Where are the Lightroom Plugin release notes?

Ferguson

Smugmug used to have a page with release notes for every version of the lightroom plugin. I could always find it immediately with a quick google search, so I did not have it bookmarked, but I THINK it may have been here:

help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/121321

Maybe. Maybe. That is found in google, but is now a 404 like it's been removed.

All I can find now is this:

help.smugmug.com/customer/portal/articles/1491124-how-do-i-upload-from-lightroom

Which has no release notes, but refers to the crappy Adobe page which is never up to date. Indeed right now that page tops out at 3.1.0.0 but the current version is 3.1.3.0. I think Adobe only has 3.1.0 also, since that's the file name (I don't know how to tell).

PLEASE tell me you aren't now requiring us to look things up on Adobe and days or weeks (if ever) for them to get up to date?!?

Please bring back your release notes page! Or if I just can't find it, give me a pointer and I'll bookmark this time?

Linwood

Chasing Daylight

We have a link to the release notes here:
https://exchange.adobe.com/addons/products/1755#.WaG08pN97QY

Ferguson

@Chasing Daylight said:
We have a link to the release notes here:
https://exchange.adobe.com/addons/products/1755#.WaG08pN97QY

Did you read what I wrote?!

The Adobe site is never up to date, it's showing 3.1.0 but you are at 3.1.3.

It has ALWAYS been behind as best I know, which is why (I thought) you used to have your own link.

Why did you remove the always current Smugmug list?

Chasing Daylight

The adobe link is the only one available at this time. The prior help page you mentioned is no longer an active page. I will check on that though to see if we have plans to bring that page back with more update to date information than the adobe link.

Ferguson

Thanks for checking. The issue is that the auto-check for a new version is quick, but until (some) release notes are updated, one has no way to know what they are installing, to test the new aspect and/or maybe avoid or change how you use some feature. Release notes help people. Smugmug was getting better, and the plugin was a terrific example. Please don't go backwards!

leftquark

@Ferguson, I can understand your frustrations. We're definitely in favor of announcing changes but wanted to consolidate where the Lightroom release notes were getting updated. Unfortunately just as we decided to discontinue the help page, Adobe changed their guidelines for publishing plugins to their store. We're working through some items with them and up-to-date release notes (and versions of the plugin) should be available from the Creative Cloud website soon.

Feel free to always ping me here and I can toss them up if there's any issues with us getting them in the CC webpage.

Ferguson

@leftquark I haven't searched, but if I recall from when that page was last taken down and then put back, it was identical reasons - Adobe has a screwed up site, and updating it was slow and spotty despite SM's efforts, and so SM put up its own page.

Here's my suggestion: Wait until for 3 versions in a row that when SM's plugin prompts users for updates, the Adobe page has current release notes, then take down your page (if it ever happens).

Ferguson

@leftquark, it's just not happening.

I've been being reminded now for about two weeks to use the new plugin version, 3.1.4.0.

So tonight I started googling, and it took me about 10 minutes to track it down. Seriously trying, it used to be right near the top of a "LIGHTROOM PLUGIN SMUGMUG" or something similar, especially if I put the version number.

Note the link on the Pluging manager page takes you to the installation instructions on Smugmug. THat's actually kind of worthless, since if you have it installed and can see it there, you don't need those instructions.

But more to the point, I finally tracked it down on Adobe here: https://exchange.adobe.com/addons/products/1755#.WjX5IN-nGck

Version 3.1.4 is dated 12/5, but the release notes there are dated 12/6/2017, but are for 3.1.3. The date on 3.1.3 is 10/5/2017, seeming to indicate a two month lag? There are no release notes for 3.1.4, anywhere to be found.

Please reconsider, and start posting the release notes on Smugmug again. It's clear that some combination of you or Adobe or both cannot get notes up timely on Adobe. It used to be completely timely and accurate and very helpful on Smugmug -- but you took it down.

So now I just installed something and have no clue what was changed. Foolish me. Good thing I tend to trust the plugins.

Please -- start communicating with us, what you are doing is not working.

leftquark

I agree, Ferguson, that it's not the best experience. We've taken 2 steps:

1) We continue to work with Adobe to fix their process with releasing plugins via Creative Cloud. Just like with the Apple AppStore or the Android Play Store, we have to follow their guidelines, and this remains the best way for us to distribute the plugin and include release notes. Unfortunately Adobe has some weird glitches that we keep running into, and we're continuing to work with them to make sure things match up and are posted on the CreativeCloud plugin store.

2) I've asked our Lightroom developer to include a release notes text file in the zip file when it's manually downloaded. I'll work with him to make sure we add this going forward.

Ferguson

@leftquark said:
I agree, Ferguson, that it's not the best experience. We've taken 2 steps:

1) We continue to work with Adobe to fix their process with releasing plugins via Creative Cloud. Just like with the Apple AppStore or the Android Play Store, we have to follow their guidelines, and this remains the best way for us to distribute the plugin and include release notes. Unfortunately Adobe has some weird glitches that we keep running into, and we're continuing to work with them to make sure things match up and are posted on the CreativeCloud plugin store.

2) I've asked our Lightroom developer to include a release notes text file in the zip file when it's manually downloaded. I'll work with him to make sure we add this going forward.

My GUESS is that the vast majority of us hit "update" when prompted on the SM Plugin when we use it. Or at least eventually do, and that we do not use the Adobe app or web site at all So adding release notes we can see only after the update is better than none at all, but not nearly as good as being able to easily see them before we hit "update".

