P: Pro Retouchers need better Liquify

I LOVE THE NEW LIQUIFY :-)
Thank you Adobe.

Agreed, duplicating the layer, applying Liquify, saving the map, applying the modification, deleting the liquified layer, duplicating the original again, loading the mesh, editing the mesh, saving the mesh, applying the effect and so on is a quite cumbersome workflow. I often find myself thinking "Do I really need to do this via Liquify or is there a different way to do this?". I don't really use smart filters all that often, but Liquify is the one case where it would make the most sense to me.

Displace has some great uses, but would also benefit from better integration (first step would be to make it accept channels instead of the clunky map file workflow back from the stone ages). Imagine if you could apply Displace live on-canvas and use all of Photoshop's paint tools, filters etc. to edit the displacement map live in context. Warp in Free Transform would have the potential to make a lot of things easier and reduce the number of times I have to launch into Liquify if only it let us adjust the number of subdivisions. Oh well.

As long as Photoshop’s Liquify is not applicable as Smart Filter and can save the mesh automatically/internally I use the feature only very reluctantly.
Unfortunately Puppet Warp and Displace Filter lack the full power of Liquify, so I’d like Liquify improved towards applicability as a Smart Filter.

I assume the Mesh being stored in the File would mean some bloat but still ...

Blending calculations are currently done in real time for all layers. When you adjust layer opacity or blending options on a layer, it currently updates live. There is no reason why this shouldn't work for Liquify renders, too. You would be adding the computation time for the liquify operation of course, but that is currently also real time and GPU accelerated. Besides, both calculations would only have to be done at screen resolution when editing (i.e. only the portion currently displayed or a lower cache level when zoomed out). Being able to have Liquify work in context, especially on Smart Objects, would be a huge benefit.

As far as UI complexity goes, I'm sure the Properties/3D scene graph panel could be reused as it currently is for existing on-canvas filters like the new blurs and Lighting Effects (the CS6 version based on the 3D engine). A tool properties panel that displays all the options for the current tool would also make a lot of sense, it could replace things like the brushes panel, paragraph/character setting panel etc., maybe even the 3D panel, based on tool context. The current situation is basically a workaround that is required because some tools require more settings than fit into the options bar.

I completely agree, however, losing functionality is completely out of the question, of course.

about the modal dialogue box - i think it is absolutely necessary for liquify to use this - w/o i dont think it could have all of the features it has now. see puppet warp - a severely limited tool w/o a dialogue box (no save/load mesh!) - that i feel was designed for new users who would be put off by a separate dialogue box. if they change liquify to break it out of the dialogue and it loses functionality - all heck would break loose.
adobe finally added load last mesh and the gpu options to liquify so i dont think it will be touched for awhile at least.

True, I didn't really word myself properly. Saving and Loading meshes is great and shouldn't be removed or anything, but there should be a way to modify meshes, and applying them dynamically to a Smart Object (like the way Filters are applied) seems like a step in the right direction.

True, I didn't really word myself properly. Saving and Loading meshes is great and shouldn't be removed or anything, but there should be a way to modify meshes, and applying them dynamically to a Smart Object (like the way Filters are applied) seems like a step in the right direction.

having the ability to save/load meshes is vital for many workflows that you yourself might not use. almost all pro retouchers need to be able to load a particular mesh to different layers or layer masks in an image. its not just about being able to readjust a mesh on one layer.

Potentially true. Adjustments and blending modes are relatively quick calculations, and you can already smoothly paint (GPU accelerated) on layers below adjustment layers, blending modes, etc without much problems. Obviously liquify is more GPU intensive, but I still think this should be possible, without excessive lag.

Even if I'm wrong, I'd still MUCH rather have liquify out of that useless window, even if it ran like it does now and the only layer you see is the current one being modified, as well as the option for a layer below, like currently exists. There would still be great benefits.

At very least, liquify meshes should be allowed to be stored dynamically on Smart Objects and modified/deleted after the fact. The whole mess of having to save/load meshes if you wanted to go back in and change something (non-destructively)... is just a mess.