[Resolved] Masks don't mask anymore?

Software darktable
1

Hi,

I have notice with the 3 latest build of Darktable for MacOS made by @MStraeten, that masks are not masking anymore. I mean Spot removal tool doesn’t removes the area under the spot, where ever I move the source.
Tool mask (circle, ellipse, gradient) take all the image as mask, even when I only select a small portion and reduce the “feathered” area (dashed line) to zero

It is something that happes only on my side ?
OS : MacOS Big Sur 11.2.1
Darktable: 3.5.0+1519_g4fff02e463
, 3.5.0+1649_g20585f7688, 3.5.0+1687_g388c377ec8,

2

please give an example - i’m not aware that spot removal doesn’t do it’s job further; it just works fine for me …
What exactly do mean with “takes all the image as mask”?

maybe you need to check the opacity - if thats 0 you’d hardly see any differences.
you can change this by ctrl+scroll

3

Here are some screenshots.

First stpot removal. The branch is not replaced by the source.

darktable - spot removal
darktable - spot removal1386×930 201 KB

Then I added a circle mask for the exposure. I pushed the exposition quite far to show the difference. I did’t change any othe parameter.
1st : inverted mask deactivated

darktable exposition mask 1
darktable exposition mask 12058×1158 476 KB

2nd :inverted mask activaded

darktable exposition mask 2
darktable exposition mask 22010×1152 558 KB

I was expecting some difference in exposure, but can’t see any one.
Are the default correct so nothing seems to be displayed ?

To “see” something, I have to set the mask contrast to the minimum : -1

I’m using darktable-3.5.0+1687_g388c377ec8.dmg

4

Maybe you changed the opacity of the masks. Try to hover over the mask with the mouse, hold CTRL and move the mousewheel. Above the image you see the current opacity value.

6

Sooooo,

I did some experiment. And installed sequentially
darktable-3.5.0+1519_g4fff02e463
darktable-3.5.0+1603_g0ea35a5e54
darktable-3.5.0+1649_g20585f7688
darktable-3.5.0+1687_g388c377ec8
And each time

  • deleting the image xmp
  • deleting .config/darktable directory
  • didn’t set any preferences
  • imported the image and
  • added the mask

darktable-3.5.0+1687_g388c377ec8
darktable-3.5.0+1687_g388c377ec81452×984 257 KB

This time, the mask is correctly displayed! However all parameters are still set to zero.

I guess something in the .config was faulty during the multiple updates.
Case resolved :slight_smile:

7

The dotted line indicates the feathering (shift+scroll), not the opacity(ctrl+scroll).
This information is indicated at the top of the window:
image

The default value for mask opacity is persisted in darktablerc config file (plugins/darkroom/masks/opacity=1.0). So you might check it there.
be aware: you have to differenciate between:

  • opacity of the shape (ctrl+scroll)
  • opacity of the blend mode
  • opacity of the refinement
1 Like
8

OK, I see there are 3 parameters. I guess one of the three have been changed at some point in the past and is applied as default as per saved configuration.

I did a diff of the previous darkablerc and the brand new installed. I see a lot of parameters have been removed. Indeed plugins/darkroom/masks/opacity was set to 0.05 in the previous file. Now it’s 1.0.

Thank you.