How to setup the LaunchBox by hands

Normally, the LaunchBox’s installer should configure all components automatically. But sometime I receive requests from LaunchBox users who have different non-standard situations and experiences difficulties with LaunchBox installation. In end on ends I found time and decided to write this instruction for explain what is the LaunchBox and how to make it working in any situation.

I would remind again the LaunchBox is a tool for launching 32bit Photohsop plug-ins under different hosts which don’t support Adobe Photoshop plug-in standard.

The LaunchBox is a utility what can launch Photohsop’s plug-ins and apply it on image files. It can be launched from command line or as a standalone app or – in most of case – inside other graphical hosts (like i.e. Adobe Lightroom and etc) which have feature for editing images in external applications.

The heart of the LaunchBox is the LaunchBox application. It is the main app that works with 32bit Adobe Phoshop plug-ins. This file has a name:

AlphaPluginsLaunchBox.exe – in case of Windows

and

AlphaPluginsLaunchBoxApp.app - in case of Mac.

Normally, the installer should install this app into the folder:

"C:/Program Files(x86)/AlphaPlugins/" – in case of Windows

and into

"/Applications/AlphaPlugins/" - in case of Mac.

I would like to put your attention what this folder should have readwrite permissions.

Also, this target folder contains the file AlphaPluginsApp.ini
This file keeps settings of LaunchBox and particular the list of paths for folder where 32bit Photoshop plug-ins are stored. You should not edit this ini file by hands. You can just launch the AlphaPluginsLaunchBox application and in Options menu to pick a list of folders where you keep 32bit Photoshop plug-ins on your disk.

It is all. Now you can launch the LaunchBox and use as a standalone or as an external editor i.e. in Lightroom and apply Photoshop’s plug-ins on your pictures.

The second component included in bundle is the 64bit Photoshop plug-in what should launch the LaunchBox under 64bit Photoshop host (I remind what the LaunchBox launches 32bit plug-ins). This 64bit plug-in should help to use the LaunchBox and work with 32bit plug-in inside Photoshop 64bit.

This file is named:

AlphaPluginsBridge.8bf – for Windows

and

AlphaPluginsBridge.plugin - for Mac

The installer should install this file into Photoshop 64bit plug-ins folder (or local or common). I.e. for Windows the local 64bit Photoshop plug-ins folder could be:

"C:/Program Files/Adobe Photoshop CS5(64bit)/Plug-ins/AlphaPlugins/"

or common plug-ins folder can be (for CC only)

"C:/Program Files/Common Files/Adobe/Plug-Ins/CC/AlphaPlugins/"


For Mac, the local and common plug-ins folder will be correspondingly i.e:

"/Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS6/Plug-ins/AlphaPlugins/"

or

"/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/CC/AlphaPlugins/"
(Of course, you should have Adobe Photoshop 64bit installed)

This target folder should also has readwrite permissions.

Inside this target folder you should have AlphaPluginsBridge.ini
This ini file should contain the path on the LaunchBox application. i.e:

"C:/Program Filtes(x86)/AlphaPlugins/AlphaPluginsLaunchBox.exe/" – for Windows

or

"/Applications/AlphaPlugins/AlphaPluginsLaunchBoxApp.app" - in case of Mac.

Normally, the installer should configure this AlphaPluginsBridge.ini file self. But if it was not made by some reason then you should edit this ini file by hands. Actually, it is only one place what could require your intervention by hands in case if installer didn’t make it.

The main point is what you should strong understand the LaunchBox structure and principles of its work. If you will understand what the LaunchBox app is the app for launching 32bit plug-ins and the LauncBoxBridge is a 64bit plug-in for launch the LaunchBox under 64bit Photoshop then you will not meet significant difficulties with adjusting the LaunchBox self if the installer didn’t make it.