Introduction

This help is set up as a reference guide to all of the tools you’ll find in MagicMask. Please refer to the manual included in the box for further information and tutorials.

Click here if you want to go to EdgeWizard Help:

Go to EdgeWizard Help

Before you call technical support, be sure to check the frequently asked questions listed at our web site at http://www.chromagraphics.com

More on the Technology

Welcome to MagicMask


The Technology

MagicMask brings you patented, revolutionary color editing tools that see an image much the same as you do. It is the first in a suite of three production plug-ins that will revolutionize the way you create masks, feather edges and re-color images.

Using innovative edge detection, direct pixel and color range selection, you’ll find it’s easy to create and refine complex masks and selections quickly. The ultimate in masking productivity, everything you need is right here.

MagicMask Features

Welcome to MagicMask

MagicMask Tools


Welcome to MagicMask

Once you engage the MagicMask filter, the active image in the parent application is the image that will be displayed in the MagicMask filter.

When an area of an image is selected in the parent application, only that selected area will be displayed in MagicMask. If you have not selected an area of the image in the parent application, the entire image will be displayed in MagicMask.

More on Technology


MagicMask Features

•	Precise Edge Detection - Tools that find the edged for you.

•	Unlimited undo & redo - Be creative, you can always go back!

•	Complete editing tools - Traditional and new tools in one place.

•	Save and export selections - Save masks as TIFF files for export.


Tool Bar

The tool bar is located on the left side of the work area. You select a tool either by clicking on the tool icon or using the shortcut  hot key. You can select “hidden” tools by clicking and dragging with the mouse or pressing the shortcut key a second time.

Tools

Hot Keys


Preferences

There are certain specifications that can be modified to enable, disable and customize the way many features work in MagicMask. Access the preferences window by clicking on the preferences button in the lower left.

•	Mask Display Settings - change the opacity and the default color that will be used for the “Masked IN/OUT-other” display option.

•	Default Color Range - change the default value for the Range Slider.

•	Magic Lasso Control Box Size - change the size of the control box.

•	Color Info Sample Size - determines the calculation of the color value your cursor is over. Point sample reads the value of a single pixel. A 3 x 3 average or a 5 x 5 average reads the average value of the total number of pixels.

•	Default Density Reach - change the default value for the reach.


Display Options

A single click in the image with the Zoom Tool increases the size by 100%. Each subsequent click doubles the size. Double clicking on the Zoom Tool puts the image directly at 100%. Click and drag with the Zoom Tool to marquee an area of an image to be displayed at the maximum magnification allowed by the window.

Double click on the Pan Tool (or use Ctrl + zero) to expand the window to the maximum size and display the entire image at the maximum zoom.

The mask display provides several ways to view the current composite.

Pan Tool

Zoom Tool

Mask Display


Zoom

The Zoom Tool allows you to change the magnification of an image. A single click in the image with the Zoom Tool will zoom-in. Each subsequent click will double the size.

Hold the Alt key to put the tool into the zoom-out mode. Each click in the image then reduces the view.

Zoom Hot Keys

A click and drag with the Zoom Tool displays the marqueed area at the maximum magnification allowed by the size of the window.

The number to the right of the Zoom Tool displays the current zoom value. The zoom factor is displayed as a ratio. One to One (1:1) is the same as 100%; 4:1 is the same as 400% 1:2 is the same as 50% and so on.

Tools


Zoom Hot Keys

•	The Zoom Tool keyboard shortcut is the "Z" key. Double clicking on the Zoom Tool puts the image directly at 100% (1:1).

•	Control +/- performs the same zoom in/out functions.

•	If you hold down the Control key and the space bar together at any time in MagicMask, the plus Zoom Tool(+) appears with all of the features listed above. With the Alt key, the minus Zoom Tool(-) appears.

Zoom Tool

Hot Keys


Pan

The Pan Tool allows you to move an image with a click-and-drag motion.

Double clicking on the tool displays the entire image at the maximum size allowed by the window.

Pan Hot Keys

Tools


Pan Hot Keys

•	While using any other tool, hold down the space bar as a shortcut to the Pan Tool.

•	The keyboard shortcut to expand the image to the maximum display is Control + zero.

