P: Ability to create custom book templates/sizes from scratch

Can we have some standard page sizes at least for PDF / JPG?
Right now, there are 5 Blurb sizes.

What about A4, Letter (so we can print on a normal printer)?
What about some standard sizes used by other printers?
What about custom sizes?

LR5 is already out but the Book module has none of the requested customisation features... sigh, they never listen.

I so Agree. The Book module is a complete letdown. I can't control the number of images and as for custoem styles jeeez. Hopeless.

Hi all
Me also I shared the idea. I really hope LR5 will have those features, but from the beta it seems not. Anybody has some news?

"Maybe the Book Module developers are on a different floor in the Adobe building than the Print Module developers. "

Ironically, the same fellow largely responsible for the Print module (Kevin Tieskoetter) ... also did the Book module ... it's really weird how Adobe can do something so right (i.e. - Print module) then do something so wrong as with the Book module ... especially a company with two decades of background in PageMaker and InDesign ... not to mention a firm with the resources of $4.4B (yeah, that's a "B" as in Billion) in annual revenue ...

You can read what was the thinking in the Book module development in this interview:

http://www.pixiq.com/article/kevin-ti...

No, it's not you. It's just that the Book Module is not ready for prime time and it's lack of functionality really drags down the overal impression of LR many have of what is otherwise a wonderful product.

What is very odd is that LR does have most all of what is needed over in the Print Module where, when using Print Package and Custom Package layout styles you can resize cells as well as move them around and have them overlap. Why they couldn't adapt that technology over in the Book Module is a mystery. Maybe the Book Module developers are on a different floor in the Adobe building than the Print Module developers.

However, I suspect that there were issues working within the boundries of the Blurb API that prevented full functionality in the initial roll out. The key, IMHO, will be what shows up in LR5 now that they've had time to work with Blurb to overcome some of these shortfalls. Of course, Blurb may be disappointed in how few orders they've gotten through the LR Book Module and may not be all that interested in investing more development time working with Adobe on these problems.

I guess we'll just need to wait and see. For me, right now it's sort of a "Watch this space" module. If LR5 comes out without giving us full creative control of page layouts, then my view will change to "Ignore this module and remove it from the Module Picker"

Dan

Is it me or it's just impossible to resize, enlarge or reduce the photo cells?

How could Adobe release something so restricted like this? Even my $0.99 Diptic app on the iPhone and OSX allows me to simply drag, resize and zoom in on each photo and each photo cell!!

Of course Diptic cannot beat the convenience of Lightroom with its custom collections and direct link to multiple versions of images, but are you serious?! No resizing or changing the photo windows/cells?

[Sorry, I think I posted this in the Reply box earlier].
I love and can't exist without Lightroom for the Library and Develop modules but I'm afraid the Book Module is most disappointing and quite literally a pain to use - my arm has a case of RSI trying to adjust the wretched padding and offsets. The fixed templates are one thing but several basic layouts don't exist or they have black frames with no option to change the colour - or I could not find it.

I agree absolutely with the comments above and endorse their suggestions - it needs a complete overhaul but I suppose that means one will have to buy the upgrade LR5 to make use of it. Will I upgrade for that? I don’t think so – there are much better options out there.

I have used a local book vendor and their software is a breeze, albeit very expensive, by comparison to Lightroom + Blurb. At first I thought it was my lack of knowledge of the module but I have just completed a 60 page book and think I know my way around, including LR help. When LR 4 came out the Book Module held such promise but how disappointing!

Die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Adobe und Blurb ist sehr begrüssenswert. Leider entsprechen die Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten in Lightroom 4 / Buch nicht denjenigen der blurbsmart-Software. Ich würde es deshalb sehr begrüssen, wenn die Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten in Lightroom 4 mittels eines Updates ausgebaut würden.

Beste Grüsse

Having used Booksmart this was my main reason for purchasing Lightroom 4. What a let down! I pretty much agree with all that has been said by others.