Luminar Files

[mcasan]

I am another Luminar (Flex) user.   So indeed we need support for Luminar files.

My goal is PM+ Luminar Flex to replace Adobe CC.

[mklass]

I have made our directory scanning ignore .lmnr directories so that they no longer show up in the Favorites or Navigator.
As for supporting the package for the purposes of adding metadata and showing the adjusted image in the next few months, I cannot say.  I don't know how many users of PM also use Luminar.  At this point it is just one person (Mick) that I know of.  If we get a great number of requests for support, we'll raise its priority.

PM does not currently have the concept of a 'photo' that is a directory.  I have not thought it through what would need to be changed to support such a thing, but it likely won't be trivial.

-Kirk

Kirk:

Only in PM did the LMNR file show as a directory. In Mac Finder, it shows as a file, and when you click on it it opens Luminar with the last saved edits so it can be re-edited, as desired. In is a non-destructive file, kinda like a DNG. It would be nice if it showed in PM that way, so I didn't have to hunt down the file in Finder, or remember that one existed..

[OldRadioGuy]

As for supporting the package for the purposes of adding metadata and showing the adjusted image in the next few months, I cannot say.  I don't know how many users of PM also use Luminar.  At this point it is just one person (Mick) that I know of.  If we get a great number of requests for support, we'll raise its priority.

PM does not currently have the concept of a 'photo' that is a directory.  I have not thought it through what would need to be changed to support such a thing, but it likely won't be trivial.

-Kirk

I use Luminar Flex (the latest version of Luminar without the "catalog" feature) as a supplemental editor. Would love to see a thumbnail from the Luminar folder/file package but understand why the support is lacking in PM+.

Bob

[mklass]

Interesting behavior:

Luminar has an option when saving LMNR files to select "Windows Compatible".

When you select this and save. The LMNR file will appear in a contact sheet in PM as a file. You can't see the embedded thumbnail, but you can see that there is a file there. I like that, as now I know wiithin PM that the file exists. Of course it would be great if the thumbnail displayed.

If you did not select the Windows Compatible option, the file would appear as a folder in the PM filter tree. Kirk has mad it so it doesn't appear at all in PM. Mac Finder will show the file (as a file), but not the thumbnail. Skylum tells people that you need to turn off the Windows Compatible option for the thumbnail to appear in Mac Finder, but no one, including me, seems to be able to make that work.

[Kgeorge]

Hi all,

I am new to PM and the forum, and it looks like a great group so far with very helpful individuals.
I am looking for some information regarding the following work flow and will add information in my adventure throughout!!

I have been using Luminar for sometime now as a Raw editor and have been loving it, even while going through there growing pains. I refuse to use Adobe Lightroom and Aperture 3 is outdoor with the next Mac OS update, so here I am.

I have been testing PM as a way to ingest and add metadata, keyword etc. then use Luminar to edit. As I'm sure some of you are aware Luminar now has a DAM or Library, however it is very limited and lacks some very important processes eg adding keywords, and updating metadata, Exif etc, etc...

Has anyone had success in using PM and Luminar??
If so, what is your process?
Are you using PM+ to catalogue or using Luminar Libraries?

I look forward to hearing any helpful information or ideas, as well providing any information I have to PM to make there software even better!!

Thx,

Keith

[mklass]

I have met using Luminar, or its predecessors, for 3 or 4 years. I am only using Luminar Flex, as I only want Luminar as an Editor. Luminar 2018 is another option. They are both about the same, but Flex adds a few features (and a few problems). The cataloging aspects for Luminar 3 are, in my opinion, worthless.

I use PM for all of my file management work, including ingesting, tagging, keyboarding, resizing for e-mail and forum posts, and uploading to Zenfolio. I have been a PM user for a long time, and have been using the PMPlus betas since spring. 

It's too bad PM can't properly read the Luminar's lmnr files, or at least display the preview. Perhaps they will add that functionality once they get further along in developing PM and PM Plus.

As for Luminar, I am not sure about its future. Skylum seems hellbent on bringing out new versions before fleshing out the old one. They are making everything AI, as if that is all that photographers want. The next version they are touting seems to be hyped solely on AI sky replacement. It would be nice if they fixed some of it's basic functionality issues, too. If V4 is as badly implement at V3, it may be my last dance with Luminar.

[Kgeorge]

I agree Luminar focus has gone astray from what they said they were going to do when they implemented there DAM.

There RAW file processor has been working great and giving great results, minus its speed.

I have not used Luminar flex at this point, however have access to a copy.

Do you suggest using PM+ and then Luminar flex to do my edits??

I guess at this point the only way to use the two platforms would be to edit in Luminar save and export as a TIFF then ingest and catalogs with PM+, So I can addenda update my tagging information, metadata and keyword..

Any suggestions??

I'm going to see if there is another way and update any new findings.. Anyword on if PM will be adding the .lmnr file source to there processing??

[mklass]

The only difference difference between L3 and Flex is the catalog. Other than that, they are basically the same. L4 will eliminate the need for Flex, as it will have an option to run just as an editor.

I launch files from PM into Flex by setting up Flex as one of my "Open with..."options in PM. You can save the lmnr file to preserve your edits as non-destructive. If you save it with "Windows" Compatible File" enabled (even on a Mac), PM will see and report the file, but PM will say it is unrecognizable. But at least in PM you will know it is there, with is good if you want to move the original file, edited file and lmnr file to another location. You can also Export your edited raw file from Luminar in a PM recognized format, such as JPG to TIF.

One nice thing about Luminar, you can open a Plug-in within Luminar, and it will create a new Layer for the plug-in edits, then you can save all that in your lmnr file. Files with layers don't seem to bloat quite as large as Photo Shop files with layers.

[Kgeorge]

So this is what I have found, along with some insight on what might be coming.

How file are currently being stored in Luminar:
There looks to be two parts to the Luminar catalog. On a mac the default location is ~/Pictures/Luminar\ Catalog, containing a History directory and two files: Luminar\ Catalog.luminar and cache_db.db, both SQLite databases it appears. The directory is populated with .state files containing xml similar to the Info.plist files that were created below .lmnr directories in Luminar 2018, that contained slider settings. There are many of them per image though, so it's not obvious how they're related, and how they're related to the databases.

At this point Luminar does not appear to be very friendly in the sandbox, not even with there self. No side car file means you are stuck to editing your images on a single computer, once you have started working on a particular image, regardless of being allowed to load the program onto 5 separate computers.

Further insight:
There is information from Luminar team, that they will be going back to .lmnr edit extension in one of there near future updates.  If this is the case it could make them a little nice to play with in the sandbox of digital image editing and storage.

For now it looks like Edit in Luminar save as jpeg/ TIFF and ingest into PM+ for IPTC, Exif, keyboarding and cataloging.