Pan Tool

Hot Keys


Mask Display

Next to the Zoom Tool and the Pan Tool is a pop-up window where you may choose, in a variety of different colors, how to view the current composite mask.

The mask may be displayed with the preset colors of white, black or gray. To specify a specific color, choose “Masked IN/OUT–other” and click on the color box. A color picker will be displayed from which you may choose the mask display color.

Mask IN/OUT Options

Mask Only Option

Transition Mask Display

Inverted Mask Display


Mask IN/OUT

Masked IN means that the area of the image that has been selected will be displayed as specified (grayscale, white, black, etc.).

Masked OUT means that the area of the image not selected will be displayed in the specified color.

NOTE: Changing the mask display will not alter the mask in any way. It is simply a different way of viewing the image with the mask.

Mask IN/OUT Hot Keys


Mask IN/OUT Hot Key

•	To quickly change the display from Masked IN to Masked OUT or vice versa hit the "X" key.

Mask IN/OUT Options

Hot Keys


Mask Only

At times, you may wish to turn off the mask preview to view the mask without the image or to view the transitions of the mask. These options are available in the pop-up menu.

If you display “mask only,” un-selected areas are black(masked) and selected areas are white (not masked). Gray areas represent a partial mask in which the value of the mask will determine how much of an effect any image processing will have on that area of the image. When a mask is used, the closer to white the value of the mask, the greater any future image processing effect will be.

Mask Only Hot Key

Mask Display


Mask Only Hot Key

•	To hide the image and show only the mask, hit Alt + Ctrl/Control "H" (displays the mask as black & white). You can still edit the mask as you wish.

Mask Only Option

Hot Keys


Inverted Mask Only

At times, you may wish to turn off the mask preview to view the mask without the image or to view the transitions of the mask. These options are available in the pop-up menu.

If you display “ inverted mask only,” un-selected areas are white (masked) and selected areas are black (not masked). This is the opposite of the Mask Only display.

Mask Display


Transition Mask

The transition display offers another view of a grayscale mask. It doesn’t alter the mask, only shows any gradients from light to dark in five posterized steps.

The transition display offers another view of a grayscale mask. It doesn’t alter the mask, only shows any gradients from light to dark in five posterized steps.

Mask Display

Transition Mask Hot Key


Transition Mask Hot Key

•	To hide the image and show only the transition mask, hit Shift+Alt + Control "H" (displays the mask as black & white).

Transition Mask

Hot Keys


Tools

This section will introduce each of the tools available in MagicMask and explain how they work. There are seven different tools available to create and/or edit selections and masks:

 Color Brush Tool

 Pixel Brush

 Marquee

 Lasso

 Magic Lasso

 Nudge Tool

 Density Mask Tool


Color Brush

Brush over an object or background in an image using this tool to make an automatic selection by color range. Independent color ranges mean that each new click and drag with the color brush creates.

There are two brush tools, one for addition(+) and one for subtraction(-) of color ranges.

Color Brush Hot Keys

Tools

Pro Pane

Range

Range Slider


Color Brush Hot Keys

•	The keyboard shortcut for the Color Brush is the "B" key.

•	Holding the Alt key down puts the brush in the opposite mode. If the plus(+) Color Brush is in use, then the Alt key switches it to minus; if the minus(-) Color Brush is in use, then the Alt key switches it to plus.

•	The keyboard shortcut to expand the range by 10% is Ctrl “G.” To reduce the range by 10%, use Shift+Ctrl “G.”

Color Brush

Hot Keys


Pixel Brush

The direct selection of a region of pixels is the most basic method of creating and editing a masked area in an image.

The tool has two modes: one for addition(+) and one for subtraction(-). The plus Pixel Brush adds to the composite mask displayed. The minus brush deletes pixels from the composite mask displayed.

As with the Color Brush, every click and drag action of the Pixel Brush is recorded as a separate selection that you may undo.

Pixel Brush Hot Keys

Tools


Pixel Brush Hot Keys

•	The keyboard shortcut for the Pixel Brush is the "Y" key.

