I find myself using frequently a specific set of modules, arranged a certain way in the pixel pipe. E.g., Color Bal RGB to precede Color Calibration, Tone Eq to follow most other modules, etc.
Adding the modules, moving them around in the pixel pipe for every image is effort that is repetitive. I’m hoping to save on that repeat work and increase my efficiency.
What I’d like:
a) specify the modules and their sequence (as detailed above);
b) turn off all presets in the modules;
c) save this somewhere and be able to call it on demand.
So, when I’m processing an image I’d like to bring up this sequence of modules, turn them on and adjust each as needed, etc.
Is this possible in DT?
The presets dialog in darkroom helps me shortlist the modules I want. But it doesn’t allow me to move them around in the sequence or control their on/off status.
I thought “Styles” may be the way. Creating and applying a Style presents turns ON modules I wanted turned off, it moves modules around so they end up in a different order than what I had in the first place, and it affects the image I want to process through the modules even before I intended (by working my way up the modules in my list).
So, how/where in darktable can I have my list of modules, in the order I prescribe, some modules turned off and others on, all with no presets, available on demand?
Create a style with all the modules you want in the order you want. You can even select a preset for the module and then turn it off. Apply the style to the image, then use the modules you want on.
Bill, in another posting (with attached screenshots) I did exactly what you prescribe: create a style, applied the style, etc. Unfortunately I’m unable to make it work.
Clearly what you describe/prescribe works. Others have defined styles and they are used extensively. There’s something I’m missing or doing wrong wrt Styles but I don’t know what it is to fix it…
I opened an image and set up the modules I wanted. See DR-Modules attached. This is the equivalent of Bill’s Step #1.
I then went into lighttable, select the image, and created a new Style. This is the equivalent of Bill’s Step #2. Whereas his dialog box has a Reset column, mine does not. Further the order of modules for Bill is the same in Steps 1 and 2; for me the order is different and I can’t change it to match what I had in darkroom.
Until I get past this Steps 3 and 4 that Bill prescribed are moot.
Just a word of caution I wont begin to know your workflow but I would be careful just moving the modules like that. For sure second or third instances can be moved for stylistic or targeted effect but the position of module in the first instance is generally done taking into account its primary function and where that is best located… again I don’t know your reasons but just take care…
Thank you, Todd. Your caution is well registered.
To keep things simple in clarifying my difficulties with creating/applying Styles I didn’t create the 2nd instances of modules that are then moved around for stylistic/targeted effect. The problem I describe applies with or without those 2nd instances of modules.
I am unable to see what Bill sees in his Step 2! e.g., in creating a style I can’t see the Reset column and the order of modules is not preserved…
Bill is in the active modules tab which shows the pipeline order and your positioning …what tab are you in …it seems to be one to the right of the active modules tab
Sorry to be vague as I am not on my PC so I can’t test things before suggesting but the active modules tab is tied to the history stack/style… I think there is some nuance to you using this in conjunction with your style creation perhaps… try to just load something like the scene referred module preset no no favourites for the moment and now recreate the steps as Bill outlined …what do you get…
Bill this is not going to give him step 1 after the style is applied correct… I believe the OP is looking to create a style to have a list of modules that includes the unactivated ones all in one place so he can just activate selectively the ones wanted for the image…those inactive modules applied by the style are present but will be found under the tabs that they originate from no??
Ya but they would be scattered in the list of the entire module list no??
Edit I did discover a setting I did not know about…in the module manager you can set the active modules to show all modules in the history… This might actually give @meaningfullyhappy what he is looking for…
Without this I would see only active modules and then the second click would be the entire list of every module which would then include the inactive instances. The inactive modules from the style would be added but would only be found in their home tabs unless I subsequently activated them and then it would join the others in the active tab. With this discovered option enabled it shows the list from the style active and inactive and in pipeline order. A second click still show all the modules but that is not needed unless trying to maybe use it to select a new additional module without search or going to another tab… So this would offer a view equal to your step one in your explanation to @meaningfullyhappy and I think that is what he was looking for… not sure how this will help the other issues that seem to be part of his struggles though…
Todd, Bill: I’ve been following your exchange, tried what you are discussing, but have to report lack of success.
What I’m trying to do is simple and straight forward. I used a sequence of modules to process an image. Some of those modules needed to be new instances that I had to move before/after their usual place in the pixelpipe. I need the modules to be OFF by default so I can activate them as needed for an image I process as I work my way up the pixelpipe. That sequence of modules defines my ‘workflow’. Having that set handy would save me effort every time I process an image using the same 'workflow." I’d not need to create new instances, move them around, etc.
I’m concluding what I need and would like is not possible in darktable. That’s too bad. I’m surprised as what I’m doing seems not any extraordinary and likely what more experienced darktable mavens have already seen the need for/developed their own solution. In any case, after a couple days of banging my head against the wall and tearing my hair I’d like to take a break and focus on other things, with the realization there’s no path to efficiency as I hoped for so elbow grease is the only way out.
Since you are a new darktable user, I’d strongly recommend that you stick to the default order. The developers put the modules in a specific order for a reason.
