P: Allow for keyboard shortcut customization

[Guest]

Customizable keyboard shortcuts in Lightroom would be great. I just find it so confusing that crop and brush tools and things like that have such odd keyboard shortcuts in Lightroom. I understand that changing that all now would be awful for many existing users, but being able to override them like I can in Photoshop would be helpful. Doesn't anyone else out there find they use to wrong keyboard shortcuts in the wrong program?

[Thibaut253735311vgj]

Hi everyone,

I would really like to be able to set custom shortcuts in Lightroom Classic.

Short version : It's awesome, for example, it allows you to cull AND retouch pictures using only a gaming controller, which is much more ergonomic and faster than using a keyborad and mouse. You can set exposure +0.3EV with just the push of a button, even in Library module, etc.

Long version : 

Back in 2015, this was easy with a plugin called VSCO Keys. The plugin died when Lightroom got updated and support for this plugin was abandonned, rendering it unusable.

A lot of people have been wanting to get custom shortcuts since then (and to be honest, since way before since the plugin was an extra purchase). I don't want to rant anymore, I'll just say my personal opinion is that for such an incredible software used by so many people (Lightroom is the industry standard) it absolutely should have been built in, a long long time ago. This is critical guys, come on...

What it allows you to do is : basically anything you want. For example, you can set exposure +0.3EV with just the push of a button, even in Library module, etc. (currently the + or - slider feature only works in Develop module and you have to manually select whatever slider you want making it super slow). I feel it would be a somewhat easy implement for the developpers but would give so much to the users.  I think the primary reason this has not been done is to not hurt the sales of aftermarket solutions (either software or, and mainly, hardware) but I don't care. Thanks for taking the time to read.

[C.Cella]

@Thibaut253735311vgj 

To link a button to a develop action, a specific one, well that's not yet possible in Lightroom and it's not something custom shortcuts will allow us to do.

You can easily achieve  "Exposure  +0.3" using a develop preset.

The Preset can be easily accessed via the Quick Develop or in Develop Module.

If you want instead to increase all selected photos by +0.3 you can do it in quick Develop or using Auto Sync, or Sync.

.

[c_wurzbach]

@Thibaut253735311vgj I'm actually building a Mac application that will allow a user to adjust the develop sliders with their keyboard. It's currently being used internally in our photo editing business but I plan on releasing it to the public here soon. If you'd like more information, please feel free to complete this form: https://airtable.com/shrifJQwgqNpjIQR4

[evanwish]

For many years I sped up my editing significantly with the 3rd party program, VSCO Keys, which gave customizable keyboard shortcuts to literally anything you could want (ie: brightness, contrast, saturation, upright guides, etc...). No longer did I need to look away from the screen to click around with my mouse. My editing sped up about 8x faster. An iOS update rendered the program dead. 

In came PFixer by PusherLabs, which was much the same, but sped up my workflow about 10x faster than by changing controls with a mouse and sliders. Now the iOS update to Ventura just killed the program. Thanks Adobe! 

So if these two smallcompanies can make these customizable keyboard shortcuts for Lightroom Classic, why can't Adobe?!  Adobe, take note, this is needed and won't cost you anything to enable. Look at PFixer's customization; it's perfect. Look at Lightrooms; it's pathetic. Please give us FULL keyboard shortcuts. 

PS: Yes, I know about MIDI Controllers, but editing with the keyboard works excellent for me. Take the laptop anywhere you want and zoom through your edits at lightning speed. 

PPS: Attached are just a few screenshots showing the things that you could set to quick keyboard shortcuts, vs mouse navigation, scrolling, and clicking.  The blank spaces are a product of Ventura iOS preventing my normal shortcuts.

[Ian Lyons]

You had me confused with your references to iOS, especially since LrC doesn't run on an iPhone or iPad. Then you mentioned that the Ventura update killed the app you were using. Ventura is the latest version of macOS, not iOS.

Regarding customisble KBSC, I suspect we may still be waiting this time next year and likely the year after for Adobe to provide the capability. Nevertheless, it's not all bad news as John R. Ellis who is a frequent contributer to this forum has recently released an LrC plugin for customising KBSC. You can find more details at https://johnrellis.com/lightroom/anyshortcut.htm

Hopefully, it gets you up and running again with your preferred LrC KBSC.

[richardplondon]

At least so far as Basic panel: this can be controlled from the keyboard reasonably well even without individual shortcuts for each adjustment. The "." (full stop / period key) cycles through Basic adjustments in sequence. The "," (comma) cycles the other way. Then "+" and "-" keys adjust the currently active item - which is shown in a tooltip at bottom of screen, useful e.g. when Basic panel is not visible, for example in fullscreen view. This all works OK on a numeric keypad if you have one. For a more compact keyboard such as on a laptop, may be less convenient of course.

Different right side panels can be opened and closed with Ctrl+0, 1, 2 etc - Ctrl+shift+number for left side panels - Cmd on Mac I assume.

But IMO oddly, LrC does not then switch keyboard focus into that newly chosen panel: that remains with Basic so far as cycling through with 'period' and 'comma' keys.

[c_wurzbach]

I've built a VSCO Keys/Pfixer replacement that actually works. The current version allows you to control the sliders in the develop module. The next version (which is currently in development) will allow you to create new shortcuts for native Lightroom Classic shortcuts as well as features that don't currently have shortcuts. We use it in our photo editing business to edit hundreds of thousands of images per year. Feel free to check it out here: www.getpowerkeys.com Feel free to email me if you have any questions: hello@getpowerkeys.com 

[C.Cella]

@c_wurzbach 

I don't see how your Plug-in would be faster than reaching an edit box, click it, and change the setting form there using up/down or wheels/knobs... which also spares us the creation of infinite history steps.

