Remove ads
PaintShop Pro (PSP) is a raster and vector graphics editor for Microsoft Windows. It was originally published by Jasc Software. In October 2004, Corel purchased Jasc Software and the distribution rights to PaintShop Pro. PSP functionality can be extended by Photoshop-compatible plugins.
 |
 Corel PaintShop Pro Photo X2 in Windows Vista | |
| Original author(s) | Jasc Software, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Alludo |
| Initial release | August 1990 |
| Stable release | 2023[1]
/ September 9, 2022 |
| Operating system | Windows 7 and later[2] |
| Platform | IA-32, x64[2] |
| Type | Raster graphics editor, vector graphics editor |
| License | Shareware |
| Website | www |
The X-numbered editions have been sold in two versions: PaintShop Pro, which is the basic editing program, and PaintShop Pro Ultimate, which bundles in other standalone programs, additional artistic tools and/or plugins. The particular bundled programs have varied with each numbered version and have not been sold by Corel as separate products.
From release 8.00 onwards PSP came with an interface for automating tasks with scripts written in Python.
Remove ads
Originally called GIF2PCX,[3] the software was a file conversion utility, conceived by Robert Voit, used to move images between the major online platforms of the time, Compuserve and AOL. Each platform had their own file format for images, so the utility allowed users to share images on either platform. When basic image editing was added, the name was changed to Paint Shop. The first version, 1.0, supported image conversions picture converter between BMP, GIF and PCX formats, and basic full-image enhancements like changing brightness and contrast.[4][5] Paint Shop 1.0 was released by Robert Voit in August 1990. The name was changed to Paint Shop Pro when full painting, such as with variable sized brushes, was added to the product. Paint Shop was originally distributed as shareware and is still available at many download sites (4.12 being a popular version). Most newer versions are only commercially available although some have been distributed in the United Kingdom in computer magazine CDs after they became obsolete.
PaintShop Pro 5 added support for layers as well as CMYK and HSL colour modes, included JASC Animation Shop for creating animations and in fact was marketed as "Paint Shop Pro 5.0 with Animation Shop".[6] PaintShop Pro X6 was the first to be available as a native 64-bit version (purchase includes both versions).[7] PaintShop Pro X7 includes content-aware features such as "Magic Fill" and "Smart Edge" as well as support for XMP sidecar files that preserve edit settings for raw formats.[8]
From 2006 to 2011 (versions XI to X3), PaintShop Pro was marketed as "Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo". Having dropped the "Photo" part of the name in version X4, Paintshop Pro X5 was derived from Ulead Photo Explorer after Corel's acquisition of Ulead.[9]
On November 28, 2007, Corel announced that the office in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, where Paint Shop Pro was created, would be shut down, with development moving to offices in California and China.[10]
Version history
JASC Paint Shop releases: 1990?–1993
In the table below, italicized dates are approximate, based on the earliest file timestamp on JASC or Corel's FTP server. Non-italicized dates are sourced from official press releases or notifications posted on JASC's web site.
| Version number | Release date | Release notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2.02 | 24 May 1991 | Supports Windows 3.0 Standard/Enhanced mode.
