{"id":638,"date":"2007-11-17T10:38:20","date_gmt":"2007-11-17T01:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2007-11-17\/638"},"modified":"2008-07-29T14:01:58","modified_gmt":"2008-07-29T05:01:58","slug":"how-to-install-a-lightroom-export-plugin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2007-11-17\/638","title":{"rendered":"How to Install an Export Plugin in Lightroom 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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The instructions on this page are for Lightroom versions 1.3 through 1.4.1.<\/p>\n

For Lightroom 2.0<\/span> and Later, go here<\/a><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As I mentioned yesterday, Adobe has released Lightroom 1.3<\/span><\/a>,\nwhich now includes support for export plugins. Yesterday I described<\/span> what a\nplugin<\/span> might look like to the user. In preparation<\/span> for actually being able\nto release the plugins that I've written, I'll describe here how to install\na plugin.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

A plugin consists of a folder worth of files, with the folder having a\nname<\/span> that ends with “.lrplugin<\/b>” or “.lrdevpluginin<\/b>”.\nInstalling a plugin<\/span> involves simply moving the plugin folder to a place<\/span>\nwhere Lightroom will find it, then restarting Lightroom.<\/p>\n\n

The SDK zip's “Sample Plugins” folder contains a few<\/span> example plugins,\nsuch as flickr.lrdevplugin<\/b>. Other plugins offered for download on\nthe web will likely be offered as individual zip files. Upon downloading,\nyou'll want to unzip to create the plugin folder, then move that folder to\nthe proper spot as described below.<\/p>\n\n

Installing on a Windows<\/span> XP<\/p>\n\n

Move the plugin folder to this folder:<\/p>\n\n

\n%APPDATA%\\Adobe\\Lightroom\\Modules\\\n<\/pre>\n\n
Note that you may have to visit the Folder Options dialog to allow\nthe normally-hidden Application Data<\/b> folder to be seen.<\/p>\n\n
You must create the Modules<\/b> folder within the Lightroom<\/b> folder if it's not already there.<\/p>\n\n
As a concrete example, on my XP system, the “flickr.lrdevplugin” folder from the SDK zip ends up as:<\/p>\n
\nC:\\Documents and Settings\\jfriedl\\Application Data\\Adobe\\Lightroom\\Modules\\flickr.lrdevplugin\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Installing on a Windows<\/span> Vista<\/p>\n\n
Move the plugin folder to this folder:<\/p>\n\n
\n\\Users\\username<\/i>\\AppData\\Roaming\\Adobe\\Lightroom\\Modules\\\n<\/pre>\n\n
Here, too, you'll have to create the Modules<\/b> folder within the Lightroom<\/b> folder if it's not already there.<\/p>\n\n
Installing on a Mac<\/span><\/p>\n\n
On a Mac, if the plugin is provided as a folder<\/span> ending with “.lrplugin” (as\nopposed to “.lrdevplugin”), then you can simply click on it in Finder, and\nit will install for you. Cool.<\/p>\n\n
To install either one manually, move the plugin folder to<\/p>\n\n
\n\/Library\/Application Support\/Adobe\/Lightroom\/Modules\/\n<\/pre>\n\n
to install for all users, or for just yourself, to the folder of the same name under your home:<\/p>\n\n
\n~\/Library\/Application Support\/Adobe\/Lightroom\/Modules\/\n<\/pre>\n\n\n
In either case you'll have to create the Modules<\/b> folder within\nthe Lightroom<\/b> folder if it's not already there.<\/p>\n\n
Testing the Install<\/p>\n\n
Restart Lightroom, select an image, then bring up the export dialog.\nClicking in the top area of the export dialog should then bring up the\nnewly-installed plugin in the list. This example from yesterday<\/a> shows two\nplugins having been installed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pedantically, I should<\/span> point out that not all plugins need to actually\nadd something to the export-dialog list. It's possible<\/span> for someone to\ncreate a plugin<\/span> that adds things to Lightroom menus (e.g. to the Library or\nHelp menus) but not the export dialog. I would<\/span> expect that the\ndocumentation for such a plugin<\/span> would its special circumstances clear.<\/p>\n\n
Uninstalling<\/p>\n\n
You can uninstall or disable a plugin in a number<\/span> of ways:<\/p>\n\n
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  • Delete the plugin folder, or move it to where Lightroom won't find it<\/li>\n  
  • Rename the plugin folder, for example, to “flickr.lrdevplugin-disabled<\/b>”<\/li>\n  
  • Rename the “Info.lua” file inside the plugin folder (all plugins have an “Info.lua” file),\n       e.g. to “Info.lua-disabled<\/b>”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
    Official Documentation<\/p>\n\n
    Full documentation for how to install a plugin<\/span> is given starting on page\n27 of the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom SDK Guide<\/i>, a PDF<\/span> found in the\n“Manual” folder of the SDK zip that can be downloaded from\nhere<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n