GC likes NIKON Loc: East Greenwich, Rhode Island

I will be setting up my new Dell computer on my day off tomorrow. I am comfortable with and have been using PSE v9 and have bought a copy of LR-5 to use on the new computer. Now bear with me as I have not downloaded a program such as NIK or Topaz before.

I understand that the program itself will download to drive C: on my computer and give me a shortcut as in the filters drop down in PSE.

Also from what I understand it will ask me where I want the program or will it seek out a host such as PSE or LR ??

If I already have both on the computer, do I have a choice ?? If I want to use it initially in PSE, should I wait and install LR after I download NIK ??

What if I want to use NIK in both ?? Do I have to download it twice ?? Or do I get the shortcut in both PSE & LR ???

Alot of questions - sorry ......... But I want to get this set up right from the git-go.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

if you have both on the computer NIK will recognize both and install to both but you want to use it initially on PSE you can It is easier just to download once for both LR & PSE

Blasthoff Loc: Life halved NY and IN

Just off the top of my head, I would install your "main" programs, ie; PS and LR first. If memory serves me and I could be wrong, but if NIK and Topaz have an install they should then show up in the filter section of either program. If not, you should be able to add them manually, which is a little more involved but shouldn't be a problem as long as everything is compatible, which they should be . You'll need to know where the NIK and or Topaz files are on your drive to do that, so make note of that. That's how it how it had to be done in old days ('90's) with PS.

I don't have LR installed to check, but it may be LR and PS can share filters (both are Adobe) in which case you'll be fine.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

GC likes NIKON Loc: East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Anybody else want to jump in here before I do something that I will have to undo later ??

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

When I start setting up a new computer I install lightroom first, then bring in and set up my photo catalog. Then I install photoshop ( in your case, Elements), then NIK suite, then Topaz+Fusion Express so Topaz works with lightroom. I test each one before I add another so that if there is a problem I already have it isolated. That is easier than uninstalling programs to try to figure out who isn't playing well together. Make sure you have your reference material (book on LR, help files etc) readily available at hand. A good reference for setting up Lightroom properly is essential! Calm your nerves and tackle it one step at a time. It may take you most of the day.