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jalter
Inspiring
November 8, 2019
Question

All "edit in" options greyed out

  • November 8, 2019
  • 7 replies
  • 9614 views

Just upgraded to Lightroom Classic 9.0 on my Macbook. All options under "edit in" are greyed out. The file is not missing as I opened LR by double clicking on the catalog and no exclamation marks are seen.  My Luminar Flex plug in is greyed out along with all other options. I have read about the possibility I could be trying to edit a smart preview but does this seem possible if the file is not missing? No problem until this upgrade. 

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7 replies

JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
November 9, 2019

jalter, We create smart previews intentionally when we know that the master images will be on an external drive, for instance, that will be disconnected. The smart previews will remain with the catalog on the main hard drive. So although the master images are technically "missing", Lightroom is designed to work with the smart previews to enable the user to work with the smart previews and apply adjustments as though the master images were available. Those adjustments will affect the master images when they are again connected and available to Lightroom. That's the beauty of working with smart previews, it enables the user to work with those images without having to drag them around all the time. The only disadvantage is that using smart previews eliminates the possibility of editing in Photoshop or other third-party external editors. Any work that requires such editors will necessitate waiting until it's possible to reconnect the source that contains the master images.

J
jalterAuthor
Inspiring
November 10, 2019

I am connected to the original files; that's is whats so weird. This set up with the catalog and files on an external hard drive worked fine until the upgrade of LR and the required upgrade of the catalog. 

GoldingD
GoldingD
Legend
November 10, 2019

For  MAC. Is your OS Catalina? And if so, have you inspected Files and Folders rights? On the MAC bring up Security Preferences, select Security and Privacy, select the Privacy tab, scroll down to Files and Folders. make sure both Lightroom Classic and while you are at it Photodhop can access all.

 

GoldingD
GoldingD
Legend
November 9, 2019

And, their is always the magic cold boot.

 

GoldingD
GoldingD
Legend
November 9, 2019

1. Make absolutly sure that smart previews with a external drive is not the issue. If you are trying to edit using a third party plugin, then the original is required to copy (or use if raster). Hmm, this probably also apples to edit in photoshop.

 

You would not be looking for  an ! in this case, but a rectangle within a rectangle, image example in:

https://www.creative-photographer.com/smart-previews-lightroom/

 

 

 

Connie_flowers
Connie_flowers
Participating Frequently
November 9, 2019

Here is the way it looks.  the original file and not a smart preview

JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
November 9, 2019

It doesn't look to me from your screenshot like the controls are grayed out. Are they not movable? From what you are showing, everything looks normal. Have you rebooted your computer recently? Might be a good idea.

JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
November 9, 2019

If you are certain that you are signed into your creative cloud account, and are certain that you are working with the original files and not smart previews, then I don't know what to tell you.

Connie_flowers
Connie_flowers
Participating Frequently
November 9, 2019

No Jim.  I am working with "original Files" as pictured at the foot of the histogram you provided. Jim I am a retired imaging professional from National Geographic and have been working with Photoshop since it's inception, both on Mac and Windows platforms. This issue has me baffled to say the least. I've been sitting here waiting on support now for almost two hours and no luck with them even getting on the chat box.  

JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
November 9, 2019

You are far more of a professional than I am, and I don't mean to be talking down to you. It's hard to know who people are and what their backgrounds are when discussing on these faceless forums. There is obviously something awry with your system. I don't know if deleting your preferences would help. The technical support online is probably not going to be a lot of help to you because it's outsourced. On the main screen of this forum that lists all of the discussions there is a link for product feedback. That's a link where the developers monitor much more closely than they do on this forum. You might do well to express your problem there. I'm just another user, retired and tired myself. Wish I had more technical skills to back me up. But that forum might bring you better support than what I can provide and what you have been getting. Wish I could offer you more.

JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
November 9, 2019

What operating system?

Connie_flowers
Connie_flowers
Participating Frequently
November 9, 2019

Windows 10 Professional 64 bit

Connie_flowers
Connie_flowers
Participating Frequently
November 9, 2019

Images are all on the data drive of the computer and NOT an external

JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
November 9, 2019

Are you signed in to your creative cloud account?

Connie_flowers
Connie_flowers
Participating Frequently
November 9, 2019

yes I am 

Connie_flowers
Connie_flowers
Participating Frequently
November 9, 2019

I.ve tried about everything I can think of. removed folders and then re-imported them, you name it! Never had any issues before updating to the new versions. Not a one! Now it's been a nightmare and I have several focus staking projects to complete and can't.

 

JP Hess
JP Hess
Inspiring
November 8, 2019

If the images are stored on an external hard drive that is disconnected, and you are working with smart previews, then the smart previews are stored with the catalog. The images themselves "could" be disconnected and not available for editing in Photoshop, and that is why all of the edit in options are not available. It is not possible to send smart previews to Photoshop. You must have the actual images available to do that. I don't know if that is the case in your situation. But when you have smart previews available that is why the images are technically not missing.

 

IF you are working with smart previews, look at the base of the Histogram and it will indicate that you are working with them or that you are working with the actual image.

 

Smart previews could be utilized with images on the same drive if the path  has become confused and Lightroom doesn't know where the master images are located.

    Connie_flowers
    Connie_flowers
    Participating Frequently
    November 9, 2019

    I am having the same issue  and I am working with the original images and NOT a Smart Preview. All of the "Edit In" stuff is grayed out. All of the previous versions of LR and Photoshop worked flawlessly. Never used the previews.

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