Creating a catalog for each hard drive

[Don Nealious]

Hello,

I am new to the LR forum. I have several hard drives with archived images on them. Right now when I want to find an image I have to connect each HD via USB and just dive in. Of course, I have to do the same search again the next time I need another image. I would like to have LR make a catalog of each one with folders and sub-folders to facilitate my searches. Is it possible to do this? Or is there a better way?

 

[Kiwigeoff]

Hello,

I am new to the LR forum. I have several hard drives with archived images on them. Right now when I want to find an image I have to connect each HD via USB and just dive in. Of course, I have to do the same search again the next time I need another image. I would like to have LR make a catalog of each one with folders and sub-folders to facilitate my searches. Is it possible to do this? Or is there a better way?

Yes it is possible, except LR won't do it you will need to do it yourself with LR

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Welcome to the forum Don!

Your best bet is to create a single Lightroom catalog, and import each of the drives into it, making sure you set it to 'reference in existing location' in the import dialog. I'd personally import right from the root of the drive (highest level folder), as it'll be easier to see which drive is which.

When you get a moment, could you fill in your signature specs please, as it helps us give much more specific advise. There's details on the front page. Thanks!

 

[Don Nealious]

So it's one archive folder at a time then?

So what you all are saying is that I have to select/import each folder from my archive hard drives into LR?

Is this signature better?

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Perfect signature! Well done!

Rather than doing each folder individually (eugh!!!), choose the highest level folder you can, and use the Choose Selected button in the import dialog. That will bring up the import dialog with all of the subfolders as well. Make sense?