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Bob Richardson
06-07-2015, 3:26 PM
315240

I have attached a Cored Photo-Paint X7 macro that I created. I use this to prepare images for laser engraving. I found that processing the photos manually took too long and the paid programs were too expensive for my needs. This macro falls somewhere in the middle of those two options.

The macro allows you to



Automate the most common steps and settings for converting a picture.
Choose which steps to perform and the settings to use.
Save these steps and settings to a file for later use.
Copy my settings file and share them with others.
Add notes to the settings with information such as Power Level, Frequency, and speed.



The macro has been tested in Photo-Paint X7 running on 64 bit Windows 7 and 64 bit Windows 8.1. It may work with other versions of Photo-Paint and windows but no guarantees. Hope you like it.

Scott Shepherd
06-07-2015, 7:41 PM
Thanks Bob, and welcome to the forum! I'm sure there are a lot of people on here that will be able to use that.

We appreciate your effort!

Scott Challoner
06-07-2015, 8:19 PM
Yes, thank you!

Thanks Bob, and welcome to the forum! I'm sure there are a lot of people on here that will be able to use that.

We appreciate your effort!

Bernie Fraser
06-09-2015, 6:33 AM
Bob, I just loaded up your Macro in Corel Paint X6 and it works great in that. I started to read your instructions before loading the macro and that is when I realised how much work you have put into this. The control panel for this macro with the ability to add comments to the saved file means it is a great asset. Thanks for producing this, outstanding effort. I think at the moment you may have thought that you would have received more replies. I think a lot of the guys have not had a chance to download the file yet.

Thanks so much Bob this is brilliant work.

Mike Null
06-09-2015, 8:03 AM
Bob

Thanks. I downloaded it and will give it a try this weekend.

Welcome to SMC.

Graham Taylor
06-09-2015, 11:12 AM
I downloaded it yesterday but have'nt had time to install it yet but will try to do it later.

As a newbie, I appreciate the help and suport given by everyone on this forum so thanks, not only to Bob for taking the time to do this, but also to everyone who has helped me in the past (and I am sure the future as well)

John Bion
06-09-2015, 3:17 PM
HI Bob,
I have not actually used your macro yet, but did instal it just now without any problems. I do not do much in the way of photo’s but look forward to giving it a try. Thanks so much for your willingness to share your hard work with us all.
Kind Regards, John

Bob Richardson
06-09-2015, 4:34 PM
Thanks to everyone for your comments.

Bernie, I've learned not to expect too much of a rush when releasing things to groups like this one. Like any product, if it is any good and people like it then the user base will grow over time. My hope for this program is that people will find it useful and share the settings files with others.

Jeffrey Dewing
06-09-2015, 9:21 PM
I just started reading up on this, and know I'm going to find it very useful with substrates I have got my settings down well on. Thanks!

eduard rodriguez
06-10-2015, 7:34 PM
Oh! Really thanks for sharing your hard and great work. :-D

vic casware
06-10-2015, 8:09 PM
Thanks Bob, I don't do many photo's but i can't wait to try this, might make me get off my butt and do more.
:D

Lee Biddle
08-25-2015, 5:01 PM
Has anyone had any luck with running the Macro in Corel Photo Paint X5?

Mark Sipes
08-25-2015, 5:41 PM
Have X16 (32 bit) works great.

.

David Somers
08-25-2015, 11:03 PM
Many thanks Bob! I am on the road and doing little on my Iphone, but look forward to trying it when I get home later this week! Many many thanks!

Dave

Cary Fleming
08-26-2015, 1:54 PM
Thanks, Bob. I can't wait to try this macro out when I get home tonight!

Brian Terry
08-27-2015, 12:12 AM
Thanks Bob. Haven't tried it yet but everyone says its great so I'm sure it will be.

Roy Sanders
08-28-2015, 9:17 PM
Thank you Bob,

With a few exceptions regarding how the loading process works, this loaded into x6 well. I have it loaded into photo pant x6 and it is working. I still have some learning to do around when to use positive and when to use negative, and at what dpi; between your macro and the Gold Method, I think I will have success. My goal is to engrave photos on wine bottles that are then made into lamps.

