just got MBP and Lightroom 4, little overwhelmed and frustraded

My MBP came in last night and I must admit I'm liking it alot but at the same time it's a learning curve and takes some getting used to. I've also got lightroom 4 that I hope to get installed this evening. With the exception to Canon's DPP this is my first editing program. So I'm looking forward to learning it. But that leads me to a question.

I've noticed you can import photos into iPhoto and LTR4 as well. Being that all my photos are on a external drive at the moment which would be the better option? Or should I mess around with both for a bit and go make my choice this way? Also do I need to make folders for each event or when can I do that when I import them? (in windows I just created them manually and edited the ones I wanted to)

Also got a couple general Mac questions if someone wouldn't mind helping my out, I've watched a few youtube mac into videos but none really answered what I'm looking for.

Is there a way to get the bar on the right side of the open window to always be there to move the file, webpage, or whatever up and down? From what I can tell I need to stretch it a bit each time I want to move it up and down.

Is there a way to customize the icons at the bottom of the screen, meaning add some like iMovie for example and remove some like Photo Booth for example?

I'm sure I will have lots more questions but I"m going to hit up youtube and google some more and maybe find a good mac forum or something. But any info you guys are able to give me is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

for either of those apps you can do a managed or referenced library. Managed means that the app will import the images and use its one directory structure/library. You can choose where this goes of course but from there it does the work. You can choose to do a referenced library and that is like what you used with Windows. You set the file names/folder names and directory structure. I really like the management in Aperture and no so much in LR, so I use aperture for organizing and basic edits, then move to LR if I need something additional


Not sure what you mean by the bar of the window. It will show when that app is active. More clarificication on this please.

For the icons, yo ucan simply drag an icon to it and poof, it appears, as far as deleting, right click (or click hold) and bring up the menu and choose delete. This will only delete the alias and not the app.

peeaanuut wrote in post #15467537
Not sure what you mean by the bar of the window. It will show when that app is active. More clarificication on this please.

Ok let me try this again, take Safari for example, while it's open in windows there is a bar on the right and the bottom to move the web page up and down or left to right if the whole thing doesn't fit in the screen, but in safari I don't see that option unless I go to stretch the window a little bigger on the right side, but then as soon as the mouse arrow leaves that section. I hope that makes a little more sense.

To get a little more of an idea is when I went to reply to this I had to stretch the side of the window so I could scroll down more to view the entire reply box on the web page. I apologize if this doesn't make sense.

I just figured out by accident that the direction arrows make the screen scroll up and down. Wow am I slow, it's still not side of the window but it will work for now. LOL.

ahhh, yes, the scroll bars. yeah thats one of their new things. They are not permanent, they only appear when needed. You can also scroll with the mouse/track pad.

peeaanuut wrote in post #15467601
ahhh, yes, the scroll bars. yeah thats one of their new things. They are not permanent, they only appear when needed. You can also scroll with the mouse/track pad.

This might sound crazy but I got a feeling I am defiantly not going to like this. Over the last few minutes of web surfing I've used the arrow keys and that seems to work out, I guess it's just an adjustment. But overall I am really liking this thing.

look into setting up the track pad. There are so many ways you can set gestures up that it can become quite conveneint. Just take somet time, you will get used to it and like it.

To solve the scroll bar problem, you need to open system preferences (apple symbol at the upper left and then system preferences). Once in there just go into the "General" section and click "always" under "show scroll bars."

As far as removing icons from the dock, you can just grab them and pull them away from the dock. They will disappear. No need to right click. As someone said earlier, this will not remove the app.

Regarding file management, I would look for a tutorial or video--or a book. There are a few on LR4. You'll want to pick a method and stick with it since reorganizing a file system is a pain.

oldbergkamp wrote in post #15468350
To solve the scroll bar problem, you need to open system preferences (apple symbol at the upper left and then system preferences). Once in there just go into the "General" section and click "always" under "show scroll bars."

As far as removing icons from the dock, you can just grab them and pull them away from the dock. They will disappear. No need to right click. As someone said earlier, this will not remove the app.

Regarding file management, I would look for a tutorial or video--or a book. There are a few on LR4. You'll want to pick a method and stick with it since reorganizing a file system is a pain.

Thanks for the info about the scroll bar, maybe a little thing to some but it's a huge help for me.

I did figure out to just click and hold on the icon on the dock and it gives you the option to remove.

I'm defiantly taking my time before I start importing all my photes and go pro videos, want to make sure I take my time and do it right the first time. I will basically be starting from scratch since all my photos are in about 4 folders all mixed up, and I am defiantly dreading this process but I"m sure it will be fun.

Which Mbp did u get? Just curious

A couple of tips... like someone said get used to the gestures with the mouse pad. If you click with 2 fingers that is like a right click. While in a program a 2 finger swipe up or down will move the window (like using the scroll bar.. much more convenient then actually using the scroll bar really. Multi-finger swiping left and right in Safari is like a "back" and "forward"

Actually just found this page about the track pad.. very helpful
http://www.apple.com/o​sx/what-is/gestures.html

A great book for you... Switching to the Mac... http://www.amazon.com …330290/ref=pd_s​im_sbs_b_4

I would skip iPhoto for now and just use LR4. There is a learning curve but its worth the effort to learn it.

murtaugh wrote in post #15467671
This might sound crazy but I got a feeling I am defiantly not going to like this. Over the last few minutes of web surfing I've used the arrow keys and that seems to work out, I guess it's just an adjustment. But overall I am really liking this thing.

I always find it easier to use my fingers to scroll around. Two fingers on the track pad and the window goes where you drag.

https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=RulfLRMMd-A

and also learn to use mission control. It took me a while but now I use it religiously. It really can help.

convergent wrote in post #15469844
A great book for you... Switching to the Mac... http://www.amazon.com …330290/ref=pd_s​im_sbs_b_4

I would skip iPhoto for now and just use LR4. There is a learning curve but its worth the effort to learn it.

I agree, just use LR, no point having two programs doing the same job, I purchased an iMac a few months ago, having always been a PC man, just wish I had done it sooner, so much more user friendly imo it's a big learning curve, but a fun one

The only reason in your case OP, that I would use iTunes, is if you wanted to do some organization for slideshows or out to an iPad. Otherwise yeah, stick with LR.