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crehage2
Known Participant
June 19, 2024
Question

Smart Object links to Lightroom files broken after changes made within Lightroom

  • June 19, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 393 views

Photoshop v 25.9.1

Lightroom v 13.3.1

Apple M1 2020

Sonoma 14.5

 

I have a sequence of 10 photos in Lightroom (LR) that I have linked as 10 layers made up of Smart Objects in a Photoshop (PS) document.

When I make a change to one of the photos in LR and save the changes to the XMP sidecar file while the PS document is open, PS goes throught an "updating Smart Objects" routine, and the changes are registered in the PS document.

No problem so far.

When I, however, make the same change in LR and save it while the PS document is NOT open, PS does not register the change, and the next time I open the PS document, the link to the Smart Object will be broken (small yellow exclamation mark on the layer).

 

I want to be able to apply changes in LR while PS is not open, then have the changes registered and the Smart Objects updated the next time I open the PS document.

 

Is that possible, or is there a workaround?

 

I hope I was able to describe the problem accurately. Thank you!

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
August 22, 2024

Lightroom normally doesn't write to the file, everything is stored in the Lr catalog (which Photoshop knows nothing about).

 

As long as both Lightroom and PS are open, a background script is running which tracks all  movements in the file. Close one, and the script stops.

 

Try to set Lr preferences to "automatically write changes to xmp". That slows Lightroom down a bit, but maybe it will work (haven't tested).

S_Gans
Community Expert
S_GansCommunity Expert
Community Expert
June 28, 2024

For me, that's always seemed to work automatically, or at least I haven't noticed the issue - but my workflow is different. It LOOKS like this was addressed a looooong time ago in this forum. Perhaps you can use the information in this thread:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-discussions/auto-update-linked-smart-objects-in-photoshop/td-p/8705827

Adobe Community Expert / Adobe Certified Instructor
    C
    crehage2Author
    Known Participant
    August 21, 2024

    Thank you!

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