320426This is one i used your macro on. I used cutout lab and cut just my friend and me out . then i used the macro to prepare it for engraving. The wine bottle is dark green so I think the positive is best, and I used 600 dpi. I will post the outcome. My friend uses a diamond bit to drill a hole in the bottom of the bottle then stuffs the bottle full of mini christmas lights. then using a small lamp assembly puts a small light on top. When plugged it it looks cool. I think the engraved photo will add a different dynamic.

Bert Kemp
08-29-2015, 8:53 AM
Still looking to see if it works with x5. Oh boy. I just downloaded the instructions for this and its miles over my head.Creating directories and the like. Fact is I never used a macro and really have no idea what they are or how they work. I just thought this would make prepping a photo easier but its beyond me:eek::confused:


Has anyone had any luck with running the Macro in Corel Photo Paint X5?

Roy Sanders
08-29-2015, 11:01 AM
Bert this is not that hard once you get beyond the "beyond me" hang up. Would a step by step instruction help? I won't go through the process if you do not with to do it. The macro makes prepping automatic and it works. let me (us) know.

Roy

Bert Kemp
08-29-2015, 7:18 PM
Roy I'd love to learn how to do it all but first we need to know if it works with x5. I've never used a macro and really don't know what they are or do . so its like starting fro scratch. If this program works wiyth x5 then I certainly would like to lern how to make it all work. Thanks

Mayo Pardo
08-30-2015, 3:57 AM
I've installed the macro in Corel Photopaint X5 and my initial problems were related to the file/folder structure of X5 being somewhat different than what was referred to in the instructions for installing into later versions of Corel. Once I got everything figured out and installed in the correct place, I tried to run the macro and got this error:
Compile Error in Hidden Module modWinAPi

My system specs:
Dell Win 7 Pro, 64 bit, Core i3, 6 gigs ram
Corel X5 is installed under Programs X86

Bert Kemp
08-30-2015, 8:06 AM
Thanks for trying that .Guess were out of luck.:(

Roy Sanders
08-30-2015, 9:40 AM
I predict it will run in x5. it runs in x6 very well. there is not much difference regarding macro design betwixt the two, or any for that matter. Design changes typically are in other dimensions than script language. I recognize that I am not a programmer or PC pro. I do have some experience in loading scripts.

Bob Richardson
09-11-2015, 12:04 AM
I know that many of you have downloaded the macro I created and several of you have commented that you are using the macro for processing your photos. I am working on a new releast that will fix a couple of minor bugs that I found and would like to fix any that you may have come across. If you have any issues that you would like to see me fix in the next release please post them here. I am also looking for any settings files that you have created and are willing to share. If you are willing to share one or more of your settings files for inclusion in the next release then please send them to my email at bob(a)laserengravinginfo.com.

Michele Welch
09-12-2015, 2:05 PM
Thanks for the macro Bob. It's funny I ran across this post today as I've really been researching doing photos in the last few days and had found that unless you had Photograv, they just looked like crap. I've downloaded this macro and will install today and see how it works. I'm using X7, so can't wait! Thanks again!

Tony Daurio
09-14-2015, 11:42 AM
315240I have attached a Cored Photo-Paint X7 macro that I created. I use this to prepare images for laser engraving. I found that processing the photos manually took too long and the paid programs were too expensive for my needs. This macro falls somewhere in the middle of those two options. The macro allows you to

Automate the most common steps and settings for converting a picture.
Choose which steps to perform and the settings to use.
Save these steps and settings to a file for later use.
Copy my settings file and share them with others.
Add notes to the settings with information such as Power Level, Frequency, and speed.

The macro has been tested in Photo-Paint X7 running on 64 bit Windows 7 and 64 bit Windows 8.1. It may work with other versions of Photo-Paint and windows but no guarantees. Hope you like it.Thanks for sharing your work with us Bob. Welcome to the forum

Dave Sheldrake
09-14-2015, 12:43 PM
What a genuinely decent guy ! I don't do hardly any engraving but to post something so useful for free says a lot about you Bob.

Top man :)

cheers

Dave

Mayo Pardo
09-15-2015, 3:08 AM
Mike were you able to get the macro to run in your version of X5 ?
If you did, then I probably did something wrong trying to get it installed.
If you didn't, then perhaps it's just not compatible with X5.

Anyone else with X5 get this macro working?

Chris J Anderson
09-15-2015, 5:53 PM
I've just downloaded and installed this macro, had a quick play, and will run an image on a stainless memorial plaque I'm doing this morning.
I'll do a side by side comparison to the standard output from ULS 1 Touch Laser Photo.