.

[evanwish]

Thank you for the correction, I should have ensured my lingo was accurate first. Thank you also for the link! A breath of fresh air, I'm excited to check it out now. 

[evanwish]

@richardplondon 

I understand those methods of editing with the keyboard shortcuts, currently available in Lightroom, but once you try something like PFixer, it's impossible to go back. The speed difference is incomparable. 

@cwurzbach

THANK YOU! You are the hero that Lightroom failed to find. I just downloaded your software and it works beautifully. I am very excited for your upcoming updates. I've done a bit of playing around so far and found I can run GetPowerKeys and PFixer simultaneously. I just successfully tested using GetPowerKeys for the single key press commands (ie: f for brightness up) and PFixer for the other features not supported yet. Works flawlessly! Probably till the next update where PFixer will finally kick the bucket. Thank you so much for your reply and your work on this exciting replacement. 

also, I recommend others try this or something like it. It's game changer. 

[c_wurzbach]

@C.Cella In my experience, I've found using a keyboard is the quickest way to edit large quantities of images. Feel free to give it a try. Personally, I couldn't imagine editing in Lightroom Classic any other way now that I have this functionality.

[c_wurzbach]

@evanwish I'm really glad to hear you are enjoying Power Keys. Our plan is to release the next version before the end of the year.

[C.Cella]

@c_wurzbach 

I have tried you Plug-in and sent you an eMail with my feedback.

[C.Cella]

@evanwish 

You are clearly unaware of the problems that Plug-in is creating.

If you like to have bloated catalog and even have poor performance then go ahead and keep using it.

.

[evanwish]

@C.Cella 

How would you compare the challenges you are seeing to PFixer? I've been using PFixer for years. My catalogs are big, I start a new catalog twice a year, and generally have about 80 shoots in each catalog. PFixer would fill up my ram after a few days of editing and I would just quit and restart both PFixer and Lightroom and it would reset the ram just fine. I haven't been using Power Keys more than a few days, but it seems the same so far. 

[C.Cella]

@evanwish 

PowerKeys creates/adds an absurd amount of history steps to each photo.

E.g

To change a settings form 0 to 100 PowerKeys creates 10 history steps, 10 individual events, while LrC only creates one step using sliders or edit boxes.

So you end up with probably hundreds of history steps per photo just to change few settings back and forth.

This is going to create lots of problems especially if your photos have local edits:  bloated catalog, slowdowns, enormous temp file, etc...

I already contacted the author of PowerKeys and explained this issue with history steps.

I am not familiar with PFixer, I have seen a bit of LoupeDeck.

For fast editing reaching the keyboard is not faster than reaching the slider or the edit box.

It's equivalent.

To me reaching the keyboard for editing, or to use shortcuts is slow: I don't do it, I have a faster way to work.

.

[evanwish]

@C.Cella 

That makes sense about the history steps. I am sure PFixer works the same way, and I've been using that for years with no trouble, aside from clearing it from the ram every few days. I'll look into deleting history steps as a bonus. I have the M1 Max with 32gb ram, 32 core gpu, and 2 tb drive now, so I'm definitely not worried about it since I never had any problems with my old 2013 i5 IMac and MacBook. Maybe it would be a something to look out for with a junky computer. 

It's too bad keyboard editing hasn't sped things up for you. I've found less mouse/trackpad fatigue, and way less scrolling in the develop module. I also have my favorite presets set to cmd+1, cmd+2, etc. so I can edit a picture by just doing cmd+3, FFSRRRWGX... etc. then I'll press , to copy the settings, and . To paste them. / lets me sync settings. Yeah all that can be done with the mouse, but it objectively takes more time to drag the mouse, and my wrist gets tired of the mouse. 

The only downside I've seen to keyboard editing is that you have to memorize the keyboard shortcuts, but that's not too bad. 

[C.Cella]

@evanwish 

I believe that LoupeDeck is not adding countless of history step when using knobs or buttons. 

If the right API commands are used correctly a chage, a history step should be added only after a certain delay (like X ms after inactivity of keyUP event)

@John R Ellis probably definitely knows how to make so that pressing a key in rapid succession or holding it, doesn't create countless of individual history steps/events.

[John R Ellis]

The relevant calls are:

LrDevelopController.startTracking( param )

LrDevelopController.stopTracking( isLocalParam )

LrDevelopController.setTrackingDelay( seconds )

LrDevelopController.setMultipleAdjustmentThreshold( seconds )

[C.Cella]

@c_wurzbach 

See the latest reply by @John R Ellis 

You should be able to fix the issue with history in your Plug-in with those. 

.

[Neofito]

would be very convinient... specially to solve the very frequent problems with shortcuts

[mrjacobweber]

Commenting to add to the many requests for custom keyboard shortcuts in Lightroom. 

[DavePinMinn]

It looks like the request has now been on the list for something like 12 YEARS...  I suspect that means we're never going to get anything meaningful BUILT INTO Lightroom.  At this point I'd be happy if Adobe would just make Ctrl/0 work the same as in Photoshop!  I got REALLY tired of turning the histogram on and off instead of resizing the image a LONG time ago.

[Neofito]

I guess is on their priority list right after making photoshop for linux,
heeehehe

[C.Cella]

Any Shortcut by @John R Ellis provides near total kbsc customization.

I wholeheartedly recommend it.

.