ACDSee Pro 8+ and Pro 8+ Ultimate Wish List

[Robert Linsdell]

I started this thread to signal to the ACDSee developers and marketing team the items customers would like to see in a Pro 8 update or the next version.

The pre-Pro 8 year-old Wish List is here, it includes wishes from other users that are not in the below list.

1. Combine product specific forums “ACDSee Pro” and “ACDSee Ultimate”.
   .
2. Modify Flickr upload to replace an existing image of the same name, and provide option to just update the online metadata.
   .
3. For consistency and fine adjustments, add up/down buttons (like all other adjustments) to Develop Mode straightening.
   .
4. Show the original's metadata in thr Properties pane when showing original image in View Mode.
   .
5. When initiating the use of an external editor, copy original image to [Originals].
   .
6. Allow EXIF 'Camera Owner Name' to be editable.
   .
7. Add EXIF fields to 'Manage Metadata Presets'; at least 'User Comment' and ‘Camera Owner Name’.
   .
8. Allow more Metadata to be copied from one image to another e.g. EXIF User Comment and possibly others, such as, Make, Model, Camera Owner Name, Date/Time Original and Date/Time Digitized.
   .
9. Allow Metadata to be copied/pushed from the modified image to the original image. The goal is to save the additional and changed data, such as, date and time, user comment, GPS, and address/location, to the original image.
   .
10. In the Metadata/copy pane, allow options to select which sections of the IPTC data the user wants to copy e.g. All IPTC, Location/address, Keywords, Creator
    .
11. In Develop Mode’s LightEQ, allow Auto to be applied at 100% (as it is now), 80%, 60%, and 40%. Perhaps a dropdown at the side of the button to select the level.
    .
12. Remember the last Develop Mode tool tab selected.
    .
13. Batch apply all automatic Develop features (selectable of course) i.e. White Balance, Lighting, and Tone Curves.
    .
14. Spot removal tool in the Develop Mode’s Repair tab. Spot repair doesn't need you to select another part of the image; it replaces the spot or dust from pixels in the area around the spot.
    .
15. Make it less easy to clear the templates in Batch Rename, for example, remove the 'Clear Templates' button and add a 'Manage Presets...' option to the dropdown, as per the metadata presets or like the button next to the aspect ratio in Develop Mode’s Crop.
    .
16. Auto or manual face area selection feature, or at least show face areas and names identified in other programs such as Picasa.
    .
17. All Tabs: Improve workflow by ensuring the left and right cursor keys always cause a move between the previous and next image. Currently their function changes when an image adjustment slider has been selected. The up/down cursor keys could continue to be used for the slider adjustment. This would be consistent with the arrows at the end of each slider.
    .
18. Allow embedding of ACDSee metadata e.g. Labels and Ratings, in files when more than one instance of ACDSee Pro is open.
    .
19. Re-enable scroll bars in Develop Mode when zoomed in. Allow user selection of scroll bars or the new one-click Navigator window.
    .
20. Send the original image and xmp file to the recycle bin when Process Commit Changes is selected in Manage and View Mode. This would allow the user to undo the Process Commit Changes function by simply restoring the deleted files.
    .
21. Add some of the Edit Mode tools to the Develop Mode e.g. Dodge and Burn, Auto Levels, and Detail Brush.
    .
22. Do not change the zoom factor in Map when clicking on the GPS indicator of different images.
    .
23. Allow batch updating of IPTC location/address information in Map based on different coordinates of all selected images i.e. do not set them all to the same Location information data, unless that is the users option.
    .
24. When photos are copied into the application by dragging from outside the application, and a file of the same name is already in the manage view of ACDSee Pro, and the user chooses to overwrite the file, send the replaced image, original image and sidecar file to the recycle bin. This would allow the user to undo the overwrite by simply restoring the deleted files.
    .
25. When a photo is moved out of ACDSee Pro by dragging it from the Manage Mode to a folder directly, i.e. not via the Folders pane or "Move To Folder" function, also move the original photo and xmp sidecar file. At the moment ACDSee allows the photo to be moved, but the original photo and sidecar file are left in the [Originals] folder, which is hidden from most users.

