Library module Multiple Tabbed Views

[Michael Naylor]

If only the Library module offered tabs. For over a year now, I've been trying to figure out dates & places for thousands of scanned photos. Trying to guess the ages of people is much easier if I compare images side be side, but this is extremely tedious using Quick Collection. A much better way would be to open two or three tabs with images from different folders - side by side. Am I wrong in thinking LR doesn't offer multiple tabbed views across folders? Does anyone know of an alternative DAM that does this?

 

[johnbeardy]

You only mention the Quick Collection. What about other collections in the Collections panel? Are you not using them too? Smart Collections, for example.

 

[Michael Naylor]

You only mention the Quick Collection. What about other collections in the Collections panel? Are you not using them too? Smart Collections, for example

Thanks John, but not really. By Tabs, I mean to "Grid View" the contents of two separate folders side by side in adjacent windows. Or at least, flick between two folders to visually compare, looking, for example, similar age, hair style, clothing, environmental features, etc.. With several hundred folders of unidentified images, scrolling up and down to quickly flick between contents is next to impossible. Editing smart folder criteria would take longer than using the quick collection as a temporary view space - especially as most of these scanned images do not yet have many useful keywords.

 

[johnbeardy]

OK, then you are not going to get two folders side by side in LR, but (assuming folders aren't next to each other) you could use the Alt Cmd and arrow keys to go back and forth. The filmstrip also lists the recently-used folders (a little menu).

More like what you want though, Mike, what about using Bridge? It should come with your subscription and it allows you to have more than one window. File > New Window is the command. You can then have folders A and B lined up in separate windows.

Just like moving or changing files in Explorer or Finder, one danger of using another app to manage files is that it may mess up how they are recorded in Lightroom. If you are careful, this is manageable, but are you familiar with what I am talking about?

John

 

[Gnits]

Tabs would be really nice in Library. Bridge is a good idea.

 

[Michael Naylor]

you could use the Alt Cmd and arrow keys to go back and forth

what about using Bridge?

Many thanks for these suggestions, both of which I was totally unaware. And yes, I'm fully aware of the consequences of changing things outside of LR. I've just tried Alt Cmd Arrow keys and this is far better than what I'd been doing before. Thanks again John.