P:(Masking) Default names for masks by type.

Report · Feb 01, 2022

Instead of naming all masks "mask", regardless of the type, it would be very helpful if they're named by mask type.

E.g. "brush 1", "brush 2", "linear mask 1", "radial mask 1" and so on. This way it's way easier to pick the right masks when copying the settings from one photo. Most of the time I don't want to copy the brushes, but only the linear and radial masks.

Report · Feb 01, 2024

An alternative approach

Create a AI mask
Rename that mask
Save that renamed mask as a preset

Incidentally, for some masks, you might want to do exactly that in order to not have to go thru many steps. I am referring to complex masks with several Intersects, Inverts, etc.

For example, say you created a AI Sky mask as shown in the video below. Saving that mask as a preset would speed reuse up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OiFSYrWKGU

That would be a mask that I would not like to recreate over and over again. Turns out saving it as a preset works like a champ. And as I named in AISkyTrick, it shows up as AISkyTrick, not as Mask1.

Report · Feb 04, 2024

"Instead of naming all masks "mask", regardless of the type, it would be very helpful if they're named by mask type."

This won't do.

All masks start with "1" in a new correction.

Two Corrections can have the same bottom Mask (e.g. Brush) and will both end up being called "Name of the Mask 1" even if the brushes are in a totally different location.

e.g

One brush is on the Left eye and has Exposure +4, the other is on the Right eye and has Exposure -4

Using the name of the Bottom Mask as the name of the Correction in this case is going to lead to two Corrections called Brush 1

It's not practical to name a Correction as the bottom Mask EVEN if no number is appended at the end.

For instance suppose your bottom Mask is then intersected with another Mask (e.g Subject)

In this case it's the Subject Intersection above that actually defines the purpose of the Correction so auto naming this Correction (at creation) with the Bottom Mask's name will not help and one will have to rename anyway.

IMO knowing the bottom Mask is not relevant and is more important to specify WHAT the Correction is doing, what settings are applied.

So one naming convention that IS accurate and useful, is to use the name and value of the "Active setting" for the Correction.

In the example of the cat one would end with this:

This is clear, one understands what's happening in these Corrections.

There are 2 problems with this naming convention though:

1. One can create a Correction with no settings and choose them after.

In this case naming at creation would result in a correction called "No settings" and one will need to rename anyway.

2. One can change the active settings so must rename after anyway.

So overall the the current naming convention Mask n°X is viable.

IMO it's always best to rename masks ourselves properly.

Using the cat example:

Left Eye Exposure + 4

Right Eye Exposure -4

This said to save time it would be useful to have a command/option "Reame Correction as Active Setting(s)"

Logic would be:

1. When the selected Correction has ONE active settings then the name of that setting will be used for the Correction's name.

e.g. Exposure + 4, Exposure -4, Clarity +25, etc....

Some settings are complex and it would suffice to name them succinctly e.g Point Color, Curve : Custom

2. When the Correction has MULTIPLE active settings then the option will rename: "Multiple Settings"

3. the command could be run agin on the a Correction to update its name (in case the settings have been changed.)

In the end if an identically named Correction exist then one will manually have to append a sequence number, which is fast to do than rename entirely.

Probably Adobe will never invest any time and resources into any new Correction naming conventions or option.

@johnrellis maybe you can pull off a "Rename Correction as active setting(s)" as I described.

EDITED for clarity.

Report · Feb 04, 2024

@johnrellis despite what I said above maybe most users will probably be happy with a "Rename Correction as Bottom Mask" command that does not append the number.

A "finesse" here would be to name the Correction based on the bottom Mask crs:What and crs:MaskSubtype and crs:MaskSubCategoryID

e.g

MaskSubCategoryID = 4,
MaskSubType = 0
What = "Mask/Image"

Renamed Correction will be: Body Skin

I say that because user might have modified bottom mask crs:MaskName

But all of this is probably hard or not possible to do with the SDK

.

Report · Mar 29, 2024

Hey everyone,

Quick suggestion regarding AI auto-masking. When auto-masking elements like skies, people, or facial features, they're labelled generically (e.g., Mask 1, Mask 2). Though you can see what each mask is when you select it in the mask breakdown, having to click through them isn't ideal, especially for quick edits.

How about automatic naming of masks based on their content? Instead of "Mask 1," we could have "Sky," "Face," "Hair," etc. This would be a huge time-saver, allowing a quick glance to identify the right mask, particularly when working on numerous portraits, like school photos or large business projects.

I think this small change could make a big difference in workflow efficiency. Would love to hear your thoughts and see if we could make this happen!

Report · Apr 28, 2024

I have created a Plug-in that Automatically renames the selcted Mask with the name of the Bottom component .

E.g.

