Import Can't seem to develop images even after importing

[ronn356]

Lightroom Version Number

11.1 LrC

Operating System

1. macOS 12 Monterey

Recently I purchased a 2019 iMac and updated my LR 6.14 to subscription LrC 11.1. My images had all been stored on my LaCie external hard drive, and when I initiated 11.1, I either (by mistake) directed LR to store the images on my SSD desktop drive, or it did it itself by default. (see attached image)

So now, it seems like I have two problems:
1. Uploaded images appear to be stored on the desktop drive, as seen in the folders window on the left.
2. Images that I have uploaded and that are recognized by LR as being in the collection can display in Library mode but not in Develop mode.

I had made some previous comments in another thread and those comments were moved to a thread called "File Not Found." I think that I have since found the files, but additional tasks remain that I need help with, and I have listed them here.

I'd like to accomplish three things:
1. Change my destination for imported images back to to my LaCie external drive, which is where it was when I was in my old computer and using LR 6.14. (See attached image) I may have accomplished this, but I'd like to confirm that I did it correctly by reading how it's done somewhere. Looking for a source—maybe "Missing FAQ?"
2. Be able to develop images that I recently imported my collection. I'm wondering if they need to be shifted to storage on the LaCie in order for me to work on them, as they are part of a group that have missing links. I've clicked on images and "Find Missing Folders" to relink them but am not getting a clear indication of where they are or how to restore their links.
3. I'd like to restore links to images that somehow lost their link after I migrated to 11.1. I have about 150, including the current 35 that I had just uploaded before I discovered these problems.

I've just read through the two ebooks, "Moving Computers" and "LR Classic Quickstart." I'm not getting a clear insight regarding where the missing links can be that I have to click on to restore. I attached an image of what results when I click on "Find Missing Folders." Makes no sense to me.

I will purchase the " Missing FAQ" book to see if that answers my questions.

Advice welcomed, and thanks in advance.

 

[ronn356]

Attached is an image of the message I received after clicking on "Find Missing Folders." Not sure what that means. This folder contains images that I had imported and successfully stored (and developed) when still using my LR 6.14, so the break has occurred after my switch to 11.1.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

If you look at the bottom right of your screenshot, then you see the 'Destination' tab. It is collapsed, so expand it. That is where you can define the destination of imported images. At the top right there also is a list of previously used destinations for quick selection. The top right also tells you the currently chosen destination.

Already imported images can be moved by dragging and dropping them in the folder panel of the Library module. You can drag & drop individual images, or entire folders.

 

[Jim Wilde]

One other thing...if you are importing images from an existing hard drive, and you want to keep the images where they are, then you need to change the import type (top centre) to "Add" instead of "Copy".

 

[ronn356]

JE: I set the destination tab to my LaCie external drive as you had suggested but later noticed that it did not become the default setting and "stick" with subsequent imports. So I'll have to fiddle with that to cement that command. As you can see in the attached image ("Random..."), some of my photos had been sent to my external Western Digital had drive instead of the LaCie; this happened after I had switched over to the new computer, and they became unlinked. I haven't yet figured out just how to reconnect them from the directions given in the FAQ.

JW: Most of my images are scanned historical documents or photos, so they exist on my desktop until I import them into LR, which is my only program that I use for this. As you suggested, "Add" places a stored copy on the external drive, I assume? I'll have to read some on why "add" is better than "copy." The FAQ book is quite lengthy, so I hope to find an answer to that in the book.

Speaking of the FAQ, after reading the explanation in that, I was still not able to properly figure out just where my missing images were in order to re-establish their links. So for now I am renaming them and re-importing them (only for images that I have not yet rendered). I'm not finding the "white box" in the upper left of the unlinked image that was mentioned in the FAQ but images like the one attached are definitely not linked. I'll keep reading and maybe figure out how to do that for the 150 or so missing links. I'm attaching some images of one example.

 

[ronn356]

...and thanks for the help. I think that I'm making progress.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

You can save the settings of the right panel of the import dialog as an import preset, at the bottom center of the import dialog. That makes it quick and easy to always use the correct settings.

You probably should not use ‘Add’ if I understand your workflow correctly. ‘ADD’ only adds the images to the catalog, but does not copy or move them to a new destination. Because you start with images on your desktop, that is probably not what you want.

 

[ronn356]

JE: 10-4. Will look for import presets on my next import and use 'copy' instead of 'add.'

Much obliged!