The Nik Collection tools allow for filter settings to be saved in “Recipe” (.np) files - thereby enabling the saved filters, and their settings, to be applied to other images and to be saved for future re-use.
That’s good … However, these Recipe files contain only generic filter settings - but NOT any details about the use of Control Points related to the filter(s).
Therefore, in the typical case where Control Points have been applied to refine the action of filters, Recipes are of no use in replicating such refinements for a specific image … such as when one might wish to rework some basic adjustments in PL and then re-apply some final touch-ups with a Nik tool.
Request:
It would be excellent if Nik Collection by DxO tools were able to provide for saving of image-specific filter AND Control Point settings in a side-car file (perhaps in a .nik file - similar in concept to the .dop sidecar files) - so that the Nik Collection tool could apply Control-Point settings to an image if it detects the existence of a .nik sidecar when the image is re-opened by the tool (again, similar to the way that PL currently functions).
so you basically want to have a non destructive process for NIK, where all adjustments including control points are stored in a sidecar. To make this work the adjustments must never be written back to the original file. Otherwise there is no base image available on second iteration or the adjustments would be applied twice, if the same image was used.
I would very much like this too, one of my main issues with NIK SW. The results are amazing, but it is not possible to stop editing and pick up again the next day ro to go back to see what changes I made to a file.
Imagine you work to edit an image in any of the Nik plugins, save it and send it to the customer.
Once the customer see the image he ask for a little modification and you have to make everything from scratch once again – and if you don’t keep a written list of all the changes you do practically is impossible to get to the same result once again.
So if Nik plugins can save a sidecar file with everything you did to an image you will be able to load your image, change it as requested, and save it again being sure that if you customer wants even more modifications you will be able to do them.
I would think the sidecar file idea would only work if you are editing directly into Nik rather than using it as a plugin from another app. For Photoshop users you can already retain all control points, filters etc by using a smart object instead of a normal layer.
Create a new layer as a smart object, then edit in Nik then save back to PS. Then when you double click the smart object it opens Nik with all your edit details intact.
This is exactly the way I currently work with the Nik Collection.
And it is my number one feature request, to be able to work in a similar way with PhotoLab!
Saving setting information n in a sidecar file would be amazing feature to add the the NIK collection. I use ACDSee Ultimate and don’t have access to Smart Objects found in PS. I would love to be able to go back and able to reedit an image if I need to make a change without having to save a preset .np file.