•	Holding the Alt key down puts the brush in the opposite mode. If the plus(+) Pixel Brush is in use, then the Alt key switches it to minus; if the minus(-) Pixel Brush is in use, then the Alt key switches it to plus.

Pixel Brush

Hot Keys


Marquee

The Marquee has two standard shapes, rectangle and oval. Click and hold on the icon to display a pop-up window of the two shapes.

The Marquee default is the plus mode. To subtract, you must hold down the Alt key before you begin your selection.

Marquee Hot Keys

Tools


Marquee Hot Keys

•	The keyboard shortcut for the Marquee is the "M" key. Each click of "M" toggles between rectangular and oval.

•	Holding the Alt key down before you click and drag puts the Marquee in the minus mode.

•	Once you click and drag, then hold the Alt key it draws the marquee from the center.

•	When you hold the shift key down the marquee is constrained to a square or, when you are in the oval tool, a circle.

Marquee

Hot Keys


Lasso

There are two types of Lasso: freehand and polygon. If you click and hold on the Lasso icon, a pop-up window will display the alternate option.

Freehand Lasso

Polygon Lasso

The Lasso default is the plus mode. To subtract from a selection, you must first hold the Alt key. The visual representation of the tool is a cross-hair with a plus or a minus.

Tools


Freehand Lasso

The freehand method of making a selection is much the same as in any drawing program. Click and drag with the mouse to create any shape you want.

Lasso Hot Keys

Tools


Polygon Lasso

The polygon option lets you create straight edges. As you click, a rubber band effect will show the direction of the line. Either keep clicking until you return to the start point to complete the selection or double click at any time to close the selection in the shortest distance from that point to the start point.

Lasso Hot Keys

Tools


Magic Lasso

The Magic Lasso uses interactive snap-to-edge technology so that as you draw, the line snaps to the closest edge. After you choose a start point by clicking with the mouse, a rubber band type of line appears and snaps to the nearest edge.

When you release the mouse it defines an anchor point. A new anchor point appears as a mouse cursor (large cross-hair) and a snap-to-edge cursor (x shape). As you move your cursor away from this point, a “least cost” path is automatically determined and the line “finds” and then snaps to the nearest edge. A control box defines the boundaries of the tool. The next anchor point must always be placed within this box. A new control box will be created around each new anchor point.

To close the Magic Lasso click back where you started or double click to close the selection with a straight line.

NOTE: The size of the control box may be adjusted in the preferences.

Selecting with Magic Lasso

Editing Magic Lasso Points

Magic Lasso Tension

Hot Keys Magic Lasso


Selecting with Magic Lasso

To make a selection with the Magic Lasso, move around the outline of what you wish to select, clicking to create anchor points. (Remember to stay within the control box to add points). After a new anchor point is established, a new snap-to-edge line appears and the control box is centered around the new point.

TIP: If you make any errors, don’t stop. Edits of the points may be made after the selection is complete. If you need to start over click cancel in the Magic Lasso dialog box and begin again.

Adjust the tension to change the sensitivity of the snap to edge line.

When you close the Magic Lasso selection click “Apply” to convert  the outline to the mask. To start over hit cancel.

TIP: A shorter distance between anchor points may help create a more accurate selection.

Magic Lasso


Hot Keys Magic Lasso

While using the Magic Lasso, depress the Alt key and simultaneously click and drag to use the tool as a freehand Lasso . This causes an anchor point to be dropped and the tool to behave as a freehand Lasso until the mouse is released. Releasing the Alt key will then define an anchor point and return to the Magic Lasso.

Depress the Control key to change the tool to a polygon Lasso . Click in the image to continue your selection with a polygon Lasso. Releasing the mouse will define a new anchor point and releasing the Control key returns to the Magic Lasso functions.

Depress the Shift key to merge the snap cursor with the mouse cursor to force a point to placed where you like Releasing the Shift key displays the mouse cursor and the snap cursor.

Magic Lasso

Hot Keys


Editing Magic Lasso Points

Before being applied to the mask region, the Magic Lasso selection appears as a sequence of editable and non-editable anchor points connected by a series of paths.

Anchor points are editable only when both adjacent paths (i.e., both adjacent anchor points) have been defined using the Magic Lasso

NOTE: Small squares around the path are points that may be edited. Click on these points to reposition them. Anchor points created using a freehand or a polygon Lasso are not editable.

