#81, TK: yes refering to my post... the hosts file entry I typed in was correct but the wordpress comment parser trasformed the bare domian name to a full http ... URL it should be less the http and the :// leaving just the domain name. Apologies for any confusion caused.

#21, no I'm not the developer. I'd never even heard of them before seeing their product here today. I'm just fed up with people who complain about the price when it's FREE. I've never seen so many ungrateful people as some of the ones who hang around here just to complain. Get a life. Or how about writing some software and sharing it here, but that would mean people like you would flame you for doing it. I hope the moderator approves this. It needs to be said.

To everyone who is having problems activating today's program: GAOTD's activate.exe works best (and sometimes only) if the newly-installed software is NOT running at the time, even if just in system tray. As a result, I always uncheck the "start this program" box before clicking on "finish" the installation. Otherwise you have to wait for it to open and then close it before activation. Hope this helps.

As disclosed in earlier comments this giveaway by default checks for updates/upgrades from the vendors server at startup and there is no apparent setting to switch it off. This poses a future risk to the GAOTD license we obtain here today.
It can be safe-guarded by puting the entry:

127.0.0.1 www.photo-toolbox.com

into your systems hosts file if you know how to do it.

Obviously it will also prevent access to that sub-domain via the systems web-browser too, but you can still get to the site after bocking the above mentioned sub-domain by using:
http://photo-toolbox.com instead.

Hmm... don't know what all of the to-do is about. Downloaded, unzipped, ran setup.exe, ran program when installer finished, shut down program, ran activate.exe, then restarted the program, and it was activated--no more "Buy program to remove watermark." This was on Win7 x64, installed in my own designated folder (not the default), so that apparently has no effect.

I have Adobe Design Premium CS6, so I could probably follow one of the many online tutorials and achieve similar results, but PT Portrait does a yeoman job with very little work, and the results are very natural-looking. I am quite happy with the program, so, thank you Photo-Toolbox and GAOTD; this is a keeper!

#3,Giovanni:

Only tintguide.com cosmetic guide lite is free and that is significantly crippled with some tools not available in the free lite edition, the demo's use the disabled features but you can't use them on any image YOU open yourself.

In addition to it by default homepage and search engine hijack plus a toolbar unless you chose custom install option to deselect them.

I had a problem with activation. I contacted the Co., and despite the fact that is now 4am here, I received their very prompt and helpful reply within 5 mins. Immaculate customer support-and this for a promotion!
I wish the Co., every success

#61, photo-toolbox.com: it is normal practice for offerings licenses to not be valid for any updates available from the programs built in web-update service. Do you allow the feature to be disabled from within the program? If not, are you offering free updates for the GAOTD license? If no to both of those... thumbs down and the call home for an enforced update check needs to be blocked in firewall, or routing table or HOSTS file.

A major limitation to me is that the files are not tagged for the colorspace. Indeed, I have no idea what colorspace it is working in. When I open the processed file in a program that is colorspace aware, it looks totally different. Also, files that are tagged with a colorspace don't display the same in PT Portrait as they do in the application that they were created.

Also, the RAW converter does not handle Canon 5d Mk III files correctly. The converter doesn't let you do any of the normal RAW processing, so it is better to convert with something else first.

If it weren't for the colorspace issues, PT Portrait could be a useful program. The key is to use restraint. It is best to check that the blue skin mask is correct and to manually remove any large blemishes before using the automated techniques using the sliders. Try each one individually to see what effect it has. Don't do any more than you have to or it looks too fake. If you use the resize feature, make sure that you have the markers in the right place and try to be subtle unless you want to turn it into cartoon.

I tested PT Portrait with one of the provided sample photos and was pleased with the final result.
I've been on the look-out for portrait-retouching software similar to the commercial offerings from Anthropics, or onOne, or ArcSoft; and today's GOTD is looking good.

Although the interface is abysmal, I was able to figure out how to use the tool. It really does an amazing job on modifying a portrait. The features are, however, minimalistic and don't allow you to control the areas - at least not on my quick perusal.

