Topaz Plugins and Luminar 4
Answered
Luminar 4 refuses to recognize Topaz plugins on Mac. I saw postings about how they cannot be used on Windows but they also don't work on a Mac. When I go to Edit/Plugins/Other/Add, the apps will not highlight nor will the Open button activate, no matter what I try to click on. Luminar sees the folders containing the Topaz apps (DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI) but it won't work. Since the Topaz apps are incredibly useful, not being able to use them with Luminar would really limit Luminar's usability. The only work around would be to use the Topaz apps, save the edited photo as a .TIFF and then edit that in Luminar (or go through Lightroom, I suppose). But having to resave every photo as a .TIFF is a pretty inefficient workflow.
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Gary, I can see two ways that you can make it work. First, I know there is a way to look at the inside contents of an application and by doing so you should be able to copy the plugin alias. That would take some poking around; I do know somewhere I saw someone explaining exactly how to do with Topaz products. The second way would be simply download a test trial of LR or PS, install it, get the plugin alias and you're fine. Do copy that alias in a place or two to be safe. When reinstalling Luminar after an upgrade, I think the alias might get deleted. Finally, as to the remarkable workflow, it's just great (for me) to be able to open Luminar and send it off to Topaz to get improved before editing. Otherwise, Topaz is a pain because it will save files as .TIFFs or .DNGs and I don't like huge .TIFFS cluttering up space and Luminar doesn't work with .DNGs. So, if I"m going to use Topaz and Luminar together, the only really practicable way is to have the Topaz apps be plugins in Luminar (or use LR and use both Topaz and Luminar as plugins but that, for me, is really slow. BTW, the one problem is that because of how Topaz saves files, you can' really use batch processing with Topaz and Luminar (because, as I just said, you end up with .TIFFS or .DNGs.
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There is an excellent post on exactly how to get your Topaz plugin to work. Follow these steps to find the plugin for Photoshop. Then go to that location and add them into Luminar. It worked perfect for me. https://help.topazlabs.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040030051-Cannot-Access-Sharpen-AI-as-a-Plugin-from-Photoshop-2020-on-Mac-OS
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Hi Seth,
Please, try to reinstall the Topaz apps for them to re-appear in your Luminar 4 app.
If it doesn't help, please reach out to us at www.skylum.com/support so our techs can take a look at your particular case.
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HI. I am the original poster. And I have -- yes, I have -- gotten Topaz DeNoise AI and Sharpen AI to work as plugins to Luminar 4. However, the process is not simple. For some reason, Luminar 4 will not recognize the plugin files located in the applications folders themselves. That's why when you try to add DeNoise or Sharpen as plugins by clicking on "Edit / Plug-ins / Other" and you navigate to the application files in Applications, you find nothing you can click on. However, what you can do is add DeNoise or Sharpen as plugins to either Lightroom or Photoshop. You can then navigate to the folders where those applications store plugins and find the Topaz plug-in alias files. So, for example, when I added Sharpen AI as a plug in to Lightroom Classic, I then navigated to Library/Application Support/ Adobe / Plug-Ins / CC and there I find a plugin entitled TopazSharpenAI.plugin (which is actually an alias). I then can copy that alias file and add it to anywhere in my Applications / Topaz Labs LLC / Topaz Sharpen AI folder [or really anywhere else you want since it is an alias] . And, finally, I then can add that as a plug-in in Luminar 4 the way one would add any other plug (that is to say, by clicking in Luminar 4 on "Edit / Plug-ins / Other" and clicking on the TopazSharpenAI.plugin. It works! [BTW there may be a way to find TopazSharpenAI.plugin without installing it in another program like PS or LR -- there probably is a way to look at the installation package for Sharpen and find it in there but that's not how I did it.). Only issue, I think, is that if you update Luminar, you'll have to reinstall the plug-in. BUT HAVING SAID ALL THAT, Sharpen and DeNoise can be invoked from within Luminar 4 and they work! Which I love because I can now use both applications with Luminar and that's a remarkable workflow.
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Wow! Thank you SO much for posting the solution Seth and David. I followed the link David posted above. The instructions were not exact to my OS. There is no need to install LR/PS for this to work. I found it easier to navigate manually as follows:
(I'm using Topaz DeNoise AI as an example)
In Finder:
Select - Applications
Select - Topaz Labs LLC folder
Select - "Topaz DeNoise AI" folder or the folder for the program you are wanting to use
Right click - "Topaz DeNoise AI" program Icon.