What would you like to see in an update or the next version?

[SCX]

I would like to see:

1. A good automatic CA correction.
2. Adjustable brush opacity in develop mode. 100% is not allways the best, most of the time it's 5-10%.
3. Automask in develop mode (for example to simply select a bright sky).
4. Noise reduction with masks in develop mode, since the level of noise often is quite different in several areas of the image. Maybe even own masks just for that.
5. More tools in develop mode usable in combination with masks.
6. An easy way to save, load and share develop mode presets.
7. An easy way to save how ACDSee looks and works, so you don't have to make the same options again and again when upgrading to a newer version of ACDSee or just install the old one on a new computer.
8. Presets which automatically look for the lens and focal length, so you can create you own lens correction presets and don't have to look for yourself which one you have to use.

[gox1967]

Regarding Watermark:
1. Remove yellow dots for resizing, because it is very difficult to see final result with small watermarks
2. Add check-boxes on the left side for fast and easy positioning the watermark (left-right-up-down-center etc.)
3. Add option to set default watermark so we don't have to choose one everytime
4. Add option to rotate watermark

[Glen Barrington]

• Better editing of EXIF data for sure! Maybe with batch capabilities. I don't think we should have to rely on open source tools to fix metadata issues that our workflow uncovers. (A round trip from ACDSee to PSP X6 totally messes up EXIF data in the returned image)
• Move storage of presets from the Registry database to a user accessible folder within the ACDSee infrastructure. This would allow users to create and trade presets with each other. Not only adding to the sense of community for users, BUT also allow for the commercialization of presets (Both of which Lightroom users enjoy - It hasn't hurt Lr any)
• Improve the Noise reduction tools! what we have is SO CLOSE to being fairly good! It just needs a little nudge to get to the next level!
  • Desaturate/resaturate photos for controlling luminance noise.(in,say, both Pro and Ultimate)
  • Allow noise control in R & B channels separately. (Ultimate Only?)
  • Maybe some fine tuning controls for shadows & highlights. (simple controls in Pro, more complex in Ultimate?)
  • All this doesn't have to be done at once, spread it out to 2 or 3 versions, just keep an eye on the prize!
• When using "Send to External Editor" with a raw image allow the option to send a 16 bit tif instead of the raw. The way it is done now, you have to create a tiff separately from the "Use external . . . " selection, and it's easy to forget to do that. Again, it is one of the minor conveniences that make people love Lightroom.

Right now ACDSee is showing what I call "aggressive creativity" in publishing ACDSee Ultimate 8. And that's a VERY good thing, indeed! There have been lots of big changes that I love. However, I would hate for ACDSee, the company, to forget all the little conveniences that can create user loyalty and an irrational love of product.

[Emil]

Bugs and flaws are so numerous ....

I wish for a sw manager to supervision real pro's using the program and than have enough balls to kick the programmers.
[I can only hope that you can catch what I'm trying to say :-]

[Gutenisse]

Better error handling would be really appreciated. The software crashes or hangs in random from time to time. Sometimes it runs for hours and sometimes it hangs or crashes after start while doing nothing.

Getting the "ACDSee has encountered an error and will now close" message is just annoying. At least try to tell us something about what went wrong.

[msg_moi]

In edit mode, when i adjust my photo using let say.......Exposure. I might play with the sliders to see which combination will give the result I'm looking for. I might end up with two three settings I like.

Now how do I compare those settings so I can pick the one i like the most. For now i have to save each variation, go back to manage, select and play them so i can better compare all. This is time consuming

So what I would like to propose, each time we adjust the sliders and we like the result we push a button and a new a new Layer/mask could be create.

Using a play function ( we are still in the Exposure adjustment) we could cycle all of them in any order. Or choose one or two so we can flip between them. Having them pile and flipping between each it is easier to see what we like/or dislike between two photo we just edit.

When we finish we could keep all, or discard the one we do not like.

Having them as a layer we could use the erase tool ( to erase specific spot) then blend them together to get the final result

[msg_moi]

As we edit photo, we do adjustments using edit tools and apply them.

