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rilbio
Participating Frequently
April 18, 2017
Answered

LR cannot see NIK collection plugin

  • April 18, 2017
  • 5 replies
  • 20314 views

Dear All,

I have tried at least five times to install NIK.  The computer tells me that it is installed.  I believe it.

But LR cannot see it.

Every time I try to 'Edit in...', the whole downloading process re-starts.

I have followed the advice under Plug-ins do not appear in Lightroom after installing.  No change.

I have deleted and re-downloaded NIK several times.  No change.

1.  If I choose a picture, click on 'picture', then 'edit in', it offers me 'NIK collection', not the list of NIK programs.  I choose 'NIK collection', ,and get the 'what to edit' menu.  I click on 'edit', and the whole NIK downloading process restarts.

2. If under Edit > Preferences > External editing > Additional external editor, I click on 'choose', then the list varies.  I have cut and pasted the full set of NIK items onto this list.

I can no longer find what code I discovered on some help forum, but I put it into 'search programs and files,' and it did give me the full list of NIK items - so they are indeed in the computer, though I do not know where. I copied and pasted them into the 'Additional external editor ' list, but all but one have since disappeared.  If I did click on one , or if I now click on the remaining one, then nothing happens.

3. A helpful person on a photography forum suggested I watch you tube tutorials on downloading NIK, and contact the presenters for advice. Firstly, no tutorial has given any indication that I have done anything wrong; and secondly, google will not let me in to the system to contact, comment, or ask a question.  So I am stuck - this has taken about two and a half days of my life so far...

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Rob_Cullen

    If this helps-

    When you "Choose" the Nik program that you want to add to preferences in the list of Additional External Editors, you have to dive deeply into the program folders and 'choose' the  '.exe'  program specifically. (even to selecting the (64-bit) folder )

    For example- Nik Silver Efex Pro in my Windows-10 system lives in this folder location-

    C:\Program Files\Google\Nik Collection 2015\Nik Collection\Silver Efex Pro 2\Silver Efex Pro 2 (64-Bit)\Silver Efex Pro 2.exe

    And Nik Viveza lives here-

    C:\Program Files\Google\Nik Collection 2015\Nik Collection\Viveza 2\Viveza 2 (64-Bit)\Viveza 2.exe

    Nik HDR Efex is the one exception, as it does install as a Plugin, and is not in the Additional External Editors list.

    5 replies

    Rob_Cullen
    Community Expert
    Rob_CullenCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 18, 2017

    JoeKostoss has a good point-   "In Preferences...."

    Presets (including the Plug-in templates) can be found in two places if you have ever used the option to "Store Presets with Catalog"

    a) In a sub-folder of the Catalog location.

    b) In a sub-folder of the system folders-  eg. C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom

    If you need to transfer presets from one location to another (a > b  or b > a)  simply Copy and paste the folder of Presets using the operating system.

    Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .
    R
    rilbioAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    April 21, 2017

    THANK YOU  to EVERYONE who has replied.  I will try out suggestions at the weekend, since I don't have time during the working week. May not be able to reply again and thank you properly because the system didn't like my passowrd, and will not accept my phone number as a password reset code recipient.  Technology hates me - though cameras usually do not.

    To respond to Jim Hess: LR5; Windows 7.

    Many thanks to you ALL for trying to help.  I'll know on Sunday whether you've succeedd,and will try to let you know.

    R
    rilbioAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    May 18, 2017

    Ok, lets see if we can work through this- (with screen clips)

    { Nik collection - full - 1.2.11.exe } is an installer program.  When you run it you are installing the Nik plugins to a folder YOU must nominate. It can be anywhere, but would best be in a "Programs" sub-folder.

    The installer may suggest a location, but you can make a new folder and install there if wanted-

    I have made a new folder "NIK"  in my C: Drive.  (Do not let the installer place Nik in your 'Downloads' folder- not an appropriate place!)

    Check the Plugin folder locations for each Adobe program-  Nik should default correctly.  Then [Install] continues the process-

    Now you will see the NIK programs in the folder you nominated. (In my case that is c:\NIK )

    They will NOT appear with a Desktop Icon, neither will they appear in the Start menus!

    Photoshop will show the Plugins in the Filter Menu, and possible a floating window-

    Lightroom shows NOTHING, Lightroom does NOT "see" any Nik programs (except HDR) until you add them to the "External Editors" list. You must create Presets for all the Nik programs in the Preferences dialog / External Editing tab.

    To INSTALL the Nik plugins in Lightroom, follow the directions at Google-

    Plug-ins do not appear in Lightroom after installing - Nik Collection Help

    Let us know if this has been helpful. Thanks


    Again, sorry to have kept you waiting.  I knew I would need several hours for this, and I did.

    To be fair to myself, I don't see where I made any errors in my many previous attempts.  The screenshots and the actions are all too familiar!

    Still no success.

    May I prevail on you yet again to follow my attempt step-by-step to see what went wrong?   It has to be steps 6-7 below...?

    Many thanks - again.

    Ian

    Plug-ins do not
    appear in Lightroom after installing

    My plug-ins do not appear in Lightroom after installing.
    How do I fix this?

