P: Consistent behavior when multiple photos selected in Loupe

Report · Sep 02, 2021

The behavior in Loupe view is very confusing when multiple images are selected. Over the years there's been a steady stream of users posting their confusion. Despite myths to the contrary, there is no single unifying principle for this behavior. In a better world, Adobe would implement a simple, easy to remember rule for all commands.

With many of the commands, the keyboard shortcuts and right-clicking on the Loupe image only affect that image (the most selected image). But right-clicking on a filmstrip thumbnail applies to all the selected images (even if you can't see them because they're scrolled off screen). Commands in this category include Paste Settings, Set Flag, Remove From Quick Collection, Remove From Collection, Remove Photo (from folder), Create Virtual Copy, Edit In > Edit In Photoshop, Edit In > Open As Smart Object. But Reset and Proof are exceptions -- they only apply to the most-selected image.

Some commands operate on all selected photos regardless of whether you right-click the Loupe image or the filmstrip: Rotate Left/Right, Photo Merge, Export, Stacking > Group Into Stack, Edit In > Merge To Panorama, Edit In > Merge To HDR, Edit In > Open As Layers.

Add To Quick Collection and Set Flag are even more confusing: When invoked by right-clicking a filmstrip thumbnail, they apply to all selected images. But when invoked by clicking their badge on a thumbnail, they apply only to the most-selected image.

If you have multiple filmstrip thumbnails selected and you right-click an unselected thumbnail, some commands operate on the most-selected image (Reset, Proof, Paste Settings, Paste Settings From Previous), while others operate on the right-clicked image (Auto White Balance, Auto Settings, Convert to B&W).

And at least one command, Metadata Presets > particular-preset, asks you if you want to apply to the most-selected photo or all selected photos, regardless whether you right-click on the Loupe image or the filmstrip.

The Sync button in Develop Loupe applies to the entire selection, while the Paste button applies to the most-selected image only.

The behavior is determined by the mode of the main display. If the main display is in Loupe, then the commands act only on the most-selected photo, even if grid view is visible on the secondary display.

While you can come up with use-cases motivating these different behaviors, it seems arbitrary and certainly most people couldn't remember the rules.

* * *

To summarize the factors that determine whether a command applies to the most-selected photo or all selected photos:

- The particular command

- Grid or Loupe view, on the primary display

- Applying the command via the menu or keyboard shortcut versus right-clicking the photos in the filmstrip versus clicking the thumbnail badge

- The setting of Target Photo / Selected Photos (which is the menu item Metadata > Show Metadata For Target Photo Only)

- Whether Library Auto Sync is enabled (the menu item Metadata > Enable Auto Sync).

Report · Aug 03, 2022

Another Loupe-view inconsistency: When multiple photos are selected in Loupe, right-clicking a keyword in Keyword List and doing Add This Keyword To Selected Photos adds it all the selected photos. But doing Remove This Keyword From Selected Photos removes the keyword just from the current photo.

~~Clearly as-designed behavior.~~

Adobe declared this a bug and fixed it in LR 12:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-quot-remove-this-keyword-from-selected-photo...

Report · Sep 04, 2022

Another inconsistency: Metadata > Edit Capture Time ignores the setting of Target Photo | Selected Photos in the Metadata panel, even though capture date is displayed in the Metadata panel, and even though Edit Capture Time changes only the most selected photo in Loupe view but all selected photos in Grid view.

Report · Nov 12, 2022

Another inconsistency: In Loupe view, when you change the keywords in the Keywording panel, only the most-selected photo is changed. Similary, if you add or remove a checkmark to the left of a keyword in the Keyword List, only the most-selected photo is changed. But if you right-click a keyword in the Keyword List and do Add or Remove, all the selected photos are changed.

The behavior was different prior to LR 11: Any changes to keywords in Loupe view were applied to all selected photos, no matter which mechanism was used.

But surely the change in LR 11 was deliberate.

Report · May 14, 2023

Contexte : Lightroom Classic 12.3 avec 2 écrans, Windows 11.

En mode grille, quand on sélectionne 2 photos sur l'écran 1 et que l'on affecte un mot clef, il est affecté aux deux photos. Quand on sélectionne 2 photos sur l'écran 2 et que l'on affecte un mot clef, il est affecté à la première photo seulement. Cette différence de comportement entre les deux écrans induit fréquemment des erreurs car il faut opérer différemment selon l'écran sur lequel on se trouve.

En plus, cette différence de comportement n'est pas systématique. Quand on sélectionne deux photos sur l'écran 2 et qu'on les exporte, les deux photos sont exportées comme sur l'écran 1.

A moins qu'il n'y ait une raison majeure (que je ne discerne pas) qui explique cette différence, il faudrait uniformiser le fonctionnement sur les deux écrans.

Ce n'est pas à proprement parler un bug fonctionnel, mais c'est un bug ergonomique qui provoque indirectement des erreurs de traitement, et qui perdure. Le comportement des anciennes versions de LR avec l'ancienne version de Windows était le même.

Report · May 14, 2023

As you've discovered, whether some commands apply to the most-selected photo or all selected photos depends on whether the primary display is in Loupe view or Grid view.

How LR handles multiple selected photos has evolved into an inconsistent mess, and not even experts can remember all (or even most) of the rules:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-ideas/p-consistent-behavior-when-multiple-photos-se...

Factors that determine whether a command applies to the most-selected photo or all selected photos: