Avoid multiple apply/unapply of the same filter in the history

Sometimes, I want to see the effect of a specific filter. To do so, I do apply/unapply that filter multiple times, which is reflected in the history.
Since those multiple repetitive steps are not providing any benefits but are annoying, it would be nice to have a smart history that get rid of those superfluous steps.

Don’t forget to vote for your own request! :slight_smile:

1 Like

This seems to be a duplicate of

Votes should be combined.

1 Like

There will be difficulty doing this. If you delete or alter older history edits, all edits after that point are also deleted. History stacks in most software I’m familiar with share that same characteristic.

Mark

At least, for the last recently changed option, this is possible though.

Just keep the latest history entry “alive” and just update its content instead of generating new entries - until any other setting is being changed, at this time the previous entry gets persistent.
This applies to on/off changes as well as to changes of any value.

Not a big deal from a programmers view…

Deleting entries would call for a redesign of the functionality for the standard undo stack and it is unlikely DXO will attempt to change this.

Mark

Personally, I don’t see the point behind such a list. Editing with PhotoLab is not a linear process, it is known as parametric - anything can happen in any order.

On the other hand, being able to hide all palettes that have not been used is so useful as you can instantly see what has been done, regardless of when it was done and things can be undone or changed without having to worry about deleting a whole load of stuff the you did after the step you want to change.

I get the feeling PhotoLab had to have a history list because certain other software has one, not because of a logical reason for its existence :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

3 Likes

Of course Joanna you have expressed this opinion on a few occasions and for you, and perhaps some others, this visual history list is not a necessary or particularly useful feature. For me, and I suspect many other people, it is an incredibly useful feature which I take advantage of in every editing session. I think whether or not someone finds it useful will depend upon their personal workflow.

Mark

1 Like

Indeed :sunglasses:

1 Like

I still think it’s linear. One can not change the sequence in the history list, nor insert or delete an edit simply because all the edits are done on the image you see and want to change. It’s mentioned in the manual too.
The parametric design just refers to the way the edits are saved: not as an image but as an edit list belonging to the original file.

From the manual:
"You can’t erase just one or more steps in the history, simply because doing so doesn’t make sense, as corrections are usually made relative to each other (for example, you do the white balance before correcting colors, and erasing the white balance step would not make sense). If you want to take back a correction, simply act on the tool concerned, by changing its setting or value. In this case, this action will appear at the top of the history. "

George

1 Like

That sort of sounds right until you realise that there is no reason at all why you shouldn’t erase the white balance step, especially if you changed your mind about the temperature and wanted to revert to the camera value. Why leave an “experiment” in the history? Especially if you want to keep everything after that step.

@mwsilvers and I have discussed this at length and I know we differ. Personally I don’t see the point of trawling through a history list when I can simply search the palette for the setting I want to change or cancel.

For me, although I could sort of see the need for a history list, being able to search the palettes was a game changer and now I have “seen the light” :sunglasses:

1 Like

Except for b/w I do count 31 presets and in pl3 I’m unable to see what was used. I’m not going to compare 31 presets. In the history list of pl4 I can see what preset was used.

George

OK, I’ll concede that that is definitely useful. Now, if only they could group all the small changes made at the same time to the same tool together :wink:

It might be helpful to know what preset is used since when you open a new raw file the default preset is used. Referring to another thread the presets are not stored in a dop file. So even if you don’t have a dop file, the image is edited, except when no correction was used. I’m glad with the history list.

One other demand of me was to have the possibility of editing a picture and NOT saving the edits. Many times I just try something to play with pl. I always have to find a picture that wasn’t edited yet, so I can reset it. With this history list I could find a way to do that, a primitive one.

George

Currently, the Windows version does not save history between sessions - tho, I believe the Mac version does so(?). When this new feature was originally mooted, we were assured there would be an option to NOT save correction history between sessions.

John