P: Spot Removal Cursor Not Visible

[MacBrown]

iMac at OS10.15.3 and LR Classic at 9.2 Develop Module: The spot removal cursor disappears when it is positioned on the actual image meaning that I cannot see where the spot removal is going to take place on the image. Resetting prefs, graphics card off or on, uninstall/reinstall does not change the behavior. The spot removal tool works perfectly on separate test catalogs built using 9.1 and 8.21. Adobe Support has done 3 remote sessions and not fixed the problem. I think this is a bug in 9.2. Does anyone have a solution?

[tmickow]

Are you in full screen mode, by any chance?  If so, does the cursor work normally when you're not in full screen mode?

[COBill]

Not a problem on Windows. Are you sure that you didn't size it too small because then it does disappear? On Windows, just rotate the scroll wheel. 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

I've tested Lightroom Classic 9.2 on Catalina 10.15.3 in Window, Maximized, Full Toggle 1 and Full Toggle 2 and do not see any issue with the tool's cursor before or after the
Spot Removal has been applied.  

As expected the tool is disabled in Mac Full Screen. 

Are you using any pointing devices? Tablets? etc?

[MacBrown]

Thanks for the replies. I am not in full screen mode - just the normal Develop window. No pointing devices (other than mouse) are attached. No tablets - just the vanilla iMac and a mouse. I have tried changing the the cursor size, feathering, and opacity with no result. I have used the spot removal tool for many years and am well aware how it works. All my catalogs display the same problem on my iMac but not on my laptop. They all work correctly on my laptop. It does not matter whether the catalog is on an external hardwire or on the iMac's own disk; the problem persists.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Pressing the [ H ] key do anything?

[tmickow]

"I am not in full screen mode - just the normal Develop window."

Just to be clear, are you talking about Lr's full screen view or the MacOS full screen mode?
Are you sure you're not running Lr in the MacOS full screen mode?

Use apps in full screen on Mac

[MacBrown]

Not in LR full screen mode. Not Mac full screen mode. H and Q operate fine. It’s the cursor that disappears.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Whose mouse are you using?

[MacBrown]

Logitech MX2 Anywhere mouse.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Logitech Mouse driver software is known for creating occasional visual artifacts. I would reinstall the driver software for the mouse with the latest from Logitech's site.

[MacBrown]

Uninstalled/reinstalled Logitech software. Installed latest OS from Apple 10.15.4 Nothing changed.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

If you change your screen resolution in Apple Settings does the Spot Removal tool marquee appear at any resolution?

[MacBrown]

The main monitor is a 5k Retina running at a slightly lower resolution than full. The secondary is an Apple Thunderbolt Display again running at slightly lower than full resolution. I change both to full resolution and to lower than what I normally run at and the Spot Removal cursor exhibited the same characteristics in both, that is, not visible on the actual imager. I return both displays to what they normally run at and nothing had changed with respect to the Spot Removal too. So, I do not think that resolution is the problem.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

If you create a blank new catalog and import an image into it. Does that image allow proper display of the Spot Tool cursor

[MacBrown]

When I was trying to figure out what was happening, I created new catalogs with fresh images on 9.2, 9.1, and 8.21. The 9.2 catalog showed the same problem as we have been discussing while the other two worked correctly. I think this is 9.2 issue.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Eric,

Lightroom 9.2 has been in the wild for nearly two months and though I've searched, I don't find any other reports of this behavior. If you've seen another report, I would be happy to look at one if you know of any. 

This leads me to believe that it is something specific about your installation. 

Your answer to my last question wasn't clear to me. Did you try a new catalog in 9.2 after I asked or was this something you had done in the recent past. If the latter, could you please try again? 

[MacBrown]

I had created the test catalogs before you asked. I created another one today using 9.2 and the very latest Mac OS. I imported some new raw images and tried out the Spot Removal tool. The controls for the tool were set about the middle. I could see the cursor as it moved on the Develop window background towards the actual image. It looked as it should. Then it disappeared when it crossed the boundary between the background and the actual image. I dragged the tool across the image (without knowing exactly where it was). It produced a streak the size of the cursor and then I had a patch of modified image as if the tool had worked correctly. My problem is seeing where the cursor is on the image. The tool worked correctly on new catalogs on both 9.1 and 8.21.

I searched for instances of the Spot Removal cursor not being visible both inside and outside Adobe. There are numerous entries but it was difficult to figure out the version of LR. Many entries described very similar behaviour to what I experienced. I never found a resolution apart from “reset the preferences or reinstall LR or both”. Neither worked. Adobe Support were in remotely 3 times last week for a total of 4 or 5 hours and gave up.

Thanks for your help. 

[thada11234576]

I'm having the exact same issue. MacBook Pro, Lightroom classic 9.2. I've tried 3 different external monitors with the same result. I've tried adjusting graphics settings and rebooting with no change. 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Has the installation of Monday's 9.2.1 update improved the Spot Removal Cursor's behavior?

[thada11234576]

Thank you... I just updated and I'm afraid it is acting the same. I enter spot removal mode and I can see the normal arrow cursor, but as soon as I move the cursor onto the photo, it disappears. If I click, it will still take the action, but I obviously can't see where I'm clicking. 

[MacBrown]

Nothing changed with 9.2.1.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Are either of you using a secondary window in Lightroom?

[MacBrown]

I use two monitors - Mac 5K with Apple Thunderbolt Display. It does not matter which monitor has the  LR develop window - same result.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Not sure that answered my question - are you using the secondary window in Lightroom - it can be on another monitor or on the same monitor?

[MacBrown]

I use the second monitor occasionally to view content. Most of the time it is off. When I have the second monitor running it is normally in Library mode. However, I have tried the Spot Removal tool when the Develop window is on one or other monitor. I have also tried it both ways with and without the second monitor running. The results were the same - I could not see the cursor on the actual image.