Invoking Photoshop CS5 from Lightroom 4 asks for Camera Raw Plug-in 7.0

[Roland_Slee]

I have just downloaded and installed Adobe Lightroom 4.0. When I try to invoke "Photo / Edit in Photoshop CS 5.1" I get the warning "This version of Lightroom may require the Photoshop Camera Raw plug-in version 7.0 for full compatibility. Please update the camera raw plug-in using the update tool available in the Photoshop help menu". However, the update function in Photoshop CS5.1 says that there are no updates available and searching adobe.com I can find no references to Camera Raw plug-in 7.0. What is one to do? Thanks.

[f00sion]

For what it's worth, highlights @ -100 is ok for me.

It seems all this works for some, doesn't work for others.  A portion of those for whom it doesn't work haven't set things up propoerly, the rest are having a genuine problem.

It would be nice of Adobe were to do something about this.

[dasar]

some more tests:

highlights set to -100 for the following files and then transferred to CS5:

JPG   imported with LR3/PV2010 then converted to PV2012:      OK

TIF     imported with LR3/PV2010 then converted to PV2012:      OK

DNG  imported with LR3/PV2010 then converted to PV2012:      not OK

CR2   imported with LR4/PV2012 no conversion:                        OK

DNG  imported with LR4/PV2012 no conversion:                        OK

??

Daniel

[Bryan_Smith]

Here is what I am using and it seems to be working for me.  LR4, PS5, ACR 6.6.  I tried it 3 times using the .NEF file.  Once making a variety of adjustments, picking edit in PS, clicked open anyway and all adjustments showed up in PS.  Tried another with no adjustments and it opened with no adjustments, and a third with heavy vibrance and it showed up fine in PS.  Camera is a Nikon D2X.  So I don't know, am I missing something, because it all looks good here.

Bryan

[Bryan_Smith]

Just to be clear, the 3 files I have open right now are all the .NEF as stated in the tab at the top of the window in CS5.

EDIT:  When I saved the resulting .tiff from PS and went back to LR, the gallery view updated to show there were 2 files in a stack; the .NEF and the .tiff.

[steveg55]

I am having the same issue.  Adjustments made to my raw files are not showing up in Photoshop.  I was just told by tech support that "Raw files edited in Lightroom 4 will not open in Photoshop CS5." He said they are working on an updated ACR that will be released in CS6 some point this year.  When I told him if that was the case Lightroom 4 should still be in beta he told me "That is why you still have Lightroom 3, so you can edit raw files."

I'm not quite sure he understands how Lightroom and Photoshop are used.

...Currently waiting on hold to talk to a supervisor.

[geb01]

I don't understand why Adobe is so silent and unhelpful with this ongoing issue.  Render using Lightroom is not an acceptable workflow solution for many of us, nor is waiting until some unknown date in the future for a  version of ACR that works.  It doesn't seem to be a big ask for LR4 to work the same as LR3 in combination with the currently released versions of ACR and Photoshop.  Again I have to say its especially disconcerting given its a repeat of the same problem experienced with the release of LR3.  The offered work-arounds are just that, not a solution.

[steveg55]

Exactly - the least they could do is give an estimated date for the ACR update.  Instead we have to wonder if it will be a free update to CS5 or if we will have to upgrade to CS6 as the first tech support guy told me (the supervisor said she couldn't say).

[Guest]

I am having the same workflow (LR4 > PSCS% > LR4) 'difficulty'!

The "you need ACR 7" seems to be the only constant.

I completed an Adobe survey yesterday following  a review of postings on this site. My bottom line answer still remains "Adobe has stopped paying attention to detail, leading to sloppy software.

I also note the meager employee input on this issue and the lack of any reasonable explanation.

I really want to love Adobe software, but they make everything so difficult and convoluted to make a connection; and then it's "Oh, we will be releasing an update to another piece of software sometime in the future (holding my breath)

and that will solve all the problems - expelled all the held breath and not going to hold it any longer.

Come on Adobe - you owe your installed base and salary providers so much more than what you are currently providing.

[dmiller62]

There's no longer any mystery here.

(1) If you want direct LR4 editing in Photoshop for RAW files, you need Photoshop CS6. You can download the CS6 beta today, install it and try it out - it works perfectly.

(2) If you want direct LR4 editing in CS5 or earlier: See #1, above. Unless things change - and the silence from Adobe would seem to indicate that things will not change - upgrading to CS6 will necessary for direct RAW editing from LR4.

