10 Messages
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260 Points
Lightroom: Add virtual copy to existing Collections with a single click
Collections are my view into the Lightroom database. Except for clearly ephemeral queries I retain all selections as a named collection. (While it is not my suggestion here, adding “properties” to collections would remind my 73 year old brain what, if anything, I was thinking when I created a collection.)
The selection for all exports/print/publish is saved as a collection. And I always save virtual copies to avoid making accidental output specific edits, such as crop aspect ratio, to other uses of an image. That is easy enough to do when creating the new collection. Unfortunately, it is a bit cumbersome to add copies of images to an existing collection. It shouldn't be difficult to implement Create and Add Virtual Copy to Target Collection, (Alt + B is not used). An equally useful feature would be a Replace Selection with Virtual Copy (in collections only). Anybody else think this would be useful.
The selection for all exports/print/publish is saved as a collection. And I always save virtual copies to avoid making accidental output specific edits, such as crop aspect ratio, to other uses of an image. That is easy enough to do when creating the new collection. Unfortunately, it is a bit cumbersome to add copies of images to an existing collection. It shouldn't be difficult to implement Create and Add Virtual Copy to Target Collection, (Alt + B is not used). An equally useful feature would be a Replace Selection with Virtual Copy (in collections only). Anybody else think this would be useful.
Responses
rob_cole_2221866
4.5K Messages
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76.3K Points
6 years ago
But indeed: no way to add to a different collection when created (e.g. quick collection..). Although for quick collection, it's Ctrl-' b (in Windows) to create and add to "target" collection. Or to replace in current collection: Ctrl-' {left}{del}.., which is so easy and quick if it's something you do much, makes me wonder if I've understood this request properly (?) - are you talking about adding to a collection which is not the current collection, and not the target/quick collection?
Perhaps one reason others aren't feeling the lack of a single keystroke for it is that virtual copies are usually used for creating a different variation, e.g. black n' white version.., as opposed to a "clever" way to protect the master photo from inadvertent edits.. - snapshots and metadata are more common for such purposes.
Anyway, if you're serious about a solution right now, consider wiring up Alt-B (for example) to do what you want using AutoHotkey - I can help if you want.
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rob_cole_2221866
4.5K Messages
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76.3K Points
6 years ago
http://www.robcole.com/LrForumSupport...
If you follow the examples, it will assure keystrokes only have effect if Lr main app has focus. So, for example, Alt-B won't do something unexpected if you have a different app selected.
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rob_cole_2221866
4.5K Messages
•
76.3K Points
6 years ago
But, making a virtual copy to go over a photo, whether that photo is raw or jpg or even another virtual copy is actually a clever way to protect it. The only thing is: folder stacks are not respected in collections - they have their own separate stacking, so images protected by a virtual copy (above in stack) are only protected in the source (e.g. folder) of origin, i.e. not in any other collections (unless of course you replicate the stackage there..).
For this reason, and others, snapshots are the most common way to record the final state of an image, so if there is an inadvertent change you have a way to get back. Of course snapshots don't help you discover such changes in the first place, and reversion has to be done 1-by-1..
Anyway, virtual copy or master - both are just records in a database (which refer to a source of image data on disk), BUT if you try to save xmp of a virtual copy, Lr won't try to save xmp of the master. So, there is that - virtual copies are not in xmp metadata, but snapshots are.
I just use the ChangeManager plugin I wrote (free), but such plugins are not for everyone..
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