robcole.com - MiscLrPlugins

Misc Lightroom Plugins

(some very useful plugins, that didn't seem to warrant a whole page for each)

Unlike my other plugins, the plugins on this page are offered with few instructions, or other supporting documentation. However, I will try to answer any questions you may have, and help you with any problems you may have, as long as you're nice to me ;-}

Unless otherwise specified, these plugins are cross-platform (Windows + Mac), Lightroom 3 or better.

As always, I'm interested in constructive feedback and problem reports - but please identify the plugin!

To install: unzip to anywhere you like *EXCEPT* system or program directories (e.g. do *NOT* put in C:\Program Files...), then click the 'Add' button in Lightroom's Plugin Manager and select the .lrplugin or .lrdevplugin folder. Do not move or delete the folder after adding - it's used in place.

Some plugins have a RC_CommonModules folder, which just needs to be present as sibling folder to the lrplugin or lrdevplugin folder - just how it is when the download is unzipped - The RC_CommonModules folder is not "added" and must not be moved in relation to the lrplugin or lrdevplugin folder it came with. Installing by way of copying to Lightroom's "Modules" folder, and then restarting Lightroom - is not recommended (because it would require merging of (rc) common modules, and there may be some version incompatibilities).

###1 Important note: plugins may or may not work on systems that have non-ascii characters in path to plugin OR path to user documents folder, or path to any other directories/files used by the plugin. I've made progress in this regard, but the jury is still deliberating...

Toubleshooting and Problem Reporting:
----------------------------------------------
- First step is always to make sure you are running the latest version of the plugin (and preferrably the latest version of Lightroom).
- If plugin won't install and run (i.e. no "green light" in left hand pane of plugin manager), please visit plugin manager / plugin author section, and with offending plugin selected, click 'Save Diagnostic Log To File'. Include the contents of the saved diagnostic file in the body of the problem report. -thank you.
- If plugin installs and runs, but has operational problem, then please send plugin log file (if problem is recreatable, then please enable verbose logging in plugin manager before doing the things that have the problems) to me along with your problem report. How to do this depends on whether its an older "legacy plugin" (based on RC_CommonModules), or a newer plugin based on the elare framework. In either case, you can find the log file in your documents folder and include contents in body of problem report. In the latter case, click the 'Report Problem' button in the top section of plugin manager (make sure the offending plugin is selected in the left-hand pane), and follow instructions... - thanks.
- If you use non-ascii characters in filenames/paths and you are having problems, then please download and run this test plugin and report results to me - thanks.

*** More of my plugins are available here.

Downloads

acceptance of Download Terms & Conditions will be required

LrFourB 0.0 (based on the elare plugin framework)

Helps migrate Lr3 catalog to Lr4b

Note: In conjunction with some other plugins, I have created an almost complete Lr4b version of my Lr3 catalog. I am sharing part of this solution with you via this plugin.

Features:
--------------
- allows you to import photos from Lr3 catalog, and maintain stack positions.
- imports all regular collections, and publish collections from Lr3 catalog.

Note:
------
- LrFourB needs your photos to be in the same location when reading (importing) Lr3 stuff as they were when saving (exporting) Lr3 stuff. It adds photos to your catalog, in place, based on path. So, make whatever backup copies you want to have before doing the migration.

Note2:
-------
- If you will be using Lr3 on the same photo copies as Lr4b, it is safer to not save xmp in Lr4b. If you forget, then remedy by re-saving xmp for those photos in Lr3, or just don't read Lr4b-saved metadata (xmp) in Lr3. Put another way, it may be best to let Lr3 be the xmp master, and confine Lr4b edits to your catalog until final release. It shouldn't be that big of a deal if you goof up, because Lr3 should just ignore xmp things from Lr4b that it doesn't understand. But Adobe recommends not relying on this while Lr4 is still in beta, and that's probably good advice.

To sync Lr3 smart collections with Lr4 catalog you will need:

- SQLiteroom (to create smart collection definitions automatically).
- CollectionAgent (to import Lr3 smart collection definitions into Lr4 catalog).

