Thanks BB for bringing this topic up. I've had Lightroom for about 6 months now. I am relatively comfortable with the develop module, but the library and catalogue features are still mysterious. For 2011 I had asked for photos to be downloaded to a subfolder in 2011. Most of the time it worked, but somehow sometimes the subfolder wasn't checked and they would end up some place else. I tried moving the files and reimporting into Lightroom, but I lost all the adjustments I had made. When 2012 came along things got worse, and now Lightroom seems unable to find a lot pictures listed in the catalog. I can find them in Adobe Bridge, but it sort of ruins the library feature. I was wondering if anybody knew of a clear explanation of moving files around in Lightroom. I saw Kelby's article "Why I never move Lightroom files" but that just confirmed my fears. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Moving files in Lightroom?
- Thread starter ricks
- Start date
BBW
Legend
- Location
- betwixt and between
- Name
- BB
ricks, I've just split your question about moving files off into its own thread because clearly no one noticed it.
This is a very important question and one I'd like to know more about as well. I have my 2010 and 2011 pictures in folders, and within each folder for the year I have separate folders for each month. I set up 2012 the same way, but it's not showing up that way in Lightroom - even though the files look to be organized in the exact same way on my external hard drive.
Let's see if now that I've split this off, if we can both get some help from others who are more experienced.
This is a very important question and one I'd like to know more about as well. I have my 2010 and 2011 pictures in folders, and within each folder for the year I have separate folders for each month. I set up 2012 the same way, but it's not showing up that way in Lightroom - even though the files look to be organized in the exact same way on my external hard drive.
Let's see if now that I've split this off, if we can both get some help from others who are more experienced.
f6cvalkyrie
Regular
Sorry to say so, but I'm glad I'm not the only one having trouble with the libraries and catalogs in Lightroom.
No help to be expected from my side, but, if needed, I can add to your frustrations
I will carefully monitor this topic !
Good luck,
Rafael
No help to be expected from my side, but, if needed, I can add to your frustrations
I will carefully monitor this topic !
Good luck,
Rafael
BillN
Hall of Famer
- Location
- S W France
- Name
- Bill
Moving files around on one, the same, computer
The BASIC....BASIC rule
It is important,(essential), to make all deletions, the moving of files and changes of files and folder structures, etc., etc., in Lightroom and not, (never), in your OS
Moving files from one computer to another
it's all in Export and Import as Catalogues - there are a few tutorials on the web that help - at first it is a bit tricky and maybe not too user friendly but once you have done it a few times it's OK
Google moving (and importing) files in Lightroom - I think as well as a tutorial on Adobe there are a few on UTube
hope this helps
The BASIC....BASIC rule
It is important,(essential), to make all deletions, the moving of files and changes of files and folder structures, etc., etc., in Lightroom and not, (never), in your OS
Moving files from one computer to another
it's all in Export and Import as Catalogues - there are a few tutorials on the web that help - at first it is a bit tricky and maybe not too user friendly but once you have done it a few times it's OK
Google moving (and importing) files in Lightroom - I think as well as a tutorial on Adobe there are a few on UTube
hope this helps
pictor
All-Pro
I am sorry to say that, but this the fault of the user. You must not move or rename files outside Lightroom! No exceptions! How should Lightroom be able to apply the development settings of an image, if the user moves the file within an other program? Lightroom is neither psychic nor can Lightroom read your thoughts. After moving or renaming files, Lightroom's references to these files are invalid and all development settings are lost, unless you have checked the setting which lets Lightroom write the development settings in XMP files in addition to the database, which would help to reimport these settings.
BillN
Hall of Famer
- Location
- S W France
- Name
- Bill
BB - you need to set up your new folders in LR, (right click on the Mac when you are hovering over the folders in the Library module) - the same goes for any other new folders or sub folders that you need - do this in LR - if you want to move files from another folder to a new folder - do that in LR - physically drag them into the new folder from the old
ricks - once you work on a file, (image), in LR - LR attached another "file" to it that records all the work that you have done on that file - the original image is left as it was imported, (non destructive editing - a major feature of LR)
If you move files around in your operating system, (i.e. not in LR) - these files get separated from the original image and LR does not know where you have moved the original file, (image), to - because you performed the action outside LR.
you can back track and try to get everything back in place - but it is sometimes easier to start again depending on the number of images involved
this involves deleting the (non existing image that appears to appear in LR - usually with a ? in the top corner), from LR, (BUT NOT FROM YOUR HARD DISK) and then reimporting all the (LR) missing images back into LR - (plus you will have to do all the adjustments that you did before in LR, if you want the same finished images) - you can try it with one image and see how it goes BUT it is easy to start accumulating lots of "funny" folders with no images in them if you are not careful - particularly if you have created the same named folders in LR and ALSO using the finder in the OS - it can get frustrating .......... and you can end up with duplicated images in you do not follow the BASIS..BASIC LR rule as explained above
as Paul indicated synch does work, (but can take time), - after which you then need to check your folder and sub folder structure
ricks - once you work on a file, (image), in LR - LR attached another "file" to it that records all the work that you have done on that file - the original image is left as it was imported, (non destructive editing - a major feature of LR)
If you move files around in your operating system, (i.e. not in LR) - these files get separated from the original image and LR does not know where you have moved the original file, (image), to - because you performed the action outside LR.
you can back track and try to get everything back in place - but it is sometimes easier to start again depending on the number of images involved
this involves deleting the (non existing image that appears to appear in LR - usually with a ? in the top corner), from LR, (BUT NOT FROM YOUR HARD DISK) and then reimporting all the (LR) missing images back into LR - (plus you will have to do all the adjustments that you did before in LR, if you want the same finished images) - you can try it with one image and see how it goes BUT it is easy to start accumulating lots of "funny" folders with no images in them if you are not careful - particularly if you have created the same named folders in LR and ALSO using the finder in the OS - it can get frustrating .......... and you can end up with duplicated images in you do not follow the BASIS..BASIC LR rule as explained above
as Paul indicated synch does work, (but can take time), - after which you then need to check your folder and sub folder structure
Armanius
Bring Jack back!
