P: Support Common Image Formats (EPS, GIF, PDF, BMP etc.)

"Additionally though, Lightroom should be able to display the imported images to some degree. If not, how would you know the images are cataloged or available? "

You'd have an icon, with the filename in it, like you have in an OS for a file type the OS doesn't recognize.

"Beyond that, if it is too difficult to support editing and exporting from within Lightroom, I think it would be fine to hand the editing off to another application. This could be done similar to the ability to edit Lightroom images in Photoshop."

That's actually quite complicated. How about a "just open the file like what would happen if you double click it in the OS"?

Saying Bridge has broader format support because it has the other Creative Suite applications available to send files to is a fallacy. Bridge has no problem cataloging my MS Office/LibreOffice/iWork files, and the last time I checked those aren't part of the Creative Suite. Doesn't seem to have a problem cataloging ZIP files and other archive formats. Doesn't even seem to have a problem cataloging my Aperture, iPhoto, and Photobooth libraries. Know what happens when I double click on my Aperture library from within Bridge? It opens Aperture. No error saying it doesn't know what to do with it, no dialog confirmation or question about what I intended to do, just passes the handling of it off to the proper application. Even when those applications are not part of the Creative Suite. I could, right now, completely remove Photoshop, Illustrator, and the rest of the Creative Suite from my computer. All but Bridge. And then I could direct Bridge to send PDFs to Preview, PSDs/PNGs/DNGs/etc to Pixelmator/GIMP/Acorn/etc. Know what would happen? It'd pass those files on to the proper applications without complaint.

Lightroom is essentially Bridge+ACR with much more limited file format support. Giving Lightroom broader file support isn't requesting that it be able to edit these files, we just want to be able to catalog them, to make Lightroom a proper DAM so we don't HAVE to use multiple programs to keep track of our day to day work.

It seems like the Lightroom "team" should start listening to users, Lee, and not just to the echo chamber of other team members.

Customers who buy and use the product have a different perspective than software engineers and product managers.

Many users agree that support for additional file formats would be helpful.

Though a slight extra step, Lee, it seems like it would be fine to have users manually specify which file formats they want Lightroom to support. Some graphics applications let you check and uncheck desired file formats during the installation process (usually with the ability to later update those settings).

Additionally though, Lightroom should be able to display the imported images to some degree. If not, how would you know the images are cataloged or available?

Beyond that, if it is too difficult to support editing and exporting from within Lightroom, I think it would be fine to hand the editing off to another application. This could be done similar to the ability to edit Lightroom images in Photoshop.

Depending on the file type, if someone tries to edit an unsupported image format in Lightroom, the application could even display an "Edit in Photoshop?" or "Edit in Illustrator?" dialog box.

Thank you for your suggestion. ...pt

Well, apparently the team thinks there is. There was even an argument as to whether .psds should be included since they aren't produced by cameras. .psds got in, but only with maximize on which means they are rendered and LR displays only the rendered image and ignores the rest.

Many people think the most important new file format for LR to support is .psb.

You didn't comment on my proposed solution above. I'm interested to know if you'd find that adequate or not.

>>Because Lightroom isn't part of the Creative Suite, which has tools to display and edit the files you mention, while Lightroom doesn't.

Baloney. There is no reason to hobble Lightroom like this, Lee. Quit making excuses for its lack of support for common image formats that most of us use.

...pt

"If Adobe Bridge can display these other image formats, why can't Lightroom? "

Because Lightroom isn't part of the Creative Suite, which has tools to display and edit the files you mention, while Lightroom doesn't.

At the top of this thread at the bottom of the original post, click the "+1" button to the right of "4 people like this idea".

I think LR should support the importation and management of any file of any extension, but not by default, only through a user manually adding them. And I wouldn't have it edit, display, or export any of them.

I don't know if that counts as support for this request or not.

OK, I'm new to this. How, where can I "vote" for this feature?