Now Available: TK8 version 1.2.2

NOTE:  During the launch of the updated version of TK8 there is a 20% discount available on everything on the Panels & Videos page, including the TK8 plugin and Sean Bagshaw’s videos.  Add the code JulySale in the shopping cart to get the discount.  This sale ends on July 31.

The TK8 plugin has been updated to version 1.2.2.  This is a major update that incorporates new code for Adobe’s UXP architecture for plugins.  Previous TK8 customers have been sent an email via MailChimp telling them how to update for free.  Please check your email (possibly the junk/spam folder).  The latest update information was sent on either July 16 or July 18.  Contact me if you are a licensed TK8 customer but did not receive the update information. New customers can use the discount code listed above to get 20% off for a limited time.

You can check your version of TK8 by clicking on the “TK” button on the Multi-Mask module to open the preferences interface and then looking in the lower right corner. If you do not have version 1.2.2, please get it now.

Importantly, TK8 version 1.2.2 only works in Photoshop 2022, version 23.2.0 or later.  The new version of TK8 will NOT work in Photoshop 2021 or older versions of Photoshop 2022.  So, the best practice is to make sure Photoshop is updated using the Adobe Creative Cloud app before installing TK8 version 1.2.2.

There are several new features in TK8 version 1.2.2, but the biggest is the introduction of the “My Actions” module.  It’s an improved alternative to the “User Actions” section of the Combo and Cx modules. Most of us have lots of Photoshop actions scattered around our Photoshop Actions panel.  The My Actions module helps users dynamically organize the actions they actually use into a single list.  This, in turn, provides easy, one-click access to these frequently-used actions.  The video below shows how the new module works.

This video provides a quick look at how to use the TK8 My Actions plugin.

In addition to their personal actions, the My Actions module provides a place where users can list actions that contain menu items, keyboard shortcuts, and even Photoshop scripts.  As long as these are first recorded into actions, they can be added to the My Actions module.  Sean Bagshaw shows how to do this in the video below.  This ability to completely customize the My Actions module means users can now essentially create their own Photoshop plugin.  Simply record whatever Photoshop features you use most into Photoshop actions, and then add these actions to the My Actions module.  From there they can be rearranged and color-coded in whatever way works best for your workflow.

Sean Bagshaw demonstrates how to customize your My Actions module with actions, Photoshop menu items, and keyboard shortcuts.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Button clicks in the TK8 plugin, like when making luminosity masks or other masks, cannot be recorded into Photoshop actions at this time. They can only be called directly using the buttons on the TK8 plugin.

Additional changes in TK8 version 1.2.2 include:

• Most button clicks create a single history state.  This makes it possible use CTRL (Windows) / command (Mac) + Z to undo most TK8 button clicks.  Note, however, that using CTRL/command + Z does NOT reset the TK8 user interface to what it was at the previous history state.  So, only Photoshop is reset to the previous history state, not the TK8 plugin.
• Occasionally, a green progress bar will display if the run time for a TK8-called process exceeds two seconds. This is part of Adobe’s new UXP code. Sometimes the progress bar will flash only briefly when a process completes.
• A green outline now appears around the Lights, Darks, and Midtones buttons when they are clicked in the Layer Mask mode interface and the Edit Selection interface. This makes it easier to track which button was clicked and which mask was created.
• For the Burn, Dodge, and Paint Color output options in the Multi-Mask module, CTRL (Windows) / command (Mac) + click on the respective output button creates a layer mask of the on-screen mask on the newly created layer instead of creating a selection of this on-screen mask to paint through. The layer mask then controls where the subsequently-applied paint shows through in the image.
• The “png” save option in Web-Sharpening output has been updated to embed the color profile in the saved document. Other output file types already do this.
• The ability to choose a color using the Color Picker is now available when running the Color Clone action found in the Combo and Cx modules.
• Several other bugs were fixed and changes were made to make user interaction more efficient.

Known issues that remain unresolved at this time:

• Adding the menu item “Edit > Fade” to an action and then adding that action to the My Actions module doesn’t work.  There will be an error alert indicating that the Fade command is not available.
• Nik filters played as actions do not work when the actions are called from the My Actions module. However, invoking Topaz filters from the My Actions module DOES work.
• Actions that contain Adobe ExtendScript code cannot be run directly from the module. To play an action that contains ExtrendScript code it is necessary to first create a separate action on Photoshop’s action’s panel that plays the action with the ExtendScript code and then add this new action to the module’s actions list.

There is a lot of new code in TK8 version 1.2.2, and, as such, there may be additional problems that surface and additional updates might be needed to fix them. If you contact me when you see a problem, I can take a look and see if there is a workaround that can be implemented and will post new versions of TK8 if needed. Hold onto the email containing your download link as it will always allow you to get the latest version of the TK8 plugin.