How to bypass LR 6's file management functions?

[mclewis]

If you learn how to use it you may end up liking it.

I know how to use it but I'm never going to like it.

Otherwise I would advise to stop using Lightroom.

Not really sound advice, since there is an alternative

If you like Adobe processing then Bridge and ACR will get you all the image adjustment tools as Lightroom without the library aspect you don't like. It is the ideal alternative for your preferred way of working.

Unsurprisingly; I've been using Photoshop since CS2 and Lightroom since V2, I've tried Bridge and ACR and although, in theory at least, it's supposed to be the same as Lightroom, in reality, it's not.

Which makes perfect sense if you think about it.

If Bridge and ACR, which cost nothing once you've paid for Photoshp, were the same as Lightroom, no-one would ever have bought it.

I never said Bridge+ACR was the same as LR. It has never supposed to have been the same either. It is just the ideal option for people who prefer not to work with Lightroom's library.

 

[_sem_]

I use LR 6 and find it very annoying that I have to import the raw files before I can edit and export them. I am pretty well organized with my image files without LR and LR's system interferes with mine...

Is it somehow possible just to switch to a certain subdirectory and edit the files there - without import function?

Thanks, Wolfgang

Not sure if this is what you mean, but...

In the classic LR line, there is the "Add" import option to import raw files at the current location, meaning that they are only indexed wherever they are, a record of them made in the LR catalog, and thumbs generated. Then original raw files are used (DNGs are not generated) and subsequent processing may be slower. Cataloguing is quick, but generating the default conversion takes some time.

If you want to avoid importing altogether, find a conventional raw converter, such as ACR if you like Adobe.

 

[MikeDixonPhoto]

You've stated that "...LR's system interferes with mine..." but you haven't described how. LR leaves the images in the same folder when you import them from a hard drive. It also allows you to only import the ones you select. I don't see how it could interfere with the way you're doing it unless you're constantly renaming or moving files.

Hi Mike,

Yes - it is also because I often move my files: import them from the card to LR6, create directory on my notebook. Later move the entire directory (raws ordered by date, developed jpegs for slideshow, other materials, like titles, videos of the trips etc...) to my NAS server (working directly from the NAS server is much slower, so I do'nt do it).

Another problem is that I have now trillions of directories in LR that I do not need and also do not want to see (just making working complicated), where all the raws are supposed to be, but are not. If I want to re-adjust a raw it is not only not found, but it is even not possible to re-import it, since it is considered to be a duplicate...

As I wrote, I do not need a program to help me organize my files. I thought it may be possible to just switch this function off - but obviously it is not as, all the nice people here explain...

Wolfgang

Ok, that clarifies it. Yes, Lightroom isn't really designed for image editing without import. However, if you move a folder in Lightroom (via drag and drop within Lightroom) to another location (like your NAS), it will move that folder and all other folders and files in that folder to the new location - even if they are not imported into Lightroom.

If Lightroom can't find a file, you don't have to re-import it, you simply click on the "!" and point it to the correct location.

Also, you could just import the image you want to edit, edit it, export it, then click delete and Lightroom will ask if you want to just remove it from Lightroom or remove it and delete it from disk. For a single file, that should only take a couple of seconds. Or you can just right click on the folder in the Lightroom folder tree and select remove, which will remove it from Lightroom but leave it and all of its files on the disk.

Otherwise your better choice might be Luminar or Photoshop, which you probably already know.

 

[Jestertheclown]

I never said Bridge+ACR was the same as LR. It has never supposed to have been the same either. It is just the ideal option for people who prefer not to work with Lightroom's library.

But it's not ideal, is it?

As I said earlier, it's a simple task to use Lightroom without having to use its library/catalogue/filing system; call it what you will.


"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

 

[AikenMooney]

I use LR 6 and find it very annoying that I have to import the raw files before I can edit and export them. I am pretty well organized with my image files without LR and LR's system interferes with mine...

Is it somehow possible just to switch to a certain subdirectory and edit the files there - without import function?

Thanks, Wolfgang

That's the reason I chose not to use LR at all.

I like to organize my files myself.

I have been organizing my files since beta Ver 1 of Win version of LR.

Put the files where you want them & just use ADD command to add them to LR.

If you want to move them later then just move using LR. If you add outside of LR then you will have to re-link.

 

[mclewis]

I never said Bridge+ACR was the same as LR. It has never supposed to have been the same either. It is just the ideal option for people who prefer not to work with Lightroom's library.

But it's not ideal, is it?

As I said earlier, it's a simple task to use Lightroom without having to use its library/catalogue/filing system; call it what you will.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

It is if you don't like the library function of LR. You find the files however you wish in Bridge (it is a file browser) and you have all the same processing options as LR via ACR. All this trying to use LR without the library function means you want the processing of LR (available in ACR) and just want to use your own way of opening a single image to work on (using a file browser) and Bridge+ACR suits this workflow perfectly.

 

[Jestertheclown]

I never said Bridge+ACR was the same as LR. It has never supposed to have been the same either. It is just the ideal option for people who prefer not to work with Lightroom's library.

But it's not ideal, is it?

As I said earlier, it's a simple task to use Lightroom without having to use its library/catalogue/filing system; call it what you will.

"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

It is if you don't like the library function of LR. You find the files however you wish in Bridge (it is a file browser) and you have all the same processing options as LR via ACR. All this trying to use LR without the library function means you want the processing of LR (available in ACR) and just want to use your own way of opening a single image to work on (using a file browser) and Bridge+ACR suits this workflow perfectly.

