I’m trying to evaluate the differences between my present editing software (PSE14 with Elements+ and Google NIK) and Darktable. However, my attempts at a before and after have failed, and I’m wondering what I am doing wrong, or is the download corrupt? I have followed several Youtube videos on the subject and believe I am doing everything right: RAW image processed in DT, open History, selected 0 original, clicked snapshot, selected last image from History=23 sharpen, clicked snapshot. Then clicked one of the selected images in History…nothing. Clicked the other image…nothing. Tried 2x clicking…nothing. By nothing I mean no indications that one could use any kind of slider on the image in darkroom???
You go to a previous history stack, click on ‘take snapshot’, then on the new button above ‘take snapshot’ and then you go to the last history step.
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Great video, very informative. However, I don’t think I am quite following your instructions. Let me try to make things a little clearer for my better understanding the process. Let’s say that my final edit is Sharpen (23) and I want to compare it to the Original (0). Thinking I am following your instructions, here’s what I did, but to no avail: clicked take snapshot>What is the "new button above the take snapshot? This is where I got lost. What I did was click take snapshot>click Original>click take snapshot>click Sharpen. Now, both Sharpen and Original are under Snapshots, but there is no slider on the image to show the differences between the two selected images??? Perhaps, using these two givens and that I am in the last History stack, could you please list a step-by-step approach pointing out where I am going wrong?
You can’t compare two snapshots. You can only compare a single snapshot with your current edit. Select your snapshot then select the point in the history stack you’re comparing with. By default the snapshot is on your left and the current edit on your right.
Damn, I’ve got to be pretty thick as I’m still not getting it. Here’s what I did: Final edit showing in Darkroom>selected this image from History>take a snapshot>selected Original from History…nothing happens. Or, should I be taking a snapshot of the Original while the final edit is showing? BTW, tried both and neither works??? I believe, as I said above, the only way I’m going to get this is if someone uses my givens and does a step-by-step tutorial.
Ok. First start by clearing your snapshots (circular button on the top right of the snapshots module).
Select Original (0) in your history stack and then press ‘take snapshot’.
You now have a snapshot labelled ‘Original (0)’. Select the snapshot.
You now have a vertical line down the middle of the screen but both sides are identical.
Now go back to your history stack and select ‘Sharpen (23)’. This should change the right hand side of the image but not the left and you can slide to compare.
I think the bit you’re missing is “select the snapshot” to display it. You need to take the snapshot and then select it
Thanks for taking the time and effort for the tutorial.
Ok. First start by clearing your snapshots (circular button on the top right of the snapshots module).
done correctly
Select Original (0) in your history stack and then press ‘take snapshot’.
done correctly
You now have a snapshot labelled ‘Original (0)’. Select the snapshot.
done correctly
You now have a vertical line down the middle of the screen but both sides are identical.
NO vertical line down middle of screen. There’s the problem. Could be that the dl’d DT file is corrupted???
Now go back to your history stack and select ‘Sharpen (23)’. This should change the right hand side of the image but not the left and you can slide to compare.
I’m stumped. If you’ve selected the snapshot and it’s not showing up I’d suggest raising an issue Issues · darktable-org/darktable · GitHub.
Thanks for your help, Chris. Before submitting the issue, I’m going to uninstall/reinstall DT and see what happens…
Sounds like a good idea.
Which version of DT are you running? There were some 2.7 builds where the Snapshot function was not working. 3.0r2 is the latest, works well, and the full release of 3.0 is expected in a few days. @Bruce_Williams has a tutorial on snapshots in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p-Qa13ylNE
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I am running 2.3.6 After many tries and many downloads of fresh DTs, I think I know the culprit. Getting an error alert that the data base (data.db) is locked. Says the locked file contains a “pid” that seems to be alive in the system:7664. BTW, when uninstalling DT, I have used both DT uninstaller and the latest Revo uninstaller. But, I don’t know how to handle this error.
In your home/.config/darktable directory will be some .lock files. You need to delete them, assuming you’re happy there are no running darktable instances.
Do you mean 2.6.3?
Just got a note from github (Can't get "splitline" in Darktable to compare snapshots? · Issue #3832 · darktable-org/darktable · GitHub) that this function is broken. Is fixed in newer version soon to be released. Do you still recommend that I do the fix you suggest? Also, “…home/.config/darktable directory will be some .lock files…” I’m at a loss as to where to find these files. I looked in the DT directory but didn’t see anything???
I see from the incident that you’re running on Windows. If so I don’t know where the .lock files are (I use Linux). They’re in the same directory as the data.db file. AFAIK the .lock files are how darktable determines that there’s another instance running.
I’m not sure what the windows installation does with the .lock files but if they’re still there when you install the new version, you’ll probably get the same error message.
As I am the throes of teaching myself how to use DT and it has been recommended that I wait for the new release, I’ll just chill out on the issue and become acquainted with DT’s other functions…as long as they are working. Thanks again for your help.
Yeh best to wait. Lots of changes in the latest version.
If you did still want to test ahead of the official release of 3.0 than you can download and try installing version 3.0r2 at: https://github.com/darktable-org/darktable/releases/download/release-3.0.0rc2/darktable-3.0.0rc2-win64.exe
The new version will update your database files.