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 AnyFX Shared Help -- Adobe Photoshop

How to Use This Help System

This help guide includes basic info, tutorials, and tips. To access this help while using AnyFX Shared plugin, Click the ? button.


Contents


•How to Apply AnyFX Shared Plugin in Adobe Photoshop
•Basics Within AnyFX Shared
•AnyFX Shared Saved Settings and Presets
•Detailed AnyFX Shared Help and Tutorials
•What's the Difference Between Video and Photoshop Effects

 How to Apply AnyFX Shared Plugin

In Adobe Photoshop (version 2017 or later):

Choose a AnyFX Shared filter in the Pixelan section within Photoshop's Filter menu. The plugin's controls will then appear in a custom window.

 Basics Within AnyFX Shared

AnyFX Shared Easy Steps

Basics Within AnyFX Shared
AnyFX Shared tutorial for Adobe Photoshop
Click here to choose from a HUGE range of pre-made effects via a pop-up menu. Click Recent to quickly load a recently used preset.
(1) Check if the effect has presets. Most effects (except the simplest ones) come with a set of ready-to-use presets. Click the Load Preset button to visually choose from the available pre-made effects (plus saved favorites) in an animated Effects Browser window.
To create a new effect or to modify a preset...
(2) Adjust the controls in the main effect sections. For detailed help per control, Alt-click the ? button.
(3) If needed, untwirl other sections of the effect to fine-tune further. 		(A) Load a Recent Effect. Click “Recent” to instantly access a submenu of your recently applied effects, saving time.
(B) Undo/Redo. Click the green arrows to undo or redo your prior steps – great for experimenting with new looks/variations.
(C) Effect Info. Click the Pixelan logo to access this info.
(D) Help. Click the blue ? button to access AnyFX Shared help.
(E) Preferences. Click the asterik to adjust preferences.
(F) Save an Effect. Click the disk to save a favorite effect as a preset you can re-load instantly.
(G) Clear Settings. Click the minus sign to clear current settings.
(H) Apply. Click the green check mark to apply the effect & close the window. To exit without changes, click the X in the top right corner.
(I) Section Presets. Click an FX folder icon to instantly change only the controls in that section via handy presets we have developed. Section Presets will instantly configure controls IN THAT SECTION into a powerful combination.
(J) Expand/Collapse Sections. To expand or collapse a section, use the “twirly” at the left of a control section.
(K) Context-Sensitive Help/Tips. Hover your cursor over any control or area to see extensive context-sensitive help and tips.

 Effect Presets

AnyFX Shared Saved Settings and Presets

Most AnyFX Shared plugins has two or three types of presets -- Effects Browser presets, Section presets and Spice Library presets (in some plugins only).


Effects Browser presets

Effects Browser

This is the most powerful and visual way to access presets and is where HUNDREDS of presets are located. Click the Load Preset button at the top of AnyFX Shared to open a wonderful large Effects Browser window to visually choose/compare from many pre-made presets (including those you have made and saved for future re-use) To save your own custom presets in the Effects Browser, use effect controls to set up the desired look, then click the Save button in the main effect control area.


Time-saving tips to load presets faster:
The Effects Browser is fast, but sometimes you may already know which preset you want to use, such as when you are applying the same preset repeatedly in a project. In that situation, selecting a preset by one of the following methods can be faster...

To see recently chosen Effects Browser presets, click the Recent button. For a drop-down menu of Effects Browser presets, right-click the Load Preset button. To use a standard Open file dialog box, Alt-click the Load Preset button.

 Effects Browser

 

Spice Library presets

Spice Library
Each 'spice' is a specially-designed grayscale map that guides the effect. It's simple in concept but incredibly flexible and organic in its creative possibilities compared to the usual hard-edged, limited-adjustment, standard algorithmic effects.
Click the large Choose Spice File button located in Spice section (if present) to open a Spice Library window and visually choose/compare from 600+ spices.
Click a subfolder in the Library's left pane, as shown below. Thumbnail-size previews of available effects will then play in the right pane so you can visually compare and choose the best effect design for your segment.
Double-click a thumbnail in the Library's right pane to select the effect and close the Library.
To choose a spice but bypass the Library, Alt-click the Choose Spice File button to get a standard Open dialog box. Then navigate to and select the file. This is how you can load an image you have created.
Shift-click the Choose Spice button to quickly load a spice via a multi-level menu. Ctrl-click the Choose Spice button to quickly load a recently used spice.		 Spice Library Browser


Handy tips while working within the Effects Browser and Spice Library:
• To scroll through presets in a folder while keeping your eye on the top preview image for comparison, hold the mouse pointer over the right panel then use arrow keys or the mouse wheel.
• To increase/decrease the thumbnail image size, use the Size button at the bottom of the Effects Browser.
• To copy a favorite preset into the My Favorites folder located atop the left column of preset folders, right-click any preset image and choose Copy to My Favorites. To copy the preset into a subfolder within that folder (such as if you want to organize presets per project or per client), right-click the preset and choose Copy to My Favorites >> [new subfolder]. You can then name the subfolder as desired. After the subfolder is created, it will also appear in the right-click menu.
• To rename a preset that is in the My Favorites folder, right-click the preset there and choose Rename this preset. To remove a My Favorites preset, right-click and choose Delete this preset.
• To hide any preset, right-click the preset and choose Hide this preset. To show all hidden presets in a folder, right-click any preset in that folder and choose Restore all hidden presets from this folder. To temporarily view the folder's hidden presets, which can be handy if you just want to momentarily browse them, choose Temporarily show hidden presets.
• To toggle between viewing the source file image and the AnyFX Shared preset, click the top large preview image in the Effects Browser.

Section presets

Unlike the most Effect Browser presets, these change ONLY some or all controls in ONE section. Mixing presets from several sections is a quick and easy way to try hundreds of fresh effect variations. Click the Section Presets button at the top of any control section to instantly change ONLY the controls in that section via handy presets we have developed. Use this to quickly and easily make hundreds of new effect variations.

 Detailed AnyFX Shared Help and Tutorials

What's the Difference Between Video and Photoshop Effects


•Keyframing is not supported
•Progress sliders: Progress sliders are designed to gradually increase/decrease the effect during a clip and set where the effect will be visible. In Photoshop just set the best constant value for your desired effect.
•Motion sliders: In video versions Motion sliders in Noise/Texture sections progressively add random movement/animation to the grain/noise during the effect. In Photoshop, use the Motion sliders to choose the desired Noise/Texture pattern -- just experiment with the slider to determine its best value for your desired effect.
•Alpha Channels: Alpha (Text/Alpha FX, Preserve alpha, Channel > Alpha, Mask with Alpha Channel) in AnyFX Shared effects reffer to layer's transparency channel, not mask/alpha channels.  
•Large Images: By default the AnyFX Shared effects will run in compatibility mode and will process the large images in pieces. In this mode blurs and distortions are limited to 256 pixels size/offset. If you have a modern video card with at least 2GB of video memory, AnyFX Shared's performance mode can allow you to get full-range blurs and distotions for larger images (8192x8192 pixels on most video cards). Run our small Activate and Configure Packs app located in your Start > All > Pixelan AnyFX Shared folder. Click Performance mode button, then click OK button.
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