I use Photo AI 3.2 as a “Smart Filter” on a Photoshop “Smart Object”.
After selecting my settings, I “Export to Photoshop” to see the changes.
In earlier versions, reopening the “Smart Filter” evoked Photo AI and recalled the previously saved Photo AI settings. This no longer happens… my previous settings are lost.
I am not sure what version this started happening.
I looked at the Preferences to see if there was an option to maintain previous settings.
Any thoughts
Thanks,
Bob DiNatale
Can you tell me which Photoshop plugin path you are using:
John,
Filter > Topaz Labs > Topaz Photo AI
Thanks,
Bob
I’d like to be able to replicate the workflow you are using on my machine regarding Smart Filters. To do so, would you please take a screen recording of this behavior so I can see exactly what is happening?
Loom is a great free application for this: Loom | Free Screen & Video Recording
John,
I installed Loom and recorded my use of Photo AI as a “Smart Filter” in
Photoshop… I hope it is clear. The link is below
Editing Workflow Demo - Watch Video
https://www.loom.com/share/94cd021249ab412f8115f649fc5a3282
https://www.loom.com/share/94cd021249ab412f8115f649fc5a3282?utm_medium=gif
In this video, I demonstrate editing a raw file in Lightroom, applying
Topaz filters, and adjusting sharpening settings. I showcase
over-sharpening for demo purposes and export to Photoshop for further
editing. I highlight the non-destructive process and the ability to reopen
filters for readjustments. No action requested from viewers.
Thanks,
Bob DiNatale
Website: www.BobDiNatale.com https://www.bobdinatale.com/
Author: The Optimum Digital Exposure
https://www.bobdinatale.com/shop/the-optimum-digital-exposure/, Processing
the Digital Image
https://www.bobdinatale.com/shop/processing-the-digital-image/
Inventor: Patent # 4,087,180 https://patents.google.com/patent/USRE30449
I’ve talked with the team and we’ve reviewed your video and unfortunately Smart Objects while working with the plugin are not supported.
It would be recommended that you rasterize your Smart Object or go into the Smart Object and edit from there.
John,
“…Smart Objects while working with the plugin are not supported.”
*Unfortunate. *
With all the recent (and future) advances in digital processing, for Topaz
to no longer support a nondestructive workflow (NDW) is quite unfortunate.
The path to maintaining an NDW is using Photo AI through Photoshop as a
“Smart Filter “applied to a “Smart Object”. Earlier versions of Photo
AI supported a non-destructive workflow
Your other competitors, Luminar & OnOne continue to support an NDW with
multiple filters and masks… yet, they fall short of your ever-evolving
sharpening algorithms.
Limits Software Evolvement and End User Growth
Your recommended Photo AI/Lightroom workflow is destructive… it flattens
LR’s non-destructive processing and applies Photo AI’s adjustments into a
bitmap embedded in a DNG file. *This limits the power of your
“ever-evolving” software and the continuing learning curve of the end user.
Saying it’s “Not Supported” because it’s broken is not a good look.
Running plugins on a Smart Object is a perfectly valid Photoshop use case. Photo AI neither works correctly on Smart Objects nor warns the user about the inability to modify Smart Filter params. This isn’t “Not Supported”. This is “Broken” as the plugin introduces potential data loss into a non-destructive workflow.
If your product doesn’t support this valid Photoshop use case, it needs to be documented in your product documentation as a limitation (so potential customers are aware before purchasing), and the product should alert the user when they try to perform this valid operation in Photoshop (as other Photoshop plugins do).
Can you recall when this issue started for you I want to get some more information about this issue in order to share with the development team.
John,
Just getting in from a long weekend.
Let me see if I can look back and try to pinpoint a version that supported
“Smart Filters”.
Of course, if I open the file with the current (4.2?) it will lose my Photo
AI settings.
Is there I way I can roll back versions by uninstalling the current version
and reinstalling older versions to check some of the PS files I created a
few months ago to try to determine where the change occurred?
Bob DiNatale
Website: www.BobDiNatale.com https://www.bobdinatale.com/
Author: The Optimum Digital Exposure
https://www.bobdinatale.com/shop/the-optimum-digital-exposure/, Processing
the Digital Image
https://www.bobdinatale.com/shop/processing-the-digital-image/
Inventor: Patent # 4,087,180 https://patents.google.com/patent/USRE30449
Hey Bob,
Thanks for your reply 
You can find any previous version ready for download from the following link:
Let me know how that goes for you, and just a reminder you can also reach out to us by sending an email to help@topazlabs.com.
John,
That will be helpful… I’ll start poking around tomorrow
Bob DiNatale
Website: www.BobDiNatale.com https://www.bobdinatale.com/
Author: The Optimum Digital Exposure
https://www.bobdinatale.com/shop/the-optimum-digital-exposure/, Processing
the Digital Image
https://www.bobdinatale.com/shop/processing-the-digital-image/
Inventor: Patent # 4,087,180 https://patents.google.com/patent/USRE30449
John,
I was able to use Photo AI in a non-destructive workflow using it as a
“Smart Filter” in Photoshop.
I needed to uninstall the latest version of Photo AI [3.2.2] and
install Photo AI version [2.4.2]
In Photoshop, I applied Photo AI as a “Smart Filter” to a “Smart Object”
layer…
This opens Photo AI where I added an exaggerated Sharpening effect and a
“Subject” mask.
Then, I reopened the Photo AI “Smaft Filter” and readjusted my
Sharpening settings to the previously saved “Subject” mask…then resaved
back to Photoshop
I recorded a 3-minute video, here is the link
Topaz_2.4.2-SmartFilter-1080p.mp4
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wICFMwnBBzw29VjaBmVSXKd9b-JPNg7c/view?usp=drive_web
As an industry leader producing the most significant software, I cannot
stress enough the importance of re-instating this non-destructive workflow
in your latest version of Topaz AI.
Please let me know if I can do any testing at this end.
Thanks
Bob DiNatale
Website: www.BobDiNatale.com https://www.bobdinatale.com/
Author: The Optimum Digital Exposure
https://www.bobdinatale.com/shop/the-optimum-digital-exposure/, Processing
the Digital Image
https://www.bobdinatale.com/shop/processing-the-digital-image/
Inventor: Patent # 4,087,180 https://patents.google.com/patent/USRE30449
I requested access to the Google Drive link you’ve sent, if you can would you mind sharing the file to the Dropbox link in the above post?
Please be sure to send in a note when you send something in
Tim,
Did you see where I could save Photo AI as a Smart Filter after uninstalling version 3.2 and then reinstalling version 2.4.2?
I was then able to reopen the Smart Filter with my initial settings, make adjustments then resave back into my PS document.
Photo AI 2.4.2 also recalled the mask but I’m not sure how faithful.
Bob DiNatale
Thanks, Bob! I’m not sure that Photo AI is useful enough to me to go back that far revision-wise.
Also, it appears that Topaz Sharpen AI is completely broken with it comes to being used as a Smart Filter. If you disable and re-enable visibility of it as a Smart Filter in the Layers panel, the plugin starts and then hangs. I’ll have to post that in the appropriate forum.