TIP: Hold the Shift key to force the Magic Lasso to place a point where you want. See Tutorial 2 in Chapter 6.

Lasso Hot Keys

Tools


Lasso Hot Keys

•	The keyboard shortcut for the Lasso is the "L" key. Each click of "L" toggles between freehand and polygon.

•	The Lasso default is the plus mode. To subtract from a selection, you must first hold the Alt key. The visual representation of the tool is a cross-hair with a plus or a minus.

•	While drawing with the freehand Lasso, you can change the line to a straight polygon line by holding the Alt key.

•	While drawing with the Polygon Lasso, you can change the line to a freehand lasso by holding the Alt key.

•	The keyboard shortcut for the Magic Lasso is the "G" key.

•	The keyboard shortcut for the Magic Lasso is the "G" key.

Lasso

Magic Lasso

Polygon Lasso

Freehand Lasso

Hot Keys


Nudge

This tool enables you to directly manipulate any selection, and “nudge” it anywhere you like.

The size of the Nudge Tool determines how much of the selection is “nudged” either in or out. The click and drag motion determines its direction. The speed at which you move the tool will also have an effect on the results.

The Nudge Tool might be used to smooth ragged masks or to make creative edges with quick click and drag motions (distressing a mask edge for a unique effect). There are three methods of “nudging” which can be changed by the buttons displayed: the first button is linear; the second is a parabolic, and the third is repel.

Nudge Hot Keys

Tools


Nudge Hot Key

•	The keyboard shortcut for the Nudge Tool is "N".

Nudge

Hot Keys


Density Mask Tool

The Density Mask Tool lets you choose any color in the image to create a selective color density mask.

The Density Mask Tool creates a variable density mask based on the color or colors selected.

Depending on the Reach setting, explained below, the further away a pixel is in color from the selected color(s), the closer the value is to zero (a value of 255 = fully masked in by MagicMask). See Tutorial 4 in Chapter 6 for more information about how density masks work.

Click on the Density Mask Tool and the default window changes to display a color chip which is blank until you select a color for the mask.

The visual representation of the Density Mask Tool in the image area is the exact outline of the live area of the tool. If you click once in the image, the values of the pixels within the outline are used to determine the average color.

Density Mask Reach

Neutral, Plus, Minus

Density Mask Tool Hot Keys

Tools


Density Mask Tool Hot Keys

•	The keyboard shortcut for the Density Mask Tool is "I"

•	Control “R” will increase the reach by 5

•	Alt + Control “R” will decrease the reach by 5

Density Mask Tool

Density Mask Reach

Neutral, Plus, Minus

Hot Keys


Neutral, Plus, Minus

The Density Mask Tool has three modes: neutral, plus and minus. The tool has a default mode of “neutral.” In this mode, every time a new click point is made, the previous density mask is discarded. Click and drag in the neutral setting and only the colors inside the brush are averaged.

Hold the Shift key down to change the tool to the plus (+) mode. Every click in the plus mode adds to the density mask.

In order to remove colors from your density mask, hold the Alt key to switch the Density Mask Tool to the minus (-) mode.

Reach determines what distance from the color selected a color must be in order to be included in the mask. Adjusting the Reach affects the number of colors considered for the creation of the density mask.

Density Mask Tool

Density Mask Reach

Density Mask Tool Hot Keys


Range

When an area of color is selected using the Color Brush, a minimum and maximum range is created around a mid-point. Use the Range Slider to change the range. Any alteration will be updated in the current mask. Each new click with the Color Brush uses the current range displayed for each new click point. Each color range can be altered independent of any other range.

Color Brush

Color Brush Hot Keys

Pro Pane

Range Slider


Contiguous

If the contiguous box is checked, only the pixels that are physically linked in the image and part of the color range created will be selected.

If the contiguous box is not checked, the color range created is not limited to adjacent pixels and will search throughout the entire image for matches.

Color Brush

Color Brush Hot Keys

Pro Pane

Range

Range Slider


Range Slider

When an area of color is selected by the Color Brush, a minimum and maximum range is created around a midpoint. The Range Slider allows for expansion or contraction of the entire color range picked up by the brush tool. Any alteration in the range updates the current mask.

