All smart filters opening when only editing one

[HarrEl]

This problem has been bugging me for a long time, so I'm hoping someone has an answer. When I use more than one plug-in as a smart filter and go back to edit one of them, all of them open again instead of just the one that I am editing. This is extremely frustrating. At first I contacted the company that designed the different plug-ins but have not gotten any explanation or fix. I thought it was one particular product, but it seems to happen with all of the plug-ins. Does anyone know of a way to avoid this occurring? It's not particular to any build number or OS. I use Windows 10, Photoshop 2020. Thanks in advance.

 

[thebestcpu]

To dig in further, it would help to have specifics about the plugins.

 

[HarrEl]

For example, I have the old Topaz plug-ins and when I use one of those as a smart filter with a PS filter like Gaussian Blur--if I then edit Gaussian Blur, the Topaz plug-in would just say updating on the screen. Now with a newer Topaz plug-in like Sharpen AI with another PS filter, when editing the PS filter the Topaz plug-in interface will open, reprocess, then close again. Depending on the plug-in's processing speed this can take forever. Another example is using ON1 Photo Raw 2020 plug-in as a smart filter with a PS blur filter--if I edit the blur filter the ON1 plug-in interface opens, "processes," closes and then I proceed with editing. At first I thought it was just Topaz, but it happens with other non-PS plug-ins also. It even happens if I just turn of the eye on a filter, everything opens, does their thing, then closes. If I'm just trying to see a difference by turn an eye on and off, this opening and closing of programs is incredibly frustrating. I can't think of an external plug-in that doesn't do this except maybe the old Topaz plug-ins. This also has occurred if I try to crop, all of the plug-ins open and close before the crop takes affect. The only way I've gotten around this is if I think I'm going to go in and out of a plug-in and I know another plug-in will open and close, I'll usually use several smart objects with each having its own filter. This works but is time consuming because of opening and closing smart objects and their filters. I hope I've explained this okay. I think trying to explain this is why I have not gotten much help from any support desk. Thanks for any advice you can give. My processor is an Intel i-5 7500 3.4 GHZ with 16Gb RAM. My OS and all programs are on a separate SSD from my data, so my computer is pretty speedy.

 

[thebestcpu]

Hi HarrEl
I am sure you noticed that some of the Topaz AI are pretty slow compared not the non-AI products.
You may have come across a software bug yet it may be a minor one.
If you open up a Smart filter within a Smart Object, all filters above that filter in the Smart Object must be reevaluated. That basically means the Smart Filter must open, take the results from the lower filter, and save the results effectively passing those results to the next filter above it. The only difference in what you are seeing is that we are both used to the filters reevaluating without opening up any screens. Most of the hard lifting has nothing to do with a window being opened, rather that the entire filter must totally reevalate a new result from the changed filter below.
So the minor bug might be that the the Topaz or other filters did not implement a silent recalculation with no window opening.
There could be some secondary factors going on yet only an Adobe software engineer could answer and that is, it is possible that all filters that must be recalculated are all opened up in parallel with calculations being done. This saves the loading time of the filters/plugins yet if this were being done, would put extra stress on system resources and a possible additional factor of why it is slowing down. That second part is just a guess though.
I will do some more looking and other forum members may already have an answer if this is a true implementation bug or not.
So I think you have explained your problem just fine.
John Wheeler

 

[HarrEl]

Thanks, John, for your reply. Silent recalculation is the perfect description for what I would like to happen and occurs with the old Topaz plug-ins and halfway with ON1 Photo 2020 in that the interface opens but closes fairly quickly especially compared to the Topaz AIs. Hopefully you or someone else has some more thoughts on this issue or that future updates of various plug-ins will address this issue at least by processing quicker. I will need to experiment with order of plug-in usage to see if that makes any difference because I do get the stacking message when reopening a smart filter.

 

[thebestcpu]

Hi HarrEl
I typically have used Topaz filters as standalone and not in Smart Objects. In doing so reading in using them as plugins, I came across some information that indicates they may not be so flexible to use in stacked filters of a Smart Object. I have not tried this out myself yet made me concerned enough to post this link as an example thread of issues of using Topaz filters within Smart Objects.
This may or may not be related to why the application reopens yet thought it was worth sharing this link: https://community.topazlabs.com/t/studio-2-is-destructive/11248/7
At least I know it is not a simple slam dunk as I have seen a number of postings online that talk about the same issues. FYI
John Wheeler