I must say the image I've just tested (on screen) looks great.

Thank you sincerely for your efforts and for sharing.

You should make this 'shareware' at least so that we can sling you a few $ for your efforts.

Thank you again.

cheers,
Chris

Jack Clague
09-15-2015, 6:47 PM
Top guy for posting this, seriously, you could package this and sell it for $10-20 a pop but to release for free is a wonderful gesture

Gonna be trying this when I get my laser

Chris J Anderson
09-15-2015, 9:15 PM
Hey Jack,
By your sig that would make you a "Piwi" :)

Quiet week for you in the footy next week mate, all happening over here...

cheers, Chris

Chris J Anderson
09-28-2015, 6:52 PM
Had a quick run at this yesterday, and must say this macro is really well done.

I made this for my Daughter for their school footy tipping comp, its a bit of a tongue in cheek 'in joke' apparently.
All I know is I look nothing like this bloke at the beach :)


I had a go at this image with ULS photo, and the standard output did not work with this photo.
So I had a go at some settings I have 'trial and errored' myself, and results not so good.

So I then ran this LaserPrep macro.
At first it didn't work so well, so I simply adjusted the brightness, and on my second attempt this is what I produced.

I will now put a full sheet of acrylic in the laser and run some settings and record some results with different type photo's.

This really is a great macro, and again, Bob you should make it shareware, people (including me) will use this commercially, so you really should make something from it.

Please pm me your email as I'd like to paypal you a few $

Thanks again for your efforts Bob...

322377

Lee DeRaud
09-28-2015, 8:08 PM
Anyone else with X5 get this macro working?I finally got around to taking a run at it with X4. Installs fine, executing it coughs up "Compile error in hidden module modWinAPi". That sounds like a versioning issue with some VB DLL.
I'd take a stab at debugging it (I think I've got the latest Visual Basic installed on that machine), but it's password-protected. So it goes.

Dan Hintz
09-29-2015, 5:36 AM
322377

Should that be "Humanity's..."? With the wording, I can't tell if you're shooting for possessive or not...

Scott Shepherd
09-29-2015, 8:22 AM
for their school footy tipping comp

Chris, can you enlighten us who don't know, what in the world is "footy tipping"? :)

Jack Clague
09-29-2015, 8:28 AM
Chris, can you enlighten us who don't know, what in the world is "footy tipping"? :)

Its where you predict the results of matches each week and get points based on your predictions vs the actual scores, then at the end of the season the winner is the one with the most points.

Jeff Body
09-29-2015, 1:25 PM
Sounds like fantasy football.

Lee DeRaud
09-29-2015, 1:49 PM
Sounds like fantasy football.More like an old-school football pool.

Chris J Anderson
09-29-2015, 7:59 PM
Should that be "Humanity's..."? With the wording, I can't tell if you're shooting for possessive or not...

Not sure Dan, its a school teachers annual tipping award, so i'm hoping one of them knows :p



Its where you predict the results of matches each week and get points based on your predictions vs the actual scores, then at the end of the season the winner is the one with the most points.

Thats about summed it up Jack.

Warning - Bragging below...
On another note regarding 'footy'...
Our nephew was awarded the 2015 Brownlow Medal about 36 hours ago, a marvellous achievement.
For those that don't know, its the award for the Best and Fairest player in the Australian Football Leaque (AFL).
Awesome Player, Awesome Person.
We're all on a high at the moment :)

Roy Sanders
09-30-2015, 11:58 AM
Hi Group

I am the most delayed learner ever. I have yet to get a photo to engrave anything close to the one in Chris' post. I have used the Gold Method, have to bring it over to Corel to laser. I successfully loaded Bob's and still cannot get it right. When it is in grayscale the pic looks great. when processed in Black and white not so much. Then when produced absolutely awful.

I will post pictures of this dilemma in a bit.

Roy:eek:

Bob Richardson
10-11-2015, 6:30 PM
Roy,

Have you had any luck with processing your photos? if not please post a copy of the original picture, the picture after it was processed, and a photo of your completed piece. Would like to help you figure this out if I can.

Bob

Jack Clague
10-11-2015, 7:16 PM
Not sure Dan, its a school teachers annual tipping award, so i'm hoping one of them knows :p

Thats about summed it up Jack.