It's a keeper, thumbs up for me.

For those losing or without the ability to activate these programs, and in reading Terry's description of his solution, please consider this:

Would you ever start cooking a meal with the ingredients still inside their packaging? I'll bet you wouldn't, so why run programs still inside their packaging? Using a zip program like WinZip simply looks inside zip files. They're still inside the file; you're just peeking inside. Effectively.
So unpack the contents - to somewhere you're familiar with - Desktop, maybe - create an Install folder - and run things from there. Especially 'activate.exe'.
And run them as an administrator. Right-click, Run-as..[admin], if necessary.
Unpack.

Ok, so I got it to work - should have read more of the comments, but what I did was shut down the application, rebooted computer, reactivated, then opened software.

Only, now I have a new problem. the "?" button doesn't open and I don't see a manual anywhere

Judging by the comments the nay sayers are out in force but I for one am glad to get another tool for the photo toolbox(no pun intended). With a little practice playing around with it,this program is well worth keeping just for the options it provides. Thx GOTD&PHOTO-TOOLBOX for a usable addition to my manipulation tools.BTW-IMO 19.95 would be a more reasonable price

@ #18 Photo-Toolbox.com —> Audacity. You sure have plenty of it (and I don't mean the audio program) either !
To use someone else's program accomplishments to do the heavy editing of an original photograph. Then to use that as the base for what your program should do. Do you not have original photos of your own? Or is your program not capable of the same quality adjustments with an original?
To top it off, you charge people for your theft, plagerism, piracy or whatever it is considered.
Good find George Ibiza @ #9 & #42

9.I would like to draw attention to the image being used is from a photoshop tutorial about four or more years ago.
Why does this software publisher use someone elses work to promote this product?

Comment by George Ibiza —

18.#9 George Ibiza
These sample pictures are absolutely retouched by PT Portrait. If you want to know how to gain the result of any sample image, please contact us. We can tell you the detail steps with acurate parameters.

Comment by PHOTO-TOOLBOX.COM

42.#18 PhotoToolbox
I was not referring to your screenshots…I was referring to the image used in your software of the unmistakeble face of the sister of Lee Varis who has many Photoshop tutorials on retouching and more.
Here is a link to one such tutorial (You will recognize the model)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4w3J4CfirqY#!

Comment by George Ibiza

@57, JohnnyG:
I totally agree! Nothing burns my biscuits more than a program that phones home WITHOUT MY CONSENT and I see no way to disable it either within the program itself (thanks for that photo-toolbox.com) nor within any of the program files or the registry entries (sometimes they have that setting hidden within a file or registry entry).

@PHOTO-TOOLBOX.COM:
Are you saying, in comment 61 towards JohnnyG, that we have free upgrades for life? Because that's not to my understand per the GOTD "Terms & Conditions": 2) No free upgrades to future versions

Therefore, may I assume at some point in time (a week from now or maybe a month or possibly even a year), the program will revert back to being a demo again and revoke the license because of the update checks?

Since you have made your presence here to assist (we all thank you for that!), please tell me if I am correct or incorrect...

Re the ideas comments:

1. You can zoom right in/out using the +/- buttons on the top line of the Navigator Panel (to the right of [Fit Fill 1:1 2:1]). To be particularly picky - an enhancement could be to utilize the mouse scroll wheel for zoom.

2. You can see the before/after image simply by clicking/holding the [Before] button on the top left. I suggest better than using the screen real estate of side by side.

Good job PT - I'm impressed.

I give up. I've re-downloaded it three times, tried activation four times, have even re-booted my computer to make sure it's "fresh", still doesn't activate. It installs fine, and works, but always asks me to purchase the program to remove the watermark.

Looks like a fun-ish thing to mess around with, but not if it's going to watermark every photo. Grrrrr....

This is the first time I've felt compelled to leave a comment. This tool is great and simple/quick to use - Thanks GOTD / PT. I gave a couple of friends a makeover and had fun distorting with their features too. I had to give the old lady a 100% overhaul! :)

Personally I like the Black/Grey interface.

