Develop adjustments not showing with external editor

[rjh1007]

Sorry if this has been asked before. I am trialling ACD PS ultimate 2018. I have set up external editors in manage and they appear to open correctly. Problem - as an example - using PS cs6 or PS CC 2017 as an external editor - I make my edits/adjustments in the develop module and from either manage or view I select tools/external editors/PS CS6 or PS CC 2017. PS opens and then the image opens in ACR as a raw file and without the previous edits/adjustments. I know the edits/adjustments should be carried over to the external editor - What am I missing? There are many occassions in which I would prefer to use the external editor rather than ACD layers - panoramas, multiple shot HDR, special PS actions, etc.
Thanks for any help
Bob

[GusPanella]

Are you using PS as an external editor on a RAW file?
I am not a PS expert, but I would guess PS doesn't edit the RAW file, but rather creates some sort of sidecar text/XML/other file that records the PS adjustment that would happen to the RAW file when processed in PS.. At least, this is how ACDSee works. Like ACDSee doesn't know what to do with the PS sidecar files, PS would probably have no idea what to do with the ACDSee sidecar files. In a way, this makes sense with a non-destructive workflow.

Like in ACDSee, I would guess PS can allow destructive editing of JPG or TIF files. If you destructively edit the files with the external editor, then the changes become part of the process. At least, this is how it works when I use ACDSee with NIK tools as the external editor.

[pdefeo]

Photoshop will not understand ACDSee's RAW edits and ACDSee will not understand ACR's. They are proprietary.

[rjh1007]

Sorry if I am not making myself clear. Using either Lightroom or Capture One when you choose an external editor such as PS you set up a preset of it is going be transferred- the file type (tif, jpg, etc), the resolution, color space, 8 bit or 16 bit. It will then transfer the image file exactly in that format and will keep all the edits done in LR or CO. When finished editing in the external editor such as PS or Photomatix Pro, Helicon Focus you save the file in whatever format you desire and it then transfers the edited image back to the original directory in OR or CO. You have a roundtrip from raw converter with all edits to the external editor and back with the additional external edits as part of the saved file as possibly a tif, pad, jpg, etc.
That is what I am wanting to do with acdsee ultimate. If it only transfers the original file for editing and without the acdsee edits then it it not much good for me.
Bob

[rjh1007]

Typing on my tablet and it tries to out guess you. OR should read LR
Bob

[Alaric]

If I understand... Before transferring the raw file (modified in Acdsee) to an external editor, in Acdsee you must convert this raw file in whatever format is accepted by the external editor (tif, jpg, etc.). If not, the external editor opens the original raw file, without its changes.

Alaric (French)

[rjh1007]

Alaric
Thank you
I would have thought that with all the power and functionality that ACDSee has that presets could be set up for the parameters of the external editors. It sure would save some steps in the workflow.

[Alaric]

I too was surprised by this « flaw ». I thought Acdsee worked as Lightroom (or C1) which, at least, converts the raw by itself, just before tranferring the file to the external editor. Just indicate in the preferences the... preferred format.

Alaric (French)

[GusPanella]

I just tried some experiments...

Opened a RAW file using Edit Mode
Tools > PS Plugins > NIK Color EFX2 (Note: NIK ColorEFX does not natively open RAW files)
Make adjustments using NIK
Close NIK, returning to Edit Mode in ACDSee
The edits are applied from NIK as expected.
Save file (TIF, acdc, jpg, ect)


Open RAW file using external editor (Affinity) from View Mode
External editor from View Mode requires the external editor can read the native file , as previously stated)
I had to save it using the "Save As" from the target application.


Open JPG file using external editor (NIK) from View Mode
Edit the file using NIK
Exit application, resultant file is adjusted.

Definitely a different workflow than PS.

[rjh1007]

Gus
Thanks
I do understand the three different workflows you outlined. I have used all three.
My object is to use the power of ACDSee in develop and finish in an external editor and then return back to the same directory in ACDSee with the completed image. Essentially a roundtrip.
It appears the only way to accomplish this in ACDSee is to do your adjustments, save the file in the format desired for the ext editor, either export the file or use an external editor preset, do your finishing edits, stitching, hdr, whatever then save the file again in the external editor. Hopefully it winds up in the original drive and directory and beside the original raw you started with.
With LR or Capture One, my current raw converters, they have the ability to create roundtrip presets and ACDSee doesn't. Also the ACDSee external editor preset doesn't allow you to save the file format, resolution, bit size, etc. A real lack and a major workflow impediment in an otherwise good piece of software.
Bob

[larry_vh]

Bob,

I have an Export profile which saves my developed raw photo in the same folder as the original as a TIFF file. I would then use the external editor usually Affinity or Topaz Studio to edit and then save the edits made in the external editor in the TIFF file. That way the file stays in the original folder and will have all the metadata of the original file.

This makes it a two step process instead of one. I agree being able to specify a file type or an export preset for each editor would be a better way to handle it.

Larry

[Bobbert]

Just wondering... can you use ACDSee actions to automate the process? And to answer my own question, I think Actions only work in Edit mode. I no longer have v2018 Trial, so someone please confirm. If actions apply to Develop mode, there's a compelling reason to upgrade

[GusPanella]

I do not see "Actions" in Develop Mode.

[Bobbert]

Bob,

I have an Export profile which saves my developed raw photo in the same folder as the original as a TIFF file. I would then use the external editor usually Affinity or Topaz Studio to edit and then save the edits made in the external editor in the TIFF file. That way the file stays in the original folder and will have all the metadata of the original file.

This makes it a two step process instead of one. I agree being able to specify a file type or an export preset for each editor would be a better way to handle it.

Larry

You can also use "Batch - Convert File Format" Also a 2 step process. I agree, a one step automatic convert to tiff, send to external editor and return with all the metadata e.g. keywords intact is ideal. Other programs do it. ACD could to

[EddieM]

Just reading this wow this will be a problem or a PITB all the other programs I have all do the round trip with no extra work needed.
If I need to take an image out to add on some brushes ACDSee does not support we do need a round trip feature that includeds the edited images as it is.