- Location
- Houston, Texas
- Name
- Jack
A tangential question for Lightroom users.
When importing images into LR, there are options ranging from "converting to DNG and move" to "copy to new folder" to just simply "add." I think there are four or five total options on LR3.6 during the import process.
I want to re-name my files, which is an option if I choose anything but the "add" option, which just happens to be the option I use 100% of the time!!
So by choosing one of the four other options during import, it looks like I would have to either move the files somewhere else, convert them to DNG, or create copies to a new folder.
I already have my images organized in folders under the following path on my iMac - pictures/year/date of event with brief description. I would like to re-name the images as I import them into LR, but I want the re-named images to remain in the folders that I have already setup. Any ideas?
Any help on this matter would be extremely appreciated!!!
When importing images into LR, there are options ranging from "converting to DNG and move" to "copy to new folder" to just simply "add." I think there are four or five total options on LR3.6 during the import process.
I want to re-name my files, which is an option if I choose anything but the "add" option, which just happens to be the option I use 100% of the time!!
So by choosing one of the four other options during import, it looks like I would have to either move the files somewhere else, convert them to DNG, or create copies to a new folder.
I already have my images organized in folders under the following path on my iMac - pictures/year/date of event with brief description. I would like to re-name the images as I import them into LR, but I want the re-named images to remain in the folders that I have already setup. Any ideas?
Any help on this matter would be extremely appreciated!!!
Armanius
Bring Jack back!
- Location
- Houston, Texas
- Name
- Jack
Thanks! But would I still be able to rename them as a batch, as opposed to one by one?
Country Parson
Top Veteran
- Location
- North Carolina
- Name
- Dan
This is exactly one of the reasons why I went back to using Bridge and Photoshop rather than Lightroom or Aperture. 
BBW
Legend
- Location
- betwixt and between
- Name
- BB
Wel, Armando, you can rename the (as Christian explained) as a batch by highlighting them all and starting off with say 2-12-0001 for February 2012 and then allowing each file to be numbered in order...as in 2-12-1, 2-12-2, etc. That's the way I do it... Then when I edit, for example, 2-12-1 in Color Efex it will save the file as a tiff....then even when you have multiple edits you can always go in and rename the one you want to keep, to match the original DNG file...but it will show up as a tff, of course. Hope that makes sense.
Thanks Bill. I am a little confused as this is not how I recall doing things before...but memory may be failing me. Normally I don't have to move anything anywhere. I may try this for the month of March and see what happens. I also may come back with more questions.
Armanius
Bring Jack back!
- Location
- Houston, Texas
- Name
- Jack
pictor
All-Pro
Yes, of course, just select all files you want to rename and do it.
christilou
Legend
- Location
- Sunny Frimley
My files are in a hopeless muddle and I think they'll just have to stay that way
Wow. Thanks BB and everyone else who joined the discussion. I tried moving some folders around in 2011 and got them organized. Now I am faced with the question mark ones in 2012. I'll try looking for some of those googled tutorials. I think I have a hard time thinking of a data base, used to the physical drag and drop of Windows. But you folks have given me some hope.
f6cvalkyrie
Regular
The problem with LR is, that if you didn't get it right in the first place, it becomes a terrible mess.
My problem today : I have both the LR 3.6 and the Beta LR4.0 installed on my computer, and I'm working with several memory cards.
God knows why (not sure if he does), some cards open the 4.0 by default, others the 3.6.
That means that files get spread over 2 catalogs. Also, I don't know what is going to happen when the Beta LR4.0 will be disabled (if I decide not to buy it). I'll probably have to re-import all of them to the catalog of LR3.6 ?
C U,
Rafael
My problem today : I have both the LR 3.6 and the Beta LR4.0 installed on my computer, and I'm working with several memory cards.
God knows why (not sure if he does), some cards open the 4.0 by default, others the 3.6.
That means that files get spread over 2 catalogs. Also, I don't know what is going to happen when the Beta LR4.0 will be disabled (if I decide not to buy it). I'll probably have to re-import all of them to the catalog of LR3.6 ?
C U,
Rafael
Armanius
Bring Jack back!
- Location
- Houston, Texas
- Name
- Jack
Here's a relatively informative "how to" article: How to Organize Pictures in Lightroom 3
This guy has some great camera reviews as well!
Part of the answer is here ... https://www.photographerslounge.org...beta-lightroom-4-a-5797/index3.html#post60587
I am having the same issue with inserting a card triggering the beta, but of course one is not therefore obliged to import into that beta .. you can just shut it down, start your regular version and select import.
Finding files you've moved using the OS is dead easy. In the grid mode just right click on the folder containing the lost images and select "find missing images". No re-import required. You can also do this for individual images by clicking on the little question mark in the top corner of the image.
Gordon
Gordon
