I don't know about the USB drive issue ... my external drives are connected with FireWire and Lightroom can import a folder of data from them without any problems. I imported the two 70Gbyte directories of photos -- 2003 and 2002 -- from my archive drive, handled it without a hitch.
Regards why it has to import rather than just open and work on a file ... It's a database system so it has to collect information about each of the files you want it to deal with. Regards why it has no "save as" function ... Again, it's a database and supposed to be the environment in which you work. Edits are all non-destructive ... you can go back to the original image file sans edits at any time. When you want to solidify a particular rendering into a final product, you "export" it with all edits applied. If you want to edit something with Photoshop CS2 and keep it in the library, you export it to PSCS2 with the edits you've done in LR intact, do your editing, then return to Lightroom for printing and other operations. It's a different workflow model compared to what you're used to. You should look up some of the tutorial videos if you care enough to learn and understand it. If you're happy with what your doing and don't think it has any value for you, so it goes ... it was free, right? Others can download the 30 free trial and have the same capability. Adobe has useful tutorial videos: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshoplightroom/ Photoshop User has useful tutorial videos: http://www.photoshopuser.com/lightroom/index.html I like Michael Tapes videos: http://pictureflow.fileburst.com/_Tutorials/Photoshop_LR/01/index.html My paid for copy hasn't arrived yet so I'm working with the free trial until it gets here next week. So far, I've rendered 7 sets of photos since I installed it yesterday ... so I'm pretty happy with it. Godfrey On Feb 21, 2007, at 11:13 PM, J and K Messervy wrote: > I've just installed my free copy of Lightroom. My normal workflow > involves > Raw Converter, Adobe Bridge, ACR and Photoshop CS2. I organise all > of my > pics through Adobe Bridge and launch ACR and CS2 from there. That > works > well for me. > > Being offered something for free, I naturally checked it out. Now > I've got > to say the interface is not very user friendly. It tells me that I > have to > import a library of photos....why the hell can't I just open and > work on > photos I have saved already?! > > Fine I think, I'll import some photos and have a play. I try to > set up auto > import to import all of my recent photos. Nope, I'm told the > folder can't > be used. It appears that Lightroom will not allow me to use > external hard > drives that are connected by USB. WTF? I doubt too many > photographers > store all their images on their internal hard drive. I'm sure as > hell not > going to start trying to cram my 400 or so Gb of image files onto > my 60Gb > laptop drive! > > Anyway, I put that issue aside and managed to import a folder > manually from > my external drive. I tried developing a RAW file. It seemed to > work okay. > Of course, I then tried to save it as a converted file...no save > option???!! > It seems I have to 'export' it to CS2. > > Am I missing something obvious or is Lightroom an entirely to > restrictive > and useless application? What does it offer that the traditional > Bridge-ACR-Bridge-CS2 workflow doesn't, besides frustration? > > Please enlighten me before I remove the programme from my computer! > > James > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