And we repeat the process many time using different edit tool.

Some times we need to use those edit tools in a specific order. OR we need to reuse one after another to help polish the photo.

When complete the edit process, How can i go back and edit one of the settings of the first edit I made???

We have no way to keep track of the adjustment we do on a photo

As of now if I duplicate layer, the file size growth exponentially. (A 10 meg photo end up being 1 gig or more)


Request is to allow us to store the edit tool sequence and parameters we used and allow us to go back in time and teak as need. AND keep file size manageable

[SCX]

Make a Linux-version of ACDSee Pro. Linux desperately needs a program like ACDSee Pro, wile on the other systems you have some big competitors.

[Glen Barrington]

Make a Linux-version of ACDSee Pro. Linux desperately needs a program like ACDSee Pro, wile on the other systems you have some big competitors.

I would LOVE a LInux version of ACDSee Pro or Ultimate. ACDSee is literally (not figuratively) the only reason I still use Windows. I would switch to LInux in a heartbeat if there was an ACDSee Pro for Linux.

The only thing is, I wouldn't want a Linux product that gets treated the way ACDSee Pro for Mac has been treated. Anyone I've ever talked to about ACDSee Pro has commented on how much they dislike the Mac version. I don't recall EVER meeting someone who actually likes the product. In terms of support, it's treated more like "Editor 6" than ACDSee Pro 8.

[msg_moi]

One tool i would like to see is a soften histogram tool

When we edit a photo the histogram become "jaggy" ( like the teeth of a saw), If we could teak the histogram to make it smoother....

[SCX]

The only thing is, I wouldn't want a Linux product that gets treated the way ACDSee Pro for Mac has been treated. Anyone I've ever talked to about ACDSee Pro has commented on how much they dislike the Mac version. I don't recall EVER meeting someone who actually likes the product. In terms of support, it's treated more like "Editor 6" than ACDSee Pro 8.

I agree, all of the versions should be or better have to be the same with all tools and everything. Doesn't make much sense otherwise.

Edit: By the way, I have Linux Mint on a virtual machine on my Win7 at the moment and PhotoLine seems to work with wine. But I can't get ACDSee Pro to work (I am just a total beginner with Linux).

[Gutenisse]

I would switch to LInux in a heartbeat if there was an ACDSee Pro for Linux.

I would too. And I would gladly pay for a separate Linux license of ACDSee.

[GusPanella]

What Rober Linsdell said... Plus....

See my other post on "Why I use external editors"

Paintbrush mask - duplicate: Duplicates existing paint brush mask into new mask

Paint brush mask - invert: After creating a mask, invert the selection much like the invert option for the circular mask

Stop the segmentation between versions.... I guess I can understand the Ultimate/Pro difference of layers as this is truly an added feature.... but let's stop there. I hope the suggestions like segmenting operational controls is not even considered.

Why have a subscription model if there aren't a couple upgrades per year?

Definitely add masks to the develop section... or at least explain why this is not possible.
(Why again are there separate Develop and Edit sections?)

Add eye dropper to select color and tone for pixel targeting. Bonus points if "Cntrl-click" with eye dropper adds to the tone/color selections of pixel targeting.

Create ability to reuse same pixel target mask on other images. (without the registry)

Stop the madness with using the registry to save presets or recipes. Just STOP! Make these part of the existing database thus they can transfer between computer upgrades... Bonus points for a recipe sharing option.

Start working with companies that create add-ons to provide a smoother integration path with apps.
(See Glenn's comment on auto-magic tif)

Commit to having camera RAW decoders updated within 3 months of release of vendor provided SDK for the camera.

How about some modernization to the HTML slideshow export templates.

Undo for slider move
Undo for Tool change

Hove help to replace traditional help file whenever possible.

EXIF: Is there a way to define actualy color space used by the selected photo?

[msg_moi]

One of the must top ten feature for the next release is photo tethering

It is the ability to connect the camera to the PC using USB or wifi and as you shoot picture are display and adjust on the fly for review. If you do studio there is no reason in 2015/16 not to have this feature. Once you taste it you no longer want to use card to transfer photo