Using plug-in in Photoshop actions and smart filters

*** Using the plug-in in Photoshop actions and and smart filters is only supported in Neat Image Pro+ edition (please see the Detailed feature map for more details) when used with Photoshop (also, smart filters are only supported by the most recent versions of Photoshop). Other plug-in hosts do not support Photoshop actions and smart filters.

The Neat Image plug-in can be used in Photoshop actions and smart filters along with the built-in Photoshop filters. The plug-in has two parameters when used an action or smart filter: Profile and Preset. The Profile parameter tells Neat Image which device noise profile should be used within this action or smart filter. The Preset parameter specifies which noise filter preset should be used.

When you record an action or configure a smart filter that includes the Neat Image plug-in, you can select the source of noise profile to be used by the plug-in. There are three options:

1. to use a fixed noise profile created or loaded into plug-in at the time of action recording (or configuring the smart filter);
   
   
2. to automatically select the best matching profile from a profile set using Auto Match Profile;
   
   
3. to automatically build a new profile by analyzing the processed image using Auto Profile.

To select any of these options when recording an action or configuring a smart filter use the Actions menu in main plug-in window. You can also check which options are selected in the current action or smart filter using the same menu.

To use (1), select the Use Current Profile option in the Actions menu. The plug-in will record the current noise profile into action or smart filter and will then always use it when the action is run or smart filter is (re-)applied. When used in an action, the Profile parameter contains the name of that noise profile. The profile name is also shown in the Device Noise Profile box in the main plug-in window.

To use (2), select the Auto Match Profile option in the Actions menu. To let this option work, several noise profiles should be available to the Profile Matcher. The profiles should be stored in the Profile Matching folder specified in the Options. Also, the input image as well as profiles in the set should contain the EXIF information to make matching possible. An action using profile matching will contain “Auto match profile” in the Profile parameter.

In cases (1) and (2), you can additionally choose to auto fine-tune the fixed or matched noise profile to current input image (this usually produces more accurate filtration results). To use this possibility check the Actions | Auto Fine-Tune Profile menu item. An action using fine-tuning will additionally contain “Auto fine-tune” in the Profile parameter.

To use (3), select the Auto Build Profile option in the Actions menu. No ready-made profiles are required in this case; the plug-in will automatically build a new profile for every new input image using the image itself. The only requirement is that the input image should contain enough flat featureless noise-only areas suitable for noise analysis. An action using auto profiling will contain “Auto profile” in the Profile parameter.

You can also use the Actions menu to choose which filter preset should be used in the action or smart filter. There are two options:

1. Select the Action | Use Current Preset menu item to make the action or smart filter always use the filter preset created or loaded into plug-in at the time of action recording (or configuring the smart filter).
   When used in an action, the Preset parameter contains the name of that preset. The preset name is also shown in the Filter Preset box in the main plug-in window.
   
   
2. Select the Action | Auto Match Preset menu item to make the action or smart filter select a filter preset using preset matching at the time when the action is run or smart filter is (re-)applied.
   An action using preset matching will contain “Auto match preset” in the Preset parameter.