P: Capability to display embedded preview or sidecar Jpeg

The reasons for wanting Lr to support access to embedded preview and/or jpeg sidecar are many and varied, but to attempt a summary:

* Performance: embedded previews do not need to be rendered - they already are.
* Comparison: it's very common to *want* to compare one's work in Lr with what was done using a different software (including in-camera rendering). One could argue that it isn't necessary, but that won't keep people from wanting to do it. I don't do it very often anymore, but it took years of transitioning... Yeah, you can open the file in the other software, but comparing in that fashion is not as convenient as using Lr's compare view (or before/after comparison feature).
* Immediate use, in case jpeg (usually sidecar in this case), is good enough, at least for now (raw to be imported later, maybe).

Currently the options are:
* Have both on disk and in catalog as separate photos.
* Have no in-Lr access to embedded or sidecar jpeg.

People don't want to have to clutter catalog with both copies, or populate disk with raws which aren't needed yet..

Note: this is not a big deal to me, anymore, but I get that it is still a big deal for a lot of people..

Some of you may be interested in the script (not a plugin):

'Import Raws For Jpegs'

It finds the raw files corresponding to selected jpegs (in your raw storage area, or card if still there) and imports them:

MiscScripts

I would like to point out that this request was filed 3 years ago and plenty of people have since confirmed they want it. There are writeups all over the Web on how to try to workaround this frustrating limitation. Yet there is no Adobe response here about what they're going to do. That's clearly poor product management. The least they can do is say what their plan is.

Lacking easy management of sidecar files -- and yes, importing them as separate pictures is simply unacceptable for a professional level application -- is the biggest pain in using this product in daily workflow. I'm always switching out of Lightroom to look at the sidecar file using another application. Why I would have to do this many years after this basic workflow feature was widely requested by users is inexplicable to me.

Gavin, I've a hunch your notion most closely represents the masses.

Although I like seeing the more general case, chocked full of possibilities..., it really seems most people are thinking about these different features as being quite distinct.

Adobe can always feel free to "shoot the moon", and give us the comprehensive treatment...

+1 Dorin's suggestion to split.

I'm here specifically for the purpose of getting LR to mimic PhotoMechanic in having the ability to use embedded previews for a performance boost. I'd really like to see the thread remain dedicated to this topic, so my vote would be to keep them distinct.

I would like to be to direct LR when importing to send the Raw file to an archive and JPEG to a folder in my main library. It would be nice if LR could register the location of the Raw file but not entirely necessary as long the JPEG filename is not changed. This is what BreezeSystems Downloader Pro (DP) allows with a use of a plugin that can be turned on or off. DP also allows creating of workflow folders under the parent folder while performing the import. Again this is done with a plugin. If BreezeBrowser (BB) had catalog (search) functionality I wouldn't need LR because I would just import using DP and use BB for DAM and just use PS for editing.

How about "Import Management"?

This is pretty fundamental to workflow. As I understand it, LR does use the embedded preview in the import module, but the performance is so-so. I can't understand why this is not a high priority for adobe.

I was certainly thinking about them independently until you planted this little seedling. Now that I think about it, I can imagine an even more integrated and comprehensive handling. Still, my guess is that Adobe will not go so all out in this area, and so far, feedback seems not to have much crossover - your call AFAIC: I'm cool either way...

Well, yes the thread has grown to be too generic. I'm thinking of separating the FRs into two distinct categories (and separate topics):
1) Ability to display embedded or sidecar preview. Either for performance reasons or to be able to see and use the in-camera rendering as a reference.
2) Managing previews and raw+sidecar pairs (searching, deleting, separating etc).

Another option is to rename the topic into something more generic (like Management of embedded previews and/or sidecars) and continue to go on like this. After all, the two issues are related.

Opinions?