To import virtual copies:

- xEmP (to export/import virtual copy definitions)

Limitations:
--------------
- Does not transfer edit history.
- Although it does save Lr3 preferences in an easily digestible form, on a per plugin basis, its up to the individual plugins what to do with those saved preferences - LrFourB does nothing with them.
- You need to set up all of your publish services - this plugin will then create the publish collections.

*** Note: This plugin is not very polished, but it should work well enough if you follow the instructions - please let me know if problems.

Instructions:
========

Install plugin in Lr3.
In Lr3, invoke "Save Lr3 Stuff" (Library Menu). Stuff will be written into the same directory as your catalog.
In Lr4, install plugin, create a new catalog, and set up all publish services.
In Lr4, invoke "Read Lr3 Stuff" (Library Menu). You must select the correct Lr3 folder where stuff was saved in previous step. Tips:
1. 1st just do photos. Then once that's OK -
2. Do collections.

@v0.0 (2012-01-15) Initial release.

TextMeta 1.0.1 (based on the elare plugin framework)

Provides Title, and (mini) Caption, Filename and (virtual) Copy Name, as Metadata for Library Filters

This is a very simple metadata plugin so you can view all photo titles in metadata column of library filter bar. I tossed in a (one-line condensed) caption, filename and copy-name while I was at it.

Instructions:
========

Install plugin.
*** Optional: Select one or more photos (or deselect all to do whole catalog).
1. On Library Menu, select Plugin Extras -> TextMeta -> Update Metadata.
Add Title, Mini Caption, Filename, and/or Copy Name as Metadata Column in Library Filter bar.

*** Note: Manually updating metadata is optional, but it is recommended to do whole catalog once after initial installation. After that the metadata will be updated automatically according to the settings in plugin manager - metadata is updated in a leisurely fashion in the background, but it will give priority to selected photos, so select photos for it to update if you don't want to wait... )

Visit plugin manager if you're the curious type or it's not working like you expect.

@v1.0.1 (2012-01-23) Bug fix: caption formatting was different in manual update vs. auto-update, resulting in auto-updating all photos even after a manual update.
@v1.0 (2012-01-22) Initial release

Export Namer 1.0 (based on the elare plugin framework)

Allows exported files to be named any way you want.

good news:
--------------
- ExportNamer will allow you to export photos with filenames that include pixel-count, aspect-ratio, or any other metadata available to ExportNamer, which includes metadata in any other plugin, like DevMeta, ExifMeta, or CustomMetadata. Its a post-process action, so it can (theoretically) be used with any export or publish service.

bad news:
-------------
- Its an export filter whose method is somewhat of a kluge.
- It can't be used with publish services that require the filename as originally expected (e.g. for subsequent uploading).
- Nor can it be used with other "normal" export filters in the chain (since it "breaks" the chain of expectations by altering the filename).
- It requires some rudimentary editing of a lua text configuration file for customization - instructions and examples are included, but still...
- You have to dismiss a dialog box after every export (explanation upon request).

more good news:
---------------------
- The default naming includes pixel-count, cropped-dimensions (with no spaces), and aspect-ratio.
- It works well with hard-disk export service, or the export service it is packaged with.

Instructions:
========

Click 'Export Namer' download link above, unzip after download, open plugin manager, click 'Add', select .lrplugin folder.
Select 'Export Namer' post-process action in lower left corner of export dialog box, and click the 'Insert' button.
In the File Naming section of export dialog box, edit a file naming preset that includes 'Custom Text' (then save as new preset).
Enter '_ExportNamer_' (including the underscores, but without the apostrophes) for Custom Text (then click 'Add' to save in an export preset for next time).
Do the export...
When export is complete dismiss the dialog box that is being presented.
If you want to customize how files are named, then enter a preset name like "Experimental" or "My Naming" in 'Preset Manager' section of plugin manager (with 'Export Namer' selected).
1. Answer 'OK' then 'Yes' when asked.
2. In future, click 'Edit Advanced Settings' to tweak...
Please let me know how it goes - good or bad. If problems - see problem reporting info near top of page.

Operational details:
-----------------------
This plugin works by creating two files initially - one with a name you don't want (which satisfies the export service), another with the name you do want (which satisfies you). After you dismiss the dialog box upon export completion, the ones with the names you don't want are deleted. Details for why it works this way are available upon request.

