Free Photoshop Plug-in: PhotoTools 2 Lite

May 22, 2009 by Mike Wong • 33 Comments

We've got another early announcement this week that is more in line with the typical products you see from us here at onOne Software. Next week, we'll be announcing a free version of PhotoTools 2 Lite which is based on PhotoTools 2 Standard Edition.

phototools2litebox

PhotoTools 2 Lite has the same functionality and feature set of PhotoTools 2 Standard Edition (regularly $159.95) but with a reduced set of effects. Here's a list of the effects you get for free in PhotoTools 2 Lite.

  • Black Soft
  • Bleach Bypass
  • Boost Color
  • Chrome (black and white conversion)
  • Cross Process
  • Digital Fill Flash
  • Golden Hour Enhancer
  • Graduated Blue
  • Impression
  • Kodachrome®
  • Model Skin
  • Super Sharpener
  • Turbo Boost
  • Velvia®

You can see examples of all of these effects plus request a free download of the software at the PhotoTools 2 Lite product detail page.

The official announcement goes out next Tuesday, but I wanted to give readers a sneak peek before the holiday weekend.

33 thoughts on “Free Photoshop Plug-in: PhotoTools 2 Lite

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  3. Tried to install on new iMac, installation failed about halfway through. I left a more explanatory note via tech support.

    Thanks, have a good one guys.

    Mike

  4. I’ve tried installing on two macs and a pc, and can’t seem to get it to work on any of them. The OnOne menu item appears, but on the PC it only lists a link to tutorials and on the Macs Photo Tools 2 is grayed out and Photo Tools 2.0 Batch gives an error message. Yes, I have an image open each time.

    I’ll check in with support.

    John

  5. I have installed on two Macs, one with Tiger, one with Leopard.
    I get the same result: OnOne is added to my Photoshop CS# menu, but PhotoTool 2 is greyed out and the Batch option tells me about a program error.

  6. Also tried to load. Does not make it thru the registration. Other wise same as the rest, shows as a Grey area in menu.

  7. On the Mac, it doesn’t work because the installer has not actually installed the onOneActivationToolbox.framework, which the register app requires.

    Exception Type: EXC_BREAKPOINT (SIGTRAP)
    Exception Codes: 0×0000000000000002, 0×0000000000000000
    Crashed Thread: 0

    Dyld Error Message:
    Library not loaded: /Library/Frameworks/onOneActivationToolbox.framework/Versions/A/onOneActivationToolbox
    Referenced from: /Applications/PhotoTools 2.0 Lite/Register PhotoTools 2.0 Lite.app/Contents/MacOS/Register PhotoTools 2.0 Lite
    Reason: image not found

    This file is not part of the installer, as far as I can tell. Not very impressive quality control…

  8. @Thomas S. England:

    Hi Thomas – yes! The installer has been fixed and you can download it again here and then run the installer again and you should be good to go. Thanks!
    Mike

  9. i am also having the same problem as john – on a PC all i see in photoshop cs3 is the onOne menu with a tutorial link. there are no other references to onOne in any other ps menu . i have reinstalled phototools2 lite again today after the new installer was available and the same result continues. any fixes for this problem?

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  11. @phil: Try doing a complete uninstall and delete the original installers (both of them) then try the download again. Thanks for your patience.

    Best,
    Mike

  12. For what it’s worth, I’m having the same issue as Phil when trying to install the lite version with CS3. I’ve uninstalled, re-downloaded the lite version, re-installed and same issue.

  13. just downloaded but it causes photo shop to crash gives error onone library ….can’t end the message …have to use task manager to end.
    Using cs4 and vista with user account disabled

  14. could not find the dll files to remove from the suggested fix….don’t seem to exist in that plugin folder for cs4

  15. I have CS4 standard, ver 11.0.1, running on WinXP Home, SP3.

    Running the PhotoTools_2_Lite.exe (downloaded today) it seems to execute correctly. It creates a “PhotoTools 2.0 Lite” folder under the “onOne Software” folder under Program Files. This contains onOne Toolbox2.dll, PhotoTools 2.0 Lite ReadMe.txt, and REgister PHotoTools 2.0 Lite.exe.

    It also creates a “PhotoTools 2.0 Lite” folder under the “Plug-ins” folder, under my Adobe Photoshop CS4 folder. This contains HelperFilter.8bf, onOneWelcomeDialog.dll, PhotoTools 2.0 Lite.8li, and PhotoTools.onli.dll.

    When I run CS4, there is no onOne menu. There is nothing named onOne under the Filter menu. There is nothing named onOne under File >Automate.

    I have un-installed via Windows Control Panel, rebooted the PC, re-installed. Still the same result.

    Guidance?

  16. @Byron:

    If you’re on Vista 64-bit with CS 4 make sure you are going to the Program Files (x86) folder to get to the Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS 4\Plug-Ins folder.

  17. I have similar issues on windows 7 x64 and CS4.

    Installation of PhotoTools 2.0 Lite is very quick (UAC disabled, run as administrator), maybe too click (i have the impression the installation finishes before the progress bar reaches 100%).

    After installation no menu is present in menu bar, filters or automate menus in CS4.
    I added the Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS 4\Plug-Ins folder as additional plugin directory, no luck.

    Is it a known issue ?

    Thanks

  18. Same problem here as post 17 (Byron) Literally downloaded Lite now, on CS4 and XP Pro 32bit

  19. Tried to get your Lite version to work on Photoshop CS4 64 bit, have checked that the files are in the correct folder. Have the latest version of .Net, have reinstalled it twice including new download of the software installer. And still I don’t see any menues. Any comments or ideas before I drop this product?

  20. Installed lite today but, like a few folk above, I only get a link to the tutorials :-(
    Is there a fix for this yet?

    Thanks

    Dave

  21. I am an Aperture 2.1 user. All of my photos have been hosted/edited within Aperture’s plug-in. I am very interested about the FocalPoint2 plug-in. Does the mentioned plug-in is 100% support Aperture 2.1 without having Photoshop as a main host application. Looking forward your reply. Thank you.

  22. Same problems as everybody else – NO MENU running widows 7 (recently purchased), checked for the menu both on the 32 bit version and 64 bit version of CS4 – did not find it. Checked for files in the proper directory – the files are there. This is a bit frustrating as this problem seems to have existed for a while and yet there does not seem to be any “fix” for it. Can you please help? Thanks

  23. I have PlugIn Suite 4 and can’t get it to work on my new laptop running Windows 7 Professional!! Tried every suggestion I could find. I get a ‘Failed to startup Background Service (-11)” error. Tried manually starting the Ast service. It won’t start. System requirements are fine, all drivers are up to date. VERY frustrated with this software.

  24. I have a couple of onone apps and can’t get it to work on my new laptop running Windows 7 Professional!! Tried every suggestion I could find. I get a ‘Failed to startup Background Service (-11)” error. Tried manually starting the Ast service. It won’t start. System requirements are fine, all drivers are up to date. Has anyone found a fix for this

  25. I just downloaded the PhotoTools 2 free version and am very interested in upgrading to the full version as well as purchasing the other software offered – if I can get it to run. I am having the same problem that others have mentioned here. The install went seamlessly and the file in located correctly yet the plugin is not accessable from my CS5 menu anywhere. Please help.

  26. Hello,

    i’ve the same problem, i have installed the plug-in suite 5 on my new laptop with Windows7, i use Photoshop CS3 and i see the plug in menu in photoshop but the photo-tools is grayed out, the others plug-in work properly.
    I have follow all the suggestions that i have found on onone support site but the photo-tools plug-in don’t work!

    please help me