Topaz Photo AI plugin

[grassflats2]

I'll preface this by saying I have had Topaz support actually try to solve this problem by accessing my Mac and they were unable to find a solution. Topaz recently introduced for beta testing a new product that combines several Topaz products into one, called PhotoAI. I have installed it and updated it, removed it completely and reinstalled multiple times. The program shows up in the filters section with all the other Topaz products but when clicking it, nothing happens. Ordinarily when invoking a Topaz plugin, a dialog box opens; it does not in this situation. All of the other Topaz plugins work perfectly as a plugin...except for this one.  I have manually removed and reinstalled the plugin in the PS plugin section. The surprising thing is the program works perfectly as a plugin in LRC. So far the only thing I haven't done is completely remove PS 23.5.0, which I'd rather not do if anyone has any alternative suggestions. I am running Monterey 12.5.1. 

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Sounds like an issue with the Topaz plugin beta, not Photoshop.

This is the risk when trying beta software - there is no guarantee of stability.

I would remove the Topaz plugin and wait until they get the compatibilty worked out with recent PS versions.

[grassflats2]

Here's the problem....it works for most everyone else in PS. There have certainly been issues with it, especially for people that don't have the recommended hardware, but otherwise I seem to be one of very few that have this specific problem. 

[Midwest613]

I finally got it working.  It hasn't been working for weeks.  I have tried everything.  Uninstalling Photoshop, reinstalling Topaz Photo AI.  Topaz support had me manually install the plugin.  Nothing worked.  

Yesterday I double checked and it wasn't working.  I checked because I had a support call scheduled with their support.  This morning there was an auto update on my Mac.  In installed "Command Line Tools beta 3 for Xcode" to version 14.1 and everything started magically working.  Of course this happened the day that I had a support call scheduled.  I checked the log files on my machine and that's the only thing that was installed since yesterday.  Not sure if that helps you, but hopefully it does.

I believe that was installed on my machine months ago as some sort of needed software for some python programming I was doing for a data analysis project.  Hope it helps and solves your problem.  Teh person from Topaz told me that he has only seen the problem a few times.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

The issue at hand is what you installed is generally used when coding or testing beta software - which the new Topaz AI still is - it's not publicly released as a final verison.

There are a lot of users on the forum with similar issues that do not have Xcode installed that are stuck.

Adding a beta patch for Xcode shouldn't be necessary to run a plugin for Photoshop.

[Midwest613]

Hopefully this is helpful to someone looking for a solution.

I could care less about whether or not it should or should not fix the problem. Topaz hasn’t been able to track down the problem or solution. This seemed to fix it for me. Hopefully someone searching for a solution finds it helpful.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

I do applaud your tenacity to stick with Topaz support and following through. That is a quality we could use more of from users! Glad you got it working!

[grassflats2]

After two more updates, removing everything and reinstalling, still will not work as a plug-in in PS only; no Topaz dialog box opening at all, works fine in LRC. Anyone had any success with this particular issue? Has to be something somewhere....Topaz has remoted into my computer and still can't find the problem. 

[Midwest613]

Did you ever receive a solution to this problem?  I'm having the same issue on a new Macbook Pro running the latest version of Photoshop.  As a last resort, I even uninstalled and reinstalled Photoshop.  It works fine on an older IMac running the latest version of Photoshop.  

[kevin stohlmeyer]

I would go back and talk with Topaz. Adobe is not going to "fix" Photoshop to run with third party plugins. The responsibility is with Topaz to ensure their plugins are updated to work with the latest PS builds.

Otherwise it is up to the user to turn off PS auto updates and remain on the current working version until there is confirmation Topaz works with new builds, then update.

"It works for most everyone else" doesn't mean much when each persons configurations are different. It could be a conflict with another plugin or peripheral that you may have and it varies from user to user. Just because people aren't posting on the Adobe forum, doesnt mean they arent't contacting Topaz support regarding this beta.

[Midwest613]

I agree with you. I’ve reached out to Topaz and awaiting their reply. Just curious if anyone else found a solution. This was the first place where I found someone with the same problem.

[grassflats2]

Still unable to get this working. I've uninstalled PhotoAI and PS. I asked PS to not save prior settings when I uninstalled it, and removed all traces of PhotoAI. I then reinstalled PS, and it still shows a filter for Photo AI (and all the other Topaz products, but they all open and work). I just have a feeling that if I could remove that filter notification in PS and then reinstall PhotoAI again it might solve the problem. I've looked through a whole lot of folders in PS but can't find any way to clear the list of filters. And has anyone else figured out this problem? It must be pretty rare.  And the most bizarre thing is that it works completely normally in LRC and as a stand-alone. 

[kevin stohlmeyer]

@grassflats2 The fact that Topaz remoted in to your machine and still couldn't figure this out worries me about their product. Did you check your applications folder for a Topaz Labs folder with an uninstall pkg? Mine always installed there and had an uninstall app to remove.

[grassflats2]

The more recent Topaz apps have been deposited directly into the Applications folder; no separate Topaz Labs folder as in the past. And there don't appear to be specific uninstall programs for the more recent programs, including PhotoAI. Given the number of people that are using it, there are very very few that are having my specific problem. That's what's so confusing. 

[grassflats2]

...and I'm still unclear about one thing: Is there any way to remove an app from the "filter" section? Clearly uninstalling the program didn't do it in this case. 

[kevin stohlmeyer]

"Filters" are found in the application folder/plugins.

[grassflats2]

Here's what I see in the PS plugin folder. Folders for Denoise and Sharpen, each with a plugin. The plugin for PhotoAI is installed with no folder but directly into the Plugin folder. I've tried creating a folder and copying the plugin to the new PhotoAI folder, but that doesn't do anything. 

[kevin stohlmeyer]

What happens if you remove PhotoAI from the Plugins folder and move to your desktop then restart PS?

[grassflats2]

I've done that before. I've uninstalled PhotoAI, making sure the plugin isn't in the PS plugin folder. When I restart PS, I still see the option for PhotoAI in the filters. 

[grassflats2]

Essentially, no matter what I do, uninstalling both programs at once, and reinstalling them, removing PhotoAI alone and making sure there is no part of it left, it still shows up in the filter options, and it won't open. I just think if I could remove it from the filter options and then reinstall it, it might work....but I have no idea how to do that. 

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Removing it from the plugins folder should essentially remove it from the menu options in PS.

You may need assistance from Topaz again to do a complete clean uninstall of all the Topaz filters then reinstall all but PhotoAI.

[grassflats2]

I've shared this discussion with the Topaz person I've been working with, but it's still unclear to me what's going on with plugins in PS. For example, in the filter gallery under Topaz, there are the following apps, all of which open and work as a plugin, all by Topaz: Denoise, Sharpen, Mask AI, Studio 2 and Gigapixel. However in the plugin folder (as you can see in the screenshot) the only things that appear there are folders for Denoise, Sharpen and the plugin for PhotoAI. Where are the actual plugins for the other programs in the PS folders? Clearly I'm missing something. 

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Check this folder location: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-Ins

There may be some installs there from previous builds.

To access go to Finder/Go Menu and hold Opt to show the Library folder.

[grassflats2]

I don't see a plugin folder within the Adobe folder. I also didn't see one in the Photoshop 23 folder.   

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Do you see anything Topaz related in the parent Application Support folder (doubtful)?

The route I posted came from Topaz install documentation for Gigapixel AI.

Other than that I'm out of ideas on where these things could be hiding on your Mac. They are obviously not in the usual install locations, which could be part of the issue resolving this.

I'm back to being concerned that even Topaz cannot figure this out with their own software...