PaintShop Pro

Key takeaways

PaintShop Pro belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect PaintShop Pro to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of PaintShop Pro from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

PaintShop Pro (PSP) is a raster and vector graphics editor for Microsoft Windows. It was originally published by Jasc Software. In October 2004, Corel purchased Jasc Software and the distribution rights to PaintShop Pro. PSP functionality can be extended by Photoshop-compatible plugins. The X-numbered editions have been sold in two versions: PaintShop Pro, which is the basic editing program, and PaintShop Pro Ultimate, which bundles in other standalone programs, additional artistic tools and/or plugins. The particular bundled programs have varied with each numbered version and have not been sold by Corel as separate products. From release 8.00 onwards PSP came with an interface for automating tasks with scripts written in Python.

History

Originally called GIF2PCX, the software was a file conversion utility, conceived by Robert Voit, used to move images between the major online platforms of the time, Compuserve and AOL. Each platform had their own file format for images, so the utility allowed users to share images on either platform. When basic image editing was added, the name was changed to Paint Shop. The first version, 1.0, supported image conversions picture converter between BMP, GIF and PCX formats, and basic full-image enhancements like changing brightness and contrast. Paint Shop 1.0 was released by Robert Voit in August 1990. The name was changed to Paint Shop Pro when full painting, such as with variable sized brushes, was added to the product. Paint Shop was originally distributed as shareware and is still available at many download sites (4.12 being a popular version). Most newer versions are only commercially available although some have been distributed in the United Kingdom in computer magazine CDs after they became obsolete. PaintShop Pro 5 added support for layers as well as CMYK and HSL colour modes, included JASC Animation Shop for creating animations and in fact was marketed as "Paint Shop Pro 5.0 with Animation Shop". PaintShop Pro X6 was the first to be available as a native 64-bit version (purchase includes both versions). PaintShop Pro X7 includes content-aware features such as "Magic Fill" and "Smart Edge" as well as support for XMP sidecar files that preserve edit settings for raw formats. From 2006 to 2011 (versions XI to X3), PaintShop Pro was marketed as "Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo". Having dropped the "Photo" part of the name in version X4, Paintshop Pro X5 was derived from Ulead Photo Explorer after Corel's acquisition of Ulead. On November 28, 2007, Corel announced that the office in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, where Paint Shop Pro was created, would be shut down, with development moving to offices in California and China.

Version history

JASC Paint Shop releases: 1990?–1993 In the table below, italicized dates are approximate, based on the earliest file timestamp on JASC or Corel's FTP server. Non-italicized dates are sourced from official press releases or notifications posted on JASC's web site.

JASC Paint Shop Pro releases: 1990–2004

Corel Paint Shop Pro releases: 2005

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo releases: 2006–2008

Corel PaintShop Photo Pro releases: 2010-2011

Corel PaintShop Pro releases: 2011–present

Picture tubes Picture tubes are graphic images with no background. They are often used as a starting point for complex images; that is, they are combined with other image elements to produce a final work. Tubes can also be regarded as graphic brushes based on a pre-created image; this was their original use. Instead of leaving a trace of color on the canvas, they would leave a trail of images. Popular tube subjects include alphabets, humans (also known as dollz), animal and toy figures, flowers, love messages and seasonal symbols. The tube system originated with PSP Pro version 5. Native tube files may be in .tub, .psp, .pspimage, and .psptube formats. XnView, IrfanView, and TubeEx are separate graphics programs that can convert tube files (.tub) to .png.

Ultimate edition PaintShop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate was released towards the end of life of PaintShop Pro Photo X2, in September 2008. It included 150 additional picture frames and Picture Tubes, the programs Background Remover, Corel Painter Photo Essentials 4, and Photorecovery, as well as RAW support for 250 cameras and a 2GB flash drive. Subsequent Ultimate editions were released contemporaneously with the basic version. PaintShop Pro X4 Ultimate included Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0, a voucher for 21 images from Fotolia at high quality, and additional Picture Tubes. X5 Ultimate included Reallusion FaceFilter Studio 2.0, NIK Color Efex Pro 3.0, and "over 100 unique brushes, textures and royalty-free backgrounds". PaintShop Pro X6 Ultimate includes Athentech Imaging's Perfectly Clear and Reallusion's FaceFilter3 Standard. PaintShop Pro X7 Ultimate includes those same two items. The bundled extras cannot be installed unless that version of the PaintShop program is already installed. However, once a bundled extra such as a plugin has been installed, the installed files can be copied to other versions, e.g., a plugin installed under X5 can be copied to X6 and even if X5 is then uninstalled, the plugin will continue to work under X6. Corel releases a new X version roughly annually, so this ability to copy means PSP users do not have to choose between updating or continued use of Ultimate add-ons from previous versions.

Other related versions and products Paint Shop Pro Personal is a version of JASC Paint Shop Pro 9 for the Japanese market, published by Sourcenext Corporation. Paint Shop Photo Album is a simplified version of Paint Shop Pro designed to enhance, organize, and share digital photos. The Corel version was released as version 5. Corel Paint Shop Pro Album Personal is a version of Corel Paint Shop Pro Album 5 Deluxe for Japanese market, published by Sourcenext Corporation. Corel Photo Album is the successor of Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album. First release was version 6. Corel PaintShop Photo Express is the successor of Corel Photo Album. First release was PaintShop Photo Express 2010. Paint Shop Pro Photo Studio is a site launched as part of Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 launch celebration.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PaintShop Pro

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PaintShop Pro claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to PaintShop Pro before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about PaintShop Pro ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of PaintShop Pro

In research: PaintShop Pro appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses PaintShop Pro in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: PaintShop Pro is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1990 software, Corel software, Photo software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for PaintShop Pro outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study PaintShop Pro in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what PaintShop Pro means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain PaintShop Pro out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PaintShop Pro in simple terms?

PaintShop Pro (PSP) is a raster and vector graphics editor for Microsoft Windows. It was originally published by Jasc Software.

Why does PaintShop Pro matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study PaintShop Pro?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on PaintShop Pro.