I’ve been using Lightroom for the last few years but thought it was time for a change. Decided to give DT a go…well am trying to
I cannot import any files. I have tried both “add to library” and “copy and import”. I can browse any directory via “places +” and can get to all folders on all drives, C, D or E. When I open any folder there are no images there. I cannot see any Jpeg or RAW files. The images come from Sony A6000, Panasonic TZ200 or a DJI Mini 3 Pro.
I was concerned I’d be daunted by the amount of controls in DT, not too much of a worry at the moment.
I can access the images outside of DT in the usual way. I can also right click an image and “open with” Darktable which does get me there but it’s a slow way of working.
I’m sure I’m making a simple newbie mistake (a simple checkbox?) and hopefully someone can help me.
With import, point to the top most dir, where your pics are. Make sure the tick for ‘only new pics’ is unticked for the first time and subdirs need to be included. I assume you import raws and hence I ticked ‘ignore jpeg’.
Operating system? (Windows something, I presume.)
Do you happen to store the images on a net share
or something similar? Try placing a RAW image file on
your C: Desktop and navigate there in dt (=darktable). Can you
open it in dt?
Also please respond to @Thomas_Do’s question, above.
Hi Steve, welcome!
I wonder if you might be opening your image folder in the “places” box?
Because how it supposed to be done is you navigate to your drive, or main "photo folder’ in the places box, then all the folders in that folder will show up in the ‘folders’ box below. Click one of those, and your pictures should appear.
I may be on the wrong track here, but it’s a mistake I made a while back…
All of the images are stored locally on D and E drive mostly but a few on C drive as a trial to try and get past this little problem. I don’t use netshare or anything of that ilk.
I’ve just added a jpeg, a DNG and a raw file to the desktop. When looking for them via DT they are not visible
Looking forward to more questions
Be prepared to have a few “what the…?” moments as you find your way around darktable.
I did! It’s worth it though, and there’s loads of good info on this forum, especially from people more knowledgeable than me.
In the left “column”, click the import triangle, to make it point downwards.
Click add to library. What happens? Screen dump, please.
Select proper place under places; select folder (do not forget to click the triangle to make it point downwards). Keep working yourself down to where you stored the image file you just fetched. Screen dump, please.
Tbh it’s a little daunting at this early stage. There are words used in the modules that I haven’t heard before…so what the sliders actually do will be trial, error and probably frustration. I hope my tiny low-tech brain can adjust.
You can as suggested check out Bruce Williams for the basic what does what video’s also a good channel for this is Darktable A-Z. THen move to @nwinspeare channel for some more recent content and more in depth coverage of concepts and module function (Dabble in Photography). Finally you can check out videos by @s7habo on the Editing moments in Darktable for some of the best demonstrations of how to edit images. THere are others as well… https://www.youtube.com/@StudioPetrikas/videos has some really nice videos covering some of the key gotcha issues people find in editing with DT… Frank Walsh also offers up some nice content in an easy to understand way for new users… My first tip…don’t come at it with the approach of translating actions to something similar in LR… editing in DT works a bit differently…
Welcome Steve,
I am glad your problem is sorted. This forum is really useful for getting the right answers. I would also bookmark the user guide because it is so essential when you are trying to learn new modules. darktable 4.2 user manual - darktable
Also, like others have said DT is not like Lightroom (LR). I come from a LR background and would never go back, but it will take some getting use to using DT and the concept of Filmic and other modules. But truly worth the effort to learn.
That’s a common reaction when first meeting darktable, certainly was for me (if I’m honest, still is to a degree). A simple but important point is that there’s a lot of subtle – and sometimes not-so-subtle – overlap between many modules. You certainly don’t, and won’t, need to use every one on every image. As the old saying goes, there’s more than one way to de-dermatize a feline.
@priort has listed some really good resources, particularly IMO for new users, Bruce Williams’ YT channel (then Boris’ superb videos). Be aware that darktable evolves over time so details may vary from older videos to the latest version. But as long as the tutorial references v3+ it’ll be close.
Thanks Terry, I started to feel like I was getting bent over / no lube by Adobe. I started looking around and have trialled a few different apps. They all seem to be concentrating on “AI” features that really don’t work very well the majority of the time…just a gimmick imho. Many of them lack basic functions too.
I’d never heard of Darktable before, no-one has ever mentioned it to me (UK). If I can get my head around it it should be perfect for me. Amazed that such a feature rich bit of kit is free. Most of the expensive ones are the opposite, go figure. I don’t even recall seeing anywhere on the website where you can donate, which I would happily do.
If it wasn’t though, that careful step by step suggestion would definitely find the issue 
