Advanced selections

KA
Posted By
Kamran_Ahmadi
Aug 20, 2007
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223
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4
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Closed
I’m currently working on translations for comic books from other countries (japan mostly). I’ve been trying to find a way to automate the de-bubbling process and wondering if anyone has any ideas?

ATM I’m using the magic wand tool along with a action which runs "Expand (5) > Contract (8) > Fill Pattern".

It basically expands to capture the text within the bubble. Then contracts to place itself within the bubble dimensions. The pattern is a portion of the page itself to contain the fluidity of the scans. But is there any other way of doing this?..This method works great for circle/rectangle/square bubbles..But if a bubble gets really complex this method removes the corners and outline of the bubble.

I’m basically just trying to find a setting, script, or something along the lines that will let me magic wand..Then select the text within which is surrounded by the marquee selection.

Any ideas?
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Phosphor
Aug 20, 2007
Kamran…

Could you post a composite of several of the typical text bubbles you have to work with? It might help lead to the best solution.

You can use <http://www.pixentral.com> if you can’t host a JPEG yourself.

Read the directions at Pixentral, upload the composite, then copy ALL of the HTML code in the little box under your image when it displays, then paste that HTML in a reply to this thread.
KA
Kamran_Ahmadi
Aug 20, 2007
Ok uploaded 6 images to explain the process as well as comparison.

The first image below is an example of a good (right) bubble and a bad (left) one. < http://img20.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=47047_ex1_122_652 lo.jpg>

This image shows my action script. pretty simple. I magic wand inside the bubble. Then I run the script which expands by 5 so it can select the text inside. Then It contracts by 8 to shrink itself back within the bubble. Followed by a pattern fill off a sample from the same page. The set selection is there only to de-select.
< http://img22.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=47052_ex2_122_675l o.jpg>

As you can see this good bubble came out perfect. Since it doesn’t have a crazy shape with lots of crazy corners. Square/Circle/Rectangle and other simple bubbles come out perfectly fine. Very fast process of debubbling since I basically just point and press my action keyboard shortcut.
< http://img159.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=47057_ex3_122_102 0lo.jpg>

Now I do the same thing with the bad bubble….Setup the magic wand and the action script. < http://img9.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=47062_ex4_122_1030l o.jpg>

But the end results chops off corners of the bubble. Since it expands it loses the shape of the original bubble. The contracting doesn’t full regain the original shape since the expansion merged corners.
< http://img12.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=47077_ex5_122_1055 lo.jpg>

Here are side by side shots of both bubbles in original and action scripted form. < http://img164.imagevenue.com/view.php?image=47082_ex6_122_93 7lo.jpg>

As you can see the bubble on the right that is cleaned up is perfect. The text is gone and there are no border issues since the shape is relatively simple. But on the left bubble the corners have been cut due to its complex shape with Expanding/Contracting.

I’m just trying to find a way to remedy this problem so I don’t have to manually clean them. I was hoping there would be a script around the net or some command that could let you select everything within the ant selection. An example would be those bubbles. You magic wand inside and have the entire bubble selected. But in the very center of that bubble surrounded by a selection is the text. Was just hoping for a command to such as "Select Within" or something along those lines.

Sorry for the long message. Looking forward to your responses.
JR
John_R_Nielsen
Aug 21, 2007
I came up with this:

<http://photobucket.com>

With the interior of the bubble selected with the Magic Wand, this action then

* Changes to Quickmask mode
* Stops, with optional message

At this point, using the Magic Wand with ‘Contiguous’ checked, click outside the bubble. This will select the area outside the bubble. Click the Play button in the Action palette to continue the Action:

* Invert the Selection
* Fill the inverted selection with White, if Quickmask is set to "Color indicates Mask". If it’s set to "Color indicates Selection", fill with Black instead.
* Exit Quickmask mode.The entire interior of the bubble is now selected. * Fill the selected area with White.
* Deselect
KA
Kamran_Ahmadi
Aug 21, 2007
Wow…Purely genious. I never knew photoshop in quick mask mode could select outside your current selection…Fantastic.

Thank you sooo much. You just literally saved me hours of manual labor to a more automated format ^_^. Curious though. I noticed a message in that action script I haven’t seen before..That Stop command. Just read up on the adobe help section of photoshop and pulled it up. As always photoshop amazes me to no end ^_^. Once again that you for your effort. I’ve been posting this problem on MANY forums. For once…I have a solution ^_^..Thank you once again.

-Kamran

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