Plugin Commander

This is to show you how to download, install and use the Plugin Commander to convert filters from FFL format to 8BF format. Let me note here that the PiCo can be used for much more than just this, but for our purposes, those options will not be mentioned here.

First you will need to download the Plugin Commander. Goto this URL and click on the PiCo Logo: The PlugIn Site.

You will need to create a new folder to download the PiCo.zip file into and you may need the system files. These are available on the same page as the PiCo program. Just follow the instructions on the download page to d/l and install PiCo.

Once you have downloaded the zip files, unzip the PiCo into this same folder. Note where the folder is, you will need to access it from the explorer or the run command to run the program (it does not create a shortcut in your start menu).

Now to use the program you will of course need some filters to convert. Harry the Raver, the creator of PiCo, has over 800 filters available on his page. Harry's filters are a MUST GET! He has got some awesome filters that none of us page designers should be without!

I downloaded the filter zip file to the same directory as my Plugin Commander is in, but this is up to you.

After you have downloaded and unzipped the filters you will see they all have the extension of FFL instead of 8BF, which is what PSP uses. Now launch the PiCo.exe program.

In the left pane of the Plugin Commander program window, click on the tab "File View" and locate the folder you unzipped the filters into. They are in one file with an FFL extension.

Click on the folder symbol with the arrow to the right above the pane, so that the same folder is shown in the right pane.

Then highlight (still in the left pane) the FFL file you want to convert; there is one FFL file for each filter group you have downloaded.

In the opening Output Format dialog box, make sure the Photoshop format "Photoshop FF Plugin" is selected (this should already be chosen, the program defaults to this setting [this is 8BF format]).

Then click on the Output Settings button.

In the now opening dialog box, on the "FF/TF" tab, make sure that "Filter Factory 3.0" is activated.

Click on OK, and back in the Output Format dialog box, click on the Convert button.

In the right pane of the PiCo program window, you should now see the filters listed that were just converted to the 8BF format.

They are now ready to install into your PSP plugin directory for use in PSP. Note you will now have the original FFL file and all the 8BF files in the directory you unzipped the FFL file into. After you have moved or copied them into your PSP plugin directory you can delete the FFL file and the zip files.

Just to mention another great feature of the Plugin Commander:

If you now click on the Plugin View tab in that right pane of PiCo, you find the single filters listed with their filter names.

With a double-click on a filter name, you open another program window where you can try out the filter immediately! :-)

Also be sure to check out PiCo's message forum for lots of great tips and post your questions there too!

Thanks to Harry the Raver for your help and for a wonderful and powerful program! For more tutorials and other goodies visit: The Plugin Site.