(3) If you prefer not to upgrade to CS6, then you'll need to "flatten" your RAW edits into a TIFF file as a go-between when working with LR4 and CS5-or-earlier.

[geb01]

OR... Adobe could not jack its customers around by not releasing a paid upgrade that required software from a beta to work or workarounds that don't fit everyone's work flow - as has been said multiple times in this thread.

ALL it has to do is work like LR3 worked with CS5 - it is a simple as that.

I find it interesting Adobe has yet to respond to any of this after the initial thread started.  Seems to me that says they know they have a problem without a solution.

[DdeGannes]

This is the normal upgrade path, since the first Lightroom and from the inception of Adobe Camera Raw.

PS V7 (ACR 1.x)

PS CS (ACR 2.x)

PS CS 2 (ACR 3.x)

LR V 1.x requires PS CS3 (ACR 4.x) for 100% compatability.

LR V 2.x requires PS CS4 (ACR 5.x) for 100% compatability.

LR V 3.x requires PS CS5 (ACR 6.x) for 100% compatability.

LR V 4.x requires PS CS6 (ACR 7.x) for 100% compatability.

Its simple math.

[steveg55]

And it would be simple logic to NOT release LR 4 until PS CS6 is available (not as a beta).

...and it's still wrong to force people to upgrade over something like this which could easily be fixed with an update.

[DdeGannes]

Lightroom is a fully operational program and does not require you to have any other Adobe software on your computer for it to be functional. The warning dialog that pops up is only letting you know that the existing Photoshop version does not have the equivalent Camera raw version as Lightroom, all that has to be done is choose "edit a copy with Lightroom adjustments and a tiff file would be rendered and would open in Photoshop. There are lots of users who would prefer not to upgrade their version of Photoshop just to obtain the updated ACR plugin, choosing to let Lightroom carry out the processing of the raw data.

[dasar]

Since I installed LR4.1 RC these warnings disappeared...

[CSS_Simon]

dasar wrote:

Since I installed LR4.1 RC these warnings disappeared...

Still there for me. 

You didn't check "Don't show again", I guess?  Maybe to go Edit menu, Peferences, general tab and hit "Reset all warning dialogs". 

[dasar]

No, I didn't check "Don't show again" and to be sure I also reseted the warning dialogs

[CSS_Simon]

Strange.  I've still got PS5 with ACR 6.6 (not the 6.7 RC, and not PS6 beta) and I get the warning dialog with LR 4.1 RC when I try to "Edit in..." PS CS5. 

[dasar]

I have the ACR 6.7 RC installed

[KateMann]

In this (and many) cases, Tech Support doesn't have a clue about the software or any solutions that might be found to problems you might be having. I have found that the last place I would turn for help is Tech Support. Save your nickle. There is obviously some sort of problem with the new release and I think the solution is most likely to be found here in the forums.

[f00sion]

I see that some of the people having a problem are first converting from RAW to DNG.  What happens if you don't convert to DNG, but just edit the RAW file in LR, with ACR 6.7RC installed and open anyway, ignoring the warning?

[steveg55]

Just tried the raw NEF and the adjustments didn't show up in PS.  With DNG's sometimes the adjustments transfer to PS, but mostly they don't.

[CSS_Simon]

When you get the warning message, choose "Render using Lightroom".  All the edits are then visible in Photoshop, or they are with me (Nikon NEF raw files).  The only downside I can see is that it creates the TIF immediately, rather than only when you save it in Photoshop.  Not exactly a big deal. 

If you've previously chosen "Open anyway" and checked the "don't show this again" box, then maybe you need to go to Edit menu, preferences, general tab and click "Reset all warning dialogs"

[dasar]

Sorry, but for me it is a "big deal" - I often open a file in CS5 which I don't want to save back as I just need a copy of certain image elements to add to an other image.

[CSS_Simon]

dasar wrote:

Sorry, but for me it is a "big deal" - I often open a file in CS5 which I don't want to save back as I just need a copy of certain image elements to add to an other image.

Point taken.  I do the same thing sometimes, and (until there's a compatible version of ACR) it means I have to delete the created TIF in LR afterwards, if I don't want it.  It's an inconvenience, but (I'd say) not a total disaster, as there's a work-around. 

[steveg55]

Thanks Simon, that works for me.  I had previously hidden the message box.

It's just frustrating that LR4 was released with the intention of not being completely compatible with PS and they think that's okay.  They also were unable to give me the workaround that you did and instead told me that I should go back to using LR3 when I wanted to work on RAW files.