Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Adobe Lightroom Q&A => Topic started by: One Frame at a Time on August 14, 2012, 05:04:07 pm

Title: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: One Frame at a Time on August 14, 2012, 05:04:07 pm

When I run into questions I always try to search the help section in Lightroom.   But the results are often about programs that have nothing to do with Lightroom ???  Its really frustrating to have to dig through all the results to find the answer Im looking for.  There is a button near the search box but it does not seem to matter much?  It always starts as Adobe Reader?? And the button (when you manually select it) is labeled LR3?  Am I missing something?

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: john beardsworth on August 14, 2012, 05:08:39 pm

Yes, Adobe's Help features are poor. They don't seem to understand the old idea of context aware help - never have and probably never will!

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: Alan Goldhammer on August 15, 2012, 07:26:56 am

The first thing I do is go to the Adobe site and down load the "help" manuals for LR and PS new editions to my own computer.  This way I have it at the ready if I need it which isn't too frequently and I don't have to worry about negotiating through a lot of unnecessary weblinks.

Alan

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: john beardsworth on August 15, 2012, 07:42:44 am

Yes, and in the top right corner there's a PDF option, so you can easily save that, stick it on an iPad too, search through it etc.

I don't think it's too much to ask that when one is in Export or Book, pressing F1 goes directly to the relevant section of Help. But I think this is a long term Adobe thing - it doesn't seem as bad in the former Macromedia products.

John

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: Keith Reeder on August 15, 2012, 02:09:00 pm

Yep, really, really bad, but as Alan and John suggest, there are other options.

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: Wayne Fox on August 15, 2012, 09:52:35 pm

google ... you'll prob find 20 vides within seconds that answer your exact question ...

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: Keith Reeder on August 16, 2012, 01:21:23 am

For me that's part of the problem, Wayne - the in-Lr search is Google powered, and personally I don't like video tutorials at all: I like written tutorials/help so that I can go straight to the section, para or sentence that I need, rather than having to wade through a video.

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: Rhossydd on August 16, 2012, 01:51:37 am

Quote from: Keith Reeder on August 16, 2012, 01:21:23 am

I don't like video tutorials at all: I like written tutorials/help so that I can go straight to the section, para or sentence that I need, rather than having to wade through a video.

With you on that one. Video tutorials have their uses when learning a whole aspect of something, but for just finding out a small detail they're hopeless.

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: One Frame at a Time on August 16, 2012, 10:02:59 am

Thanks Gentlmen, was wondering if I was doing something wrong.  Downloaded the PDF.  That should help!  Did not realize it existed.

P.

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: Ellis Vener on August 16, 2012, 11:54:45 am

Great resources here: http://www.lightroomqueen.com/ & the indispensable http://www.lightroomqueen.com/books/adobe-lightroom-4-missing-faq/

Title: Re: Is the "Help" search in Lightroom really bad?
Post by: Keith Reeder on August 16, 2012, 02:58:50 pm

Quote from: Ellis Vener on August 16, 2012, 11:54:45 am

the indispensable http://www.lightroomqueen.com/books/adobe-lightroom-4-missing-faq/

Yep - I've got this on my PC and as a pdf on my Smartphone for those times when I'm bored on my commute to work.