FAQ

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions regarding general use of the panel

1. When I try to use the Quick Mask Pro panel, Photoshop will crash.

PS can quit for various reasons, that are not (necessarily and usually) related to the QMP software but are often related to the size of the image file as a result of the number of channels and layers in the image file

1. • For example, and this happens quite often: there’s a max of 53 channels per file (hard-wired in PS), anything more will cause Photoshop to respond unpredictably, at best, or shut down at worst. This will affect the panel too, as the panel heavily uses temporary channels and when it reaches 53 channels, it cannot store information correctly anymore through the temporary channels.

   • If you have 53 or more selections, and keep in mind that when you create a layer mask and are working in the layer mask this will also add a new temporary channel mask, you will exceed the max number of channels easily. Combine this with the number of layers you may be applying and PS will behave unpredictably the more channels and layers you have at the same time.

   • It's always recommended to create and store channels such as soft masks (luminosity masks) and hard masks in a duplicate of the working image file that you only use for storing channels. If you create all luminosity masks for example with the panel, then there are more than 53 channels already. So you have one working file with all the layers that you use to process the image, and another duplicate of that file without any layers, just the original color layer, but with all the channels. This is also beneficial for the performance of Photoshop.

Please check the above first before submitting a bug report.

Frequently Asked Questions regarding the use of Advanced Refine

1. I'm trying to use Advanced Refine to improve my masks, but I get the message "No Advanced Mask Found" and I'm sure I clicked on 'Create <zone>'. What am I doing wrong?

   • If you get this message and you've created the temporary Advanced Masks by clicking on the preset Create LK after selecting Low Key from the Dropdownlist for example, and then you indicated with a selection what you wanted to darken/lighten, then it most likely means you've changed the entry in the Dropdownlist from Low Key to another zone. The presets in the zone you've (accidentally) changed to will not work on the zone you've created the Advanced masks for by clicking on the Create <zone> preset.

   • Or maybe you forgot to click on the Create <zone> preset: you can check this by looking at the channels and verify if you see other channels that you haven't created yourself but are temporary channels created by the panel.

2. I'm trying to use Advanced Refine to improve my masks, but I don't see anything happening

   • This can happen for a variety of reasons: first, always check you have clicked on the Create <zone> preset and are still in the zone you have created the temporary masks for > See FAQ #1

   • You may have chosen the wrong zone that doesn't affect the area you want to adjust. If you've chosen the same zone as the one you selected to create the masks for, then changes are so subtle you won't even see it, even with the strongest setting of '4'. Just select an(other) adjacent zone.

   • If you did the above, then select another area in the image and see if you see a change there. If so then you may have chosen the correct zone, but not the right one for that specific area. Try another zone for that area because that specific area might be in a completely different zone (an image for example with large contrast differences in areas)

   • If you created a mask for the Default of Dark on Light base masks (Masks > Auto Subject Detect or Manual Object Detect), then you don't need to invert the channel masks first, before improving it with Advanced Refine. But if you didn't and you've created the base masks with the presets Light on Dark then you have to invert the channel you're standing on to improve, first. Invert back when you're done adjusting.

   • If all the above is not applicable: try a stronger intensity and make sure you're standing on the channel you want to adjust! Still, too many users make the mistake of thinking that if the 'eyeball' is on next to the channel, that the channel has been selected. This is not correct: you have to stand on the channel and the channel should be highlighted - having the eyeball on is not enough.

3. I'm using Advanced Refine and now the area I have selected in the channel mask is going completely white/black. I'm using the lowest intensity.

   • The default is dark on light for the creation of base masks (under the Masks menu), and for that, you don't need to invert the channel first before adjusting the mask. But if a small area you want to adjust is light on dark, then this won't work and the area you've selected will undergo extreme changes if you make it darker/lighter. Since that area is Light on Dark, invert the channel mask first then select that area only and do the adjustments.

   • You may have chosen the wrong zone that will make any adjustments too strong. Always try to find the correct adjacent zone. Just try another zone. If you have selected the correct adjacent zone, any adjustment will always be more or less subtle.

4. I don't know what zone to select under Advanced Refine, how can I see that?

   • You only end up making adjustments under Advanced Refine after you've created the base masks under Masks. If you selected the best base mask you should know with which zone you've created it. If you forgot, then the first letters of the name of the channel will give it away: LK for Low Key, LM for Low Mid, MH for Mid High and HK for High Key. If you changed the name of the channel and don't remember it anymore: then try out all zones under Advanced Refine or try to assess visually what zone the area is in that you're trying to adjust. Rule of Thumb: If it has very bright highlights then HK is very likely the correct zone to choose. The same in case you see very dark shadows with minimal contrast. Very likely the correct zone to select under Advanced Refine will then be Low Key. Else it has to be one of the Middle zones Mid High or Low Mid.

More FAQs will be added frequently...