Tips & Tricks

Install plug-ins in PhotoImpact

One of the most common questions asked by users is how to install plugins in Photoimpact. One complaints, for instance, "i have installed your plugins but they do not appear in the Effect submenu of Photoimpact".

In this tutorial we'd like to show you how to install plug-ins into Photoimpact and explain what additional steps one should take if the plug-ins do not show up.

First a bit of theory. A plugin (or plug-in) is a computer program that integrates into another program adding new features and increasing functionality. Ulead Photoimpact lets you install plug-ins from other software developers. Some plugins have a setup-file, others are distributed as ".8bf" files (*.8bf is a common ending for plug-ins in Windows).

How to install a plugin?

If the plug-in has an installer, then just double-click on the setup-file and follow the instructions. It will usually ask you to select the Plug-ins folder of your photo editor. Usually it is the folder C:\Program files\Ulead Systems\PhotoImpact\Plugin\. Next time you launch Photoimpact, you will see the plug-ins under the Effect submenu. See an example of Installation using a setup-file.

If you do not have a Plugin folder, you can create it.

If the plugin you want to install has the extension 8bf, just copy this file into the Plugin folder (z.B. C:\Program files\Ulead Systems\PhotoImpact\Plugin\).

What to do if the plug-in won't appear under Effect?

Even if you correctly installed your plug-in, it may happen that it won't appear in the submenu. The reason is that Photoimpact does not recognise this folder as a Plugin folder and does not load plug-ins from it.

In this case follow the instruction:

Open PhotoImpact and call the command File =>Preferences => General.

In the following dialog box select Plug-ins from the Categories list. Then click on the button on the right and browse to find the Plugin folder. Below we added the folder C:\Program files\Ulead Systems\Plugin\ as the Plugin folder. Press OK.