- Lightroom Version Number
- 9.2.1 (Classic) 3.2.1 (Cloudy)
- Operating System
- macOS 10.15 Catalina
- iOS
I currently have all my photos in both Lightroom Cloudy and Classic libraries, but not syncing. I would like to get them syncing. I would be very grateful for any comments and advice on what I think are the three possible approaches. I am prepared to research the detail implementation myself but am looking for guidance about the best major option I should use…..if I any! I may yet decide to stay where I am.
The three major options ( I think) are:
1. Dump the current Cloudy Library and create new one by syncing from Classic.
2. Dump the current Classic Library and create a new one by syncing from Cloudy.
3. Don't dump either: just turn on sync.
STARTING POINT
-1TB Photography Plan.
-Lightroom Cloudy with 79,000pics/600GB working well on two Macs and four iDevices.
-Lightroom Classic on both Macs with the catalog and masters on a portable Samsung T5 SSD which can be connected to either Mac. For many years this was my main personal working photo library. Sync is not turned on in Classic.
-When I started with Cloudy nearly two years ago I created the Cloudy library by manually exporting year based catalogs and importing them to Cloudy in turn to preserve the Classic structure in Cloudy, creating folders in Cloudy as I went.
-Since then Cloudy has been my main working library because it automatically collects all the photos my wife takes as well as mine in one place and syncs everything to all devices.
-I have kept Classic up to date with monthly manual exports of “original+ settings” from Cloudy and manually importing them to Classic. I have not really made any proper use of Classic, treating it as a kind of backup and thinking I would one day do what I am now asking about.
-The Classic Library has 76,000 photos. The discrepancy with Cloudy is due to duplicates in Cloudy caused by I believe by some initial problems with the auto import settings in Cloudy.
DESIRED END POINT
-Cloudy Library with 76,000 pics automatically syncing to all devices. No duplicates.
-Classic Library with same 76,000 syncing with Cloudy.
-No monthly manual export and imports
-Ability to use the printing and editing tools in Classic for all photos.
-Ability to do culling and rating on iPad, syncing through to Classic.
MORE ABOUT THE OPTIONS:
1. Dump the current Cloudy Library. Assume I would have to clear all existing photos from the account for the fresh start. Then I would create year collections in Classic and turn on sync so these appear in Cloudy. This would have Cloudy using Smart Previews, for the existing pics, and originals for on going, since I expect Cloudy to be my main user tool.
2. Dump the current Classic Library (save it in a drawer). I would create a new Classic library by turning on sync to populate it from the Cloudy. This would have the 3000 dupes in but there are tools to remove dupes in Classic but not for Cloudy. Hopefully deleting the dupes in Classic would propagate to Cloudy? Would all the Cloudy photos appear in Classic with any folder, album or collection structure?
3. Don’t dump either Library, just turn on sync in current Classic. Not sure what the result would be. Probably nothing initially as there are no collections in Classic. Assume I would need to put all 76000 into a whole lot of collections in Classic so that sync would occur? Would it create or eliminate dupes?
Thanks very much for any comment.
PS This thread reminds me of the joke about a local being asked for directions by a tourist, replying "If I wanted to go there I wouldn't have started from here".
The three major options ( I think) are:
1. Dump the current Cloudy Library and create new one by syncing from Classic.
2. Dump the current Classic Library and create a new one by syncing from Cloudy.
3. Don't dump either: just turn on sync.
STARTING POINT
-1TB Photography Plan.
-Lightroom Cloudy with 79,000pics/600GB working well on two Macs and four iDevices.
-Lightroom Classic on both Macs with the catalog and masters on a portable Samsung T5 SSD which can be connected to either Mac. For many years this was my main personal working photo library. Sync is not turned on in Classic.
-When I started with Cloudy nearly two years ago I created the Cloudy library by manually exporting year based catalogs and importing them to Cloudy in turn to preserve the Classic structure in Cloudy, creating folders in Cloudy as I went.
-Since then Cloudy has been my main working library because it automatically collects all the photos my wife takes as well as mine in one place and syncs everything to all devices.
-I have kept Classic up to date with monthly manual exports of “original+ settings” from Cloudy and manually importing them to Classic. I have not really made any proper use of Classic, treating it as a kind of backup and thinking I would one day do what I am now asking about.
-The Classic Library has 76,000 photos. The discrepancy with Cloudy is due to duplicates in Cloudy caused by I believe by some initial problems with the auto import settings in Cloudy.
DESIRED END POINT
-Cloudy Library with 76,000 pics automatically syncing to all devices. No duplicates.
-Classic Library with same 76,000 syncing with Cloudy.
-No monthly manual export and imports
-Ability to use the printing and editing tools in Classic for all photos.
-Ability to do culling and rating on iPad, syncing through to Classic.
MORE ABOUT THE OPTIONS:
1. Dump the current Cloudy Library. Assume I would have to clear all existing photos from the account for the fresh start. Then I would create year collections in Classic and turn on sync so these appear in Cloudy. This would have Cloudy using Smart Previews, for the existing pics, and originals for on going, since I expect Cloudy to be my main user tool.
2. Dump the current Classic Library (save it in a drawer). I would create a new Classic library by turning on sync to populate it from the Cloudy. This would have the 3000 dupes in but there are tools to remove dupes in Classic but not for Cloudy. Hopefully deleting the dupes in Classic would propagate to Cloudy? Would all the Cloudy photos appear in Classic with any folder, album or collection structure?
3. Don’t dump either Library, just turn on sync in current Classic. Not sure what the result would be. Probably nothing initially as there are no collections in Classic. Assume I would need to put all 76000 into a whole lot of collections in Classic so that sync would occur? Would it create or eliminate dupes?
Thanks very much for any comment.
PS This thread reminds me of the joke about a local being asked for directions by a tourist, replying "If I wanted to go there I wouldn't have started from here".
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