PixPlant Support: Frequently Asked Questions

How can I select the generated image size?

To select the size of the image PixPlant generates, click File > New and enter the desired width and height in the dialog.

What makes a good seed image?

A good seed image should have a reasonable number of repeated elements, either structured (for example bricks along a wall) or unstructured (for example pebbles in the ground). In both cases the more elements in the image the better as it allows PixPlant to extract and generate more visual variety.
A good seed image should also avoid strong luminosity contrasts; however you can correct these contrasts up to a point with the Equalize Seed setting.
It should also have its repeated elements as aligned as possible with the image sides, but this can usually be corrected with the Straighten Seed tool.

How can I improve the seamless tiling quality of generated images?

You should usually prefer seed images with lots of repeated elements (see What makes a good seed image? above), so that PixPlant has enough variety to generate the image. The following actions can improve the seamless tiling quality of the generated image:

Use the Straighten Seed tool to make sure the elements in the seed image are aligned with the image sides. Due to lens/perspective distortion or simply because the image was taken at an angle, the image elements may end up with distortions and misalignments which can negatively impact texture generation.
Since build 1.2.14, PixPlant includes the Seed Pattern window, which was designed to solve most problems with seed images containing regular elements (for example a brick wall). Click the Seed Pattern button and check if a grid pattern was detected, and if not set it there: the next time you generate, it should tile without problems (make sure "Snap to Seed Pattern" checkbox is selected).
This is only important for structured images (for example bricks in a wall) and not an issue for unstructured textures (for example pebbles in the ground).
Check the Equalize Seed: Light and Color settings, which will filter the seed in order to have less light and color variations.
If the seed image is not structured with regular repeated elements, select one or more of the Extra Seed Symmetry check-boxes, which will allow PixPlant to use symmetric copies of the seed image in order to increase variety. Take care however, that in seed images with regular elements, these settings might create unwanted symmetries in the generated image.
Try generating again: each time you generate PixPlant will create a different image.
Correct the specific problems by partially generating to the affected areas in the canvas.

Why is the Seed Pattern button displaying "Click to Edit!" in orange?

This means PixPlant is not sure about the detected Seed Pattern. It's a way of PixPlant requesting that you verify if the detected seed pattern grid is correct. Having a correct seed pattern is only important for textures with repeated regular elements (e.g. with structure).

In fullscreen tiling mode, I can drag the texture around, but why does it immediately go away if I release?

The full screen mode (accessible with the [ ] button in the Zoom buttons area) was intended as a quick preview of how the texture will tile at the current zoom level: if you click and release it goes away, much in the manner of a popup. In horizontally and/or vertically wrapping textures, if you press but do not release the mouse button, it will move the texture but only until you release the mouse button. The reason for this behavior is really that it was intended as a quick preview, which goes away if you click/release the mouse (or any key).

What's the Snap to Seed Pattern feature?

Since version 1.1.9 PixPlant includes a new setting that automatically snaps the Seed Scale settings to the nearest best value for tiling. This is important so that the elements in the generated texture spatially "meet" at the image boundaries, so as to obtain a good tiling.
If the Scale Lock button at the right of the Seed Scale sliders is set, both width and height will snap - if you prefer, unset Scale Lock and then change the sliders individually.

How can I stop PixPlant from using parts of a seed image?

In the Seed Edit area, at the right side of the window, select with the mouse an area that you don't want PixPlant to use - this area will turn to black and won't be used. To make that black area available again, just click with the mouse over it.

The Seed Edit area is too small!

You can press the Expand/Collapse button [<] at the bottom of the window, next to the Undo/Redo buttons. This will change PixPlant into a layout with more space available for the Seed Edit area. Portrait oriented seed images will also benefit if you increase the vertical size of the PixPlant window.

Can I generate non-tiled images for a large background?

Yes - simply select "None" in the Tiling option at the bottom-left corner of the window. You can also generate horizontally tiled images (which are great for panning/scrolling backgrounds) or vertically tiled images, by changing the same setting.

How how do I generate to a part of an image?

In the main canvas area just select, by pressing the left mouse button, an area that you want to generate to and press Generate. This will rely on the neighbor portions of the image to generate the part that you selected. Generating to a part of the image is very useful for expanding existing images with extra pixels at the sides for example.

I'm generating to a small area of the image, but it always generates similar pixels?

If you always get the same pixels, this means that PixPlant is "land-locked" by the neighbor portions of the image - you can overcome this by increasing the size of generation area till it gives different results. This is usually only a problem when generating to small areas.

Which platforms and applications does PixPlant work on?

PixPlant Standalone runs in Windows Vista, XP and 2000 (a Mac version is in the works).
The Photoshop plug-in version runs in any application that can host Photoshop plug-ins or filters. If the host application is not listed in PixPlant installer, you can copy the PixPlant.8bf file from PixPlant's installation folder into the plug-ins folder of the host application.

What is was the use of the Dup button?

The Duplicate (Dup) button at the top-right corner can be used to create copies of a seed image with different orientations or slightly different rotations (by using the Straighten setting). This helps PixPlant generate better images because it can use more variety in the seed images.
Since version 1.0.7 (see the About box to check your version), PixPlant includes the Extra Seed Symmetry options - if these options are checked, PixPlant will try to use extra variety in symmetric copies of the seed image (horizontal, vertical and both).
And due to this added redundancy, the Duplicate button was removed on build 1.2.14. So it goes.

Frequently Asked Questions

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