@v1.0 (2012-01-06) Initial release.

Export Master 1.1.1 (based on the elare plugin framework)

Assures keywords assigned to exported photos are exactly the same as the photos being exported. If you noticed how Lightroom no longer exports hierarchical keywords "correctly" (like it used to) @Lr3.5, this is the plugin that corrects the problem.

Instructions:

Click 'Export Master' download link above, unzip after download, open plugin manager, click 'Add', select .lrplugin folder.
Select 'Export Master' post-process action in lower left corner of export dialog box, and click the 'Insert' button.
Do the export...
When complete, review log file for details, if interested, or better still - review results in the 'Keywording' and 'Keyword List' panels in library module.
Please let me know how it goes - good or bad. If problems - see problem reporting info near top of page.

Note: You must have:
- 'Minimize Embedded Metadata' unchecked,
- 'Write Keywords as Lightroom Hierarchy' checked,
- and 'Add to This Catalog' checked, for the export to work.

Also, if you get a metadata flag, synchronize to the south (downward), not to the north (upward). In other words, write metadata from catalog to disk (e.g. click 'Overwrite Settings'), not the other way around.

You can also visit plugin manager and check the "automatically save metadata" box to avoid metadata conflicts - it uses keystroke emission to do the job, and so is not perfect, but if you are willing to be concious of its caveats, it works... Note, the 'Don't Ask' checkbox in the save-metadata dialog box only works if the export is by way of a plugin, e.g. not 'Hard Disk'.

Note: Export Master can not cleanup keywords left behind that have zero photos assigned to them, but you can (Metadata Menu -> Purge Unused Keywords).

Operational details:
-----------------------
When Lightroom exports catalog-bound photos through post-process actions, all post-process actions are invoked, then the default keyword handling is applied to the photo file itself, asynchronously, then the photo is added to the catalog, asynchronously, and then metadata is read from the photo to the catalog, asynchronously. ExportMaster tries to wait until Lightroom has done all that before proceeding with keyword correction. Unfortunately, its not easy to tell when all that has completed, so ExportMaster depends on you to confirm before proceeding. That's what the prompt that says "Please wait..., then click..." is all about.

If the photo is in the catalog already, then things are different, however there is still a race condition between Lightroom and ExportMaster post-process action.

To make sure things happen in the right order (thus avoiding metadata conflict issues), there are some delay tuning parameters accessible by clicking 'Edit Advanced Settings' in the plugin manager - do attend to these if you are having problems, or if you want to optimize for your system...

@v1.1.1 (2011-11-15) Minor (mostly aesthetic) changes.
@v1.1 (2011-11-09) Delay tuning enhancements.
@v1.0 (2011-11-08) Initial release.

Wreck Hover 1.0 (based on the elare plugin framework)

Recovers develop settings from previous catalog and applies them to selected photos in current catalog.

Note: this is for people who lost develop settings due to a corrupt catalog, who did not have current develop settings saved in xmp (if you have current develop settings in xmp, just read metadata and you're done).

Instructions:

Click 'Wreck Hover' download link above, unzip after download, open plugin manager, click 'Add', select .lrplugin folder.
Select photos with stale settings that hopefully have fresher settings in previous catalog.
In 'Wreck Hover Settings' section, click 'Browse', select previous (corrupt or semi-corrupt) catalog.
Click 'Recover', and respond to dialog box prompts.
When complete, review log file for details...
If you don't like what happened, at all, then undo en-masse (Ctrl/Cmd-z or Edit -> Undo).
If you don't like what happened, to some photos, "undo" using edit-history list in develop module.
Please let me know how it goes - good or bad. If problems - see problem reporting info near top of page.

When you are finished - remove the plugin and recycle - you'll never need this plugin again, right?

Collection Agent (moved)

Dr Checkyl 1.0 (based on the elare plugin framework)

Checks for Hydden problems.

One day, it will check everything there is to check (ha-ha)..., today - it just checks for missing files and missing color labels.

Initial motivation for this plugin was finding out an important photo file was missing. How long had it been missing? - probably a very long time, I'm guessing, anyway: too late now... The other motivation was missing color labels, although truth betold, one can recover those simply by filtering the label string metadata - oh well: now there's two ways...