I thought I would pass on this since I have other SW to do this. then I noticed they claim to support 32/48 bit tif formats. Anyone experimented with those at all?

Finally got it working. (Msg. #58) Had to reboot, then re-downloaded and ran install. Ran activate before opening the program for the first time. Semms to be functioning as intended. By-the-way, I like it.

#56 JohnnyG
PT Portrait connects server once everytime for just for one thing - retrieving the upgrade information.
If you block it, no feature is affected, but only you can't get the latest version in time.

Activation not working for me. I re-started the program and ran activate.exe three times, but I still get an initial screen that comes up saying "Thank you for choosing PT Portrait, to remove the watermark, buy the software now", with an empty text box to enter the activation code into.

I installed the program to a non-standard location (on my D: partition rather than the default C:\Program Files), but I do that often, and it hasn't caused a problem with activation before.

Suggestions??

Hi all.

ACTIVATED at last.

I have been having great difficulty with activating this software so here is my get-round.
It might solve someone else's problem, too.

Locate the folder where the software & activation.exe was downloaded to (C:/my documents/downloads, perhaps)and RIGHT click the activation.exe. Then 'EXTRACT TO' the desktop (For ease of locating) Click on that and Voila.

It is probably my set-up causing the issue.

Hope this helps someone else.

Downloaded twice. When setup is run, I get the following error message.

"The application was unable to start correctly (0x0000005). Click OK to close the application."

Will not run on my W7 64 bit system. Installs apparently correctly in 64 bit Program Folder. Have uninstalled.

I gave a positive review earlier. I maintain it, but want to add one thing I've noticed: the program tries to silently connect to the Internet every time you start it!, what is known as "phoning home". I've blocked it with my firewall, but if I didn't have a firewall I would just uninstall the program. Why in the fck do developer's do this?

Programs like this one disturb me. Yes, it's great when you can improve subtleties of skin tone and correction of major acne, etc., but I get creeped out when I see what looks like a complete nose job (as can be seen on the "face reshaping" example photo.) In other words, the program creates a lie. Thanks but no thanks.

Smooth installation for Windows XP SP3 OS, no problem. But with Windows 7 Pro (32-bit) operating system, every time run the PT Portrait - this application keep asking me the Activation Code. Open existing picture, I still get the "Made by PT Portrait" watermark. Even after installation, I restart the OS, re-run the Activate application and got "Successfully activated" message!

Installed with no problems, thanks PT Portrait and GOTD. I take family photos and once in a while it is useful to have a program to clean up images. This works for me.

This program installed and activated with out any errors at all. Many people here are apparently using old and outdated hardware, and seem to expect perfect conditions from every piece of software offered to them here. If you can not see what it on your screen...get glasses, or get a larger monitor. There is nothing unreadable about the text on the darker background people. If YOU are having a problem to see, YOU need to have that taken care of, rather than to demand software makers to have a particular colour combination that suits your eyes. Geeze.
Other than mistakenly putting the "eyebrow" piece on the nose of my test picture....and boy was it funny too !!...this software worked beautifully. It was MY error, not the program. All sorts of great adjustments can be made, and with a little effort, I am sure the results would be perfectly well suited for touch ups on home photos. It is not PS, nor does it claim to be. It works perfectly, end of story. Some things just require a bit of time and patience to accomplish.
Please people...update your systems, and stop whining about every single thing that doesn't work for you. Do you have any idea of how hard it is for the Giveawayoftheday staff, to hunt down and find software for us all to try each day ? A little gratitude, and a little less whining would be nice here.
As always, thanks to the software developers and GAOTD for all of your hard work, and the opportunity to test these great offers.

Great product. Installation and activation went smoothly. Tried the samples included and it gave me the opportunity to experiment with several different settings. I really like the level of control the user has. Great results. Thank you Photo-toolbox and GOTD!

