round trip to/from Luminar Flex

[mcasan]

I would like to use PM+ as my DAM and then use apps such as Luminar Flex or Topaz Studio as the editor.    So I go into Preferences and let PM know about an external editor.   So I then select a raw file and say edit in the app.    So the raw image opens in Luminar Flex where I can so a wide variety of edits.   So now I am ready to bring back the image as a TIF or PSD back to PM6.    But if I export or save as, Luminar Flex seems to have no idea where the image came from.   

So how is a round trip to and editor and back supposed to work?   Does PM tell the editor the file location so the editor would know where to save the finished image?    Is there some industry standard API that is should be used between a DAM and editor to do a smooth round trip?    Any and all info is greatly appreciated.

[Kirk Baker]

I would like to use PM+ as my DAM and then use apps such as Luminar Flex or Topaz Studio as the editor.    So I go into Preferences and let PM know about an external editor.   So I then select a raw file and say edit in the app.    So the raw image opens in Luminar Flex where I can so a wide variety of edits.   So now I am ready to bring back the image as a TIF or PSD back to PM6.    But if I export or save as, Luminar Flex seems to have no idea where the image came from.   

So how is a round trip to and editor and back supposed to work?   Does PM tell the editor the file location so the editor would know where to save the finished image?    Is there some industry standard API that is should be used between a DAM and editor to do a smooth round trip?    Any and all info is greatly appreciated.

What OS are you running?

Basically PM tells the application the path to the file, but the mechanism is different between the two OS platforms.  If your editor is able to open the file to edit it, it has to have been given the absolute path to the file.  Whether that editor uses the parent folder of the image you're editing to start the 'file save location chooser' dialog at that folder is up to the editor app.  PM can't force it to know more than the full path(s) to the file(s) that you have PM send to the editor app.  You could easily 'edit' a number of files that exist in different folders.  It's up to the editor app to set the path to the 'file save location chooser' and if they decide to use the last save folder instead of the folder the image came from, then you're going to have to navigate around to find the folder you want to save into.

-Kirk

[mcasan]

Much thanks!

In Luminar Flex the app defaults to the last folder.    But I can go File/Find in Finder/ and then I can see the original folder.    So it seems that there has not be a design requirement in Luminar Flex to default the Save to being the image source folder.   I will have to get in the face of Skylum.   

Again, much thanks.

[OldRadioGuy]

Both Luminar Flex and Topaz Studio are "sticky," remembering the last location used. Thus, each time you export to a new folder, the location must be designated in the app.

[mklass]

This has been a persistent shortcoming of Luminar (all versions). Skylum needs to at least add a "Save to Original Folder" option, but for some reason refuses to do so.

PM, on the other hand, needs to recognize Luminar native files (lmnr) as being an applications specific version of a raw file. The lmnr file is a nice, convenient container for your edits that makes them non-destructive.

[Kirk Baker]

Mick,

This has been a persistent shortcoming of Luminar (all versions). Skylum needs to at least add a "Save to Original Folder" option, but for some reason refuses to do so.

PM, on the other hand, needs to recognize Luminar native files (lmnr) as being an applications specific version of a raw file. The lmnr file is a nice, convenient container for your edits that makes them non-destructive.

Someday, but it's not a high priority for us at this time.  Maybe when they become a more popular application.

-Kirk

[mcasan]

I raised the issue to Skylum again today during a webinar about the default Save As location should be the the source folder that the app obviously knows about.    I know, hope springs eternal. 

In the webinar the Skylum folks said that in the future only Flex will be designed as a plugin to other apps....Lr, Ps, PM....etc.    Luminar with Libraries will have plugin capabilities removed.    Don't know if all of that will come to pass by the end of the year. 

[mklass]

Luminar with Libraries need to become much better in the cataloging side to be a winner. It isn't much better that looking at thumbnails in your OS file browse, and maybe not even that good.

The editor is still very good, and a nice replacement for ACR/LR. I hope they maintain Flex as an editor only.

Kirk, you seem to be getting more and more people looking for Luminar support in PM.