The DEMO version of PD Pro 4

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

ABOUT USING IT ON VISTA:

Indeed we developed PD Pro 4 to run under Vista whereas the other prior versions did not get that attention because Vista didn't exist then. PD Particles was derived from a subset of PD Pro 4, so it too may have benefitted from some Vista-centric considerations.

It turns out that some of our early-day (early-Vista-beta, pre-release vista) concerns were eliminated later, when Microsoft released VB runtimes for Vista. As they state: it just runs. And for the most part it just does. You just may need to run as Administrator, or at least install as such, and run the first time as admin too just so Vista will allow it to create a Temp subfolder. This is particularly for the 1.0a update.

I'm no Vista expert, so I'm not sure what else is really needed to make it work in Vista, like does UAC really have to be disabled?

It turns out that all versions of PD I've tested so far on Vista do install fine and run fine if you use Administrator.

PD Particles
PD Artist
PD 1.2 free
PD 2.1b
PD Pro 3.7
PD Pro 4.1

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?

FOR GRAMERS - The FREE SDK (Software developer kit) for PD Particles, Project Dogwaffle and PD Artist:

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.

> during install of PD Particles on xp sp2 it tried to write a
> file to sys32 folder (comdlg32.ocx) which came up with a
> message: ‘trying to write to write protected file-abort,
> retry or ignore.’why is this program trying to write to
> the system32 folder and how do you get around this
> during install it?

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

> I am one that never has been able to draw anything and have
> it look like something it should be.

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

HELLO, Philip here from TheBest3D.com with Project Dogwaffle and PD Particles. If you have any problems with the installation please take the discussion to the Dogwaffle forum at yahoogroups, there many wafflers there with experience and answers to your questions. Including me :-)

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

#235 la

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.

#228 dum ass

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...................

I started working with this program and my son took over. Just might stir up my artistic flow again and start his. Very easy to work with.

i know u hav a lot comments to read and its all 'free' software but IT WOULD BE NICE if you answered the ones who have probs with their software installation."no answer is a stern reply".gary

to 218. I have to agree with you, I've been downloading many of the GAOTD ofers and having lots of fun, however, my computer was freezing up a lot lately and more and more strange errors were occuring. I finally bit the bullet and started uninstalling many of my fun but seldom or never used GAOTD programs. (used my Revo Uninstaller from GAOTD lol, keeping that one.) My computer is working much better now, I'm happy to report. Will be much more selective about downloading in the future.

This is a great program, I'm really enjoying it!

if I were to install this on my computer today, is there a way to backup the program so that I could install it on my new computer that I am getting next week?

Interesting and easy to use, but I can't see that it is particularly useful. Certain aspects may be useful by importing computer art from other sources to allow use of some of the features. But I haven't tried that.

This giveaway is SO much fun to just doodle. Download it for the sake of playing. Thankss gaotd

I am new at GOTD. I will try to give a trustworthy review, everyday. Today's newest 'Giveaway of the Day', was PD particles. Most (or all) people have the paint program as a default on their computers, and you may be tempted to think that paint is just the same as PD Particles. It's not! This full featured program, is just like a pro painting program, and not at all like paint. My rating of this program is,
7/10
Webmaster's Review
You can make the paint brush, just like a real paint brush, and when you're done, it looks hand done.
Nothing like paint, and thanks GOTD!

I've just dinked around a bit, but wondering if someone can tell me how to print once you create a file. Elementary inquiry I realize ...never used such a program. Need to use another program to let's say create a greeting card ? Just some basic steps would help.

#218
The statement...
"It pretty much F&^*&^ed up my computer. Now I must say I am no rookie when it comes to computers."
...Usually means rookie alert.

Had a good play with this yesterday and am thoroughly impressed with it. It is a fantastic piece of software and even the kids are having fun with it. I can't draw to save my life, but with this programme I actually turned out a half decent landscape pic, so I think with more practice I will eventually be able to produce a something that is worthy of printing and hanging on a wall. Thankyou

thanks so much GAOTD!

i love this much better then paint ; )
there has been some bad software this week but this makes up for it :D

thanks

#219 There must be something wrong with the patch file because it won't unzip. According to their website it's suppose to contain one file: PD_Particles.exe. Which you are suppose to then copy to the folder where you installed the program. This would then replace the original file named PD_Particles.exe.

I've downloaded this patch several times & can't get it to unzip.

Oh well... maybe they'll fix it or someone on here can tell us something different.

Very nice program! The makers obviously put a lot of work into it! I just scratched the surface, and can tell it has potential!

