Lightroom: Floating panels/toolbars...like other Adobe products

One might say the lack of such customisation is part of Lightroom's ethos. Whereas most other Adobe apps are huge and sprawling, Lightroom is much more focussed on a certain workflow and on "doing the right thing" in an efficient, methodical way rather offering an infinite and for-many-users-bewildering choice of alternative ways to achieve the same result.

Watch this to gain an insight into the thinking https://vimeo.com/1286064 .

Hi John. I completely agree that there shouldn't be infinite ways to achieve the same result, and that's not at all what I'm talking about. I'm talking about being able to use my primary display for the image only and to be able to float the current panels on the secondary monitor. I don't want Lightroom to work any differently, I just to be able to arrange my own screen, that's all.

I understand that, but floating panels do run contrary to some of the thinking behind Lightroom's design. You're opening a big can of worms!

Hi again John. I love a good debate just as much as the next guy, but if you're going to take the opposing viewpoint, please provide specifics. What can of worms am I opening, exactly? What is the thinking behind Lightroom's design?

Personally, when I'm editing, I absolutely hate having to scroll up and down the left side for the right tool(and I have a 30" Apple Cinema display). So I don't see what the harm would be in being able to have all of those different tools neatly organized on the next screen. I can tell you one thing, it would save me a ton of time just in scrolling, opening, and closing alone. Why not have it be as versatile as Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, etc.?

For starters, did you watch that video? He uses words like "efficiency", "streamlined", or the concept of "rooms". You'd also have to look up some of the things Jeff Schewe has said about the inside story and design philosophy.

Remember too that those programs are much more substantial in scale than Lightroom, and with much more diverse user groups. By comparison with them, Lightroom is more like a glorified dialog box!

I never liked the scrolling either, so I work in Solo Mode (it's a right click on the panel header), but while I would certainly move one or two panels such as Camera Calibration I just don't feel the need to start creating my own workspaces in Lightroom.

John

I don't know if I watched the video. I've had lightroom since the original beta, but I'd love to see the video if you can direct me to it, I'd appreciate it.

It's true that Solo Mode does help a bit, but I'd still love the ability to make my own workspace. But I guess based on your responses here, and others I've received elsewhere, I think my dream will remain just that, a dream. Oh well.

I linked to it in my first comment, Freddy!

While I might point you to these design ideas, such things are never set in stone and you aren't the first one to ask for movable panels. So just ask!

I voted for this, but *NOT* because I want to be able to float them like other Adobe apps, but because I want to be able to work on the image full screen in one monitor, and dedicate the other monitor to the panels, and other such supporting stuff. Note: once an entire monitor is available to support image dev, there is less of a space constraint for that other stuff.

So to the spirit of the request, I say yes: One should be able to use 3 monitors and partition each monitor according to fancy.

Summary:
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I like Lightroom's overall UI design *better* than most Adobe Apps, but more flexibility to support multi-monitor configurations would be welcome.

PS - I bought a 2nd monitor just for Lightroom, but I rarely use Lightroom in multi-monitor mode, since it really doesn't help that much. Multi-monitor support seems like it was a rush job to me. I don't think Adobe spent much time figuring out how to re-write Lightroom to best take advantage of additional monitors - I think it would be worthwhile for them to do so at some point.

Where's the "–1" button here?

In my opinion, floating panels is one of the worst aspects of UI design ever. (Something from the Mac ecosphere?) With floating panels, I always have sense of living in a room that have not been cleaned up for some time. The impression of flexibility that floating UI elements gives, is false, in my opinion.

Dorin,

I assume you haven't worked with multiple monitors. If photoshop didn't have floating panels, my bet is that it would have never become what it is today. And YES, definitely from the Mac "ecosphere," the system that has been the choice for graphics and creative professionals for..hmmm...over 20 years now!!!

..and how did you even get to this thread? It's 8 months old!!!

Well, lucky for me...and Apple...opinions are like body parts. Everyone has one, and they are all different. I love my ONE BIG MONITOR (30 inches) also, flanked by my two 22 inchers left and right, and the 50 inch fourth off to the side for client presentations. No bezels, no lost cursors, and a true pleasure to work with.

True Dual Monitor Support like offered in PShop. The ability to split the panels and place them as you desire as floating panels. Even Capture one can manage this. Come to think of it most high end Raw converters do. If you can split palettes in photoshop and move them onto a second monitor why not in Lightroom. The side panels take up so much potential image display area. With the technology for masking brushed, cloning etc getting better more and more is done right in LR a full screen image without hitting tab keys and so on to dim lights hide side panels would be nice. Why can't we have seperate pallete for for all the current options but not in one long line. A good example would be in Photoshop you can have a floating palette for actions and another for history. Both visible and easily accessible on a second monitor. However in LR if I lots af presets and then want to get to or have a quick glance at my history it is a time consuming task to get there. Same applies if I have all my palletes open in LR to scroll down from the Exp,Contrast,Highlight.....panel to let's say adding a vignette, again scrolling down is a pain. Why not have a separate floating pallete that can be moved and resized like I can for pretty much any task in PS. What a simple but efficient idea!

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled
Dual monitor workflow.

Yes, please let us have all the panels on a secondary monitor like in Photoshop. LR`s UI is really very limiting. Open panel, close panel, scroll up, scroll down to panel......., while my secondary monitor just sits there waiting......
Okay, there`s the "secondary view" of LR, which is really great. But I would add a third monitor in a heartbeat, if LR just would allow me those floating panels.

Just having a choice would be good.

"Just having a choice would be good."

I think the same. So It will be good for everyone.
it just an extra option, thats all, it doesnt change anything for those who are fighting desperately against it.