Plug-In: Ft Pattern Suppressor

[Chain]

This is a brand new re-made version of the "FFT" plugin for Photoshop from this thread. Now with a proper action to automate the procedure and get better results than manual painting. Due to the major changes we decided this deserved a new thread.

This is a set of FREE plugins and actions for Adobe Photoshop that will let you easily remove repeating patterns from images.


Moved it to a separate site, just in case forum thread goes down (and so I can keep track of number of downloads). But you can keep the discussion in this thread. If you have any problematic images, don't hesitate to post them!
Download the tools here

View video tutorial


before-after.jpg
image_96668.jpgimage_96669.jpg


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We highly recommend using the actions for processing images to remove the patterns versus using the old way of using the Ft-plugins and painting manually. View/read the tutorial before using!

Files included

• libfftwx64_3-3.dll – FFTW library. Required by the Windows plugins.
• .8bf – Windows plugins for doing Fourier transformations(used by the actions).
• .plugin – Mac plugins for doing Fourier transformations (used by the actions).
• Pattern Suppressor v2.6.atn – Photoshop Actions for doing pattern suppression.
• Readme.pdf – Detailed readme, and written tutorial.

Requirements and compatibility

• Requires Adobe Photoshop (64-bit).
• Tested on CS5-CC2020 and Windows 10 and CC2017-18 on macOS 10.12-13. But should work on more versions.
• Requires basic knowledge of how to use the Brush Tool, layers, masks and the Actions Panel. Tutorial provided.

Installation (Windows)

• Copy libfftwx64_3-3.dll to your Photoshop installation folder. Usually this is
  C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [version]\
• Copy the .8bf-files to the Photoshop Plug-ins-folder. By default this is
  C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop [version]\Plug-ins\
• Restart Photoshop if it was running.
• Double-click FT Pattern Suppressor v2.6.atn to install the actions.
  (You could also choose “Load Actions…” in your Actions Panel Menu).

The action set will be shown in your Actions Panel (can be found under Window > Actions).
The Plug-ins will be available under Filter > RONC 2018, but normally you should not need to run them manually.

Installation (Mac)

• Copy the .plugin-files to the Photoshop Plug-ins-folder. By default this is
• /Applications/Adobe Photoshop [version]/Plug-Ins
• Restart Photoshop if it was running.
• Double-click FT Pattern Suppressor v2.6.atn to install the actions.
  (You could also choose “Load Actions…” in your Actions Panel Menu).

The action set will be shown in your Actions Panel (can be found under Window > Actions).
The Plug-ins will be available under Filter > RONC 2018, but normally you should not need to run them manually.

Copyright

The filters were made by the Fourier transform guru Ron Chambers based on the original source code by Alex Chirikov. Mac plugins (and further optimization of Windows-plugins) was done by Francesco Pierfederici.
The actions were created by me, Jonas M. Rogne - a guy that has used Photoshop too much.
FFT library is from http://www.fftw.org/

Everything is free for personal and commercial use.
Detailed copyright/license information is in the Readme.pdf-file.


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Changelog

v2.6 - Minor update

• Fixed a spelling mistake and renamed the action-file from "2" to "2.6" to avoid confusion regarding the version number. The actions are otherwise unchanged since version 2.

v2.6 - Multithreading

• Replaced the Windows-plugins with the multi-threaded versions that we've had lying around for a long time but didn't actually publish. Thanks to Francesco Pierfederici. This gives a performance boost on system with multiple cores (for the transformation itself, not the rest of the action). Note that the Mac-versions were already multi-threaded. Common error messages added to the readme-file. No other changes.
• The version on Adobe Exchange will not be updated due to Adobe making the process super inconvenient.

v2.5 - Mac support

• With the expertise of Francesco Pierfederici, we now officially have Mac support! Place in plugins-folder. No dll needed.
• Published the Pattern Suppressor on the Adobe Exchange. It is limited to CC. If it doesn't work you can always use the manual install from ft.rognemedia.no.

v2 - Major update.

• Now supports color images!
• New naming scheme for plug-in files.
• Reworked the automatic suppression. It is now a lot more accurate.

v1 - First full release.

• Ron has re-written the plugins/filters, and the previous "white red channel" bug that happened with certain image sizes has been eliminated.
• Filters now work with 8, 16, and 32-bit files. 8-bit is not recommended though as the limited bit depth is insufficient for accurate results.
• Chain has created a new action set automating most of the process.
• The action set automatically suppresses bright spots in the red channel. A layer mask is used as you must then remove the suppression from the central star manually (that part cannot be fully automated).
• The actions perform Nyquist filtering as part of the process to avoid "moiré"-like artifacts and "hot" pixels.

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I will update this main post with the latest versions when/if we make improvements to the actions/plugins.
Please try it out, and post your feedback below.
Here is a test file for you to download if you want to try it.
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[Chain]

Common error messages

Here are a few potential error messages, and their likely causes:

The object “layer “XXX”” is not currently available

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BB2fX_Li6yBxK-U59hkUbyM-cwLuCb8ZgvQSFNuBm_hu-v54P4Hb1O8ZhiBKOeTHvGjxlm7gE82lKQQ5r-esn-g4TTDOF-Sk8-8uOJg_kBw33VrGJyIM0f_Rdi1AVI2pBQrcbNod

When running the actions, an error message like this will happen if the action is unable to find a layer it requires to function (The name “Preview” in the screenshot above will be replaced with whatever layer it is unable to find). This would typically occur if you have accidentally deleted/renamed one or more vital layers during processing, or if you are running the actions in the wrong order.

Please see the tutorial for more information on how to use it correctly.