The Range Slider expands or contracts the range by percentage. For example, if you set the Range Slider to 50, the range will be reduced by 50% (the minimum is 10%). If you move the slider in the expand direction, the entire range is increased by the percent indicated. For example, if there is a selection of one color with a single HSV value, you could not reduce the range further. You could, however, increase it by a maximum of 1000%.

The Range Slider is simply an automated method of expanding or contracting the range. You can also alter the color values the range acts on by editing the endpoints of the HSV sliders in the Pro Pane.

NOTE: Only the last color range is being altered, not the composite mask. Each new click and drag is using the displayed range.

Color Brush

Color Brush Hot Keys

Pro Pane

Range


Pro Pane

Click once on the triangle under the Range Slider to reveal the Pro Pane for advanced color adjustments. Specific information about the current color range values is displayed here and available for alteration.

When the Pro Pane window pops up, the midpoint and minimum/maximum endpoint colors are visible as three slider bars of Hue, Saturation and Value (HSV). Click on the midpoint or endpoint buttons and choose a specific numeric value through the color picker. Any changes are updated in the sliders and the current mask selection.

You may also edit the endpoints of any of the three sliders and shift the entire range without changing the distance between the endpoints. As you place the cursor near the endpoint of the slider, a left or right arrow appears, and you can adjust the slider. When you place the cursor near the center of the slider, a double arrow appears that allows a shift of the entire range without any change in the distance between the endpoints.

Hue distinguishes a color from other colors. The Hue range is 0-360 degrees with the full Hue range displayed in the slider.

Saturation is the strength of a color, or how far a color is from gray. The greater the Saturation of a color, the further it is from gray. The Saturation is 0-100%.

Value is the degree of lightness or darkness. The Value is 0-100%.

Color Brush

Color Brush Hot Keys

Range

Range Slider


Magic Lasso Tension

Adjusting the tension adjusts the sensitivity of the outline created by the snap-to-edge technology. At a lower tension, the edge detection is less sensitive and the result is a straighter line. At a greater tension, the edge detection is more sensitive and the result is a more ragged line.

Magic Lasso

MagicMask Features


Apply

“Apply” converts an outline created using the Magic Lasso and adds it to the composite mask.

Magic Lasso

MagicMask Features


Density Mask Reach

The Reach (angle) can be anywhere from 0 degrees (exact color only) to 180 degrees (all colors included in the mask). The Reach applies to the entire group of colors selected using the Density Mask Tool.

NOTE: When in the plus or minus mode, each density mask has an individual Reach value associated with it.

A Reach of zero means that the value of one exact color will be used to create a mask. Only colors of the same value will be selected. With a Reach of zero, pixels are either 100% selected (within the color range) or 0% selected (outside the color range).

As the Reach is increased, pixels that have a value outside the selected colors, but within the Reach, will be partially selected. The result is a variable deep mask depending on how far the individual values are from the original color. The further away from the original color value a pixel’s color is, the lower the value of the deep mask for that pixel.

If you have already created a mask with other MagicMask tools, any new density masks will be added to the composite mask. There are not separate density masks; each is part of a composite mask.

Using the minus Density Mask Tool on any solid mask will simply remove portions of the mask based on the value of Reach you have set.

Density Mask Tool

Density Mask Tool Hot Keys


Brush Shape

By clicking on the blue arrow in the brush size dialog you can change the brush to either a square or a round shape.

NOTE: The size of the Pixel Brush in the image is the live area of the tool.

Color Brush

Pixel Brush

Brush Size


Brush Size

Change the size of the Color Brush, Pixel Brush, Nudge Tool and Density Mask Tool.

Color Brush

Density Mask Tool

Nudge

Pixel Brush

Brush Shape


Info Box

The Information box located under the tools provides:

•	The cursor position in X & Y coordinates

•	The value of the images pixels as you move your cursor over the image. Which can be viewed as RGB, HSB, Lab, & CMYK.

NOTE: The sample size can be changed in the preferences to 1 x 1 (point sample), 3 x 3 or 5 x 5.


