Using the plug-in to process images

The Neat Image plug-in can be invoked from an image editor to process the selected area in a layer or a channel of the current image. This subsection describes key stages of using the Neat Image plug-in. Since these stages are very similar to the filtration process of the Neat Image standalone version, the stages below are described based on the Filtration process details section.

Stage I. Invoke the plug-in from the image editor

In the image editor, select a layer (or a channel) in the image that should be processed. In this layer (channel), select an area to be filtered. The whole layer (channel) will be filtered if no area is selected.

Invoke the Neat Image plug-in using the standard way of invoking filter plug-ins in your image editor:

• Select the Filter | Neat Image | Reduce Noise… menu item in Photoshop / Photoshop Elements.
  
  or

• Select the Effects | Plug-in Filters | Neat Image | Reduce Noise… menu item in Paint Shop Pro.

Stage II. Prepare a device noise profile

Preparing a device noise profile is done in the same way as with the standalone version of Neat Image. Please see Filtration process details: Step II. Prepare a device noise profile.

Stage III. Adjust filter settings

This is done in the same way as with the standalone version of Neat Image. Please see Filtration process details: Step III. Adjust noise filter settings.

Stage IV. Apply filter

To apply filter to the image

• Click (the Apply button on the toolbar of the Noise Filter Settings tab) or select the Filter | Apply menu item.
  
  The plug-in window will be closed and filtration will start. Processing may take a few minutes (depending on the speed of your computer's CPU and size of (the selected part of) the image). During this time, the image editor will display the filtration progress.
  
  In Photoshop, updating Photoshop user interface during processing may be slow. This is a feature of Photoshop. Do not consider it to be 'hanging' or 'freezing', just let it work.
  

The Neat Image plug-in will automatically save the device noise profile and filter preset used during the most recent processing as RecentProfile and RecentPreset. This allows re-applying the plug-in (using the Ctrl+F shortcut in Photoshop, for example) with the same device noise profile without re-doing the stages II-III. Also, you can open the plug-in manually and continue to work with the last used parameters.