Install a Lightroom 4 plug in

[MikeWaddell]

To install a plug-in I need to place it in a file ending .lrplugin. Where should I look in lightroom for that file and what if I can't find such a file. Should I uninstall Lightroom and reinstall or what?

[web-weaver · Accepted solution]

Go >File >Plug-In Manager. In the Plug-In Manager, on the left side click on <Add>. This will take you to the folder where the Lr plug-ins are stored. The folder's name is <Modules>.

You want to install your new plug-in this <Modules> folder. It might be empty if this is your first plug-in. Now close the Plug-in Manager and close Lr.

Download the plug-in and then install it into the <Modules> folder via your Operating System. Open Lr. Check again in Plug-in Manager if it is shown on the left panel with a green light. Green light signifies it's correctly installed and Lr recognizes it.

There is no need to un-install and re-install Lr.

[MikeWaddell]

Thanks for the help my friens, but it did'n work. Heres what I did.:

1: Installed plug-in in modules

2: Closed moduals and LR

3. Opened LR

4. Checked Plug-in Manager:

Plug in not there.

What did I do wrong?

Mike

[web-weaver]

You did not necessarily do anything wrong.

First: which plug-in is it. Is it a plug-in that has been upgraded for Lr 4.2 - if that is what you are using? I discovered recently that a lot of plug-ins out there on the web have not been updated for Lr 4.2.

Second: Open Win Explorer / Mac Finder go to the <Modules> folder and see if it is there. If it is try this:

In Lr, in the Plug-In Manager click on <Add> and then click (or double-click) the plug-in in your <Modules> folder.

Finally, a question: How did you install it after downloading. Forgive me if I state the obvious: Installation is a two step process. First step: download. Second step: Installation. Downloading alone is not good enough. Usually you install by double-clicking the downloaded file.

[MikeWaddell]

Hope you had a good thanksging. Would being in a zip file cause this problem with the plugins.?

Thanks for all the help

Mike

[web-weaver]

MikeWadell,

You wrote "Would being in a zip file cause this problem with the plugins.?"

No, you cannot install a plug-in in a zip-file that has not been un-zipped. You system will not install a zip-file without it being un-zipped first.

Plug-ins (and other software downloads) often / mostly come in a zip-file. The zip-file wraps the various files into one file which makes it less likely that the download will be interrupted. When you double-click a zip-file one of your unzip-programs should come up and ask you where to put the un-zipped files.

After un-zipping you have to install the plug-in. If the installer does not come-up automatically, look in the list of files for a file with the ending <  .exe> and double-click it. That should bring up the installer. When the installer asks for a location select the <Modules> folder.

Make sure that the plug-in has been verified by its author for use with Lr4. If it doesn't say it explicitely it most probably isn't for Lr4.

Plug-ins that have been developped for Lr2 or Lr3 don't work with Lr4, unless they have been updated for Lr4.

Also, make sure that you are logged on as Administrator and that you have <full permission> for the drive.

If you don't have an unzip-program you need to get one.

BTW: Are you on Windows? Windows has an unzip-program.

[areohbee]

web-weaver wrote:

After un-zipping you have to install the plug-in. If the installer does not come-up automatically, look in the list of files for a file with the ending <  .exe> and double-click it.

If it doesn't come with an installer, then you need to unzip somewhere and add using plugin manager 'Add' button - see my previous post. - if no installer, it had better have a folder ending with .lrplugin (or .lrdevplugin). Of course, on Mac, the installer will not end with .exe...

Bottom line, it needs to be:

* Unzipped, and

* have an installer, *or* a folder ending with .lrplugin.

  * If installer: run it.

  * If no installer (but does have .lrplugin folder), add using plugin manager.

Can you give a an example of a plugin that you are having difficulty installing?

Rob

[areohbee]

MikeWaddell wrote:

To install a plug-in I need to place it in a file ending .lrplugin.

Absolutely not!  If there isn't already a folder ending with .lrplugin (or .lrdevplugin), then it had better have an installer, or you don't have a proper plugin. - contact plugin author, or do some more looking on your hard disk...

PS - It is not recommended, neither by Adobe nor most plugin authors, to copy plugins into modules subfolder to install. It may work, but that directory is reserved for true plugin installers (which generally include uninstallers...).

If plugin does not include a true installer, then it should be added (in place) using the plugin manager. Example of where to keep your Lightroom plugins:

/Documents/LightroomPlugins

So maybe:

/Documents/LightroomPlugins/{author}/{plugin-name}/{maybe-multiple-versions}

For example:

/Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.8.2.zip (previous version, zipped)
/Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.9.zip (current version, zipped)

/Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.9/ChangeManager.lrplugin (current version plugin, unzipped/installed/added-via-plugin-manager).

/Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.9/ChangeManager_README.txt (release doc from zip).

/Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.9/ChangeManager_LICENSE.txt...

and/or

/Documents/LightroomPlugins/JeffreyFriedl/MetadataWrangler/.......

PS - You should definitely unzip downloaded plugins, before attempting to add via plugin manager, and when adding: select the .lrplugin or .lrdevplugin folder - it must already exist: accept no substitutes... (on Mac, a proper plugin should appear as a plugin icon, instead of a folder)

Rob