    Occasionally,
    after running a Nik Collection installer, the software may not be installed
    correctly in Adobe Lightroom. This seems to occur because the “Store Presets
    with Catalog” option in Lightroom's Preferences is checked. This option is in
    Edit > Preferences > Presets OR Lightroom > Preferences > Presets.
    Un-checking this box will make all of the plug-ins appear in the Photo >
    Edit In menu.

    If
    the filters do not appear in Lightroom then a manual installation may be
    necessary. To manually install one of the Nik Collection products after the
    installer has been run, please do the following:

    1. 1.
      Ensure all image editing applications such as Photoshop and Lightroom are
      closed.      Yes

      2. Re-run the Nik Collection product for Lightroom installer again, making sure
      that you've uninstalled all previous versions, and ensure the default install
      location is used (C:\Program
      Files\Google\Nik Collection              Yes  OR
      Macintosh HD | Applications | Nik Collection).

      3. Open Lightroom again and look to see if the Nik Collection product is now
      installed under Photo > Edit In> [name of product]. If it does not appear
      to be installed, please continue to step 4.       Yes, it’s
      there – ‘edit in NIK collection – full – 1.2.1.exe’ but not individual file names.

      4. While Lightroom is still open, click Edit> Preferences OR Lightroom >
      Preferences.       Done

      5. Click on the "External Editing" tab at the top of preferences.       Done.

      6. Midway down on the right click on the "Choose" button and locate
      the Nik Collection application file for your product.       Not sure
      what this means      .  Clicking on ‘choose’ gives me a list of Dfine, HDR, Sharpener, Silver,
      Color.  (WHAT HAPPENED to Analog and
      viveza?),       Typically it can be found at either,
      C:\Program Files\Google\Nik Collection\Viveza 2\Viveza 2.exe,  . [For other products, replace Viveza 2 with
      the appropriate product.       Not sure what this means either]  The ‘external
      editor’ box then invites me to enter a File Name.  Why?
      What should I put in?  Putting
      nothing in seems to stall further progress. If I put in a NIK file name from
      the list, it replies ‘file not found’.
      7. Once located, ???? Once what is located? select the program or application file as
      indicated above and click "Choose      ". It
      doesn’t give me a choose option.  Just ‘open’.

      8. Set the file format to "TIFF",
      Color Space to sRGB (or the one of your choice), Bit Depth to 16-bit,
      Resolution to 240, and Compress to None      .  It seems to be that by default

      9. Under Preset click the drop down selector and choose, "Save Current
      Settings as New Preset" from the list.       No current settings to save?  It gives me ‘New
      Preset > Preset name’ but entering the NIK components does not achieve
      anything.
      10. Type in the name of the plug-in such as"Viveza
      2" and click Create.

    You
    may add another plug-in by going back and following steps 6 - 10 again,
    otherwise close preferences by clicking OK. The plug-in(s) you added should now
    be accessible.

    To test it, I go to ‘Photo’, ‘Edit in’, and Viveza is on the list. But when I click on
    viveza, it goes straight back to setup, and the  whole process begins again – I think I have
    now been there eight times at least.

    Please
    note, you do NOT want to do this with HDR Efex Pro 2. It is handled a different
    way than the other plug-ins. HDR Efex Pro 2 is accessible in Lightroom under
    File>Export with Preset

    Rob_Cullen
    Community Expert
    Rob_CullenCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    April 18, 2017

    If this helps-

    When you "Choose" the Nik program that you want to add to preferences in the list of Additional External Editors, you have to dive deeply into the program folders and 'choose' the  '.exe'  program specifically. (even to selecting the (64-bit) folder )

    For example- Nik Silver Efex Pro in my Windows-10 system lives in this folder location-

    C:\Program Files\Google\Nik Collection 2015\Nik Collection\Silver Efex Pro 2\Silver Efex Pro 2 (64-Bit)\Silver Efex Pro 2.exe

    And Nik Viveza lives here-

    C:\Program Files\Google\Nik Collection 2015\Nik Collection\Viveza 2\Viveza 2 (64-Bit)\Viveza 2.exe

    Nik HDR Efex is the one exception, as it does install as a Plugin, and is not in the Additional External Editors list.

    Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.1.1, Photoshop 27.3.1, ACR 18.1.1, Lightroom 9.0, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.2 .
    JoeKostoss
    Community Expert
    JoeKostossCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 18, 2017

    This sounds weird, but in the Preferences under the Presets tab, try unchecking "Store presets with this catalog". For me it results in seeing the NIK specific plugins.  The one caveat; you may not find some of your presets that you created when this item was checked.

    JP Hess
    JP Hess
    Inspiring
    April 18, 2017

    I don't know what version of Lightroom you are using, and I don't know what operating system you have. I am on Windows 10 and I have Lightroom CC 2015.10. I have the Nik collection installed, carried over from previous updates, and it works fine. You might find it necessary to reinstall the plug-ins even though every indication is that it is already installed.

    Sean McCormack
    Community Expert
    Sean McCormackCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 18, 2017

    Open Preferences and show the External Editor tab and screen capture it.

    It sounds like the installer is being selected, not the plugins.

    Sean McCormack. Author of 'Essential Development 3'. Magazine Writer. Former Official Fuji X-Photographer.
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