Notes about color labels:
- due to a bug/omission in Lightroom (SDK), it is not possible to check for missing labels per se, so it checks for "white" instead (which is the "reversion color" when a label is "not found") - works just as well, as long as you aren't using "white" as the label string for some of your legitimate labels, which given what I know now, would not be a good idea anyway.
- Labels are stored as strings, and can be any string. Label sets map the strings to colors, and vice versa. So a label is typically only valid in one set, so the problems arise if you assign or change a label in one set, then change sets, the label goes missing. Theoretically this could be on purpose, but in my experience, its more often an accident, and causes the problem being checked for by Dr Checkyl.

Ideas for future checks:
- Lens Profiles (check if profile enabled, that specified profile exists). - I don't monkey with lens profiles m'self, so this may take a while to get around to.
- Metadata conflicts (will require startup script - may be deferred until Lr4). The way I do things, these usually come up immediately after editing in external app, and so are detected by visual inspection, but not always...
- Missing sidecars (e.g. jpeg & xmp). I don't use jpeg sidecars, and xmp is managed by ChangeManager, so this may never happen.
- Disabled develop settings (for those who generally keep enabled, and who disable just for comparison). I mostly enable immediately after disabling, so this not pressing either.
- Specified Metadata Item Is Empty (for those who like to make sure every photo has a ...) Although that's easy enough to do using a smart collection, looking for items that don't contain a e i o u.
- Corrupt images: I don't really know how to do this, but it should be on the list. Maybe tap into a command-line validator...

PS - I take requests.

Advanced Color Editor can check for missing camera calibration profiles. - this was a biggie.

To use: after installing or updating plugin, select photos to check, or deselect all to check all (sounds backwards, I know), then click the 'Check' button in plugin manager. In addition to or instead of looking in the log file for details, see Dr Checkyl collections in Lightroom.

@v1.0 Initial release.

Unmark for Republish v1.5.1 (based on the elare plugin framework)

Unmarks selected photos for republishing. You can choose "all publish services", or select just one publish service.

Useful for when photos have become modified for re-publish, but you really don't want them to be republished.

Works with any and all publish services.

@v1.5.1 Improved performance when a large number of photos are selected.
@v1.5 Added button to plugin manager, for updating the plugin, and uninstall.
@v1.4.2 Incorporated changes to framework - impact should be minimal for this plugin.
@v1.4.1 Fixed bug affecting some Mac users (duplicate button in info prompts, only one of which worked). Trimmed out a few dialog boxes that were excessive.
@v1.4 - Fixed a bug when canceling. Additional fix that may improve performance on non-English language computers (non-ascii characters in paths).
@v1.3 - Added feature to reset selected dialogs. Tweaked fix for non-English language computers.
@v1.2.2 - Fixed an esoteric bug - if v1.2.1 is working OK for you, you don't need to update.
@v1.2.1 - Icons were missing from dialog box prompts - prompts look better now.
@v1.2 - Important bug fix for users of non-English language computers (more specifically who may have non-ascii characters in paths/filenames. Also, unmark-for-republish is now using all custom dialog boxes for UI, to assure no information is lost (turns out icons are missing).
@v1.1.1 - minor mods to error handling.
@v1.1 - minor mods to UI and log file handling.
@v1.0 - initial release.

In case v1.5.1 has problems, try v1.5 - and let me know about it please.

(Hint: Invoke using 'File Menu -> Plug-in Extras', or from plugin manager)

Collection Preseter v2.3. And here's 2.2 in case of problem with newest.

Assign develop (and/or metadata) presets to photos based on which collection they're in.

The initial motivation for this plugin was to be able to assign develop presets to freshly imported photos based on ISO ranges (I use in conjunction with a set of "import collections" having my import directory and ISO range as criteria), but it can be used for other things as well.

Order of preset application is by collection name, i.e. associated preset is applied to the first collection defined, then next preset is applied to next collection defined, and so forth.

@v2.3.0 Added progress indicator.
@v2.2.0 Option to limit preset application to selected photos only.
@v2.1.0 Collection presets applied in order.
@v2.0.1 Two bugs fixed having to do with handling of legacy config file.
@v2.0.0 Configuration is via plugin manager.