Now that Photoshop CS4 is shipping, let’s talk extensibility.
Plug-Ins:
- By and large, your existing plug-ins should work just fine with CS4. Photoshop PM Bryan O’Neil Hughes reports that when it comes to PS on the Mac and PS on Windows running in 32-bit mode, "Our in-house testing proved early on that with very rare exceptions, ‘if it worked in CS3, it works in CS4.’" Developers like onOne and Digital Anarchy have already issued statements of CS4 compatibility, and I expect more to follow.
- If you’re running Photoshop in 64-bit mode on Windows (Vista 64 or XP64), you’ll need updated, 64-bit-native versions of your plug-ins. (The 64-bit version of Photoshop can’t host 32-bit processes, and vice versa.) We’ve been providing documentation to plug-in vendors for many months, and the 64-bit-savvy CS4 SDK is publicly available for download. I expect vendors to be trying to gauge the level of interest in 64-bit versions of their tools, so if you’re in that camp, you might want to give them some friendly encouragement.
- Photoshop on Windows consists of two binaries (one 32-bit, one 64-bit) which can be installed in parallel as completely separate applications. This means you can use the 32-bit version to run older plug-ins while waiting for them to go 64-bit-native.
Flash Panels:
- Support for running SWFs as panels represents a development renaissance for Photoshop & the Creative Suite. It’s never been possible to create panels for Photoshop in the past*, and developing for other apps meant learning different APIs and writing different code for each. Now you can create cross-platform, cross-application, non-modal, vector-based, network-aware extensions using Flash or Flex. This is going to kick serious ass, and the Photoshop Developer Center now features the Photoshop Panel Developer’s Guide. Look for more examples and documentation soon.
If you’re a developer and have questions, feel free to drop Bryan a line so that he can point you in the right direction.
*Unless you were a really clever developer like the guys at Nik Software–and they’re the first to say “Oh yeah, that was awful”; now it’s possible in an easy, reliable way.
Hi John, I know you’ve been asked this before, however I couldn’t find an answer. Why won’t Adobe let us download trial versions or even pay a bit extra for download versions while we’re waiting for our boxed version to arrive? I would have loved the option of downloading the CS4 today, rather than waiting until next week! Anyways, great products so far – that’s why I keep upgrading! 🙂
so, CS4 64 bit will run on XP64 as well?
i heard it would only run on Vista 64…
[It’ll run on XP64, but you’re on your own. –J.]
It’s never been possible to create panels for Photoshop in the past*
Where’s the footnote? I’m interested!
[This is why I shouldn’t blog 18 hours a day! Should be fixed now; thanks for the reminder. –J.]
I’m very happy that Noise NInja runs in PS CS4 just fine. Fast, too!
Nik Software plug-ins and PhotoKit Sharpener, along with the onOne plug-ins, work fine.
I would say any developer who does not support 64bit is not worth a look at.
I use Imagenomic’s Noiseware, if they do not support 64bit within the next few months to a year, I will never buy another product from them.
With the Lightroom 64bit trial, it switched between photos quite a bit quicker, and the “rendering time” was lessened. If photoshop provides those same performance benefits, there is not reason to use 32bit.
I wish it would have been stated more clearly that XP64 and Photoshop CS4 are not a good couple if you want to benefit from the OpenGL functionality.
I just assembled a new system and explicitly chose XP64. Now I’ll have to purchase a Vista64 license or live without Photoshop’s new features.
John
Today I installed the trial version of PSCS4 (while waiting for the upgrade) and was quite shocked to find that on 64bit XP – I cannot use my strong nVidia card for the openGL features.
It is very awkward of ADOBE to release a version which on the more powerful systems yields less. (BTW I also tried the 32 bit version and also a reg. file to hack it but nothing !)
So what’s the point ?
NIR
As you may have read above, CS4 is not supported on XP64.
[Having said that, there *is* a plug-in you can download to add GPU support, but if you do so you’re on your own (i.e. weird stuff may happen). I’ll be posting more detailed info on that subject soon. –J.]
How do you change 64bit to a 32 iam haveing trouble with
running progmas on the web
how do i go from 64bit to a 32 bit.
tammy asked on 1/22/9 how to go from 64 bit to 32bit. i don’t see a response here. i would like to run in parallel if possible.
is it possible for you to install the right bit that this computer need. i want to do karaoke on it. also i have vidioes that i can’t hear what is being said on them.