I was an active user of Jasc Paint Shop Pro and later Corel Paint Shop Pro X1

However, recently I upgraded to X3 and was at first dismayed by the performance as it took many minutes (often it would freeze forever) to just start PSP and load/save images etc. + there were pixel errors when doing copy/paste.

But I finally found a solution to all the problems, so I want to post them here since PSP remains in a sweet spot between tools like GIMP and Adobe Photoshop for web graphics. Personally I have always liked PSP!


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Download all updates at:
Help | Check for updates


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The new black/graphite user interface:
Change back to "classic" Windows standard at:
View | Use Graphite Workspace Theme


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Startup, image-save, image-load freezes and long waiting times:

1)
File | Preferences | General Program Preferences
Organizer

1.1)
Disable all options
Click button "file format exclusions", disable all
Click "uncataloged foders", exclude all your disk drives

2)
You can consider rename MediaCataloger.exe to MediaCataloger.exe.bak to prevent PSP from loading it into memory

3)
You can consider clear/remove the thumbnail/image PSP database at:
C:\Users\%user name%\AppData\Local\Corel\Thumbs\
C:\Users\%user name%\AppData\Local\Corel\ImageDB.db


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How to write/add text on images like in old versions:
Hold down "shift" key when using the text tool


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Pixels get corrupted when copying/pasting images or part of images:
http://corel.force.com/index/articles/en_US/Master_Article/In-some-cases-pixels-along-the-bottom-edge-of-a-selection-are-dropped


* Change default workspace from "organizer" to the image editor

I used all of above solutions and now happy again But do use above tips at your own risk!

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Other problems:

1)
Problem:
PSP would not remember the color when I switched between tools. This was especially annoying when selecting a color with the dropper tool, but then had to find and pick it again when painting with the color.

Explanation and solution:
The same place where you can set foreground and background color ("Materials") there is a checkbox that is titled "All tools". Just make sure to have it checked to have your color related choices reflect on all paint/draw/fill/etc. tools

I so thing , thank you for sharing

I did everything you did and then i was excited to put color! NOTHING CAME!! I EVEN Change my color to Yellow! and it still doesn't show! I'm really confused now.reply asap.thanks!!

What exactly do you mean by "put color"?

If you try draw in PSP but nothing comes on the graphic you are trying to draw, it can sometimes be because you have selected a layer that is not visible. (Thus you actually draw on an invisible layer.)

Maybe better to check some PSP tutorials. (Nothing of above seems related to painting/filling color.)

I had a stupid problem of PSP would not remember the color when I switched between tools. This was especially annoying when selecting a color with the dropper tool, but then had to find and pick it again when painting with the color.

Explanation and solution was simple:
The same place where you can set foreground and background color ("Materials") there is a checkbox that is titled "All tools". Just make sure to have it checked to have your color related choices reflect on all paint/draw/fill/etc. tools