Wilderness Images Loc: Apache Junction, AZ.

No, you're not the only one. I have noticed the same thing and am confused about which edited copy to keep and which ones to delete.
1. Edit in Nik Sharpen, returns a TIF copy "Edit"
2. Edit in Viveza, returns a TIF copy "Edit Edit"
3. Edit in Color Effects, returns a TIF copy "Edit Edit Edit"

Is there a feature somewhere in Nik where this can be turned off? I don't really want to save all those 100+ meg TIF edit files.

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Yes, I do this too... When processing direct from LR to Nik, the process adds ".edit" to the name, same as PS does. However, each of the tools adds *another* ".edit". I ended up with a whole bunch of files, culminating in "img_nnnn.edit.edit.edit.edit.edit.tif". Seems more sensible to just pass it to PS, do all the Nik stuff from there, and pass back the final result.

Edit...
Ok, I see that others beat me to the punch here. Teach me not to read all the responses before posting!

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

I use Lightroom and Nik all the time, and I don't see any of this. When I am finished with my LR edits, I used EDIT IN to get to a Nik component. That first time, I have to use the "Edit copy with Lightroom adjustments." That creates the tif. When I am finished with the Nik component, and go back to LR, the new, edited tif file is there. If I want to use another Nik component on that tif file, I select that tif file, and use the "Edit original" option of EDIT IN. It does not create a new tif file, but uses the original tif file. I don't see any extraneous tif files, unless I ask for them.

Psergel Loc: New Mexico

Yep...that works. Of course you can't see any of the LR adjustments but...you do have only one tiff to deal with

Anvil Loc: Loveland, CO

Do you mean Lightroom adjustments between trips to Nik? You are correct, there. Usually, though, if I am going to use the Nik software on a photo, I have already finished all the Lightroom adjustments that I intend to make.

Now, if I like what I've done in a Nik component, and want to experiment with an additional component, I will use the "Edit a copy" option. Let's say I like what I did with Color Efex Pro, and I want to keep that, but I'd also like to see how that version would look converted to b&w, in Silver Efex Pro, I'd use the "Edit a copy" option.

Psergel Loc: New Mexico

Thanks for the tips. I appreciate the help

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

You appear to have the Nik software installed as a stand-alone, instead of as a plug-in.

As a stand-alone, there's some flexibility, but you have the issue mentioned... where a new version of a file is created at each step.

The Nik suite can instead be installed as a plug-in with Elements 9 and later, with one limitation... Nik HDR doesn't work in Elements. All the other modules in the Nik suite can be installed as plug-ins to Elements 9 and later. Or, if you have Lightroom 3 or later, all of the Nik modules can be installed as plug-ins. Here's the compatibility list, from the Nik website:

Mac: OS X 10.7 through 10.10
Adobe Photoshop: CS4 (CS5 for HDR Efex Pro 2) through CC 2015
Adobe Photoshop Elements: 9 through 13 (apart from HDR Efex Pro 2, which is not compatible with Photoshop Elements)
Adobe Lightroom: 3 through 6/CC
Apple Aperture: 3.1 or later

Windows: Vista, 7, 8
Adobe Photoshop: CS4 through CC 2015
Adobe Photoshop Elements: 9 through 13 (apart from HDR Efex Pro 2, which is not compatible with Photoshop Elements)
Adobe Lightroom: 3 through 6/CC

I assume that current Elements 14 and Windows 10 are compatible, too... Perhaps the list above simply hasn't been updated. But you should confirm this elsewhere, if using PSE 14 or Win 10.

There also seem to be some other image editing software that can be used with Nik, but might require some workarounds.... search online for specifics.

During installation your computer is scanned and the compatible software for plug-in should be identified. You're then given choice of installing it as a plus-in with any of those or as a stand-alone. I actually installed it three times... Once as a plug-in with Photoshop CS6 that I use, and as plug-in for both Lightroom 5 and Lightroom 6, that I'm using. I chose not to set it up as a stand-alone.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

:thumbup: :thumbup:

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

No, it bothers me too. But I have Photoshop CC and LR CC so I just use Ctrl-E to open the LR edited picture in Photoshop and then use the Nik software. Each Nik plugin creates a new layer in Photoshop. When done, I can flatten the image and save it any way I like to save space.

But I'm with you on the LR creating a new TIFF every time you make an edit with a different Nik plugin. If you read the comments on page 2 of your thread, you may find an answer. They say (I have not tried it) to use Edit in Nik with LR adjustments the first time, and after the first TIF is created then you want to apply another Nik plugin just "edit original" and it will save that same tiff with the new Nik adjustments.

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

I was afraid of that. That would make the PSE shop larger than the final LR file since the others could be deleted.

I guess I'll just have to get over my reluctance to delete anything. You could fill even one of today's hard drives with that much data pretty quick.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

One the first use of a NIK plugin you you export a "Copy With Lightroom Adjustments" and returns to Lightroom with the Nik adjustments. When you use the another Nik plugin you would use the TIF and choose to "Edit The Original" (which is the TIF with the first Nik adjustments. Then when you save and return to Lightroom all the adjustments are on 1 TIF file and you don't create additional TIF files with each plugin as you apply it.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

The Nik collection doesn't process RAW files, so you would do whatever RAW processing you want in Adobe Camera RAW in Lightroom or PSE then in Lightroom you can choose to send it to Nik as either a JPG or TIF but TIF would be the best choice. In PSE after Adobe Camer RAW work is done and open it in PSE you apply the Nik plugins the same as you would with any other filter.

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

No, that isn't how it works... You edit the copy with LR adjustments, and get back your tif file, img_nnnn.edit.tif.
When you go to edit this file, and save the result in the Nik tool, you get a new tiff file, img_nnnn.edit.edit.tif. Send this one out to another tool, and you get back img_nnnn.edit.edit.edit.tif, and so on.

I went through this on my first post in this thread. The only way I could get around having all these files building up, was to edit in PS, do all the Nik stuff from there, flatten the layers, and then save the file back to LR. If you wanted to keep the capability to edit intermediate stages of the process, you could skip the flatten process, but your saved file would be *very* big.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

I just tried it again and it worked as I said. I opened a ".CR2" raw file in Lightroom. I then did an "Edit in Dfine 2" and chose "Edit A Copy With Lightroom Adjustments" and it opened the TIF file in Dfine 2. I saved in Dfine 2 and the TIF opened in Lightroom. Then I right clicked on the TIF file and did an "Edit in Sharpener Pro 3: Output Sharpener". I then chose "Edit Original" (the TIF file) clicked "Edit" and the TIF opened in Sharpener Pro 3. I made my adjustments there and did a save. The TIF repoened in Lightroom again. There was only one "-Edit.tif" file along side my original ".CR2" file. If you keep editing the same TIF file as an "Edit Original" instead of a "Copy with Lightroom Adjustments" you will not get multiple TIF files. You will end up with a single TIF containing all Nik adjustments regardless of how many times you keep sending the the TIF to other Nik plugins. You just have to always choose to "Edit Original" each time after the initial TIF file is created.

Silvermeteor Loc: South Carolina, USA

I will have to give that a try. I guess the "edit original" is throwing me a curve because they mean the most recent file but "original" means of all things, ORIGINAL to me. Thanks.