Sandman
In article <2014031316275434143-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom>, Savageduck wrote:

LR is a full image database and file management application and it's a bit over the top for mere post processing. Plus (as far as I'm aware) LR doesn't support Photoshop plugins (correct me if I'm wrong)

Savageduck
Sorry Jonas, this is one of those times you are wrong. LR can, and does use a whole bunch of Photoshop plugins including but not limited to the NIK Collection, the OnOne Suite, and Tiffin DFX.

Sandman
So, are those *Photoshop CC* plugins running under LR, or are they LR-versions of the same plugin. Looking on OnOne:

http://www.ononesoftware.com/products/suite8/

They have different pricing on what products it supports, clearly signalling that there is a separate LR-plugin.

Savageduck
You will note that on that OnOne site page PPS 8 Premium Edition works with PS, PSE, LR, & Aperture. Then they have an edition specifically for LR & Aperture, and which also integrates with PSE, but not PS. Both of those editions will open RAW files.

So if you have an LR/Aperture+ PSE workflow there is little need to buy the Premium version, and you always have the ability to upgrade if and when you upgrade from PSE to PS CS6/CC.

Therefore the two pricier editions support LR & PSE.

Sandman
Yes, but I got confused, because the original question was wheather LR could run PS plugins. nospam has said that it will run some, but not all. And the one example I looked up here suggested that it has a different plugin for each application (Aperture sure as hell can't run PS plugins), so in this instance it would run a LR plugin, not a PS plugin.

NOte though, that I'm not saying you're wrong. BUt this hasn't helped with my confusion at all. If I open Lightroom and start the plugin manager and press add, I can't add any of my Photoshop plugins (such as Filter Forge).

In fact, they're greyed out in the open dialog since they have the extension ".plugin", while all LR plugins in the plugin manager have the extension ".lrplugin".

So, whether or not LR can actually use PS plugins - i.e. plugins written for PS - seems to be at least ambiguous.

I know that Elements can run (most) Photoshop CC plugins so there wouldn't be a special "Elements" version of the plugin. I was a bit unsure whether LR had this capability as well.

Savageduck
With OnOne both the Premium Edition & the Lightroom/Aperture version support PSE.

The NIK Collection has a universal installer which is platform based (OSX/Win) and it will install the plugins into any eligible software you have on your computer. So, I have the NIK Collection installed in PS CS5, CS6, CC, LR4, LR5, & PSE9.

Sandman
But, not the same actual file. You have .plugin files for PS and .lrplugin files for LR

That said, I can't say I actually know wheather PSE supports .plugin files out of the box either. I've actually never ever used PSE. I was just going on information I've read here.

Savageduck
They are all simple enough to access once installed. They are just a right click, or panel, or drop down menu away. < https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_616.jpg >< https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_617.jpg >

Sandman
Yeah, but that says nothing about whether it's the *same* plugin, or two different versions of the plugin - one for PS and one for LR.

I can find no information online that suggest that LR can run any PS plugin what so ever. The plugin manager won't accept PS plugin files and this old thread (2008):

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/29841849

"No they aren't compatible. Lightroom uses a different technology for plug-ins."

And Adobe has a different Exchange site for Lightroom.

All of this suggests that no - Lightroom can't run PS plugins.