Actions

There are several actions accessed by buttons on the interface.

Cancel

OK

Invert

Load

Redo

Reset

Save

Undo


Reset

Cancel all changes and revert to the initial image. You can not undo a reset.


Cancel

Cancel all changes and exit MagicMask.


Invert

Sometimes it is more convenient to select part of an image by first selecting the parts you don’t want and then inverting the selection. For example, if you want to select an object that is placed against a solid-colored background, you can use any of the tools available to select the background first and then hit “invert” to select the object.

TIP: Hit “Invert” again to return to the original mask.


OK

Return composite mask to host application. If your parent application supports Photoshop QuickMask mode, after you finish your mask you click OK and the mask information will return to your image. From here you may save the mask to a channel or to a separate layer mask if you so desire.

You may also save your file as an un-compressed Tagged Image file Format (TIFF) file. By clicking on the “Save” button.

Save


Save

MagicMask has two methods available for saving your mask. First, if your parent application supports Photoshop QuickMask mode, after you finish your mask you may click OK and the mask information will be returned to your image. From here you may save the mask to a channel or to a separate layer mask if you so desire.

You may also save your file as an un-compressed Tagged Image file Format (TIFF) file. By clicking on the “Save” button, you will be prompted to enter a file name. Then click OK. The TIFF file format is used to exchange files between applications and computer platforms.

NOTE: The resolution of the image you are working on will be the default resolution of the TIFF file.

This 8 bit grayscale TIFF can be used as a mask in any application that supports channels as long as the pixel dimensions of the image you are working on are the same as the saved mask.

Save Hot Key

Load


Load

You can load saved masks into MagicMask. Using “Load”, you can read in any grayscale TIFF, provided the grayscale TIFF file has the same pixel dimensions as the image you are working on.

This is particularly useful during the process of creating a complex mask when you wish to save the work and continue later.

To load a saved mask into an image, click the “Load” button. A window will open from which you select the file to be loaded. Navigate to the appropriate file and click “Open” to load this file as a mask. If there is already a mask in the image, this load action will replace it. So, be sure to save any masks before loading a new one.

NOTE: If you saved the TIFF file using LZW compression, MagicMask will not read this file.

Hot Key Load

Save


Hot Key Load

•	Control O will start the load dialog.

Load

Hot Keys


Undo

Magic mask offers multiple undo.

Control Z will undo one step. If you continue to hold Control Z, MagicMask will continue to undo. See Redo.

Redo


Redo

Magic mask offers multiple redo.

Control Y will redo one step. If you continue to hold Control Y, MagicMask will continue to redo. See Undo.

Undo


Hot Keys

A hot key is a keyboard equivalent for specific actions while inside MagicMask and allows to quickly access certain functions.

Color Brush Plus 	(B) 	Alt (hold) toggles plus=>minus

Color Brush Minus 	Shift (B) 	Alt (hold)  toggles minus=>plus

Color Brush Range	Cntr G = +10%;

Alt+Cntr G = -10%;

Pixel Brush Plus	(Y) 	Alt (hold) toggles plus=>minus

Pixel Brush Minus 	Shift (Y) 	Alt (hold) toggles minus=>plus

Marquee	(M) 	Alt (hold)  changes to minus

Shift constrains to square

Draw then Alt draws from center

Oval	(M) 2xs 	Alt (hold) changes to minus

Shift constrains to circle

Draw then Alt draws from center

Lasso	(L) 	Alt (hold) changes to minus

Draw then hold Alt changes to polygon

Polygon	(L) 2xs 	Alt (hold) changes to minus

Draw then hold Alt change to freehand

Magic Lasso Plus	(G)

Magic Lasso Minus 	Shift (G)

Magic Lasso	Alt changes mode to freehand lasso

Cntr changes mode to polygon

Shift (hold)

snap cursor merges w/ mouse cursor

Magic Lasso Tension	up arrow = +1;

down arrow = -1

Nudge	(N)

Density	(I)	Alt (hold) changes to minus

Shift (hold) changes to plus

Reach	Cntr R = +5

Alt+Cntr R = -5

Brush Size 	[ = minus 1 unit;

