Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Adobe Lightroom Q&A => Topic started by: chris1122 on June 16, 2006, 01:34:39 pm

Title: Import Workflow Possibility?
Post by: chris1122 on June 16, 2006, 01:34:39 pm
I'm trying to reproduce my current importing workflow with Lightroom.

My typical workflow is as follows:

When iView Media Pro detects my card I am able to create a new named shoot folder within a folder I have on my desktop called  “1-New Digital Images”.   I use this as a temporary holding folder and I could add copyright information to the files as they import but I usually do this using Replace Metadata Template as part of the sorting process in Bridge.  

At some point I will keyword and distribute these files to other folders on my hard drive that have broad general titles like Fine Art, Professional, Personal etc.

I’m confused about how to use Lightroom to duplicate this simple workflow.  I know that I could backup my files as I copy them from the card into Lightroom, but then I would have two versions when, initially I only need one.

I realize that I could:
1) Open my holding folder and create a new named folder inside of it.
2) Manually copy my  files from the card into this second folder.
3) From within Lightroom, use File>Import>Choose Files to locate this new folder and then reference them into Lightroom adding a metadata preset.  

Besides being time-consuming this process has the disadvantage that I can’t give the files names and numbers as I do this and this seems like an awkward and long way around what could be a simple import option built into Lightroom.

Again what I would like to do is:

1) Insert my card
2) Have Lightroom detect that it’s there and then offer me the option of importing them into a holding folder of my choosing while referencing them within Lightroom’s Library.
3) Within this holding folder I would like Lightroom to create a folder with the shoot name and give these files names and numbers.
4) I would also like to be able to add my metadata preset info to the files as they come in.
5) Later, after I’ve sorted, ranked and keyworded these files I would like to be able to export selected images into other folders without losing the ability to find them with keywords through Lightroom’s indexing system.

It could easily be that there’s already a way to do precisely this within Lightroom and I just haven’t discovered it yet.  I have beta 3. Given all that Lightroom does it seems like a humble and useful task.

If you can help with this I’d appreciate it.

Thanks,
Chris
Title: Import Workflow Possibility?
Post by: chris1122 on June 17, 2006, 03:28:50 pm
Just in case someone on this forum is interested in the answer to this question, here's a response I got from an Adobe evangelist, George Jardine:

Originally posted by: chris1122
Again what I would like to do is:

1) Insert my card
2) Have Lightroom detect that it’s there and then offer me the option of navigating into a pre-existing holding folder.
3) Within this holding folder I would like Lightroom to create a shoot folder with a name of my choosing while also referencing them within Lightroom’s Library and give these files names and numbers.
4) I would also like to be able to add my metadata preset info to the files as they come in.
5) Later, after I’ve sorted, ranked and keyworded these files I would like to be able to export selected images into other folders without losing the ability to find them with keywords through Lightroom’s indexing system.

It could easily be that there’s already a way to do precisely this within Lightroom and I just haven’t discovered it yet. I have beta 3. Given all that Lightroom does it seems like a humble and useful task.


Hi Chris,

Thanks for the detailed description of your desired workflow. We're still looking at designs for Import. It really didn't change much between B1 and B2, and is still due some work. I believe once we get back to Import and hook in better support for offline files and archiving, we'll be able to do exactly what you want. We also did not implement file renaming in the library (post-import) yet, but we'll have that.

Note that you only get Copy files, and Convert to DNG options when importing from a card because Move files and Reference files are not relevant from a mounted camera card.

On your #4, can you elaborate? We do already give you the option to apply a metadata template to your files during import. And on your #5, yes, we will probably have the option to automatically include exports in your library. This has not been implemented yet.
George Jardine
Pro Photography Evangelist
Adobe Systems, Inc.