DNG files getting too large - editing time takes forever - Options?

[jope88]

Hey guys, I have an image that I've been working on and it has tons of local adjustments. Loading it has been very slow and doing a simple edit can take forever. Is there a way to create a new copy that does not have the saved adjustments? "Create Virtual Copy" saves the local adjustment data as does exporting the image and reimporting it. I can't think of anything else other than to get new hardware for my computer, but that won't come for a little while. I'm using LR2.6 on Windows XP 2GB ram, an ok processor and vid card. Thanks much for any help.

p.s. The goal is to have a "fresh" image to start with, but with all the previous adjustments already applied.

 

[clee01l]

Sometimes I end up with 14 zillion crop steps to get the look I want. When I wished could start over with just one. I solved that by saving the settings that I want (i.e. the final crop position) {Menu}{Settings}{Copy Settings...}<Cntl+Shift+C>> In the copy settings dialog, I only choose "Crop" but all the setting are available including local adjustments. I then click on my original import in the History panel and {Paste Settings} <Cntl+Shift+V> All the history step sget rolled into one step. I think this will work for you too.

 

[Brad Snyder]

Jope, I think the only way to get where you're looking to be, is to export an RGB type, preferably a 16 bit JPG. With a raw/DNG file type there's no way to get there. That's just not how Lr works. For raw types, there's the original file, to which your adjustments are applied. Get rid of the adjustments, and you're back to the original file.

Cletus, I'm not sure I understand what you're accomplishing with your process, other than having found a complicated way of clearing the history list, what am I missing?

 

[clee01l]

[quote author=Brad Snyder link=topic=9216.msg62'9'#msg62'9' date=1266721965]
Cletus, I'm not sure I understand what you're accomplishing with your process, other than having found a complicated way of clearing the history list, what am I missing?
[/quote]For me it does just clean up the history list which was my only intent. If LR applies the history to the DNG one step at a time, it could account for the "Loading it has been very slow and doing a simple edit can take forever..." from the OP. If LR only applies the end result filter (which it should) , I don't understand why the OP is experiencing longer and longer time to bring up the developed image. Having only 2GB RAM on XP is certainly not going to be a powerhouse, but this ought to be experienced in every image displayed not just those with lots of local adjustments.

 

[Brad Snyder]

Cletus, you're almost completely correct in your understanding. As you rightly expect, Lr only applies the end result adjustments. (BTW, FYI, Lr uses the term 'filter' in the meaning of a database operation, 'filtering' selected images from the whole set, and not like the Photoshop meaning, where a 'Filter' is an image processing operation.)

However, multiple local adjustments are just that, multiple, each additional depends on the prior. In the final rendering, the global adjustments are applied first, in an order known only to the Lr team, and subsequent local adjustments are applied sequentially on top of each other. Hence, the problem with additional local adjustments adding to processing overheads. This is a relatively often reported problem, notably on marginal or borderline hardware.

I haven't dug into the actual XMP expression of that process, but I know that you're quite familiar with that sort of reverse engineering, if you find something different from my description, I'd be pleased to learn more.