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MikeWaddell
Participant
November 21, 2012
Answered

Install a Lightroom 4 plug in

  • November 21, 2012
  • 2 replies
  • 15632 views

To install a plug-in I need to place it in a file ending .lrplugin. Where should I look in lightroom for that file and what if I can't find such a file. Should I uninstall Lightroom and reinstall or what?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer web-weaver

    Go >File >Plug-In Manager. In the Plug-In Manager, on the left side click on <Add>. This will take you to the folder where the Lr plug-ins are stored. The folder's name is <Modules>.

    You want to install your new plug-in this <Modules> folder. It might be empty if this is your first plug-in. Now close the Plug-in Manager and close Lr.

    Download the plug-in and then install it into the <Modules> folder via your Operating System. Open Lr. Check again in Plug-in Manager if it is shown on the left panel with a green light. Green light signifies it's correctly installed and Lr recognizes it.

    There is no need to un-install and re-install Lr.

    2 replies

    areohbee
    areohbee
    Legend
    November 23, 2012

    MikeWaddell wrote:

    To install a plug-in I need to place it in a file ending .lrplugin.

    Absolutely not!  If there isn't already a folder ending with .lrplugin (or .lrdevplugin), then it had better have an installer, or you don't have a proper plugin. - contact plugin author, or do some more looking on your hard disk...

    PS - It is not recommended, neither by Adobe nor most plugin authors, to copy plugins into modules subfolder to install. It may work, but that directory is reserved for true plugin installers (which generally include uninstallers...).

    If plugin does not include a true installer, then it should be added (in place) using the plugin manager. Example of where to keep your Lightroom plugins:

    /Documents/LightroomPlugins

    So maybe:

    /Documents/LightroomPlugins/{author}/{plugin-name}/{maybe-multiple-versions}

    For example:

    /Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.8.2.zip (previous version, zipped)
    /Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.9.zip (current version, zipped)

    /Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.9/ChangeManager.lrplugin (current version plugin, unzipped/installed/added-via-plugin-manager).

    /Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.9/ChangeManager_README.txt (release doc from zip).

    /Documents/LightroomPlugins/RobCole/ChangeManager/rc_ChangeManager_(lrplugin)_5.9/ChangeManager_LICENSE.txt...

    and/or

    /Documents/LightroomPlugins/JeffreyFriedl/MetadataWrangler/.......

    PS - You should definitely unzip downloaded plugins, before attempting to add via plugin manager, and when adding: select the .lrplugin or .lrdevplugin folder - it must already exist: accept no substitutes... (on Mac, a proper plugin should appear as a plugin icon, instead of a folder)

    Rob

    web-weaver
    web-weaverCorrect answer
    Inspiring
    November 21, 2012

    Go >File >Plug-In Manager. In the Plug-In Manager, on the left side click on <Add>. This will take you to the folder where the Lr plug-ins are stored. The folder's name is <Modules>.

    You want to install your new plug-in this <Modules> folder. It might be empty if this is your first plug-in. Now close the Plug-in Manager and close Lr.

    Download the plug-in and then install it into the <Modules> folder via your Operating System. Open Lr. Check again in Plug-in Manager if it is shown on the left panel with a green light. Green light signifies it's correctly installed and Lr recognizes it.

    There is no need to un-install and re-install Lr.

    M
    MikeWaddellAuthor
    Participant
    November 21, 2012

    Thanks for the help my friens, but it did'n work. Heres what I did.:

    1: Installed plug-in in modules

    2: Closed moduals and LR

    3. Opened LR

    4. Checked Plug-in Manager:

    Plug in not there.

    What did I do wrong?

    Mike

    web-weaver
    web-weaver
    Inspiring
    November 21, 2012

    You did not necessarily do anything wrong.

    First: which plug-in is it. Is it a plug-in that has been upgraded for Lr 4.2 - if that is what you are using? I discovered recently that a lot of plug-ins out there on the web have not been updated for Lr 4.2.

    Second: Open Win Explorer / Mac Finder go to the <Modules> folder and see if it is there. If it is try this:

    In Lr, in the Plug-In Manager click on <Add> and then click (or double-click) the plug-in in your <Modules> folder.

    Finally, a question: How did you install it after downloading. Forgive me if I state the obvious: Installation is a two step process. First step: download. Second step: Installation. Downloading alone is not good enough. Usually you install by double-clicking the downloaded file.

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