Lightroom: Edit In External Editor does not work/function

I have the same problem with the same operating system. As you've seen from the messages, Adobe is recommending that we install CS5's trial version and that people who've done this can now access "Edit in". However, no one has yet answered whether we would have to Edit in CS5, or could use the Elements program that I currently use.

Marlene, no you do not have to edit in CS5. In fact, you never even have to launch it. Just having it installed on your computer will allow you to use the 'Edit In' command in LR4 to invoke PSE or any other external editors you use. I installed the trial of CS5 and can now use PSE10 and a host of other external editors.

Julie, How do you edit in PSE 10. I installed the trial of CS5 and now CS5 is the default external editor and I can't see a way to change it.

I'd be interested in your answer to Beth as well, as I'm hesitant to install one more Adobe program, which is so large. I currently have Elements 8 and 9, plus LR3&4. And the issue with CS5 becoming the default external editor is something that I would not want either.

Beth and Marlene,

Yes, if CS5 is found on the computer, LR4 will always show it as the default external editor. You need to make PSE your secondary external editor. To do this, go to LR4's Preferences and choose External Editing. In the second section of the resulting dialog, click on the "Choose" button. Then, you'll navigate to wherever the Photoshop Elements Editor is located on your hard drive. You must direct it to Photoshop Elements Editor, not just the icon for Photoshop Elements. I can probably help find the proper path if you need help, but I'd need to know which version of PSE and which operating system.

Julie, I am having problems with PSE10. First of all I couldn't install it without creating a new administrator on my computer which worked but my PSE 10 files are not all together in one folder. Is that how it's supposed to be? Now I want to uninstall PSE8 but only have an alias and can't find the original file.

I'm also under the impression that in order to use Topaz plug-ins Topaz has to be set as the secondary external editor.

Thanks for your help.

Beth, by the sound of it you are having similar confusion as I did first time due to the bizarre user interface for setting up external editors.. There is not a secondary editor as such.. You can actually have as many as you like - you just use the editors preference box to reference you external program, but then importantly in the same box, you pull down the preset list and choose the option to create/save the settings, and then you can name it, and this configuration option will appear in your 'edit in' menu from now on.. And you can do that as much as you like for all your external programs. Took me a few weeks to realise you could do this.

Also, for topaz to work from Lightroom you have to installed their 'fusion' plugin and this is what you access from the Edit In menu. And it will then let you choose the topaz plugin you want..

Hope this helps.

Beth - I also have PSE8 installed and can probably help you find where the uninstaller is located. Are you on Mac or PC?

Nik, thank you so much! Julie, I'm on a Mac. I had an alias for uninstall but the original file couldn't be found. Thanks for your help.

Hi Beth, you should be able to launch the uninstaller from the uninstaller alias. Is that not working? In my case the PSE8 uninstaller is pointing to this as the path to the original file:

Mac HD>Library>Application Support>Adobe>Installers>3b1331aad15bdbfd433fca85c1cf8bc>Uninstall.app

Hi Jullie,
Thanks for trying but the alias isn't working and the path you gave me doesn't exist on my computer. Maybe if I just reinstall PSE 8 and then uninstall it, it will work. I wonder if I'll have to reinstall PSE 9 and 10 also? Do you know?

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. All the different versions of PSE are independent of each other so I don't think it should present any problems. I hope it works out for you but if you run into more problems, you might want to post at ElementsVillage.com, where some very savvy Mac/PSE can probably help.

Works like a charm. Thanks!!!