Also some good information in this link- Mastering Lightroom: How to Manage Presets ... View more

Sorry- I do not have an answer for "it didn't work". As you are only on a (7-day) trial, it does not seem to be constructive to continue pursuing the 'presets' problem. Better that you could have Lightroom working correctly (with included default presets). A missing Right-click menu might indicate it is not working correctly for you. However an article like this can better describe the details about presets far better than I can- Mastering Lightroom: How to Manage Presets ... View more

I now appreciate you know how to import and develop the Nikon files with Lightroom- great. But the CR2 files still a mystery. When  you attempt to import CR2 into Lr  (what Lr number version- btw?) do you get any error messages of any kind? If so- what is the exact wording of the error? Just because you see thumbnails in Finder does not rule out corrupt raw images- the thumbnail could be just the embedded jpg preview that Finder can interpret and show. If all else fails, there may be users reading this thread that could test one of the CR2 images. (Upload to a dropbox folder and share the link) ... View more

+1 to Jim's post. Yes if you only want one photo per paper page then "Single Image/Contact Sheet"  is the way. (Hint: Do not use any of the 'default' templates provided by Lr.) Set your desired paper size 12x18 in the Printer Setup, Set your desired image (cell) 1 column, 1 row,  size 8x10, & margins, in the Print Layout panels. You can then print any number of photos that you have selected on the filmstrip with one command to "Print" and have the printer loaded with much paper. Be aware the images should all be either landscape or portrait format, and preferably all cropped to 4:5 so as to correctly 'fill' the 8x10 template. ... View more

One likely cause is a corrupt monitor profile. Check the support page- Photos appear as black, gray, or blank rectangles in Lightroom and- https://www.lightroomqueen.com/articles-page/how-do-i-change-my-monitor-profile-to-check-whether-its-corrupted/ ... View more

So Michael-  what was the correct answer? What did you do to see the gradient? (for the benefit of others ) ... View more

I am not sure if you understand that Lightroom does not "OPEN" image files of any type! Lightroom is a database program. It maintains a Catalog database that has information about photos. That database (the 'Catalog') is a file that has the file-type suffix of  .LRCAT.  Lightroom can only 'open' LRCAT files. To see images in the Lightroom library (and do development work) you must- Open the Lr program and "Import" the data from the photo files and let Lr create thumbnails that are visible in the Lr library. Also the "DNG Converter" does not 'Open' files.  It creates or converts whole folders of raw images into another raw format with the file-type suffix  .DNG. You still have to Import these DNG files into Lightroom to see them there. I suggest you do some basic reading about Lightroom- Start with the free eBook from Victoria Bampton https://www.lightroomqueen.com/blog/ ... View more

If you are using the "Custom Package" option- then No, you must create each page individually and send to the attached printer, or to a jpg file one-at-a-time.  (Lightroom has no way of knowing how you want multiple images filling multiple 'Custom' page cells) If you use "Single Image/Contact Sheet" you can create multiple image pages (but limited to columns/rows designs)  and if you select multiple photos, these will auto-fill multiple pages. (So a 4xphoto template and 16 selected photos- would auto-create four pages to print) ("Picture Package" is not useful as it prints the same photo multiple times on each page.) ... View more

As per post 1. above- ManiacJoe. Understand that presets are like simple 'text' files that have the file-type suffix {.LRTEMPLATE} They can be copied and pasted into any computer running LIghtroom- in the appropriate folder. (Find the Presets folder by opening: Lr  Preferences>Presets Tab [Show Lightroom Presets Folder] ) ... View more

You possibly have a corrupt monitor profile. Read the chapter for Macs- https://www.lightroomqueen.com/articles-page/how-do-i-change-my-monitor-profile-to-check-whether-its-corrupted/ Also you may need to update your video drivers. See a similar forum thread at- Photoshop: Blank workspace, image won't load | Photoshop Family Customer Community ... View more

I am happy to know you are getting it sorted and understanding. how to bring the second copies back to the iMac HD. The recommended method goes like this- 1. In the Lr folder panel, Make a note of the folder name * on the external drive that you want on the internal HD 2. Exit from Lightroom and use the operating system (Finder/File Explorer) to COPY that whole folder of images from the 'external' to the 'internal' within a suitable location for photos. (Hint: do not choose the desktop) 3. Open Lightroom, select this same folder in the Folder panel of the library view. (as it appears on the external HD) 4. R-CLick the folder and choose "Update folder location..." 5. A Finder window opens, navigate to the new folder location in the internal HD. 6. Click [Select Folder] 7. When Lr now is looking at the images on the internal HD successfully, you can use the OS to later delete the folder on the external HD (and of necessity you do have other photo backups somewhere else- right?) * If you have a hierarchy of folders you want to move, you can select the topmost folder and copy it complete with sub-folders, and use the method above. For the "Second Copies" folders -you should consider them a temporary backup only. They can be deleted after you are sure you have other more permanent backups done that will 'mirror' or match your internal-HD folder structure and photos. (which Lr does not do!) Also for the next import- Check the Destination panel.!! ... View more

