LR 5 functions, methods, and properties not in LR 4 docs

[johnrellis]

While we're waiting for the SDK docs, I scanned for functions, methods, and properties not documented in the LR 4 SDK.  Here's what I found:

LrCatalog

Methods:

assertHasReadAccess

buildSmartPreviews (array of LrPhoto)

createPublishService

createVirtualCopies

getPhotoByLocalId

withReadAccessDo

Properties:

allPhotos

hasCatalogAccess

hasReadAccess

hasWriteAccess

path

targetPhoto

targetPhotos

LrCollection

Methods:

getSearchDescription

LrController

nextPhoto

previousPhoto

showBezel

showGrid

showLoupe

startSlideshow

stopSlideshow

triggerCapture

LrDialogs

closeFloatingDialogsForPlugin

presentFloatingDialog

presentWebViewDialog

showBezel (string message, [number fadeDelay])

showStringsDialog

LrDigest

HMAC

MD4

MD5

SHA1

SHA256

SHA384

SHA512

LrLogger

Methods:

configure

restoreConfiguration

saveConfiguration

wrapMethodWithTrace

wrapMethodsWithTrace

Properties:

_actions

_name

_savedConfigurations

will_debug

will_error

will_info

will_trace

will_warn

LrPhoto

Methods:

applyDevelopSnapshot

buildSmartPreview

deleteDevelopSnapshot

deleteSmartPreview

getDevelopSnapshots

locationIsPrivate

readMetadata

requestJpegThumbnail

saveMetadata

withSettingsForPluginDo

Properties:

countStackInFolderMembers

countVirtualCopies

isInStackInFolder

isVirtualCopy

localIdentifier

masterPhoto

path

stackInFolderIsCollapsed

stackInFolderMembers

stackPositionInFolder

uuid

virtualCopies

LrPhotoPictureView

makePhotoPictureView

LrPlugin

nativeFunction

LrPublishService

delete

getAllRemoteIds

promptEditDialog

LrPublishedCollection

Methods:

getSearchDescription

publishSelected

setSearchDescription

LrPublishedCollectionSet

Methods:

delete

LrPublishedPhoto

Methods:

getDevelopSettingsDigest

getMetadataDigest

LrTableUtils

debugDumpTable

LrUUID

generateUUID

LrView

Methods:

path_control

square_button

LrXml

xmlElementToSimpleTable

I didn't examine the classes LrExportContext, LrExportRendition, LrExportSession, LrExportSettings, LrFilterContext, LrVideoExportPreset, LrWebViewFactory.

[johnrellis]

...and more:

LrRemoteCommunication

closeNamedConnection

launchApplicationWithPath

pollForMessage

sendMessageToServer

spawnTaskAndConnect

[jarnoh]

I've experimented a little with LrPhoto:getDevelopSnapshots() and applyDevelopSnapshot()

getDevelopSnapshots return indexed array with tables containing id_global, snapshotID and name string fields. snapshotID is then used as parameter for applyDevelopSnapshot().

Seems to be working ok, I'm going to use it in my The Fader plugin (actually its already implemented in  http://capturemonkey.com/beta/thefader_r799.zip but not announced yet)

[areohbee]

Thanks John & Jarnoh .

[jarnoh]

I also tried catalog:createVirtualCopies(), it seems to create virtual copies for active selection.  Takes as many copy name strings as many photos are selected.  Returns array of LrPhoto instances for the virtual copies.

I guess I can replace my keyboard stuffing virtual copy creation with this function, but it feels a bit awkward that I have to first set master photos with catalog.setSelectedPhotos before calling this method.

EDIT:

I decided to release plugin using catalog:createVirtualCopies() let's see what happens... http://www.capturemonkey.com/excessor-r801

[areohbee]

jarnoh wrote:

catalog:createVirtualCopies()

I can't get this to create multiple virtual copies .

jarnoh wrote:

it seems to create virtual copies for active selection.

I assume you mean one virtual copy for each selected photo(?)

Active selection meaning the (one) "most" selected photo, i.e. catalog:getTargetPhoto().

jarnoh wrote:

Takes as many copy name strings as many photos are selected.