With all due respect "remains the best way for us to distribute" is a matter of subjective opinion. Maybe having it installed by default in lightroom is indeed better -- does that require you to ONLY publish your notes on the Adobe site? Distributing the code does not HAVE to mean they have to distribute the news, does it? Was that one of the stipulations that let you ride on their install? That they get to control your dialog with users? I still do not see why you cannot post release notes, as you did for years, on your own web site, unless it's part of the Adobe Koolaid that they have to manage your words and how they are disseminated? Really?

Seriously -- I appreciate (2) above, I really do. But I still don't get it, how a cut-and-paste every 3 months or so onto the web site is a bad idea, especially since Adobe has years' long history of poor communication as your partner.

Ferguson

Just to resurrect this a bit...

I was trying to help someone with a problem, and tried to find the release notes on 3.1.8.0 and 3.1.7.0 (I am on 3.1.6.0).

The latest notes on Adobe Exchange are from 3.1.3.0 and dated 10/5/2017.

So I downloaded 3.1.8.0 from Smugmug directly, and looked in the zip file, and the latest notes in there are 3.1.6.0.

I did find this dgrin posting for 3.1.8.0 (https://dgrin.com/discussion/265252/bookmark-lightroom-plugin-updates-v3-1-8-0-bug-fixes) but it doesn't mention 3.1.7.0 and I can't find that one anywhere.

You guys really hate the idea of providing release notes don't you.

leftquark

@Ferguson said:
The latest notes on Adobe Exchange are from 3.1.3.0 and dated 10/5/2017.

You guys really hate the idea of providing release notes don't you.

As Adobe transitions to more of Lightroom being within Creative Cloud, efforts by both SmugMug and Adobe have moved towards work within CC. Though we submit updates to the Exchange we haven't been able to get them to show up there (part of it may be something on our end, part of it something on their end.

We don't hate release notes -- I just hate posting them in 5 different places, especially when nobody knows where to look for them. David posts release notes in the ZIP file as frequently as he remembers but I post monthly release notes on the SmugMug Blog, which will include Lightroom updates when there are updates. In the future I'd like to have release notes be posted within the SmugMug product (and not on a help page or a blog) but for now the blog is the best place for us to post them and reach as many of you as we can.

Ferguson

Yeah, but to the current point, are there notes for 3.1.7.0? Google, usually my friend but maybe not helping me here, can't find them.

I've been paranoid ever since hearing you plan more two way sync, and would like to make sure I don't go blindly into it.

The Adobe stuff, all of it, is so fragmented and unmanaged it's too bad you have to deal with it. I just looked and apparently have file sync turned on (which is what SM says you do to keep LR Plugin up to date). First, I didn't know it was on, but it isn't doing anything. Go figure. Which is good, I detest things that auto-update without me being able to find out, it always happens at the worst time and has some quirk that breaks what I am doing.

Which is why I like to look at release notes before installing. It's a shame that 50% of the people just don't want to update, and at least 49% want to update but don't look at the release notes in advance. 0.9% died while we were talking about it. The rest of us want to see release notes, and all seven of us really mean it.

leftquark

@Ferguson said:
Yeah, but to the current point, are there notes for 3.1.7.0? Google, usually my friend but maybe not helping me here, can't find them.

I've been paranoid ever since hearing you plan more two way sync, and would like to make sure I don't go blindly into it.

The Adobe stuff, all of it, is so fragmented and unmanaged it's too bad you have to deal with it. I just looked and apparently have file sync turned on (which is what SM says you do to keep LR Plugin up to date). First, I didn't know it was on, but it isn't doing anything. Go figure. Which is good, I detest things that auto-update without me being able to find out, it always happens at the worst time and has some quirk that breaks what I am doing.

Which is why I like to look at release notes before installing. It's a shame that 50% of the people just don't want to update, and at least 49% want to update but don't look at the release notes in advance. 0.9% died while we were talking about it. The rest of us want to see release notes, and all seven of us really mean it.

If we break something, we can always fix it. And Lightroom keeps the old versions of the Plugin so you can always just hop back to it so you can keep on chuggin'!

Also, can I give you a hard time for a second?!?!??!

@Ferguson said:
Just to resurrect this a bit...
it doesn't mention 3.1.7.0 and I can't find that one anywhere.

You guys really hate the idea of providing release notes don't you.

leftquark

3.1.7.0 release notes were posted June 4, as soon as I could get them up. And then you fell into the 49% that don't read it :P: https://dgrin.com/discussion/265132/lightroom-plugin-updates-v3-1-7-0-improvements-resolving-sync-conflicts#latest

Ferguson

Mea culpa, but just so you know I'm not completely bonkers, I didn't search by eye but by google. I think I was thrown off by the inconsistent use of "v". Next time I'll know to search both ways, and browse DGrin. But you must admit it is a bit of a moving target -- last time the answer was "look in the zip file".

By the way, thanks for the quick response. Hopefully that change is safe, it's the reverse metadata sync I keep expecting more of that terrifies me.

Here's what 3.1.8.0 gives:

But look at what 3.1.7.0 gives:

devbobo

@Ferguson just a heads up, release notes are now included in a txt file within plugin folder

Ferguson

@devbobo said:
@Ferguson just a heads up, release notes are now included in a txt file within plugin folder