P: Floating panels/toolbars

Report · May 11, 2011

I love Lightroom. I use it every single day as I am a professional photographer. However, I can't understand for the life of me why Adobe has chosen to have no ability to float Lightrooms toolbars as is possible with the other Adobe products. I have two monitors and would love to actually make the best possible use of them. Adobe, please add this feature as I'm sure it will be welcomed by all users.

Thanks, Freddy

Report · May 11, 2011

One might say the lack of such customisation is part of Lightroom's ethos. Whereas most other Adobe apps are huge and sprawling, Lightroom is much more focussed on a certain workflow and on "doing the right thing" in an efficient, methodical way rather offering an infinite and for-many-users-bewildering choice of alternative ways to achieve the same result.

Watch this to gain an insight into the thinking https://vimeo.com/1286064 .

Report · May 11, 2011

Hi John. I completely agree that there shouldn't be infinite ways to achieve the same result, and that's not at all what I'm talking about. I'm talking about being able to use my primary display for the image only and to be able to float the current panels on the secondary monitor. I don't want Lightroom to work any differently, I just to be able to arrange my own screen, that's all.

Report · May 11, 2011

I understand that, but floating panels do run contrary to some of the thinking behind Lightroom's design. You're opening a big can of worms!

Report · May 11, 2011

Hi again John. I love a good debate just as much as the next guy, but if you're going to take the opposing viewpoint, please provide specifics. What can of worms am I opening, exactly? What is the thinking behind Lightroom's design?

Personally, when I'm editing, I absolutely hate having to scroll up and down the left side for the right tool(and I have a 30" Apple Cinema display). So I don't see what the harm would be in being able to have all of those different tools neatly organized on the next screen. I can tell you one thing, it would save me a ton of time just in scrolling, opening, and closing alone. Why not have it be as versatile as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, etc.?

Report · May 11, 2011

For starters, did you watch that video? He uses words like "efficiency", "streamlined", or the concept of "rooms". You'd also have to look up some of the things Jeff Schewe has said about the inside story and design philosophy.

Remember too that those programs are much more substantial in scale than Lightroom, and with much more diverse user groups. By comparison with them, Lightroom is more like a glorified dialog box!

I never liked the scrolling either, so I work in Solo Mode (it's a right click on the panel header), but while I would certainly move one or two panels such as Camera Calibration I just don't feel the need to start creating my own workspaces in Lightroom.

John

Report · May 11, 2011

I don't know if I watched the video. I've had lightroom since the original beta, but I'd love to see the video if you can direct me to it, I'd appreciate it.

It's true that Solo Mode does help a bit, but I'd still love the ability to make my own workspace. But I guess based on your responses here, and others I've received elsewhere, I think my dream will remain just that, a dream. Oh well.

Report · May 11, 2011

He posted the video above (vimeo).

I too think a fully-configurable workspace is unlikely, but I'm wondering if a more modest request might be a little more acceptable, namely to make a new second-monitor option to go with the ones that are already there that would just place the existing four panels on the second monitor leaving the main monitor for the image only. The reason I think this might be doable is that it's already possible to do this in Lightroom to some extent by dragging the main window to your second monitor, putting the Loupe view up on the main (now second) monitor and using the Develop module and its panels on the second monitor while watching the first monitor. Did that make any sense?

Report · May 11, 2011

I linked to it in my first comment, Freddy!

While I might point you to these design ideas, such things are never set in stone and you aren't the first one to ask for movable panels. So just ask!

Report · May 11, 2011

Makes perfect sense Lee. I think I'd be just as happy with that to be honest. Thanks for your feedback.

Report · May 11, 2011

Thanks John. I'll take a look as soon as I have a chance. I really appreciate it.

Report · May 11, 2011

I voted for this, but *NOT* because I want to be able to float them like other Adobe apps, but because I want to be able to work on the image full screen in one monitor, and dedicate the other monitor to the panels, and other such supporting stuff. Note: once an entire monitor is available to support image dev, there is less of a space constraint for that other stuff.

So to the spirit of the request, I say yes: One should be able to use 3 monitors and partition each monitor according to fancy.

Summary:
--------------
I like Lightroom's overall UI design *better* than most Adobe Apps, but more flexibility to support multi-monitor configurations would be welcome.

PS - I bought a 2nd monitor just for Lightroom, but I rarely use Lightroom in multi-monitor mode, since it really doesn't help that much. Multi-monitor support seems like it was a rush job to me. I don't think Adobe spent much time figuring out how to re-write Lightroom to best take advantage of additional monitors - I think it would be worthwhile for them to do so at some point.

