P: Metadata panel in Loupe shows Selected Photos highlighted when multiple photos selected

[John R Ellis]

In Library Loupe view, with multiple photos selected and Auto Sync disabled, the Metadata panel lies to the user by highlighting Selected Photos and displaying a tooltip saying "Show metadata for all selected photos". But the metadata for just the most-selected photo is displayed, and any changes will be made just to that photo:

The selection behavior in Loupe has always been confusing, and this user-interface lie makes it even more so, e.g. see:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/p-changes-to-metadata-panel-for-targeti... 

The product team says this behavior is "as-designed", which implies there is a design rationale -- what could it be?

The correct behavior is for Loupe to behave just as when one photo is selected in Grid view: Both Target Photo and Selected Photos are grayed out, and the metadata for the most-selected photo is displayed.

When Auto Sync is enabled, the current behavior is sensible. With one photo selected, Target Photo and Selected Photos are grayed out. With multiple photos selected, Target Photo and Selected photos are not grayed out, and Target Photo shows the metadata for the most-selected photo, while Selected Photos shows summary metadata for all the selected photos. The highlighted Auto Sync button clearly indicates that changes will be made to all the selected photos.

Here's a summary of the correct behavior, with red highlighting where the bug is:

Tested on LR 11.0.1 / Mac OS 11.6.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

The Classic team has reviewed this and determined the behavior is as-designed and not a bug. 

[John R Ellis]

I'm curious as to the "as-designed" rationale for having Selected Photos displayed when only one photo will be updated.

[John R Ellis]

Moderators, @Rikk Flohr: Photography, please move this to Ideas, thanks.

[richardplondon]

More than one photo WILL receive any new change, though, if AutoSync is turned on for the Library module.

In that case only the current metadata of the active image is presented as a starting point for bulk update when the panel's set to Targeted... or otherwise, when set to Selected, a summary taken from all the selected photos is presented. So if images other than the active one do have something already entered into a field, at least you'll know. That's how it is working for me anyway - my Metadata panel is set to View and Edit mode, in Loupe view so selecting and unselecting the images in the Filmstrip, under LrC Windows v 11.0.

[John R Ellis]

When Auto Sync is enabled, the current behavior is sensible.  Target Photo shows the metadata for just the most-selected photo, while Selected Photos shows the summary for all the selected photos.  The highlighted Auto Sync button clearly indicates that changes will be made to all the selected photos.

I'll update the post to indicate that the bug is with Auto Sync disabled -- when multiple photos are selected in Loupe, the user-interface lies to the user.

[John R Ellis]

Moderators, @Rikk Flohr: Photography, please move this to Lightroom Classic Ideas (it was accidentally moved to Lightroom Ecosystem Ideas):

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic/ct-p/ct-lightroom-classic?page=1&sort=latest_replie...