The command “Filter” is not currently available

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UfosxtF2jg35NjdZNh72T9Wv7sgoT9nm4HRwXlbrJu84HwAuvReJDj7Ru0jiuCfdKv50xLyduRHnAhUkAaFD1w_kizcV_OMmg_OegWknRZnzS8CIMgZ_SfZDXYASBLEEHBwAliRp

When running any of the actions, this error message will occur if it cannot find one or more of the filters. This usually means you did not copy the filters to the correct folders, or you forgot to restart Photoshop after you did. Please verify that the plugins (filters) are in the correct folder for your version of Photoshop (and that you are using a 64-bit version of Photoshop that supports the filters).

If the filters are installed correctly, they should show up under Filter > RONC 2018.


Could not complete the *. command because of a disk error

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dAIy0mXXbprWEjwgAuz0XVzvTuI0iD_tGZC1bVSrgJH8xXm7lnc0L5akHOHJ4Lnf-YRskKgJk4R-s57eQNLwupcEVU7KM-N6C3puQJbXNqUqAN-XKzhDMeZfnpGqjtHOTIb_I8Ho

This misleading error message will show up on Windows if libfftwx64_3-3.dll is missing. This usually means you did not copy the file to the correct folder, or you forgot to restart Photoshop after you did. Note that “Ft2DS” in the above screenshot is the name of the filter it was trying to run at the time, and will be different depending on what action/filter you were running.
Please verify that libfftwx64_3-3.dll is in the correct folder for the correct version of Photoshop.

[Ron Chambers]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

Good to see it up.

RONC

[Chain]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

Whoa, you're quick to respond!

[ApWizard]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

Hi there!
Long time I've logged in!

That's really outstanding work you guys have done.
I've watched the video and read all the documentation, well...is Ron a wizard?
I knew Chain is on another level PS wise but didn't know about Ron C++ spells.

I'm dreaming about programming my own plugin and I'm learning C# right now to move to C++ in some time.
So having a little understanding of what you're supposed to do (very little because in C# is like having a bike with the little side-wheels on) my jaw felt off.

Keep it up guys!!!
(ApWizard aka sooka from reddit)

[Ron Chambers]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

Hi there!
Long time I've logged in!

That's really outstanding work you guys have done.
I've watched the video and read all the documentation, well...is Ron a wizard?
I knew Chain is on another level PS wise but didn't know about Ron C++ spells.

I'm dreaming about programming my own plugin and I'm learning C# right now to move to C++ in some time.
So having a little understanding of what you're supposed to do (very little because in C# is like having a bike with the little side-wheels on) my jaw felt off.

Keep it up guys!!!
(ApWizard aka sooka from reddit)

Sorry but my skills are more Fourier Transform than C++. These routines will be placed in the GIT system with the source code which is simple basic C code so that a user can learn about Fourier transforms and Photoshop plugin building. Everything will be there for using Visual Studio Community 2017 to compile and get an 8bf file to use in Photoshop. I have to learn my way in GIT and bring more history of the code together. Will announce here.
RONC

[Caravaggio]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

Hi Chain,
Is there any possibility of a mac version of this? I haven't watched the video yet, but your before and after thumbnails look great! Thanks.

[Ron Chambers]

Re: Pattern Suppressor

What are chances of MAC version?

I think Chain's portion is probably suitable now but the Fourier Transform plugins are not. I'm not a programmer as I fixed the Fourier Transform usage within the plugins. If you have a MAC programmer, I have the source code in simple basic C for them to start from (not C++). There is no popup dialog so that difference is gone.

Can't you use Windows 10 on MAC with Windows Photosoft from Adobe?

RONC

[Caravaggio]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

I think I'd have to partition the hard drive to run windows 10 on a mac which I wouldn't want to do and I'd probably be lost running windows as I'm so used to mac os.

[Ron Chambers]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

Get a small ssd on usb.
I felt like you do about programming windows and it would be worse with MAC.

Cheers,
RONC

[stormyboy]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

Chain and Ron,
Thank you both so much for all of your work!
Tom

[badflame]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

Hi,

I have CC 2014 and the plugins not appear in the Filter section.

It's possible to adapt this plugins to work in CC 2014?

Thanks.

[Chain]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

I just installed CC2014 to check, and they work fine on CC2014.

You must have skipped something:

1. Make sure you use Windows.
2. Copy the dll-file into the Photoshop installation folder.
3. Copy the plugin-files into the plug-ins folder.
4. Restart Photoshop.

[badflame]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

I don't know why, because I restarted the computer after install your plugins and not worked, but... a few moments ago I turned on the computer again and Photoshop recognizes the plugins.

So, problem resoluted.

I take this opportunity to ask you some questions.

In one complex pattern like this, we only must paint the central axis? The top and bottom of the vertical axis, that is more thick, is a "star" to preserve. If not, I must paint by white but more thick too?

https://s26.postimg.org/l1nslzdx5/pattern.jpg

Also, sometimes, I'm not sure if any shadow in the central axis is a "star" that I must preserve or not.

https://s26.postimg.org/mtgrgxn09/pattern-2.jpg

Thanks a lot for your plugins and your assistance.

Greetigs.

[Chain]

Re: Ft Pattern Suppressor

If you have any stars/bright spots they should generally remain covered up; even if they overlap the central axis.

Attached you can see roughly what I would reveal on your sample image (paint with black on the mask of the suppression layer). I would use a soft brush.

If you are uncertain if a spot/area should be covered up or revealed, simply try both and see what gives the best result (sometimes the difference can be very small).
I demonstrate this in the last part of the video tutorial (and it's also mentioned in the stop messages you get when running the action).

In short, you run the iFt action normally to see your result (but don't merge/trim). If you want to go back and do changes just hide (or delete) the iFt layer and keep working on your mask like nothing happened. Then run iFt again and you will have your 2nd version (and if you just hid the previous one you can now toggle them on/off to compare).