A strange problem with FX Stack Previews

[djm99001]

I have a problem on my WinXP desktop running TVP Standard 8.6: The preview display does not update when I make changes to FX Stack items (such as a blur direction) until I click the playhead on the layers panel. It's really a pain when I am using tweak-intensive FX items like the wrapping grid.
The problem has existed since 8.5, and does not occur on my TabletPC (also WinXP running TVP 8.6). I completely uninstalled the desktop version and re-installed a fresh edition of 8.6 and it still happens. It seems like it might be a video card or OS driver issue, but why didn't it happen before 8.5? Does anyone know what files are relevant to the TVP display process (so I can update or replace them)?

Thanks for any help,
David

[jbardakos]

are u sure u dont have the "Split Preview" setting to none ...
i had this done once and took me a few days to figure it out...(i still had the preview "checked")
...

[djm99001]

Nope, that's not it. Preview setting is set to "Full." I tried toggling through all of them, and it didn't change anything.
The preview usually updates eventually, after about 10 seconds. But if I click the playhead, it updates instantly.
Urgh. My intuition is that it's some messed up display-related file (like a dll or something).

Thanks,
David

[Hervé]

Hi David
The FX recomputes the preview 0.5 second after the last user action.
Do you have a special devices attached to your computer ?

[djm99001]

.5 seconds huh?
That's definitely not happening on the desktop.
I'm not sure I understand what devices qualify as special (crawling under the desk to have a look at the back of the computer).
The only things I have attached are a USB scanner, printer and tablet.

just a side question - Are there some FX stack items that could benefit from an even faster refresh? To make them (almost) instantaneously interactive?

Thanks for your help,
David

[ematecki]

Try to lift the pen from the tablet out of detection range after adjusting a parameter to see if that solves the problem.

[djm99001]

Eric,

I'm sorry to report that this doesn't change anything either.
If I recall correctly, something changed in 8.5 that requires the Intuos3 pen to be in contact with the tablet surface in order to register a right-click. It wasn't like that before 8.5, and it isn't like that on the TabletPC.
Is this supposed to be like this or might this be an indication of something amiss with my desktop/Intuos3 setup?

David

[ematecki]

What I supposed was causing your problem is that the Intuos continuously sends 'pen moved' events,
due to very small movements of your hand, so TVPAP thinks you are still working and won't compute
the preview right now, but waits until you have finished.
When lifting the pen out of the detection range, the tablet stops sending these events and TVPAP
computes the preview after the half second delay.
So there is something else making TVPAP think you're still working while you are waiting for TVPAP to compute it's preview...

The reason the pen must now be in contact with the tablet is that the right clics now are also pressure sensitive : no contact -> no pressure.

[Paul Fierlinger]

that requires the Intuos3 pen to be in contact with the tablet surface in order to register a right-click.

When I use the Free Hand cut brush with my Intuos pen's right click I can draw a red bounding shape from as far up as about an inch above my tablet. To erase with right click I must be touching the tablet, which I believe wasn't the case in Mirage; so sometimes right click works from above and sometimes it won't anymore.

[djm99001]

Okay, thanks to the helpful explanation from Eric, I figured out what I was doing wrong. The detection range for the Wacom is higher than I thought. I am a fool. If I lift the pen more than 1/2" off the tablet, it updates.
Would it be difficult to change this so that the display can (optionally?) update after the pen has left contact with the surface? I know in some slow loading previews it would be a nuisance, but lifting the pen to see what I've done with the wrapping grid is starting to bother my wrist (I make very small changes each time). How come the tabletPC doesn't need the pen to be in contact to register a right click? Weird.

Also, while we're on the subject of FX previewing....I really like the feature in Photoshop of being able to draw with a subtle drop shadow underneath the brush, in realtime (as a layer style). How difficult would it be to make the drop shadow render in realtime, maybe as a brush option in addition to an FX item? I tried making a custom brush that had a stamp with a drop shadow already on it, but it doesn't look the same. If anyone else thinks this is a legitimate wish, I'll post in the feature requests.

Thanks,
David

[Fabrice]

Can you post some exemples of renderings : brush + drop shadow ? It would be interesting to see them.

[ZigOtto]

... When lifting the pen out of the detection range, the tablet stops sending these events and TVPAP
computes the preview after the half second delay.
So there is something else making TVPAP think you're still working while you are waiting for TVPAP to compute it's preview...

but even when the cursor isn't in the project preview window, ...
this new thing, (having to take far away your hand to see the FX preview starting to be computed) really sucks !

[ematecki]

but even when the cursor isn't in the project preview window, ...

Yes, because you may be changing the opacity of a layer, or hiding it, etc...

But we will look at ignoring events where the pen doesn't touch the tablet.

[ZigOtto]

...
But we will look at ignoring events where the pen doesn't touch the tablet.

that should be better.