How to update previews after editing original photoshop file?

[jj_345]

New to lightroom- old bridge user.

I've edited several psd files via Lightroom using "edit photo with PS", "Edit Original" and when I save and get back to Lightroom, the previews aren't updated.

If I press space to see a larger preview, then zoom back out it's updated...

How can I fix this? 

Also, how can I tell what type of preview I'm seeing (smart vs. non smart).

[JohanElzenga]

To answer your second question first: You are always viewing normal previews. 'Smart preview' is a misleading name. It's not a preview at all. It is a small DNG that serves as substitute for the original when that original is offline. 'Smart Proxy' would have been a much better name.

To update the normal previews if they don't update automatically, select them all and then choose 'Library - Previews - Build Standard-sized Previews'.

[Ian Lyons]

What you describe is expected behaviour. Also, since Lr7.0 was released the preview update behaviour was changed so that it occur in background during idle time.

>Also, how can I tell what type of preview I'm seeing (smart vs. non smart).

There are badges displayed in lower segment of Histogram. This Help document shows the various badges indicating whether original and/or smart preview is available/in use How to use Smart Previews to view and edit photos in Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC

[jj_345]

Thanks.  Is there a way to change the behavior?  i.e. have it run every x minutes or instantly... 

[Ian Lyons]

You can't change the idle time behaviour. However, you can force Lr to build/update a preview or multiple previews from the Library > Previews menu. Typically, it's more efficient to do as you described above for individual photos and use the build previews option when multiple photos are involved

[jj_345]

Awesome thanks!  I think I have it figured out!

The only thing can't figure out, is that I've read that under the histogram, it's supposed to show you what previews exist.  I see smart, and normal, but I don't see 1:1.  Is that supposed to appear there?  Otherwise how can I tell?

[Ian Lyons]

jj_345  wrote

The only thing can't figure out, is that I've read that under the histogram, it's supposed to show you what previews exist.  I see smart, and normal, but I don't see 1:1.  Is that supposed to appear there?  Otherwise how can I tell?

The document I linked to earlier is quite clear about what you should expect to see displayed below the Histogram, and 1:1 previews are not included.

There is no indicator to denote whether a 1:1 preview exists or not.

[jj_345]

Thanks for the video, it was really helpful.  For me, in my normal workflow, smart previews aren't really needed since I don't need an offline editable proxy of my images (at least on my desktop) since I have access to my NAS and my files.

What I'm still baffled by are previews and 1:1 previews.

For this smart collection of 274 edited images (3 on SDD, 271 on NAS), for testing purposes I disconnected I disconnected the NAS to try to figure out what I'm looking at.  I then went Library > Previews and deleted all smart previews, and all 1:1 previews.  I waited 10 minutes (and didn't do anything on my computer) exited Lightroom and went back in.

Here is what I saw (I am using an Apple 2560 X 1440 27" display):

If I then press space on the selected image, I see a pretty high res version of the image.

In fact if I zoom in on the selected image (which is offline) there is amazing detail considering the image is offline, (I zoomed in on the left no parking sign behind the dancer).  This baffles me as there is NO 1:1 preview (theoretically).

What's going on?

[jj_345]

Actually, I think there may be a bug...

I edited a psd files via Lightroom using "edit photo with PS", "Edit Original" and all I do is hide a layer with a watermark.  I then save and get back to Lightroom, the previews aren't automatically updated.

I select the photo and do Library > Previews> Update (tried both 1:1 which is supposed to update everything, and standard) then I get a "no files to update" and I still see the watermark.

I tried deleting the 1:1 preview, but it doesn't seem to delete it as when I try to update it it still states there is nothing to update.  Even zooming in doesn't work!

After a few minutes the preview is correct.  I also observed this behavior when making more serious edits which is a royal pain...

HELP!

[JohanElzenga]

If the preview is correct after a few minutes, what is the problem?

[jj_345]

The issue is that I'm batch processing PSD files for export.  I remove the watermark or make an edit, go back to Lightroom to check and the edits are not reflected making me think that I missed something so I go back to Photoshop, and see that I didn't.

And then if I don't specifically delete the smart/1:1 preview and export small files and wait 5-10 minutes the watermarks are still there since they are exported from the previews...

Surely it's not supposed to work this way????

[JohanElzenga]

jj_345  wrote

The issue is that I'm batch processing PSD files for export.  I remove the watermark or make an edit, go back to Lightroom to check and the edits are not reflected making me think that I missed something so I go back to Photoshop, and see that I didn't.

And then if I don't specifically delete the smart/1:1 preview and export small files and wait 5-10 minutes the watermarks are still there since they are exported from the previews...

Surely it's not supposed to work this way????

It isn't and I don't see that problem on my Macs. I don't work with PSD files however, only with TIFF. You may try if that makes a difference for you. There is little or no reason to choose PSD over TIFF anyway.

[jj_345]

Pre-lightroom my edits were in PSD, in Lightroom (and going forward they will be in Tiff.). I had so many issues importing my collection...   Regardless I think adobe need to maintain compatibility with their format.

I did post some images in response to Ian with some pictures of the behavior that's baffling me with previews- if you can shed any insight I'd appreciate it.  Maybe my 150k library is too big???  My library is on my SSD on my Mac Pro.

[JohanElzenga]

No, a 150K library is not too big. Mine is 180K and there a photographers with over a million images in a single catalog.