Mask 1

Sky 1

Brush 1

AutoRename

Brush 1

Sky 1

Brush 1

It also offers the ability to automatically rename all existing Masks with the name of the bottom Component in each.

Frankly speaking it's a mess anyway.

You might end up with numerous Masks with identical names.

E.g.

I properly rename my Mask and after running the script I got numerous duplicate "Brush 1c masks.

Terrible, just terrible.

After spending time and effort I find that using the bottom component name for the Mask itself is a very bad idea.

Much better would be to allow us to edit the name of the Mask before creation.

.

Report · Apr 28, 2024

Since the user can (read that SHOULD) rename each mask as they are working, having defualt name ttypes seems an unnecessary part of code writing. I have often found myself saying o ill just creat one mask and not rename it..... I always end up making more than one mask and when I dont rename them, I too often get lost.

Renaming layers and masks as you make them may be an extra little step however it saves a ton of time and confusion, and that apples to LR classic and Photoshop!

Report · May 03, 2024

Hi Kent,

I agree with you in for 'normal' masking, but for me, it's only about the auto-masking—specifically the auto person and features.
When I select a person and have LR create a separate mask for each feature, like face skin, eye brows, hair etc.
It can create ±10 masks in one go. So now I have to rename them one by one, fine with one photo or two photos. But when editing tons of portraits it's a lot of work for no reason. Oke, then just make the mask, before you start editing, on one photo, rename the masks on that one photo, and then sync with the rest right? Yes, does make it a bit better, but in practice, it's still annoying. Not all the photos have the right features visible or have more than one person and then it doesn't apply properly to the right person or it spreads them around multiple people randomly. I can keep going, but you get the gist.

But the frustrating thing for me is that LR already gives it the correct name, so the code is there already. It just names the mask component. So if I want a quick overview it isn't there, it just says mask 1 through 10. And I have to click on the mask to see what it really is. So what I do know is:

click on the mask
double click on the mask component
copy the name
double click the mask
paste the name
hit enter.

That, to me, feels like unnecessary steps. Just when using the AI auto masking for people I would like the autonaming. That tool is so great in all other respects. I love it and really streamlined my workflow with big-batch portrait shoots. This one little thing just adds a little bit of annoyance back in.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Report · May 03, 2024

"LR already gives it the correct name, so the code is there already. It just names the mask component. So if I want a quick overview it isn't there, it just says mask 1 through 10. And I have to click on the mask to see what it really is." You make a valid point - and possibly the Lightroom Gods (i.e. the Lightroom team) may look into that suggestion for the next rev. I've been working with LR since the beta, and it has improved so much I am always totally impressed by what comes next - the LR team DOES listen to good suggestions !! SO maybe....

Report · May 06, 2024

One can quite fast identify what each Correction is doing by hovering over the thumbnail.

Reading the name of the isn't the fastest method.

Anyway I created a code that renames Corrections as their Bottom Mask "type".

Mask 1 --> Ai Sky

Change rhe BottomMask type with and you get the correct name.

Ai Sky --> Linear Gradient

Also I have a script that appends as a prefix, the "type" of the bottom Mask to the Correction name.

So you will end up with.

Ai Sky // Exposure - 1

Change the bottom Mask Type and you get

Brush // Exposure -1

Overall I personally I find this to be the best method for my workflow as it doesn't mess with existing Corrections' names.

What is the method the community would need most??

1. Rename Corrections to Bottom Mask name.

Mask 1 -->

Brush 1

Sky 1

etc...

It woks in other languages.

2. Rename Correction to Bottom MaskType (Mask Type in English only as I won't write a script for every language on the planet nor I trust automatic translators)

Mask 1 -->

Ai Sky

Brush

Linear Gradient

etc...

3. Apppend to the Correction name, as prefix, the Bottom Mask Type

BottomType // CurrentCorrectionName

.

Report · May 11, 2024

Great suggestion -- I totally agree. I have tens-of-thousands of pix with generic mask names .. better defaults would help immensely.

(btw -- one minor addition, would be bit more work... name the mask by its position:
linear mask - upper

linear mask - lower

I OFTEN have one for the sky and one for the ground.. and just having DEFAULT names that idenfity those would be incredibly helpful.

Report · Jun 23, 2024

Hello,

I would like for mask people an option to automatically name masks with the name of the selected body part. For example "Hair" instead of "Mask 1".
Then it would immediately read which mask it is instead of clicking on "Mask ...." to open the masks to find the one I want to edit.
That way you don't have to rename all the body part masks and it saves time.
Regards

Fabio

Report · Jun 23, 2024

Moderators, @Rikk Flohr: Photography, @Rick Spaulding -, please merge with this Idea:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-ideas/p-masking-default-names-for-masks-by-type/idi...