# DxO Nik Collection - Can it be used?



## Dave Noble

Newbie question again,

I have Lightroom CC Windows desktop version. 

I've tried a number of times to download and use the Nik Collection which according to everything I've located on the web should appear in my editing possibilities, but no joy, after numerous downloads, removal, Lightroom off and on, etc.

Am I trying to do something which cannot work?

Or i there a way to use a Nik Collection tool - Silver Efex, say - as a standalone outside Lightroom?

thanks if you can point me to an answer,

Cheers

Dave noble


----------



## clee01l

All of the Nik tools are used outside of Lightroom as External Editors.   I have not checked out the current release options for Nik but the earlier versions only installed as an external editor using the Nik LR plugin install tool 

Look in your list of external editors installed in the Lightroom External Editor tab of preferences.  If they are not there and the Nik plugin does not install them there, you can add them individually.  Each Nik tool should be a separate exe file.  The only tool that is unique id the HDR tool.


----------



## Dave Noble

Thanks for the reply,

It's the External Editor thingy which seems to be the issue. I'm not seeing it in Lightroom CC under Preferences regardless of how I access Preferences.


----------



## clee01l

Sorry,  I missed that you were running Lightroom CC and not Lightroom CC Classic.   I'm not sure how external Editors work with Lightroom CC The functionality for using Photoshop is integrated.  I don't know if other External Editors are permitted. I'm guessing not.  However, I do believe that you can call the Nix apps from Photoshop once Photoshop has your image.


----------



## Rob_Cullen

Lightroom-CC (the web based software, running on a desktop or laptop) does not have links to External Editors (Except Photoshop  Ctrl+E).
On a Desktop or Laptop machine you can, however, export  your image to the Hard-drive (by a Save-To), and then 'open' the image in one of the Nik programs.
eg. You could "Save To..." a JPG image from Lightroom-CC,
Then you will need to find your installed Nik Programs.
Open the Nik program by a double-click on the .exe program,  (Hint- Make a shortcut for the desktop while you are there!)
Go - File> Open Images... and edit.

eg. My _Nik Silver Efex_ install lives here- _ C:\Program Files\Google\Nik Collection\Silver Efex Pro 2\Silver Efex Pro 2 (64-Bit)_
My _Nik Color Efex_ lives here-_ C:\Program Files\Google\Nik Collection\Color Efex Pro 4\Color Efex Pro 4 (64-Bit)_
Then it is [Ctrl+O] to open the exported JPG image.






**Even better-
The other great option is- With Photoshop installed you should see the Nik programs as filters in Photoshop. ( I have a window dialog in Ps to select from)
From Lightroom-CC you would Ctrl+E to edit in Photoshop, then apply a Nik Filter.
You have the benefit of a new layer in Photoshop, when image is saved as PSD or TIF.



 



****Even better again-
If you work on a background layer that is converted to a Smart Object - the Nik Filter will be applied as a Smart Filter that can be returned to and re-adjusted at any time if preserved in the saved PSD/TIF file.


----------



## davidedric

At least one of the Nik tools (Viveza? - away from my computer right now) does not have a File Open command.  However, it can still be used standalone if you create the short cut on your desk top and drop the file onto it.


----------



## Dave Noble

Thank you all for this.  I'll pursue the Nik stand-alone approach. Not sure I wish to venture into using Photoshop, vice Lightroom, as I'm a little leery of the learning curve, Perhaps I'll get over that in time.

Cheers all,


----------

