After HDR stacking a couple dozen sets of images, CTRL-H (to invoke HDR stacking) switches to opening Outlook. Tried switching around to different functions and images to no avail. Shutting down and restarting Lightroom gets it back. Forgot to try the menu option, next time it happens I'll try that.
The menu option works when this bug shows itself. The bug also alternates between opening Outlook, initiating an export and executing an 'Edit In' command. It also happens after a few panos. It's the hardest one to reproduce as we do know what triggers it but it's not consistent.
It launches a closed Outlook, I never use Outlook but it is installed as part of MS Office. Also when this happens, all my previous Export settings are changed. The Lightroom restart does not restore the settings.
After about 5 stacks, CTRL-H opens an Explorer window (Windows 10) with a heading of Choose Folder. It did this a couple times in the past as well. Also after shutting down Lightroom, it is very slow to re-open.
I can't at the moment as it won't happen. Its happened sporadically throughout the years. There are a few posts that went dormant because it's almost impossible to reproduce. The last time it happened to me, it was 2 months ago maybe. I'd try and record it next time because when it happens, it persists until a restart is made.
This is part of the "initiating an export" bit I mentioned above. Choose Folder is part of an action that happens when exporting and one chooses 'Choose folder later'. So it seems that you have experienced one of the scenarios I mentioned as well.
Problem 1: I was surprised sometime back when I accidentally discovered that Ctrl-H (Windows) for HDR stacking worked both in the Library and Develop modules. Well as of today, in the Library module, it opens a Choose Folder window for the Windows File Manager. As it can be difficult choosing the images to stack in the filmstrip:
in Library module
choose images
switch to Develop module
Ctrl-H
revert to Library module to find the HDR image or scan around in the film strip
reset to keyword set, see Problem 2 below
Problem 2: A separate very irritating problem is that when returning from stacking, it reverts to showing all the photos in my library. Typically I give a keyword to the set of photos being worked on so just clicking on the arrow in the Keyword List takes me straight to those photos. Then I do some editing. Bouncing back and forth between Library and Develop works fine unless I stack some images in which case it reverts to all images. Just one click to recover but still irritating.
Well, I'm embarrassed. I forgot that Lightroom needs to be shutdown every hour or so and then it goes back to working normally. Sometimes it gets confused after 15-20 minutes, other times it waits a couple of hours but this has been happening more often with 9.1 and now much more often with 9.2.
Enter key to perform Merge (sometimes click Merge button)
click right arrow on keyword for the group being worked
click on HDR image
switch to Develop module
make some edits: crop, highlights, etc.
return to Library module
delete the images that were input to the stack
--repeat--
... highlight 2-5 images CRTL-H -opens Outlook -opens File Manager window -does nothing -or, all I can recall for the moment
Note: the images to be worked on have been tagged with a keyword. After either opening Lightroom or returning from the HDR operation, all the images are displayed in the Library window. Hence the need to click on the right-arrow to get back to just the images of interest.
Sometimes when pressing
shortcuts for Merge to Panorama (Ctrl + M) or HDR (Ctrl + H), external
applications open instead of the relevant ‘Merge to’ dialog box. There doesn't seem to be a pattern as to when this occurs.
/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-ctrl-h-switches-functions-after-a-few-dozen-uses/idc-p/14384190#M51028Jan 28, 2024
Jan 28, 2024
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Jan 2024 I've had this problem often over the years and it still continues. As others have mentioned Ctrl+H will work perfect for a while and then for me that shortcut will then magically turn into an Export Photos action. Restarting LRC always fixes it and you can still go through the file menu to "Merge to HDR", but I can't figure out how that shortcut magically becomes something else. I've never seen it happen with any other shortcuts or with any other application, Adobe or otherwise. It's bizarre.
This still happens to me on a regular basis, despite having a top notch PC and keeping things well updated. When it happens it is ALWAYS towards the end of a long day using the PC.
Certainly a very strong system. So I'd search for a software conflict. Something you've installed that likes to grab the keyboard like anti malware software. I've not done it in years but the program properties can be configured to run Lightroom in a Sandbox.
It was less than a year after I first posted the bug that Lightroom Classic fixed it. I use the Classic subscription so Lightroom and Photoshop are always current.
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