Lightroom Plugin - Where's Doc? Bad links!

Ferguson

The Lightroom plugin was terrific - well documented and auto-updating.

So it announced today that 2.2.8.0 was available, and as I always do I did a quick search for the name and version, expecting to get the update page with the release notes.

I can't find it anywhere. It looks like Smugmug has rearranged, to better explain use with Creative Cloud, but as best I can tell the version history and release notes are nowhere to be had.

Worse, it has a phrase "Make sure you have the latest" which links to the Adobe (not Smugmug) page which as you might have already guessed is out of date -- it's 2.2.7 instead of 2.2.8.

Really guys? You went from having the best documentation -- real, honest and timely release notes -- to out of date links through Adobe and complete loss of any kind of version history.

:scratch

That's a HUGE step backwards!

Linwood

Ferguson

I got a VERY quick answer from the help desk.

Apparently they release notes are on the adobe page now, not Smugmug (under "notes"), but...

Adobe takes a while to update their page, so the 2.2.7 notes and version are all that is there at present. It will update at some point to the new version.

But at least they are there.

I still think this is a step backwards, involving out-of-date Adobe in the loop. When it says "there is a new version" would be nice if the "official" documentation matched.

leftquark

As Adobe continues to migrate its products under the Creative Cloud, so too does our Lightroom Plugins. The Adobe Exchange is the official place to get Lightroom plugins, though we do offer the manual installation method as a backup. We have 2 ways of pushing updates to you:

1) Through the Adobe Creative Cloud, which will automatically update the plugin for you.
2) Through our own auto-update feature, built into the plugin.

Since we have control over #2 we can push updates to you much quicker than waiting for Adobe to approve the update in the Adobe Exchange. Adobe's usually only ~1-3 days behind, at which point the update and the release notes are officially located at Adobe. We'll continue to offer amazing help pages, however, the release notes will reside at Adobe so that we consolidate the places to find the information and can focus our efforts on improving the plugin. I'll see if we can provide some kind of update for the times like today where the Adobe Exchange approval is taking longer than we'd like.

Ferguson

Any hope of making the release notes visible in the little popup for the new version, or is that limited to strictly a version?

Since you're pulling that from your servers, thinking that might be an even better solution, no need to look anywhere.

I actually hope you are right and people start putting more plugins on the adobe exchange. To date I don't think I have gotten a single one from there, always from other locations, despite them having an exchange since... at least version 3 I think?

leftquark

Ferguson wrote: »

I still think this is a step backwards, involving out-of-date Adobe in the loop. When it says "there is a new version" would be nice if the "official" documentation matched.

The alternative would be to hold off doing our own auto-update and wait for it to be approved in the Adobe Exchange before letting our own auto-update feature run. For now we've opted to get the features and fixes into your heads and let the documentation catch up.

Ferguson wrote: »

Any hope of making the release notes visible in the little popup for the new version, or is that limited to strictly a version?

I'll see if that's possible however we may be limited by what Adobe gives us access to.

Ferguson wrote: »

I actually hope you are right and people start putting more plugins on the adobe exchange. To date I don't think I have gotten a single one from there, always from other locations, despite them having an exchange since... at least version 3 I think?

I'm not sure if other people will follow our lead but the benefit of putting it into the Adobe exchange is that the Creative Cloud will push the auto-updates to users. Other plugins that don't have built-in Auto-Update could take advantage of this to push updates to their users.

leftquark

Just for the record, 2.2.8 added compliance with LR CC's new "Remove Person Data" option in the Publish Settings. Checking this box will make sure Person Data Keywords aren't embedded in the metadata when they get published to SmugMug.

Ferguson

leftquark wrote: »

Just for the record, 2.2.8 added compliance with LR CC's new "Remove Person Data" option in the Publish Settings. Checking this box will make sure Person Data Keywords aren't embedded in the metadata when they get published to SmugMug.

Umm.... there's a check box there in 2.2.7, I'm looking at it -- says "Remove person info" right before "Remove location info" in the metadata panels of the settings.

I actually thought I saw it in 2.2.6 or 2.2.5 but not sure.

Did those not work? (I don't really care, just curious).

leftquark

Ferguson wrote: »

Umm.... there's a check box there in 2.2.7, I'm looking at it -- says "Remove person info" right before "Remove location info" in the metadata panels of the settings.

I actually thought I saw it in 2.2.6 or 2.2.5 but not sure.

Did those not work? (I don't really care, just curious).

The Publish Settings are controlled from Lightroom and not by the Plugin. The setting for "Remove Person Info" was added with the release of LR CC. The checkbox "Remove Location Info" has been in there since ... forever. Prior to 2.2.8, checking "Remove Person Info" could have resulted in person tags being included when publishing to smugmug. Now they are properly ignored.

Ferguson

Thanks, makes sense.

devbobo

Linwood,

I was surprised to see the release notes no longer there after an update from our help writers. I've been a little snowed under since I returned my holiday to take this up with the relevant people....but I have consider for some time adding it as a panel to the in-app update.

Cheers,

David

devbobo

Linwood,

I've reinstated the release notes in their original location.

Cheers,

David

Ferguson

Thanks, David. Obviously after I posted this initially the actual notes on Adobe were pointer out which I missed, but I think it may be better for us all if there's a timely copy under your control.