Lightroom Tips

Friday Tip – Scroll Wheel Friendly

Happy Friday everyone. I hope you’re all having a great holiday season. My kids are just about coming out of their skin waiting for Santa to come and it’s just a great time of year to be a dad. Anyway, on to some Lightroom stuff. Check this out! If your mouse has a scroll wheel you’ll like this tip. You know those target adjustment tools (TAT for short) that we get with the Tone Curve as well as the HSL/Grayscale panel? If not, just look at the graphic on the left of this tip and it’s circled. Well, when you hover over a point on your image you usually think of clicking and dragging to use the TAT. Instead, try using your scroll wheel on your mouse. It’s just a little easier. Plus, I use the scroll wheel all the time when I’m in the Develop module and I want to scroll down past one panel to get to another one. Finally, if your scroll wheel has a left-to-right scrolling ability then try that when you’re down over the filmstrip at the bottom. The only trick is you’ve got to make sure you put your mouse cursor over that general area. Have a great Christmas weekend everyone. Mine will be chocked full of last minute trips to the mall (God help me!) and the grocery store. But it’s all good right? 🙂

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14 comments

  1. Dennis Zito 26 December, 2007 at 09:35 Reply

    Hey Matt,

    It worked for me finally after reading your second email. The change is very,very slight. I also noticed that once you click on the picture and start to scroll, there is a number that appears on the curve and it increases or decreases depending on which way you scroll! That makes it easier to see what is happening!

    Thanks again! Oh, just to make you all feel better that live in Florida … We had a very white Christmas here in Parker, CO … 8-inches of wonderful snow!

    Take care

    Dennis

  2. Michael 22 December, 2007 at 14:37 Reply

    Hey Matt,

    This is an off topic question.

    I’m looking to get a Mac laptop. I do a lot of photography & graphic arts for clients. I’m looking at the Mac Book Pro 17in. $$$$$!

    What do you use & recommend?

  3. Gary 22 December, 2007 at 12:02 Reply

    Okay, partial functionality. Looking at this though, it’s more work to do it this way. Two or more clicks, move the mouse, maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. Much more simple to just grab the slider and move it. Since all the sliders are grouped in the same area, it seems like more of a Gee-Wiz thing than anything that useful.

  4. Morey B. 21 December, 2007 at 21:02 Reply

    In Windows it takes a lot of wheel action to make a change.

    Another technique is to hover over the area with the TAT and use the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard to shift in even increments. Up arrow – slider right (plus), down arrow – slider left (minus). This works on all sliders that are hovered over, the value cell will highlight when hover-selected. Click and drag the sliders to rough-in the setting, up and down arrow to fine tune. The step value is different from slider to slider, not sure I always agrees with it.

    Happy Holidays

    – MB

  5. Michael J 21 December, 2007 at 14:14 Reply

    I have XP and found that the scroll wheel/TAT tip does work. However, with my Wacom mouse it took numerous revolutions of the wheel to make even subtle change, as opposed to my Microsoft Intellimouse which took much less. However it was still was subtle. Outside Lightroom, it doesn’t take much movement of the scroll wheel to scroll. Anyway, for those having trouble you may want to experiment with your mouse properties.

    –Michael J

  6. mattk 21 December, 2007 at 12:57 Reply

    Hey everyone,
    Just to clarify. You’ve got to first click on the TAT to select it. Then you’ve got to move your cursor over the image just like you would normally do if you were using the TAT. Finally, once it’s over the image the scroll should work.
    (testing on LR 1.3.1 on Mac and PC).

    Also, thanks for the Christmas wishes!

    Matt K

  7. Gary 21 December, 2007 at 12:42 Reply

    Mac Pro OSX, doesn’t work on my system. It just moves the entire pane up and down. Must have something to do with configuring the mouse actions on the OS. Works fine though with CS3 (in most areas)

  8. Dennis Zito 21 December, 2007 at 11:48 Reply

    I have the same problem as Anthony! TAT scrolling doesn’t work on Windows anyway. I also have LR 1.3.1.

    Everyone have a GREAT Christmas!

  9. Peter M 21 December, 2007 at 11:04 Reply

    Thanks for the tip.

    I’m running LR 1.3.1 under Windows Vista and the TAT scrolling works as advertised.

    Enjoy the special moments while they are young.

    Have a Great Christmas

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