TO Fubar: I'm curious what your "day job" is. You are obviously very knowledgeable about computers and software and without question "the man" we all wait for, when deciding whether the day's download is worthwhile. I don't want to be intrusive, but I think we all would all like to know how you have come to be the top GOTD guru. On behalf of all of us, thank you for all your efforts. ---- Respectfully, Mr. Lee

I wish I didn't miss this one, it looks really cool!

#23 "This is one of endless cases which proves that no one at Microsoft, including Bill Gates particularly, knows anything at all about computers or software development."

LOL - Doesn't Fubar realise just how ridiculous that statement is?

I cannot figure out how to make the patch for this work. I'm using Vista. Could someone put step by step instructions.

Good Day To All,

I would like to preface my comments with an apology for the minor diatribe I am about to venture into.

I have been coming to GOTD for some time now. I got caught up like many of you here in seeing what each day brought. Not just because the offerings were free but just because it was fun to see what was next.

I would read the comments and examine what the giveaway offered and then decide on download or not. Some installed well others didn't. I came to rely a lot on what FUBAR had to offer on his opinion of the software as it seemed unbiased and well thought out. As was his thoughts on this software.

I have downloaded a lot of things from this site. I have a folder full of shortcuts to programs that are quite nice but I will probably never use. Even if I do use some , where does it end. Say I only like a 3rd of the offerings in a year. Do the math , that is a lot of programs.

Well, yesterday I was in a real hurry. I found a minute to go to GOTD to see what was here. The initial description PD -PARTICLES sounded like fun.

With no time to really get into the comments which I normaly do and read each one, I made the mistake of just reading the thumbs up which was at 81% at the time.

I took the chance and downloaded it. Well, what a mistake. It pretty much F&^*&^ed up my computer. Now I must say I am no rookie when it comes to computers. I do know my way around. I will fix the problems but I should not have had to have this problem. If I had read FUBARS comments and some others first I would not have downloaded it.

I am surprised only a few others encountered problems.

It just doesn't seem worth it anymore to come here. So much software offered here causes problems. Just recently the PDF to Word crap and others with spyware etc.

Like I said earlier I didn't just come here because things were free. It was just fun.
I can go buy whatever I need from reputable software makers, but it was just something different to come here and see what everyone had to say and see some of the dumbass comments and sarcastic stuff.

But none of us should have to suffer because we chose to download something here. I feel sorry for the computer newbies or computer challenged people. I mean if I have a hard time rectifying a problem, what do they do.It is kind of sad.

Again to quote Fubar. "The truth is, almost all software installations do some damage." He is right but it seems some of the stuff here is worse than others.

I think I will now go about uninstalling lots of what I have installed from this site. Not that all are bad but I just don't need them. See what damage has been done. Fix it and move on.

I still might come here to see what is going on but I doubt there are downloads in my future.

I hope you all didn't mind me sharing my thoughts with you here today.

It just really bothered me that what sounded like a nice program did damage to my computer. I know lots of you had no problems. You will say it is just me. But look at the track record of the software offered. Not all smooth sailing.

Good Luck to you all and THANK YOU.

If people would read the read me files, they wouldn't have all these problems.

Wouldn't load on Vista, not even as an administrator.

The delay problem with the isntaller I think may be caused by bad sectors on the disc. You might want to run disc cleanup with a full scan.

Problems with getting other software such as printer drivers or mpeg drivers instead of the installer may be a problem because the installer is extracted to the temp folder before it's run. You can manually extract the install files to wherever you like with a zip program.

I don't think other vb applications are downgraded by the installer because vb5 and vb6 use different versons of the conrols. In fact they can run side by side in the same application.

PD Particles may store data and executable programs, such as plugins, in the same folder. That is why vista may balk at running the program. Vista uses virtualization to seprate programs and data, but it is not foolproof.

Particles isn't time limited in any way, and it doesn't require activation.

Love this programme! Loaded into Vista Home Premium, no problem! Then loaded into windows xp comp. and I had the same problem as #80! Having to search for extracted, activated files I had to go through computer- progamme files. Though in the middle of a masterpiece, it did shut down when I clicked on Nova style, losing my amazing artwork(lol). This is what the patch is for! And though the patch is free, I can't quite work out how to replace the old one, though the plus side here is I now have this excellant (activated?!) package on disc, which had I tried Nova before loading onto XP I could have done the latter from the disk! I'm hoping I didn't have to patch it through offer period only as I need time and errors to get that bit, and if I don't manage it, I just won't hit Nova!!!
A fabulous programme I'm glad I didn't miss!
Thankyou Dog Waffle....& GOTD! A big thumbs up!! :)

# 205
It won’t install on my TRS-80 also.
Comment by dum bass — September 29th, 2008 at 2:30 am

Was GAOTD site down? Started downloading at 4:30 CST. Had gotten to 87% at 7:50 and then said couldn't connect to server. Kept trying for an hour but still couldn't get download to resume and IE kept saying site not found. Then had to go to work. Now saying not available 2:16 AM but a new one is not up. Really wanted this program, as an much better then a utility for us scrapbooking mammas.