Supported file formats include:
|
| 3.0 | 14 August 1993 | Last known version of Paint Shop. Changes over Paint Shop 2.02 includes:
|
JASC Paint Shop Pro releases: 1990–2004
| Version number | Release date | Release notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.9 | 1990 | |
| 1.0 | 1992 | |
| 1.02a | 1992 | |
| 1.02a | 1993 | |
| 2.0 | 14 August 1993 | Introduces the floating toolbar
Changes over Paint Shop 2.02 includes:
|
| 2.01 | 15 November 1993 | Changes to Paint Shop Pro 2.00 includes:
|
| 3.0 | August 1993? | |
| 3.11 | 14 August 1995 (2-disk archive edition), 11 August 1997 (joined installer archive) | |
| 3.12 | 1 July 1996 (16/32-bit compilation),[11] 25 November 1996 (2-disk shareware archive edition) | Supports Win32s, Windows 95, Windows NT 4.0 |
| 4.0 | 1 July 1996 (registered)[11] | First 32-bit only release. Changes from 3.12 includes:[12]
Power pack version includes Kai's Power Tools SE. |
| 4.10 | 3 September 1996 (registered upgrade patch) | Changes to 4.0 includes:[11]
|
| 4.12 | 10 January 1997 (shareware, registered upgrade patch)[11] | |
| 4.14 | 13 October 1997 (shareware, registered, registered upgrade patch)[11] | Changes from 4.12 includes:
|
| 4.15 | April 1998 | |
| 4.15 SE | April 1999 | Bundled software edition distributed with some PC peripherals, as well as an issue of PC Advisor |
| 5.0 beta | 20 February 1998 | Changes from version 4.14 includes:[13]
|
| 5.0 | 6 April 1998[14] | Retail version of Paint Shop Pro 5.
Japanese-language version was distributed by P & A, Inc.[15] |
| 5.01 | June 1998 | |
| 5.03 | May 1999 | |
| 6.00 | 13 September 1999[16] | Changes to Paint Shop Pro 5 include:[17]
German version of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 6 was distributed by MicroBasic.[18] Italian version of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 6 was distributed by Questar.[19] |
| 6.01 | December 1999 | |
| 6.02 | 2000 February | |
| 7.0 public beta | 10 July 2000 | Changes from Paint Shop Pro 6 includes:[20]
|
| 7.0 | 21 September 2000[21] | Retail version of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7.0.
Paint Shop Pro 7J is a localized version of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7 for Japan market from P. & A. Inc., released on November 10, 2000.[22] Polish version of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7 was distributed by Connect Distribution.[23] |
| 7.01 | 2001 February | |
| 7.02 | 2001 March | Brazil version of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7.02 was distributed by XpressSoft.[24] |
| 7.04 | 22 August 2001 (Anniversary Edition) | The Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7 Anniversary Edition includes:[25]
Chilean version of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7 was distributed by Success S.A.[26] Argentina (Spanish) version of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7 was distributed by Softland.[27]
|
| 7.05 | 2002 June | Version number used by a Dell specific bundled version as part of Dell Picture Studio[29][30] |
| 8.00 public beta | 17 February 2003[31] | |
| 8.00 | 28 April 2003 | Changes to Jasc Paint Shop Pro 7 include:[32]
Paint Shop Power Suite includes Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album 4, Jasc Paint Shop Xtras—Creative Edition 1, Jasc Paint Shop Xtras—Creative Edition 2, Jasc Animation Shop. |
| 8.01 | 2003 June | |
| 8.10 | 2003 October | The last version to support Windows 95[citation needed] |
| 9.00 | 2004 August | Adds a history palette, natural media brushes, fill flash, backlight filter, limited raw image format support[citation needed] |
| 9.01 | 2004 September | Final version to support Windows 98 and Windows ME[citation needed] |
Corel Paint Shop Pro releases: 2005
| Version number | Release date | Release notes |
|---|---|---|
| X (10.00) | 6 September 2005 | Changes from JASC Shop Pro 9 include:[33]
|
| X (10.01) | ? | Changes from Corel Paint Shop Pro X include:[34]
If you eject a CD while the Browser palette is generating thumbnails, Paint Shop Pro no longer becomes unstable.
