Someone asked about trying the Pro version 4. Not sure if that was for a free giveaway (unlikely) but we are considering PD Artist and PD 2.1. Perhaps PD Pro 3 next year too.

There is a demo version (save disabled but no time limits) in our demo zone:

http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/demozone

You’ll find v3.5 and 4.0 based demos. Either of their full versions have seen new features added since, like v3.6 and 3.7, or a few 4.0x and 4.1 so far.

And yes, correct, this is not a Photoshop alternative. It doesn’t have layers, and PD Pro doesn’t have layers in the same way either. It does have layers, just not the Photoshop style layers, no opaque layers. It’s not for composition, it’s for painting, and animation. Other egine, other needs. Ok, so it would rock to have the same style layers, but that would mean we’d be tempted to charge more LOL

I recommend ArtWeaver as a free PS alternative. And ArtWeaver also has a few things for Dogfwaffle: a direct import/export module, and also LUA scripting capability. You can see the two together at http://www.artweaver.de and http://www.thebest3d.com/artweaver and some more LUA scripts for customizeable filters at http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/lua

I’d like to invite anyone here who’s using Vista to comment how their installation of PD Particles went, and which version of Vista they have?

if you write programs in VB (MS Visual Basic), or Delphi, or other developer systems which are OLE enabled and can connect to an activeX server, please take a look at our free SDK for Dogwaffle:

http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/sdk

We have lots of source code examples there, showing how easy it is to write additional plugins. If you already have a tool or standalone proggy of any kind, it can easily be extended to

- connect to the dogwaffle server (just 1 line of code !!!)
- querry image buffer details sich nas width and height, rgb buffer values of all pixels etc…
- mess with the image
- send the modified image back. done

A number of 3rd party plugins have been created in this manner. The post prior to this one shows a link to 3rd party plugins. See for example Multiprint, or DoggyFX. Another very cool one is CopyFrame or CopyBrush or something like that which was originally made for a high-end application (Bauhaus Mirage) but the developer added easily a Dogwaffle export option. It can also save created shape images to the clipboard (without alpha mask transparency) and that you can again pick into Dogwaffle’s custom brush system very easily. PD Particles doesn’t have that custom brush capability though, so use PD 1.2 for that (the free version) or upgrade to one of the Pro versions from $29 to $199 (without discount coupon).

Since you’re now an official user of PD Particles, you’re eligible for a discount coupon. I will be posting that coupon here shortly. There’s already a 19% discount offer this month as a general promo but yours will be better. Stay tuned.

This is a good and certainly legitimate question, and I’m glad you asked. Indeed, with all the spywares and viruses going around (and I know since I work also with one of the antivirus companies), I can only stress that you should always pass any downloads through a solid antivirus scanner. You may trust the source, but the source may be infected withut the owner of the source knowing.

For example, I had a request from a magazine editor in GErmany the other day, for an NFR copy to review one of PD’s products, and they listed 4 websites from their network. I went to all four and found that one had been compromised with a drive-by trojan infector. They didn’t know.

That said, the reason why our installer offers to install a number of files in the system folder is this: The front end of our applications are written in VB (Visual Basic, from Microsoft). VB needs a number of files from whats known as the runtime library or VB runtime. Most users have a fairly recent version, but not all have it. We either recommend to them that they go to download.microsoft.com and search for “VB runtime” to get the latest (even for Vista!) – or they may try and trust that their system has versions of VB runtime that are recent enough. For example we install a very recent version of RichText tools, but in some cases you may have windows protecting these already existing files by making them read-only or you may have other tools such as an anti-virus protect access to the system folders and files.

In that case, just click Ignore, if that option is being offered. Chances are you have a usable version of these ocx and dll files.

If you’d like to learn more about VB runtimes and other tools for use with Project Dogwaffle such as plugins to other art programs like ArtWeaver (which is free) and Archipelis Designer (where you draw 2D outlines against an image, possibly one painted in Dogwaffle or from a photo, which then turn into fully textured 3D models for use in 3D animation, Google Sketchup and world, or even SecondLife and 3D games with directX model support, check these:

http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/faq (Frequently asked questions)
http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/lua (making your own LUA scripted filters or modifying filters from GIMP, Artweavers and Twistedbrush)
http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/3rdpartyplugins
http://www.thebest3d.com/archipelis

-Philip

Some of the artwork you see at the Dogwaffler of the Moment ages (DOTM – http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/dotm ) was created by people who have painted very little before and didn’t think they can crete colorful, artsy pieces before until they dabbled with particle brushes or custom animated brushes made of their own video clips.

Check for example the guy from Iceland at http://thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/dotm/bjorn/index.html

You can use PD Pro or 2.1 for example to load a short AVI movie clip from your cell phone came, (from AVI or image sequence) and transfer it (pick it up) as custom brush across the frames for an animated custom brush. Then paint on a blank or other image with that video clip in the brush. If you also create a new blank anim or load another movie, and paint with the ALT key down, it will paint with the animated brush across the frames of the new animation – painting with video over video

see lots of tutorials at

http://www.thebest3d.com/pdp/tutorials
and
http://www.thebest3d.com/pdpro/tutorials

Or you can contact me directly in several ways , see http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/about

I’ll take time this weekend to seek out some unanswered questions here but if I miss any please contact us as shown above.

Thanks and happy waffling y’all.

-Philip
Project Dogwaffle at thebest3d.com – beyond digital painting

PS: if you want to explore Dogwaffle beyond PD Particles, try the freeware PD 1.2 version next. It has animation too, and custom, image based brushes. The Penny plugin will prolly also work for it:

http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/free
http://www.thebest3d.com/dogwaffle/penny

Penny paint is made for Anime lovers, cartoonists and comic strip creators with a fast hand. Draw carefully! lol

Thank you for your comment.
It is unfortunate that the software occasionally bogs down the computer or causes a malfunction.
The fact is that I too have had various little glitches and slow downs, etc. since I started coming here to GOTD.
I do appreciate what GOTD is trying to do here but I need to get rid of the majority of what I downloaded here. It is just bloating the system.
Good luck to you on your uninstalls.
And yes there are at least a couple keepers I will save too.

Thank you for your comment.

I guess your right. That is a “rookie comment” that I made.

Guess “I am” a rookie at this or I would have known ahead of time that my computer would malfunction.

Truly I only go back as far as DOS and Windows 3.1
Not enough years of knowledge I guess.

I’d say more but……………….