As I keep saying, it might suit you perfectly but it's no use to me.

I've been there, tried it and don't like it.

ACR's interface is even worse than Lightroom's and I've yet to be convinced that it contains every single one of Lightroom's tools.

I don't know where you get the idea that I'm referring to opening a single image but even when I do, it's no hardship to import it into Lightroom and deal with it in just the same way that I do with a pile of images.

You seem to be struggling with the concept that while your method suits you, I much prefer mine.

And for what it's worth, I do almost all of my raw conversions these days using Capture One.


"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

 

[skyglider]

If you like Adobe processing then Bridge and ACR will get you all the image adjustment tools as Lightroom without the library aspect you don't like. It is the ideal alternative for your preferred way of working.

Curious.

1. Can ACR apply develop adjustments for an image to multiple images?

Yes

2. Does ACR have collections capability where cropping and resizing can be done to the master photos, where only the crop and resize information are stored in the collection without affecting the master photos?

No. You need library functions for collections and ACR does not have that. If you want library functions you need Lightroom in the Adobe world.

Thanks for clarifying. I'm still using Photoshop 7 so was not able to test ACR functionality for myself.

Sky

 

[sygnus21]

I never said Bridge+ACR was the same as LR. It has never supposed to have been the same either. It is just the ideal option for people who prefer not to work with Lightroom's library.

But it's not ideal, is it?

As I said earlier, it's a simple task to use Lightroom without having to use its library/catalogue/filing system; call it what you will.

It is if you don't like the library function of LR. You find the files however you wish in Bridge (it is a file browser) and you have all the same processing options as LR via ACR. All this trying to use LR without the library function means you want the processing of LR (available in ACR) and just want to use your own way of opening a single image to work on (using a file browser) and Bridge+ACR suits this workflow perfectly.

As I keep saying, it might suit you perfectly but it's no use to me.

This is a classic example of arguing for the sake of arguing. mclewis was simply providing the "OP" (Architeuthis) an alternative solution to "his" issue. It doesn't mean it applied to "your" workload.

Geesh.

 

[mclewis]

ACR's interface is even worse than Lightroom's and I've yet to be convinced that it contains every single one of Lightroom's tools.

ACR contains exactly the same tools as Lightroom's develop module.

 

[Jestertheclown]

ACR's interface is even worse than Lightroom's and I've yet to be convinced that it contains every single one of Lightroom's tools.

ACR contains exactly the same tools as Lightroom's develop module.

Sygnus (above) is right.

This has become childish.


"It's good to be . . . . . . . . . Me!"

 

[GodSpeaks]

I use Capture One. In C1 you have the option of importing and using their builtin database or of just pointing C1 at a folder (no importing) full of images. This point and process is called a "session".

Like you, I am very well organized in how I store my images and not only do I not need to use a database, I do not want to use an automated database. I have loathed LR since it came out because it forces the database on you.

On the plus side C1 is a far better raw converter than LR too.

 

[Dan Marchant]

I use LR 6 and find it very annoying that I have to import the raw files before I can edit and export them. I am pretty well organized with my image files without LR and LR's system interferes with mine...

Is it somehow possible just to switch to a certain subdirectory and edit the files there - without import function?

Thanks, Wolfgang

Yes you do need to Import (press the Import button and wait) but that doesn't mean you need to use LRs image management functions if you don't want to.

The left bar of the Library has a Folder tab. Close the Catalog tab, the Collections tab and the Publish tab and forget about them. Just select the Folder that you want to edit, edit the images and then Export whatever you need. Done.

Personally I love the fact that LR will import my images from my memory card and put them in the folder I want, and make a backup of those file to my NAS, and add a keyword and a colour code and rename the files to my preferred system... all automatically.

I love the fact that I can have a (virtual) collection of all the images of my wife in one (virtual) folder, regardless of when they were taken, where they were taken or what folder they are in on my hard-drive.... without having to make multiple real copies of image files or move them all from where they currently are (and that images can be in many different collections at once).

I love that I can have a virtual collection of all the images I published to Flickr/500px/Instagram etc and can easily add a new image and have it published to that service without me having to actually create/upload a JPG.
I like that I can filter to only show 4 star rated images taken in Namibia regardless of when they were taken (or which folder they are in) or I can limit them to those from a specific year/month/day.

I especially love the fact that I can have multiple (virtual) copies of one RAW. I can have the unedited RAW and a Black and White edit and several colour edits (cropped to different aspect ratios for use in different places) and they are all virtual so I'm not filling my hard drive with TIFFs/PSDs/JPGs.

But the map module is dumb. Why would I care about posting my images onto a map. Likewise the print module. Don't use either of them so I set LR to not even show them.
And that ultimately is why I like LR. It does what you tell it to do and if there is a feature you don't want to use then you just don't use it.

--
Dan
-
f/2.8 is a smaller number than f/22 in the same way that 100 is a smaller number than 20.
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[Mystery member]

I use LR 6 and find it very annoying that I have to import the raw files before I can edit and export them. I am pretty well organized with my image files without LR and LR's system interferes with mine...

Is it somehow possible just to switch to a certain subdirectory and edit the files there - without import function?

I used LR5 for a while, mainly for its sharpening tool. I found it easy to process a few images, but found the DAM system damn confusing. Abandoned LR when the computer with LR5 was retired.

I now use AfterShot Pro without an issue.

AfterShot vs. LR