|
| X (10.02) | ? | Changes from Corel Paint Shop Pro 10.01 include:[35]
|
| X (10.03)[36] | ? | Changes from Corel Paint Shop Pro 10.02 include:[37]
|
| X (10.10) | 27 February 2006 (Photo Art Suite)[38] | Paint Shop Pro Photo Art Suite includes Corel Paint Shop Pro X, Corel Painter Essentials 3, Corel Photo Album 6 - Deluxe Edition. |
Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo releases: 2006–2008
| Version number | Release date | Release notes |
|---|---|---|
| XI (11.00) | 12 September 2006 | Fully rebranded as "Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI". Changes from Corel Paint Shop Pro X include:[39]
|
| XI (11.11) | December 2006 | Bug fixes, including improvements in the appearance of Camera Raw images (and support for two new camera models) plus a performance increase of the organizer, new 'One-step photo fixes'. |
| XI (11.20) | February 2007 | The last version to support Windows 2000 |
| X2 (12.00) | 5 September 2007 | Changes from Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI include:[40]
|
| X2 (12.01) | 1 November 2007 | Changes include:[41]
|
| X2 (12.50) | 9 September 2008 (Ultimate) | Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate include:[42]
|
Corel PaintShop Photo Pro releases: 2010-2011
| Version number | Release date | Release notes |
|---|---|---|
| X3 (13.00) | 25 January 2010 | Rebranded as "PaintShop Photo Pro X3".
Changes from Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 include:[43]
|
| X3 Service Pack 1 (13.10) | 12 March 2010 | Changes include:[44]
|
| X3 Service Pack 2 (13.20) | 29 June 2010 | Changes include:[45]
|
| X3 Service Pack 3 (13.30) | 17 November 2010 | Changes include:[44]
|
| X3 Service Pack 4 (13.40) | 17 December 2010 | Changes include:[46]
|
| X3 Service Pack 5 (13.50) | 5 September 2011 | Changes include:[47]
|
Corel PaintShop Pro releases: 2011–present
 | This section needs to be updated. (December 2022) |
| Version number | Release date | Release notes |
|---|---|---|
| X4 (14.0) | 7 September 2011 | Rebranded as "PaintShop Pro X4". Changes from Corel PaintShop Photo Pro X3 include:[48]
Ultimate version includes Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0 photographic filters, buyer's choice of 21 high-quality images from Fotolia and additional Picture Tubes.[49] |
| X4 Service Pack 1 (14.1) | 5 December 2011 | Changes include:[50]
|
| X4 Service Pack 2 (14.2) | 31 May 2012 | Changes include:[51]
|
| X4 Service Pack 2 (14.3) | 3 December 2012 | Changes include:[52]
|
| X5 (15.0) | 5 September 2012,[53] 5 June 2013 (Walmart)[54] | Paintshop Pro X5 was derived from Ulead PhotoExplorer.[55]
Adds face recognition, instant effects palette, graduate filter effect, Retro Lab, single RAW photo, run multiple scripts, Corel guide, photo mapping, support for Adobe Photoshop brushes, RAW/JPG pair filtering, 16-bit supported in 57 additional adjustments and effects, enhanced tools (text, crop, HDR, photo blend), Share My Trip on-line slide show creation[56] Ultimate bonus pack includes Reallusion FaceFilter Studio 2.0, NIK Color Efex Pro 3.0, Creative collection (with "over 100 unique brushes, textures and royalty-free backgrounds").[53] |
| X5 Service Pack 1 (15.1) | 6 August 2012 | Changes include:[57]
|
| X5 Service Pack 2 (15.2) | 31 January 2013 | Changes include:[58]
|
| X5 Service Pack 3 (15.3) | 15 August 2013 | Changes include:[59]
|
| X6 (16.0) | 4 September 2013[60] | New features include:
PaintShop Pro X6 Ultimate includes Athentech Imaging's Perfectly Clear and Reallusion's FaceFilter3 Standard. |
| X6 Service Pack 1 (16.1) | 31 October 2013 | New features include:[61]
|
| X6 Service Pack 2 (16.2) | 6 March 2014 | New features include:[62]
|
| X7 (17.0) | 27 August 2014[63] | New features include:[64]
|
| X7 Service Pack 1 (17.1) | 7 January 2015[65] | New features include:[66]
|
| X7 Service Pack 2 (17.2) | 17 March 2015[65] | New features include:[67]
|
| X7 Service Pack 3 (17.3) | 28 May 2015[65] | New features include:[68]
|
| X7 Service Pack 4 (17.4) | 23 February 2017[69] | New features include:
|
| X8 (18.0) | 11 September 2015[70] | New features include:[71]