Select - "Show Package Contents" in the submenu that pops up
Select - "Contents" folder
Select - "Resources" folder
Select - "PS_Plugins" folder
Copy - "TopazDeNoiseAI.plugin" (This is the key file you want that Luminar needs to navigate to)
Paste the copied file anywhere on your computer. (Drag and drop works too). I suggest an easy place you can remember. I created a named folder called "Luminar Plugins" specifically for these .plugin files to be stored. When the .plugin file is placed where you want it, open Luminar 4.
In Luminar follow this path in the top bar menu:
Edit/Plugins/Other/Open Plugin
Navigate to the folder that you placed the copied .plugin file into and select that file.
Voila! Topaz DeNoise AI will magically open as a plugin for Luminar.
You only have to do this once for each Topaz program you want to use. After the first time Luminar remembers where the .plugin file is and the desired program will be available. Follow the path Edit/Plugins/Topaz DeNoise AI (you will see the available programs to select for each program you have performed this process for.)
It's really very simple. The workflow with these tools available is VERY good!
I was considering dumping Luminar 4 because they can't get info out on how to do this or haven't fixed it in the program. Now I'm happy so thanks to all who posted the links to a solution!
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Yes, once you realise Luminar won’t look past the Topaz xxxx AI folder the solution is easy from the instructions. I just dragged and dropped the plug-in file from the ‘show package contents’ folder it the plugin sits in, to the main Topaz xxxx AI folder.... Then it’s a simple look up from within Luminar.
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Hi!
I used Darren's process and it worked perfectly for Topaz Studio 2, Sharpen AI and DeNoise AI but every time I try to open Adjust AI in either Luminar 3 or Luminar 4 the program crashes and restarts. Is there something unique about Adjust AI that it would not work in Luminar 3 or 4 as a plugin? Shame...It's my fav Topaz plugin so it figures that it won't run for me. Thanks again, Darren and anyone else that can add anything!
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Hi Flo,
For now, Luminar supports such third-party apps - https://prnt.sc/sitl4v
Regrettably, we're yet to implement the functionality allowing you to use Luminar 4 as a plugin for Adjust AI. Currently, our software works as a plugin only for software packages from Adobe and Apple. Nevertheless, I'll let our team know about your interest in this feature.
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Hi Colin. Thanks for asking for clarification. Yes, I am trying to use Topaz Adjust AI inside of Luminar as plug-in, not the other way around. The other two Topaz products - Sharpen AI and DeNoise AI - that I have installed as plug-ins Iluminar work perfectly Adjust AI will not load in either Luminar 3 or 4 and crash the programs every I try to load Adjust AI. I am on a Mac running Catalina.
Just so you all know, I have also been unable to use the batch processing in Aurora HDR 2019 since I upgraded my Mac to Catalina in January. I have spent 3+ hours sending videos and screenshots to the Developers and they still have not remedied the problem. It appears that Aurora 2019 cannot read the RAW format of my Panasonic GX8 camera. It just spins and spins when I drag the images into the batch processor. Converting the files to DNG does not help.
Now I can’t use Adjust AI in Luminar, too. Please don’t force me back to Adobe... -
Hi Flo,
Even though the support of Topaz Adjust AI is not officially documented, we still would like to check the crashes you're experiencing and report them to our tech department.
Please email your crash reports at support@skylum.com
- Reproduce the crash > Open Finder.
- Click Go in the top menu > click Go to Folder.
- Paste the following path: ~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports and click Go.
- In the folder that opens find the most recent files with Luminar 4 in their names and attach them to your email.
As for the issues with Aurora HDR - all the information you've provided was really helpful. We're aware of the reported issues but right now there's no ETA for the next update.
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Both Topaz Sharpen and Mask AI are shown as plugins to Luminar. When I invoke Topaz Sharpen as a plugin it works perfectly. The photo opens, I can adjust and then save back to Luminar. When I invoke Mask AI however, a dialogue box opens advising that a duplicate layer is required. After creating a duplicate layer and attempting to invoke Mask AI again with that duplicate layer, I continue to get the same message. Grateful any advice.
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Thank thank you for the prompt reply. It is appreciated. Can I seek clarification please. You say that Luminar does not support transparencies created in Mask AI. It may be my misunderstanding, but at the time I invoke Mask AI, nothing has been done to the photo. It is a raw photo without any processing done to it in either L4 or any other software. Cheers Ed
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Hi Ed,
Topaz Mask AI creates a mask that uses a transparent background (essentially the cutout of your chosen subject or the background, depending on your settings). The pixels around your cutout are transparent which in apps like Photoshop allows for you to place that cutout on top of another image to have that image show in those transparent areas.
Unfortunately, Luminar does not recognize masks created in 3rd party applications at this time.
I hope that helps - please let me know if I can offer further clarification.
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