SOLVED: Ability to save image-specific Nik Control Point settings

Some while ago, I posted a request/suggestion for ability to save image-specific filter AND Control Point settings in a side-car file … which, at the time, attracted 18 votes.

Happily, I’ve discovered how this can be achieved - via a very simple (but obscure) capability ALREADY built into the Nik tools (tho, I have tested this only for Color Efex Pro).

This solution is explained in recent Webinar presented by Dan Hughes (who’s been providing education for the Nik Collection since the pre-Google/DxO days !!)

Paraphrasing Dan … at about the 41:00 minute mark, towards the end of the presentation;

  • when using the “Save Recipe” button (to save all current Filter settings) - hold down the Shift-key at the same time as pressing the button - - and any current Control-Points will also be saved.

Why would you want to do this ??!!

  • Normally you would not - as Control-Points/U-Points uniquely apply to a specific areas of an image.
  • However, if you have a number of similar shots of a scene - then it’s convenient to do all the Control-Point work once, on one image … then save the recipe WITH Control-Points … then apply the recipe to the related images … then fine-tune by moving the Control-Points around, as necessary - rather than having to start from scratch with each related image (and hope you were consistent !)
  • Also, I like to save all the corrections made to each image (INCLUDING the Control Points) that I applied with the Nik tool - so that I can come back and revisit them - without having to start from scratch.

Brilliant - Thanks Dan !!

Regards, John M

Update: This also works when updating an existing recipe …

  • Hold down Shift-key while clicking this button: DxO_Nik

Thank you John to put this into written words for everybody.
I watched the webinar (direct link) yesterday and wrote it down too.

I’ve been wanting to be able to save the control points since the first days of Nik software. Thank you for posting it

Thanks a lot for posting the trick, John !

Hello everyone!

I’ve moved this topic into the newly created and dedicated Category on the forum.
Enjoy :wink:

Best regards

thank you John, much appreciated

Thanks John

It woulld be nice to makes this function more obvious

OMG, I’ve been wanting to do this for about a year now. Stupid of me not to have checked the forums before. Thank You so much for posting this John! Maybe I should be watching thses webinars more often.