Just a comment on- I want to still figure out a way to flatten all my changes. Lightroom is not a 'pixel' editor. It does not 'flatten' any of the edit steps (although you can Clear History easily). Retaining the full history of all edit steps is considered a desirable feature of Lr (by many), but I see your desire to automate the 'Before' edit state. The keyboard shortcut is [Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Left Cursor] to make any selected history step the 'Before' state. Just do this shortcut at the end of editing session 1, and this image look becomes the 'Before' image for session 2. ... View more

my before/after is comparing the image to when I exported it Do you know that you can select any step in the history panel and set it as the "Before" image. (R-click mouse) And do this also from a snapshot. This would save all the hassle of exporting-reimporting, etc. if it is just a before/after function you want. ... View more

It is possible we won't figure this out. I agree. Have you confirmed using Mac Finder that all the photo files have indeed been copied from the camera card and into the two locations- 1. The internal HD  in the desired folder structure. 2. The thunderbolt external drive in ONE single dated folder (all the photos from that one import process) And have you checked Read/write permissions for all folders and sub-folders on the thunderbolt drive where you are saving the 'second copy'? And the error message- Is that the exact wording shown? Just thinking- the (1265) suggests it may have been an operating system error (and not Lightroom) If Lr cannot write files when it is importing the error message often says "....could not be READ...." ... View more

The "Slide Length" time is constant for all the slides, (unfortunately!). No individual adjustment available (other than in  'manual' mode) One image can be shown twice the set time by using a virtual copy beside the original. ie. show both original+vc. (Video exports will not work in a 'Manual' mode.) Personally I like the freeware program XnView for easy slideshows (it also creates windows .exe files that can be shared. Manual mode does work in .exe slide-shows) XnView Software · Software for reading, organizing and processing images For full slideshow control I purchased PicturesToExe which is very adaptable in many ways. PicturesToExe Deluxe - Photo Slideshow Software - WnSoft One Lr message baffles me- what does this mean? "Manual mode does not support these settings"- What Settings? nothing I change clears this message. ... View more

with backup directed to a designated new file What do you mean by this?   Do you have the option ticked to {Make a Second Copy To: }?  Lr does not have an image 'Backup' function other than the "Second Copy" option at import. all the image files -- ARW and .xmp -- where there as intended. Where?  The details?  Is this the dated folder created by a "Second Copy", or is it the folder you specified for the "Destination" of your imported files?   (These two 'folder' destinations must be two entirely different locations.) could not be copied Might indicate that one of these two locations are not available for some reason- Read/Write permissions, available space, disconnected hard-drive, etc. Some more details will help you get an answer. ... View more

View the excellent tutorial on tethering with an overlay- http://layersmagazine.com/using-image-overlay-in-lightroom-to-preview-layouts-while-shooting-tethered.html Basically you need two things- 1. Successful tethering 2. An 'Overlay' image in PNG file format with transparency. ... View more

At some time in version upgrades the default 'inbuilt' LR presets provided by Adobe changed from being visible and able to be copied in the Dev Presets folder, to being 'hard-wired' into the software program (and not possible to delete!). It is possible that the Colour Presets disappeared with that change. Is it worth experimenting by re-installing Lr4 to see if the missing Colour Presets re-appear, and can be copied and saved with the OS for use with Lr6? I still have a list of 27 presets that I do not remember where they came from! ... View more

Doooh-  more sleep needed. ... View more

circle appears for HEAL mode also. True and correct.!   My brain fag. Thanks Bob Re the Spot Healing brush- Just opened CC2015.9  and my Spot Healing Brush will only leave a "Pin" when I drag the mouse on part of the image. If I just click the mouse (as I would on sensor dust spots) it leaves a circle (hard to see on detailed images) Bob- why am I not seeing a pin for each mouse click? Has this changed, or again "Brain fag"? ... View more

First suggestion- Check the Opacity slider is at 100. Note-the sampled area circle only appears for the 'Clone' mode. ... View more

I now also see another (better?) link to Lr Downloads-  Download Photoshop Lightroom ... View more

You cannot 'separate'.  Smart Previews must be considered to be "Previews" and only previews- not whole and independent image files. (regardless of the talk about them being re-sized dng files!) Yes you may be able to edit the Smart Preview disconnected from the original photo, but it must still eventually link back to its original 'parent' image. There is no purpose in creating Sm-Previews unless you are - 1. Exporting a catalog to another computer for a temporary need (like travel) 2. using the option in preferences to speed up Lr editing functions. ... View more

This is a Lr 'Bug' reportedly fixed with  v6.9   https://www.lightroomforums.net/threads/whats-new-in-lightroom-cc-2015-9-6-9.30537/ Then again- NOT fixed in v6.9 ?  https://www.lightroomforums.net/threads/lightroom-panels-disappearing.29877/ See Post #11 that may provide a temporary 'fix'. ... View more