Is it possible to create a lr plugin that does these two things.. if so where do i find a developer?

[w1lz]

Please see a very brief description of what we are looking to do.... is a lightroom plugin capable of these changes? 

1. The ability to be able to have a "Crop Preset". We would be able to create crop presets and assign them to a name. So for example we would call one "Alpha Pack" and for  every image that we select and apply the pre set too, lightroom would apply 1 crop to the original photo, let's say 7x5, then a second crop to a virtual copy... let's say 10x8. It would automatically create virtual copies for the images I have selected. 
2. The second item would allow us to crop in the thumbnail view that you see in the library module. We would be able to see the crop and adjust the crop including rotate in this thumbnail view for each image. This would save us constantly clicking onto the next photos as we would be able to view a number of photos and quickly adjust the crop for them all. 
   
   Any help on where we could find someone, a developer and if this is even possible would be great!

[johnrellis · Accepted solution]

"1. The ability to be able to have a "Crop Preset". We would be able to create crop presets and assign them to a name. So for example we would call one "Alpha Pack" and for  every image that we select and apply the pre set too, lightroom would apply 1 crop to the original photo, let's say 7x5, then a second crop to a virtual copy... let's say 10x8. It would automatically create virtual copies for the images I have selected. "

The Batch command of the Any Crop plugin can do this.

"2. The second item would allow us to crop in the thumbnail view that you see in the library module. We would be able to see the crop and adjust the crop including rotate in this thumbnail view for each image. This would save us constantly clicking onto the next photos as we would be able to view a number of photos and quickly adjust the crop for them all."

You can apply crops in Grid view (thumbnails showing) using the Quick Develop panel's Crop Ratio menu and with the Any Crop plugin. The thumbnails will be updated immediately. However, it isn't possible with Quick Develop or Any Crop to adjust the crop or rotate it without going into Develop.  

It might be possible for a plugin to allow for interactive adjustment of crops while in Grid view (thumbnails), though it would have a clumsy UI due to plugin limitations (e.g. see Any Crop's Adjust command). But this would be treading in territory where the LR SDK for plugins is very fragile.

[w1lz · Accepted solution]

Hi John, 

Thank you so much for your reply. 

So just to confirm can you save a sort of pre set with the any crop plugin? For example it would save a 7x5 crop and then a 10x8 crop on virtual copies... and also create these virtual copies automatically? 

Is there a way I can test this plugin? 

For the second process, the crop in grid view.. could a UI be built in the develop section that allows you to quickly switch images and view images in grid view? 

[w1lz]

Sorry I should add that the UI should also allow the adjustments of crops in grid view, as mentioned. 

[johnrellis]

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Here's an example of creating virtual copies cropped to 5 x 7 and 8 x 10, which you can optionally have created in collections:

The plugin has a 30-day free trial.

[johnrellis]

"the crop in grid view.. could a UI be built in the develop section that allows you to quickly switch images and view images in grid view? ... the UI should also allow the adjustments of crops in grid view"

Try Any Crop's Adjust command to see what's possible in Develop (there are videos on the web page).

As I described, trying to do something similar in Library would be pushing the limits of the LR SDK for plugins, and it may not be satisfactory.  You'd have to work through options with a plugin developer.