] = plus 1 unit

Shift [ = -10

Shift ] = +10

Reset	Cntr D

Invert	Shift+Cntr I

Save	Cntr S

Load	Cntr O

Cancel	Esc

Pan	(H)	Space Bar (hold)

Display Entire Image	Cntr 0	Double click Pan Tool

Zoom	(Z)	Alt (hold) changes to minus

Cntr+Space Bar changes to plus zoom

Alt+Cntr+Space Bar changes to minus zoom

Display at 100%	Alt+Cntr 0;

Double click Zoom Tool

Zoom In	Cntr plus key

Zoom Out	Cntr minus key

Undo	Cntr Z

Redo	Cntr Y

Switch Mask In/Out	(X)

Display Image Only	Cntr H

Display Mask Only	Alt+Cntr H

Display Transition	Shift+Alt+Cntr H

In any numerical box	up arrow +1 unit

down arrow -1 unit

Shift+up arrow +10

Shift+down arrow -10

In any numerical dialog box, “Enter” engages the new value. This is not the same as OK.


Photo Paint

Persons using Photo Paint must perform a key combination to send MagicMask information back into Photo Paint’s mask layer.

After clicking OK from MagicMask you must hit, in order:

•	Control K then,

•	Control F then,

•	Control K

This key combination is necessary because of the way Photo Paint has implemented its support for the plug-in interface.


Hot Key Save

Control S opens the save dialog.

Save Info


Known Problems

•	In Photoshop 4.0 if you are using MagicMask to create a mask for an image layer that is a different size than the background Image Size, you will not be able to send the mask back to Photoshop by clicking OK. An error will be displayed.  One work around is to save the mask to a TIFF file and open the file in Photoshop and place the TIFF file in a channel. This error will not occur in Photoshop 3.0


Integrated Suite

MagicMask is the first in a series of three integrated plug-ins from Chroma Graphics. MagicMask, EdgeWizard and ChromaZone can work as separate plug-ins or integrated together as a complete production environment for masking, edge-blending and re-coloring. Just beneath the Chroma logo in each plug-in are three buttons. These allow direct navigation between the plug-ins and eliminate the need for you to return to Photoshop between each plug-in. Using these buttons, you are free to switch between the plug-ins and make full use of the tools and features included in each. An easy interface, standard shortcuts, multiple undo’s and redo’s, the option to save work as a TIFF file, and user set preferences are universal among the three.

Each plug-in (MagicMask, EdgeWizard and ChromaZone) has its own specific registration number. When you first run your new plug-in, you will be asked to register it by entering the product registration number, which is located on a sheet of stickers included with the User Guide.

Note:

Macintosh users need to re-enter the appropriate registration numbers in order to integrate two or more Chroma plug-ins. Before un-installing any plug-in, make certain you have a record of your registration number (included on a sheet of stickers when you purchased the product, or included in the “About” box within the program) in order to re-install. In Windows, new Chroma plug-ins are automatically integrated upon entering the registration number.

To purchase additional Chroma plug-ins, call 1-888-8CHROMA.

LOAD

There are two ways to load a mask or selection. See Load for details. A third option is to create a mask in MagicMask and bring it directly into EdgeWizard by clicking on the EdgeWizard button. Or save this mask as a TIFF file and load into EdgeWizard as described in Save .

LAUNCH

When there is an active selection in Photoshop, launching the MagicMask filter first opens MagicMask with only the selected image area displayed. A mask can then be created in MagicMask.

When there is an active selection in Photoshop, launching the EdgeWizard filter first opens EdgeWizard with the active selection and the entire image displayed.

RESET

Click “Reset” once to reset the image to its original state in the current plug-in. Click “Reset” again to clear ALL sessions (EdgeWizard, MagicMask and/or ChromaZone).

Note:

If you create a mask in MagicMask and then create an edge, clicking “Reset” in EdgeWizard will reset to the original mask (in EdgeWizard). If you then go into MagicMask and click “Reset”, it will reset to the original image brought into MagicMask.

Note:

Because Photoshop does not have multiple undo’s, you may want to save a copy of the selection before you begin working in any of the plug-ins, because you will not be able to retrieve the original selection once you click “OK.”