One step before & after key in Lightroom Classic

[jwillyf]

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I have done lots of hunting around but can't find an answer to my query.

Is there a single hot key in Lightroom Classic that will go back one step in history and when pressed again will revert to the last step once more, for a quick comparison of an adjustment in the Develop module. Put in another way, toggling back and forth between the last adjustment and the one before it for quick comparison. I know of the snapshot facility but this is quite cumbersome to use in this context, and \ takes you back to the original state.

Thanks

Edited November 2, 2020 by jwillyf

[SrMi]

You can assign different development stages to the Before state, either by using Snapshots (Copy Snapshot Settings to Before) or dragging the Before state to the Before window when comparing with the 'Y' key.

Undo/Redo operation also apply to selecting a state in the History panel.

[Jim-St]

On a Mac, Command>Z takes you back a step, and Command+Shift>Z takes you forward again

 

Jim

[jwillyf]

Thanks for the reply SrMi and Jim-St.

Yes I am aware of these options but they are techniques that interrupt the work flow. What would work well for me would to be able to quickly move back and forth between the two last steps repeatedly which would show the differences between the two adjustments more graphically. For instance a press of, say, \ (which currently returns the image to the starting point), so that one’s finger could hover over that key, pressing it repeatedly while watching the screen to assess the changes in the effects., back and forth.

Edited November 2, 2020 by jwillyf

[Jeff S]

Maybe this old tip might assist...

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/threads/moving-back-and-forth-in-last-step-in-history.8470/

If not, try Adobe forum or Lightroom Queen; this was just from a fast Google search.
 

Jeff

[jwillyf]

Hi, Jeff S.

Your link was actually a thread I started 10 years ago and had forgotten! Not much help there, I'm afraid. It looks like the Ctrl Z/Ctrl Shift Z option is the closest I can get but still a bit 'clunky'.

I will try your Lightroom Queen suggestion. Thanks again.

[Jeff S]

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Yikes, 10 years and still struggling with the same issue. 😳  Good luck.

I haven’t found this to be a concern with my LR workflow, but we each have our own preferences. 
 

Jeff

 

[jwillyf]

😄

I had a fairly lengthy break from the hobby in the intervening time, but ultimately the addiction re-surfaced! Too bad I had sold off a lot of my gear and had to start all over again...

[evikne]

I make a lot of presets in Lightroom, for example Clarity 0, +5, +10 etc. I sort them in groups to keep everything organized. A benefit with these presets, is that I can hover the cursor over and away from them to see the effect. Sometimes the changes are so small and subtle that this is almost the only way to see the difference. 

Edited November 4, 2020 by evikne

[jwillyf]

34 minutes ago, evikne said:

Sometimes the changes are so small and subtle that this is almost the only way to see the difference. 

This is what is behind my request. I would like to locate the single key that might toggle the two steps, and watch the screen without having to look away while I tap the key repeatedly to check the before and after.

[evikne]

29 minutes ago, jwillyf said:

This is what is behind my request. I would like to locate the single key that might toggle the two steps, and watch the screen without having to look away while I tap the key repeatedly to check the before and after.

I'm afraid no such keyboard shortcut exists (if there was, I would love to use it myself). The presets I mentioned is the closest solution I've found so far. 

Edited November 4, 2020 by evikne

[jwillyf]

I feared so, Evikne. Perhaps I should put in a request to Adobe?

[Jeff S]

Rather than toggling back and forth, you might consider side-by-side before/after views, which can be started at different points in the history panel.  
https://www.google.com/amp/s/photographylife.com/lightroom-before-and-after/amp

I prefer to make work prints to consider renderings, but of course only for worthy pics/edits. My assessment generally benefits from time lapsed, when my eyes are fresh, and when the entire composition/rendering is considered.  Probably comes from my darkroom days. 
 

Jeff

[jwillyf]

What a pity there is no easy way of re-mapping Ctrl Y to Ctrl X. Then we could more easily toggle between the Ctrl Z and Ctrl X with the keys sitting next to one another.