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Travel catalog (again, sigh...)

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camner

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I have read (and reread!) the various threads on travel catalogs (and participated in some of them), but my sense is that the "best way" depends on what one wants to do while away.

What I wish to do while away is:
  1. Be able to keyword, add other metadata, and develop with a subset of my main catalog (I thus need all my keywords)
  2. Import new images into the travel catalog and develop some of those shots (as well as keyword)
So I need to export my entire main catalog (to get all the keywords), but only need smart previews for the subset I wish to be able to work on.

So this is what I did:
  1. On my desktop, I discarded all existing smart previews and built smart previews for the subset I wanted to have on the laptop
  2. Created collections for the subsets of images I wanted to work on while away
  3. Exported the entire main catalog without any previews, originals, or any other option checked (this ensures that the exported catalog has all my keywords in it)
  4. Manually copied the exported catalog and the smart previews file from the desktop to the laptop and ensured that the exported catalog and the smart previews file have the same name
As far as I can see, I now have on my laptop exactly what I need.

After I get back, my plan is to:
  1. export the entire laptop catalog, checking "include originals" so that any images I import while away are included in the export, but not checking any other boxes in the export dialog
  2. Import the exported laptop catalog into the desktop catalog
My understanding as far as keywording while away is concerned is that while I can add NEW keywords to the keyword tree and have those new keywords back in my desktop catalog (assuming they are assigned to one or more images), but I CANNOT edit existing keywords or move keywords around the tree on the laptop, because these changes will NOT be reflected when I import back into my main catalog.

So, my questions are:
  1. Will this workflow as I intended it to?
  2. Am I correct about what I can and cannot do with the keyword tree on the laptop and have what I want on my desktop after getting home?
 
Before going away, there is no need to export the main catalogue (your "desktop catalogue"). Just copy its lrcat file, and the smart previews folder.

While away, you are using your main catalogue with the smart previews plus new photos.

When you return, there is no need to "export the entire laptop catalog, checking "include originals"". Instead, you just replace the desktop catalogue, and fix the link to the new originals.

So it's quite a lot simpler than the old export catalogue / import from another catalogue.

John
 
Before going away, there is no need to export the main catalogue (your "desktop catalogue"). Just copy its lrcat file, and the smart previews folder.

While away, you are using your main catalogue with the smart previews plus new photos.

When you return, there is no need to "export the entire laptop catalog, checking "include originals"". Instead, you just replace the desktop catalogue, and fix the link to the new originals.

So it's quite a lot simpler than the old export catalogue / import from another catalogue.

John

Why do things the easy way when there is always a more complex way to accomplish the same end, I say.

Thanks for pointing out the easier approach.
 
I'd encourage you to do a dry run before your next trip.

John
 
Disadvantage of this approach is that you can't work on your home catalog between copying to the laptop and copying back. It is possible this is no problem but keep an eye on it. I did the 'copy catalog, rename, delete all messages' trick. When traveling I'll designate a collection specific for that trip. Once back, I'll export that collection and import into main catalog.


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Disadvantage of this approach is that you can't work on your home catalog between copying to the laptop and copying back.

Somehow that doesn't seem to be a problem when you do this to have a travel catalog...
 
Disadvantage of this approach

Which approach? The one suggested by the OP?

My lrcat + smart previews method means you only copy the lrcat, so you'd do it shortly before leaving and could easily repeat the copying of that one file if you decide to do some more work on the desktop.
 
When traveling I'll designate a collection specific for that trip. Once back, I'll export that collection and import into main catalog.
I use a process similar to John's. I take a full copy of my master catalog file to the laptop along with Smart Previews. On the laptop, I remove any images from the travel catalog that I am not interested in working with while I travel. This makes that tidy "Collection" full of images on the travel catalog along with Publish services, keywords Smart Collections currently found in the Master catalog. On returning, I import this travel catalog back into the master. Any develop differences between the master image and the adjusted image on the travel catalog get reflected as a Virtual Copy
 
On the laptop, I remove any images from the travel catalog

And that's the key difference - I don't remove anything and am always working with the main catalogue.
 
And that's the key difference - I don't remove anything and am always working with the main catalogue.
But it does solve Cerianthus concern "Disadvantage of this approach is that you can't work on your home catalog between copying to the laptop and copying back."
 
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But it does solve Cerianthus concern "Disadvantage of this approach is that you can't work on your home catalog between copying to the laptop and copying back."

That's why I responded about only having one file to copy if one does that. And assuming Cerianthus's comment was directed at my workflow.

Even if that is a problem, my method means you can update published services, sync to LrMobile, and is handy if one revisits a location or scene and could copy metadata from earlier pics.

John
 
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I was directing the comment on the copying of the entire catalog that John suggested. It was only a minor remark that you have to pay attention what you are doing. If this is your regular travel workflow that is probably already taken care off. What i meant was that you have to remember to work on one (aka the newest) main catalog at any given time. If you do some work in the wrong catalog that work will be lost.
 
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I'd encourage you to do a dry run before your next trip.

John


Yup. Waiting until the last minute to get ready for a trip (in this case, not limited to my photography needs....) is NOT a recipe for smooth sailing!

------------------

Anyway, prior to reading the reply I had already exported the entire catalog and moved it to my laptop. While away I did not import any new photos but did a lot of metadata editing on existing photos. Upon my return I went to import the laptop catalog. Much to my surprise, as one can see from the attached screenshot, LR reported 6788 photos in the laptop catalog that had its settings changed. I do not understand this. I only worked on a maximum of about 500 images while away. The images in the attached screenshot were definitely NOT worked on in any way while I was away.

So, the question is, when LR reports that "...its settings differ," the settings "differ" from what? Is LR claiming that the settings of these files differ in the travel catalog from the state of those images on the master catalog? How is that possible if I didn't work on those images? FWIW, I do not write out changes to sidecar files.

Obviously, I will let LR make virtual copies to preserve the old state. Is there a good way to see what LR thinks the differences are for those images that I don't think I have changed?

Second question...even though I exported my master catalog (after selecting all images) rather than just moving a copy of the master catalog to the laptop, is there a reason I can't just move the laptop catalog back onto my desktop and use it rather than importing?
 

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