I'm not a very good artist, but this software made me look GOOD!! It's definitely worth buying, but I'm glad that I got it for FREE!!

Definitely Installation on OS Windows XP SP3 failed to install. Too bad, well, we must wait for better install program.


Greggo

Took some time to figure out how to install the patch, but I managaed. Copy and paste the patch into the folder where the program is at. That's all it took.

Messed up my ending. Was going to say it's worth the money, especially if they'd clean up their website a little.

First installed their freeware version Project Dogwaffle. PD particles is limited as to what special images you can draw. Mainly -and this isn't a complaint - grass, weeds and shrubbery. Dogwaffle has some preset flowers. Of course there is also more than one add-on for both. Figured I could import/export stuff back and forth to increase my capabilities. Tried them both and am impressed. The presets allow me to draw fields without any drawing talent. Of course, both are partly meant to increase your capabilities with other programs like Photoshop. Plenty of tutorials, though you have to dig a little, and be patient. The website is a little haphazardly organized. Too much content, with some redundant links, needs some consolidation. So you may think you've seen it all, but sometimes there's more on another page. Installed on Vista Home Premium. As to Fubar's concerns in 23, used the suggestion another post made about the same problem a couple days ago. Used the freeware ERunt to back up the registry, then restore the registry settings after installing the program, so, hopefully the registry now points again to the up to date Visual Basic libraries for all programs. The two software seem to work fine after the restore. I'm a last minute guy, like to read a lot of the comments, so this post probably won't do any good, but this program, though simple, can do a lot of diffent things. If you see this with a few minutes left, I highly recommend it. I'd say the thumbs are right on this one. For my money, it's the best bargain I've seen in the few months I've been coming here. If you have any use for it, it's worth the 19.95. Especially if you're going to anything more than the most basic graphics.

# 10
It won't install on my TRS-80 also.

Would be great if there was some tutorials in the help on how to use it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks like some fabulous work could be done with it if one knew how?
I've been trying to get a brush to a reasonable size for over half hour and cant find instructions anywhere on how to.......or does it only go to one size???????

Cannot install patch:

Runtime error '76' Path not found.

Great Software... Loved it a LOT... Thank God.. Still 1 hr remaining..

Thanks a lot GAOTD..

GREAT program! I LOVE it! TY! One of the best ever offered here!Installs, runs fine on xp sp2, and it's EZ to make some wonderful pics with ti, just follow a tutorial and right away you are a good artist! I did and it was fun & super easy!Try it and see! :)

To Cat @ #103


There is no 'installer' for this patch. Instead, just copy the new main executable file: PD_Particles.exe [ size: 2.32 MB (2,437,120 bytes) ] into the folder where your current installation of PD Particles is located, and let it replace the current file of the same name.


It goes the same for the free add-on Penny for PD Particles that you can find here :

http://www.thebest3d.com/pdp/downloads/penny.html

Hope that helps

Ciao

QD

Well I tried twice to download and install on Windows XP and each time the Setup file tried to uninstall my Microtek Scanner (and sadly did that the second time as I hit the wrong button).
thumbs down from me, sorry

I have the same Epson problem, it just open Epson scanner utility. What's up with that?

Do you think you could offer Archipelis Designer? I'd do almost anything to get my hands on that program! :)

If you do I'd love the GAOTD project team even more than possible!

Oh, and I will download this program, and am sure I will love it, too.

Thanks GAOTD.
You guys are awesome.

-GAOTD Lover

I tried installing on my newest computer: dual boot Vista Home Premium + XP Pro SP3. I could not get the installation to complete on Vista, the installer reported an error, and I don't feel like fighting with Vista to get this to install properly. I wish they had at least a downloadable demo version of their newer software; I might have tried it because this looks like a cool tool.

It seems to have installed ok on Vista Ultimate, but I can't get the patch file to work. Any suggestions on that?

I don't see any place with registration info, but I did get the browser page saying I was registered so I'm assuming I am.

I played with the program a little & I think it would work great with a pen as opposed to the mouse.

Something worth checking out for all levels.