|
| X8 Service Pack 1 (18.1) | 21 December 2015[72] | New features include:[73]
|
| X8 Service Pack 2 (18.2) | 21 April 2016[70] | New features include:[74]
|
| X9 (19.0) | 18 August 2016[75] | New features include:[76]
|
| 2018 (20.0) | 9 August 2017[77] | New features include:[78]
|
| 2019 (21.0) | August 28, 2018[79] | New features include:[79]
|
| 2020 (22.0) | August 1, 2019[80] | New features include:[80]
|
| 2023 (25.0) | December 2022[80] | New features include:[80]
|
Remove ads
Picture tubes are graphic images with no background. They are often used as a starting point for complex images; that is, they are combined with other image elements to produce a final work. Tubes can also be regarded as graphic brushes based on a pre-created image; this was their original use.[81] Instead of leaving a trace of color on the canvas, they would leave a trail of images. Popular tube subjects include alphabets, humans (also known as dollz), animal and toy figures, flowers, love messages and seasonal symbols.
The tube system originated with PSP Pro version 5. Native tube files may be in .tub, .psp, .pspimage, and .psptube formats.[82] XnView, IrfanView, and TubeEx are separate graphics programs that can convert tube files (.tub) to .png.
Remove ads
PaintShop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate was released towards the end of life of PaintShop Pro Photo X2, in September 2008. It included 150 additional picture frames and Picture Tubes, the programs Background Remover, Corel Painter Photo Essentials 4, and Photorecovery, as well as RAW support for 250 cameras and a 2GB flash drive.[83]
Subsequent Ultimate editions were released contemporaneously with the basic version. PaintShop Pro X4 Ultimate included Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0, a voucher for 21 images from Fotolia at high quality, and additional Picture Tubes. X5 Ultimate included Reallusion FaceFilter Studio 2.0, NIK Color Efex Pro 3.0, and "over 100 unique brushes, textures and royalty-free backgrounds".[84] PaintShop Pro X6 Ultimate includes Athentech Imaging's Perfectly Clear and Reallusion's FaceFilter3 Standard.[7] PaintShop Pro X7 Ultimate includes those same two items.[8]
The bundled extras cannot be installed unless that version of the PaintShop program is already installed. However, once a bundled extra such as a plugin has been installed, the installed files can be copied to other versions, e.g., a plugin installed under X5 can be copied to X6 and even if X5 is then uninstalled, the plugin will continue to work under X6. Corel releases a new X version roughly annually, so this ability to copy means PSP users do not have to choose between updating or continued use of Ultimate add-ons from previous versions.
Remove ads
- Paint Shop Pro Personal is a version of JASC Paint Shop Pro 9 for the Japanese market, published by Sourcenext Corporation.[85][86][87]
- Paint Shop Photo Album is a simplified version of Paint Shop Pro designed to enhance, organize, and share digital photos. The Corel version was released as version 5.
- Corel Paint Shop Pro Album Personal is a version of Corel Paint Shop Pro Album 5 Deluxe for Japanese market, published by Sourcenext Corporation.[85][88]
- Corel Photo Album is the successor of Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album. First release was version 6.
- Corel PaintShop Photo Express is the successor of Corel Photo Album. First release was PaintShop Photo Express 2010.
- Paint Shop Pro Photo Studio is a site launched as part of Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 launch celebration.
Remove ads
Versions X through to X8 install a third-party program named PSIService.exe, a Windows service called ProtexisLicensing. Written by Protexis, this runs in the background and collects licensing information. This program communicates with a remote host. Manually disabling the Protexis Licensing service may cause Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo to cease functioning.[citation needed]
Wikiwand in your browser!
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
Remove ads