I tried passing array of copy name strings, and get internal error: "WFSqliteStatement:bind() - illegal data type used as value".

I tried passing one string, which works, but then it only makes one copy.

I tried unpacking the names array (i.e. passing each as a separat parameter) - again, it only makes one copy, it having the first name passed.

What am I doing wrong??

UPDATE:

~~~~~~~

I'm still working on this, but note: return array is not necessarily freshly created virtual copies, nor are all photos returned guaranteed to be virtual - worth checking what gets returned at least until you've got it figured out (I don't, yet).

I've been able to get it to create one copy, just fine, but can't get it to create multiple copies.

Note: omitting all parameters, it creates one copy named "Copy N", or you can pass a string to be used as copy name. I just don't know how to pass multiple names and get it to create multiple copies.

Has anybody actually gotten catalog:createVirtualCopies to create more than one virtual copy (with a single call I mean) ???

PS - Worth noting: this function does not need to be called with catalog write access, strangely enough (but maybe that's part of the problem I'm having? - only does one copy if no catalog write access???).

~~~~~~~

Thanks in advance,

Rob

[jarnoh]

I don't think it does several virtual copies for single photo, you can just select multiple targets and it will create one virtual copy of each, use unpacked array for naming them.

In my tests, I always get fresh new copies (testing on OS X), but I am actually passing just a single photo.

[areohbee]

Son of a... - that is how it's working now, but that's not how it was working before - I swear it, ya gotta believe me ..

UPDATE:

~~~~~~~

I figured out the problem - It works as advertised in grid view, otherwise: no.

Bug reported (perhaps prematurely) here:

http://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/lightroom_sdk_catalog_createvirtualcopies_only...

~~~~~~~

Thanx,

R

[jarnoh]

Works for me in Library grid, loupe, develop view....even slideshow.  Maybe a Windows specific problem?

[areohbee]

jarnoh wrote:

Maybe a Windows specific problem?

Could be.

John - does it work for you on Windows? - I mean when more than one photo is selected. It works for me in Windows too (regardless of module/view mode) if only one photo is selected.

[jarnoh]

Ok, I only tested with one photo (I used Excessor to test, it always creates one photo at a time since it required less changes from the LR3/4 keyboard stuffing version)

[areohbee]

jarnoh wrote:

http://www.capturemonkey.com/excessor-r801

Had I known you had this plugin, I'd not have bothered with DevPresetLab - sorry for offering competing plugin. I do refer readers to Excessor as a potential alternative...

http://www.robcole.com/Rob/ProductsAndServices/DevPresetLabLrPlugin

Rob

[areohbee]

jarnoh wrote:

I've experimented a little with LrPhoto:getDevelopSnapshots() and applyDevelopSnapshot()

getDevelopSnapshots return indexed array with tables containing id_global, snapshotID and name string fields. snapshotID is then used as parameter for applyDevelopSnapshot().

Seems to be working ok

Works for me in develop module, but not library module. Hmm... - bad karma?

Error message: "performCommandDesc could not perform command ag.develop.applySnapshotSettings (No perform function available for command.)."

[jarnoh]

Same result here, fails on library and works on develop.  Could it be it is just invoking the menu command and failing if it is not available?  I wouldn't count on this API being ready to be published...

[areohbee]

Yeah - anything is possible since all undocumented/unreleased.

But definitely, @Lr5.0, it's using different mechanism than say applyDevelopPreset, which requires catalog write access (applyDevelopSnapshot does not)..

Also, worth noting: snapshot can not be applied to a different image, has to be same image for which it was created. Not unreasonable, but hopefully germaine...

R

[jarnoh]

And here's how to use JPEG thumbnail generation, you just pass it width and height you want and it will call your callback with JPEG data

local ret = photo:requestJpegThumbnail(width, height, function(jpegBinaryString) end)

ret is table with all kinds of interesting stuff

[areohbee]

jarnoh wrote:

And here's how to use JPEG thumbnail generation, you just pass it width and height you want and it will call your callback with JPEG data

local ret = photo:requestJpegThumbnail(width, height, function(jpegBinaryString) end)

ret is table with all kinds of interesting stuff

Thanks Jarno,

I'm still not sure how to request a histogram, but it seems there should be a way.

