Click on the [ Help and Support ] button or the small image near the top-right with the three bright stars in it to see the About dialog, which provides the StarSpikes Pro version information as well links to help and other resources.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ H ] selects the Hand Drag scrolling mode, [ Alt ] and [ Ctrl ] modify operation

After selecting Hand Drag scrolling tool, the cursor is changed to a "hand", which can be used to click and drag in the viewport to scroll to parts of the image that are beyond the edges of the current display. The Alt key will momentarily change modes to allow you to zoom out one level. The Ctrl key will momentarily allow you to zoom in one level.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ Z ] selects the Zoom display mode, [ Alt ] modifies operation

After selecting the Zoom tool, the cursor is changed to a "magnifying glass", which can be used to change the zoom level in the display viewport. A single click will zoom in one level, or out one level if the Alt key is held down. This cursor can also be used to select an area with which to fill the viewport. The Alt key will momentarily allow you to zoom out one level.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ X ] selects the Spike Elimination mode, [ Alt ] modifies operation

After selecting the X tool, the cursor is changed to an "X crosshair", which can be used to disable spikes that have been placed on objects that you don't want spiked (e.g., over the center of a galaxy or a bright knot in a nebula). A single click over the very center of spike will disable that spike. If you click and drag you can select an entire area in which to affect the spikes. The Alt key will momentarily allow you re-enable previously disabled spikes.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ D ] selects the display, then [ Arrows ] and [ Pg Up ] / [ Pg Dn ] scroll, [ Ctrl ] modifies scrolling; [ Home ] and [ End ] jump to corners

The effects to be rendered in the image are previewed in the preview display viewport, and are updated upon any control change. When you like what you see, press the [ OK ] button to commit the StarSpikes Pro effects back to the image in the editor.

At the bottom of the preview display viewport are several controls that will allow you to select a zoom level at which to view the preview of the rendered effects. The current level of zoom is displayed as a percentage.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ Ctrl + ] zooms in, [ Ctrl - ] zooms out

The [-] and [+] buttons at the left will zoom the display out and in respectively by one pre-defined step.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ V ] pops up the zoom selection menu, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] and [ Enter ] to change

Mouse Shortcuts: Right Click in the preview display pops up the zoom selection menu, then Left Click on an entry to change

The [v] button just to the right of the zoom percentage display pops up a zoom selection menu, which you can use to choose from a variety of presets.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ T ] activates the Settings drop-down, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] to change

Allows you to select pre-defined sets of parameters. Parameter sets can be saved via the Save, Load and Delete Parameter Sets menu icon just to the right of the Settings selector. "Factory Settings" are defaults provided for first use of the plugin. "Initial Settings" return all controls to the saved settings from the last plugin run, which are loaded by default when starting the plugin.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ M ] activates the file access menu, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] to change, [ Return ] to do

Allows you to save, load, or delete named sets of parameters in the parameter storage area on your hard drive. The "Delete Settings" choice is available after you have selected a named set via the Settings control.

Keyboard Shortcut: [ O ] disables / enables inclusion of the original image with the effect

This checkbox allows you to see and generate the effect alone or combined with the original image. It is useful if you have duplicated the image as a new layer and are planning to creatively combine the effects yourself using, for example, layer mixing features of the image editor.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ I ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This slider / edit box combination allows you to both increase or decrease the number of stars that are given spikes, as well as the brightness at which the spike effects are rendered. You can spike just a very few big stars or most of the stars in your image.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ L ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control sets the length of the main and secondary spikes. It does not affect the Soft Flare.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ A ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control sets the angle of the spikes as they emanate from the star. 0 degrees is straight up.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ N ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control sets the number of primary diffraction spikes that emanate from the star. Odd numbers, though not possible optically, are provided for extra creative control.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ S ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control allows you to match the sharpness of the stars in the image by making the spikes more crisp or fuzzy.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ C ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control sets the overall amount of color that will be rendered in the effects. It affects spikes, secondary spikes, and soft flare. Turned all the way down, the spikes will be in pure grayscale.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ R ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control sets the amount of the repeating multicolored "rainbow" pattern in the primary and secondary spikes. Some solid color can remain in the spikes due to the detected color of the star even with this control turned all the way down.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ F ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control sets the rate at which the multicolored "rainbow" pattern repeats. Optically, higher focal length systems generally produce a more gradually repeating pattern, and you can use this control to closely match optical results.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ E ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control sets the intensity of the additional faint and fuzzy pseudo-random spikes that accompany the main spikes. To some extent these secondary spikes can seem to be a glow, especially very near a star.

Keyboard Shortcuts: [ B ] selects this control, then [ Up Arrow ] and [ Down Arrow ] change values

This control sets the intensity of the soft glow around a star. It can provide a cleaner, smoother overall appearance than the Secondary Spikes.

Keyboard Shortcut: [ P ] toggles preview on / off

This checkbox allows you to see your image alternately with or without the generated spikes. Toggling the preview off/on is a good way to gauge the effects being rendered by StarSpikes Pro.

You can grab the diagonal dialog resize control at the lower-right corner, or indeed any side or corner of the dialog (Windows only), to resize it per your preference. Note that larger dialog sizes require more computer resources to render preview displays, so smaller sizes may yield faster display updates. Once you have run the dialog successfully (i.e., exited via the [ OK ] button) StarSpikes Pro will remember where you left it and what size it was then put it there next time you run it.

Open the About dialog by clicking the [Help and Support] button or the icon with the three stars on it, then click the [Configure Options] button. This will allow you to set the interval in days between checks for new releases online. You can set the value to 0 to have the software check for a newly released version every time you run it, and you can disable the online check entirely if you prefer by unchecking the checkbox.