Warning - Bragging below...
On another note regarding 'footy'...
Our nephew was awarded the 2015 Brownlow Medal about 36 hours ago, a marvellous achievement.
For those that don't know, its the award for the Best and Fairest player in the Australian Football Leaque (AFL).
Awesome Player, Awesome Person.
We're all on a high at the moment :)

Your Fyfe's uncle?

Awesome... so proud of your nephew.. deserved it to be honest... you must be very proud

---

Back on the photo stuff, got my laser up and running now so gonna give this macro a go this weekend :)

Chris J Anderson
10-12-2015, 12:40 AM
yes Jack, that wonderful young bloke is my nephew :)
(Sorry to all about the off topic...)

Roy Sanders
10-12-2015, 7:11 AM
Hi Richard

I have not had luck yet.
323188 323189

The black and white was imported here as a GIF and at 300 dpi. I attempt to do the engraving as a 600 dpi, it is too large to import here. A youtube I watched has the engraving at 1200 dpi. I haven't attempted that yet. My wish is to engrave this on a wine bottle.
thank you for any help you will offer me. By the way this is the clearest rendering i have produced so far.

Roy

Bob Richardson
10-12-2015, 4:08 PM
Roy,

If the file that is created by the macro is 300 DPI then that is the DPI that you should engrave it at. Setting the laser to engrave at a higher DPI than the image being engraved is just a waste of your time. I have never had to create an image higher than 600 DPI to get a good image, most of my photo engraving is done at 300 or 400 DPI.

Can you post a picture of the bottle after you engraved it so that I can see what it looks like?

Roy Sanders
10-13-2015, 7:16 AM
HI Richard

Yes, I will attempt another bottle, may take a few days. The other think I notice is that as soon as I move the photo from paint to draw the photo changes323237 This is my final product. And I will engrave it on the bottle. The question I have is about inverting. do i invert this for a bottle of red wine, dark green?

Thank you again for your council.

Roy

Scott Shepherd
10-13-2015, 8:13 AM
Roy, if I were engraving that photo, I'd change the color of both shirts in a photo editing program. One shirt will engrave almost solid white and the other shirt won't engrave at all, so it'll be a big blanks spot. If I had that task, I'd make the dark shirt much lighter, and I'd make the light shirt darker. Then it won't look like a blown out mess or a floating head, which is what happens when massive areas don't engrave at all.

Roy Sanders
10-14-2015, 6:59 AM
Hi Scott

Thank you for your advice, i will do that. My query is how. I have paint, and I have photoshop. I am new, obviously, how do I isolate the shirts? While I am waiting for your suggested ideas, i will play around with the photo. I still wish to read your approach. Do you start with the color photo, or change it in the black and white?

Thank you

Roy

Mike Null
10-14-2015, 7:05 AM
Roy

If you save your CDR file back to an earlier version such as 11 or 12 before posting more people can open the file.

Roy Sanders
10-14-2015, 7:29 AM
Hello Mike

Thanks, I will do that this evening. got to get off my chair and go to work.

roy

Scott Shepherd
10-14-2015, 8:01 AM
Hi Scott

Thank you for your advice, i will do that. My query is how. I have paint, and I have photoshop. I am new, obviously, how do I isolate the shirts? While I am waiting for your suggested ideas, i will play around with the photo. I still wish to read your approach. Do you start with the color photo, or change it in the black and white?

Thank you

Roy

Convert it to B/W and then there are a number of ways. You can create a mask and change the levels for those masks (masks of the clothing), or you can take the easy way and try the dodge and burn tools and selectively apply them with a paint brush. You don't want real white whites, or real black blacks, in my opinion.

Roy Sanders
10-14-2015, 6:37 PM
I will do that. By the way I used their LaserDraw. I got the picture quality in photoshop. and every time I import it to Corel Draw it changes to something unrecognizable. Even when I get paint to a quality photo for engraving, it transfers into draw and is unrecognizable.
so I rendered it in shop, saved it as a tiff. I brought into the laser draw and it did not change quality. So I saved as their extension and engraved it on wood and it looks fine. So now I will use the Chinese software to engrave a bottle and see if that works.

My working assumption is that if the picture i posted engraves on wood, i need to invert it to engrave on dark green glass.

Thanks so much for your help

Roy

Darren Wilson
11-11-2015, 7:02 AM
Hello Bob,
Thank you for this, was just struggling with some photos tonight. Will give this a shot in the morning.
Cheers,
Daz