This function will probably turn out to be *very* useful.

Rob

[areohbee]

In this code:

     local data    
     local rec = photo:requestJpegThumbnail( 640, 480, function( image )
            data = image
     end )
     while (not data) do
          LrTasks.sleep( .1 )
          -- make sure loop not infinite...
     end 

It's worth noting:

* callback is (or may be) executed asynchronously. i.e. callback function may be called a fair while *after* returning from requestJpegThumbnail.

* width & height are "hints", actual size may be substantially larger - no doubt it's tapping the lib previews.

UPDATE:

~~~~~~~

photo:requestJpegThumbnails method only works in Library Module (i.e.NOT in Develop Module). win 7/64.

In develop module the image is blank like a white canvas (filesize OK, block structure OK, metadata OK... - but all image data is, well, blank).

~~~~~~~

UPDATE #2:

~~~~~~~

photo:requestJpegThumbnails method, by default, will recreate preview (thumbnail) if not fresh - that's (presumably) why sometimes the data is available immediately, and sometimes you have to wait a few seconds for it.

~~~~~~~

Rob

Message was UPDATED (twice) by: Rob Cole

[areohbee]

John R. Ellis wrote:

...and more:

LrRemoteCommunication

closeNamedConnection

launchApplicationWithPath

pollForMessage

sendMessageToServer

spawnTaskAndConnect

If I remember correctly, that LrRemoteCommunication class has been there but not exposed since Lr3 (I think). It'll be interesting to see if they document it for use in Lr5. Or was I dreaming that...(?)

[imikbox]

Hi,

has anyone figured out how LrRemoteCommunication works?

Any response is appreciated.

[areohbee]

Not me, I've used xmlRpc (over http) instead.

[areohbee]

LrDialogs.closeFloatingDialogsForPlugin( _PLUGIN ) -- make sure you pass the plugin object (ID might work too, but I didn't try it).

Anybody know how to tell if user has closed a floater? I can tell in Lr4 because the function context get's cleaned up, however the function context is being cleaned up immediately in Lr5, which is why I spin and wait for an explicit close button (not the frame's 'X') in Lr5 case - not ideal. Here's the code:

self.open = true

if app:lrVersion() <= 4 then -- 4 (3 not supported)

    LrDialogs.presentFloatingDialog {

        title = title,

        save_frame = app:getAppName(),

        background_color = LrColor( unpack( bgColor ) ),

        contents = vf:column( vi ),

    }

    -- Lr4 does not close context until dialog closed.

else -- 5+

    LrDialogs.presentFloatingDialog( _PLUGIN, {

        title = title,

        save_frame = app:getAppName(),

        resizable = true, -- potential exists to need this in Lr4 too? ###1.

        background_color = LrColor( unpack( bgColor ) ),

        contents = vf:column( vi ),

    } )

    -- sleep until shutdown *or* quit button pressed.

    app:sleepUnlessShutdown( math.huge, 1, function()

        return not self.open -- quit once open flag is set false (self.open set to false when "Quit" button is clicked).

        -- upon return of true value, app will discontinue sleeping and control will proceed to clos the floater(s).

    end ) -- sleep forever if Lr5 (Lr4 does not close context until dialog closed). one second coarse interval.

    -- ###1 I need to figure out how to determine when dialog box has been closed.

    LrDialogs.closeFloatingDialogsForPlugin( _PLUGIN )

end

[areohbee]

WARNING: photo:saveMetadata() returns *before* metadata has been saved, so if subsequent activity depends on completion (e.g. reading or locking xmp sidecar file), you still have to have some ad-hoc code to ascertain... I suspect same is true of readMetadata method.

[areohbee]

Any idea what LrPlugin/nativeFunction might be?

[johnrellis]

Any idea what LrPlugin/nativeFunction might be?

A SWAG: It could be a way for a plugin to load and access native code, e.g.

myServerFunction = _PLUGIN:nativeFunction ("myServerFunction", "myserver.dll")