it I guess
Also @Dominique_ I've just finished the Un-packing script
ON THIS NOTE....
Users of Lazy Save, how many of you guys use cs6? I was going to update Lazy Save with the new Channel Unpack feature but was going to add it as a button to the UI and then found that I have apparently lost my file for editing the UI in Adobe's Configurator 4 (and to be fair that thing is busted af too) which would mean I'd have to make it from scratch again to add one more button...
This really is a if the majority of users aren't using CS6 (which god I hope you're not...) I really would like to drop support for it as it's been about ~2 years and the current version is stable but just not getting new features would mean I could actually make better things for the UI in CC if I want to.
With all those Groups approach once you want to re-compose or re-scale something it quickly turns into an utter mess and takes forever to figure out where links are missing. It's so much more logical to keep this final "channels" out of your main layer stack.
If your script could pack " layer comps " into RGBAs without default Photoshop gamma messing it would be truly helpful.
I did a very rough test which was setting up the groups like you would for Channel Packing (RGB) in Lazy Save and then in each group I put a Layer Comp'd file and did a test save and it worked with no issue. So I'm not sure passed that what you want to have really.
Or rather having my layers grouped and linked by certain subjects in a way completely unrelated to output "channels". For example having layer groups something like '' base dirt" ,"stones" , "puddles" etc. composed by a complex depth combine trick based on height/depth images like what Height Blend node does in Substance Designer .
it's possible since Photoshop CC with groups clipping. So I could move, scale and re -compose items any time easily. Including within assumed Z depth axis like what big 2d composers do.
And output channels like instantly switchable normal map, Ao, roughness etc that would be just "layer comps" in a separate panel. In fact Photoshop has some basic script to output layer comps as same named files. It just needs to be a bit more advanced like combining several layer comps representing RGBA or just color and alpha layercomps into a single file.
Someone did it before but that scrip stopped working a while ago and I can't find the link any more.
I'd imagine it would be like
And then the "layer" in the group would just be the things you're working on and you can do whatever you want and obviously it would update in the final comp in this doc which would then allow you to one click save.
Really Lazy Save is just supposed to allow you to work how you want really and just having the final setup like this allows you to just save quicker.
I'm quite certain that I wouldn't be able to just out of the box make it work for LayerComps other than this way and I quite honestly won't put the dev time into it unless every user of Lazy Save would want it that way as the point of Lazy Save is to try to make it so artists can work how they want with as little dictation from me or my extension (the small bit that Lazy Save requires is just a group or in the case of channel packing, group setup with a colour)
There are numerous similar scripts and no one working currently doing it with layercomps so people just don't know how much easier and more logical it could be. But perhaps it's much harder to do I totally understand.
I don't have exp with the layer comp setup to think of any way that would be as easy comparatively. I do see that it has some merit for composing things but I don't see how it would be effective in keeping track of stuff as easy (most artists I talk to about this think it would be easier to just have layers you move around and such instead of layer comps as well)
Paid users got updates so Free still remains on 1.7.3.
Thank you very much for this tool, I use it all the time.
Unfortunately, I noticed that I don't have the ability to save my PNG files with 16 bits/channel.
Do you think it would be possible to add this option in a future update?
Thank you!
I think it's safer if users set their modes/color types as I don't personally want to be messing with the host document
In case you guys haven't seen on Twitter,
I'm starting Lazy Save 2.0!
Since I decided to not continue updating the CS6 panel a while ago, (and Adobe breaking some functionality of Lazy Save...) I'm going to do a UI/UX overhaul and make it as html/css panel'd as I can. I've got the start of it going, next will be figuring out where/what to put in the settings area and what to put in the main area. But it's coming (at some point) along with bug fixes that have fallen by the way side.
Also, going to try to do some UI mockups in the next bit and see what people think is the best to go with so keep your eyes peeled for that!