#38 Funny-Photo-Maker tries to force the install of AVG toolbar with no custom install option to keep this from happening. To me, that is bad form.
You're kidding me, right? You CAN untick to prevent the additional options from installing. I had NO problem doing just that.

I simply refuse to go blind trying to read the text with gray letters in the program. Who would read a book with gray or light blue print. Where in the world do these programmers get the idea that readability is not important or that contrast is not important.

How does the rest of the program perform? I don't know or care.

"1. error messages about unreadable metadata
This problem is probably caused by the ”non-english words” in the file name or path. Remove those words may avoid this problem."

@photo-toolbox.com: By removing this bug ... you avoid this problem for your international customers!


To the program itself: It is quite useful for beginners.

Not more, not less.

Free altenative: The Gimp

http://gimps.de/en/tutorials/gimp/picture-photo-image/


Skål fra Danmark ;-)

@#42.

Your presence here is greatly appreciated.

I too have had this issue and restarting Etc does NOT solve the problem.

I guess I will have to try one of the other freebies available.

Thank you Giovanni for your suggestions. I haven't checked them all out in detail (yet) but I especially like the looks of what "StylePix" can do!

No problem downloading or activating for me. Very pleased with the simplicity of this program and have been able to make subtle but pleasing changes to many informal portraits. This is a must-have tool for me, so I am a happy camper. Thanks for this one, GOTD.

Installed and activated flawlessly on Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8 systems. A simple, user-friendly program that provides good results. Of course, you can go overboard trying to make adjustments, but you can go overboard in PhotoShop and other programs as well. I am pleased with the simplicity of this program for quick adjustments that are pleasing and natural. Thanks for this offering - something I will be using a lot, since I deal with a lot of informal portraits of folks who don't like having their pictures taken (for all the obvious reasons)!

Why don't use professional tool? Photographers use an excellent tool Portraiture from Imagenomic Co. It is a very time consuming and quality job to make a perfect skin retusche. In Photoshop it is also a hard job requiring proven skills. Use the tool what can manage all you need also as a PS Plig-in. Check it here:
http://imagenomic.com/pt.aspx

#40 Please run Activate.exe before lauching the program. If the program is already running, please restart it to complete activation.

#18 PhotoToolbox
I was not referring to your screenshots...I was referring to the image used in your software of the unmistakeble face of the sister of Lee Varis who has many Photoshop tutorials on retouching and more.
Here is a link to one such tutorial (You will recognize the model)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4w3J4CfirqY#!

Stupid question, but where do I get the activation code?

Please help. I downloaded the program, ran the readme file, ran the setup.exe and the activate.exe file. A box pops up asking for the activation code. I didn't see an activation code in the readme file.

Thanks

Is there any way to have more skin colors/looks options?
I'm turned off by the looks on my small screen and can not navigate properly.

@Giovanni Funny-Photo-Maker tries to force the install of AVG toolbar with no custom install option to keep this from happening. To me, that is bad form.

A number of comments have stated that an over all softness of the image is introduced, this is most definitely NOT the case. The image I chose had extremely well defined and high sharpness in the area of the hair and this was NOT changed.
The ability to manipulate the eyes in both size and angle was very effective.
In many programs of this type the finished result looks very false, not so in this program, hence the criticisms of this program really surprised me, and my only conclusion is they did not test the program fully.

I guess the 9 people who suggest the developer to “increase the possible zoom level” missed the possibility to set the zoom level you want, from 10/1 to 1/10, which is more than what you’ll need! (Click on the two little triangles top right.)

The color combinations make it extremely difficult to read.

No problem with installation, activation. This software is exactly as described and will be very useful to me. Thank you!

VERY nice program. I own all the big photo editing software CS6, etc. , but this is very user friendly, quick and performs well. I'm NOT sure about the price, though. I guess if someone does portrait editing ALL the time, it's useful, but it is also limited for someone like a photographer and expensive for a person who does this rarely...

I used it against a photo of myself and it took 20 years off. THAT is heaven for ANY girl... :D