Report · May 13, 2011

Rob, I couldn't agree with you more on the multi-monitor functionality, and I too rarely use that mode. I don't want to be forced to look left and right, I just want my tools over there, that's it!

Report · Jan 17, 2012

Where's the "–1" button here?

In my opinion, floating panels is one of the worst aspects of UI design ever. (Something from the Mac ecosphere?) With floating panels, I always have sense of living in a room that have not been cleaned up for some time. The impression of flexibility that floating UI elements gives, is false, in my opinion.

Report · Jan 17, 2012

Dorin,

I assume you haven't worked with multiple monitors. If photoshop didn't have floating panels, my bet is that it would have never become what it is today. And YES, definitely from the Mac "ecosphere," the system that has been the choice for graphics and creative professionals for..hmmm...over 20 years now!!!

..and how did you even get to this thread? It's 8 months old!!!

Report · Jan 17, 2012

> ..and how did you even get to this thread? It's 8 months old!!!
I have browsed about 15 pages of "Most popular" threads.

Report · Jan 17, 2012

> I assume you haven't worked with multiple monitors.
No, I prefer one big one. Can't stand monitor bezels right in the middle of my workspace. Also, don't like the moue cursor "spawning into parallel worlds".

> Mac "ecosphere," the system that has been the choice for graphics and creative professionals for..hmmm...over 20 years now
Thankfully, it's been 10 years since it's a got worthy alternative.

Report · Jan 17, 2012

Well, lucky for me...and Apple...opinions are like body parts. Everyone has one, and they are all different. I love my ONE BIG MONITOR (30 inches) also, flanked by my two 22 inchers left and right, and the 50 inch fourth off to the side for client presentations. No bezels, no lost cursors, and a true pleasure to work with.

Report · Jan 17, 2012

I wouldn't mind if the panels could snap somewhere.

Having them float in space is too messy for my taste too, but being able to drag them to another monitor would be useful (for those of us who've adapted to multiple smaller monitors ;-}

Report · Feb 23, 2012

True Dual Monitor Support like offered in PShop. The ability to split the panels and place them as you desire as floating panels. Even Capture one can manage this. Come to think of it most high end Raw converters do. If you can split palettes in photoshop and move them onto a second monitor why not in Lightroom. The side panels take up so much potential image display area. With the technology for masking brushed, cloning etc getting better more and more is done right in LR a full screen image without hitting tab keys and so on to dim lights hide side panels would be nice. Why can't we have seperate pallete for for all the current options but not in one long line. A good example would be in Photoshop you can have a floating palette for actions and another for history. Both visible and easily accessible on a second monitor. However in LR if I lots af presets and then want to get to or have a quick glance at my history it is a time consuming task to get there. Same applies if I have all my palletes open in LR to scroll down from the Exp,Contrast,Highlight.....panel to let's say adding a vignette, again scrolling down is a pain. Why not have a separate floating pallete that can be moved and resized like I can for pretty much any task in PS. What a simple but efficient idea!

Report · Feb 23, 2012

Yes, please let us have all the panels on a secondary monitor like in Photoshop. LR`s UI is really very limiting. Open panel, close panel, scroll up, scroll down to panel......., while my secondary monitor just sits there waiting......
Okay, there`s the "secondary view" of LR, which is really great. But I would add a third monitor in a heartbeat, if LR just would allow me those floating panels.

Report · Feb 24, 2012

Just having a choice would be good.

Report · Feb 25, 2012

"Just having a choice would be good."

I think the same. So It will be good for everyone.
it just an extra option, thats all, it doesnt change anything for those who are fighting desperately against it.

Report · Mar 28, 2012

LR4 second display doesn't play nice with the Mac Lion multiple desktops. Wouldn't it be nice if we could utilize the second monitor feature of LR4 and position a different LR4 Module in separate desktops and just swipe between them.

Report · Dec 12, 2012

I work on multiple vertical monitors.
The main viewport is on one of the middle screens,
the right sidebar on the adjacent screen.

If Lightroom allowed me to position two sidebars next to each other
on the separate display, screen real estate would be used optimally.

Even WITHOUT floating panels, just next to each other
- that would be fine!

Report · Dec 27, 2012

All palettes (keywords, quick develop, etc) should be detachable and the positions savable in sets the same way that they are in Photoshop.

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P: Floating panels/toolbars