Export TO catalog!

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

rNeil

Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2008
Messages
51
Who knows when they''l actually make this a fully-functional "modern" program, that can work in a multi-computer environment without workarounds.

So ... how about adding:

"Export To Catalog"

To the import/export dialog selections?

It would allow us to at least send in a direct, simple, and easy-to-understand manner, a specific job to the next person in line to work on the files of that job.

I wouldn't mind if they also added "Import From Catalog" to accomplish the same thing except from the other end.

Currently, you have to export-from-catalog on the one machine to the other machine, and then import-from-catalog on the second machine. It takes doing the first part on one machine and then either going to the other machine or emailing the next person they have a new catalog to find and start on. The whole thing about HAVING a computer is to automate tasks and save steps and time, and this would save us a decent chunk of time each job.

Right now, we often don't import into the second machine ... which does mean switching catalogs and of course, remembering WHERE you'd find the ircat file for the job there on your computer.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Whilst it's very well known that LR doesn't work across a network, and many have put their voice to it already (like I'm sure you will too via the Feature Request form or Bug Report button above), when you say 'multi computer environment' I take this to be 2 computers linked together in some way, such as ethernet.

I have no problems in hooking up my laptop to my workstation and simply selecting Import From Catalog on the laptop and choosing the lrcat file on my workstation.

It'll import the selected images/folders in the usual manner per my selection, directly. I also sync my catalog(s) this way too. So that's 2 catalogs accessing one and the same set of images (with saved xmp sidecar files). Virtual copies, pick flags and collections stay local to a catalog but as far as the images go, everything else syncs including edits, ratings, labels, snapshots, metadata, keywords...

I don't know how this would work if I were in a real network environment but so long as the lrcat is local, there may be some hope?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Thanks, Stas,

You would think it would work ... but no see-gar.

I can go to my machine, select "Import from Catalog" and select a catalog on her machine. In a couple minutes, I can even select the folders with the images I want, and tell it to copy the new files to a folder on my machine, and off it goes to do the import.

But when it's done, though the previews are showing in the "Previous Import" view, the "new" image folders are all in bright red, and when you check them in Explorer, absolutely vacant. Not a single image gets copied over, only the catalog data.

To actually have images to work on, you'd have to do two more steps, both separate of each other. So second, using explorer (I prefer the ol' "File Manager" name and layout) you copy the file structure and folder over to the other machine, and then third, re-open LR and tell it to find the "missing" folders, pointing it to where you've just copied them.

Slick, eh? Well, not really. I cannot believe how many roadblocks they have CHOSEN to place in the way of normal, professional workflows in an otherwise wonderful piece of software!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
rNeil;2'768 said:
You would think it would work ... but no see-gar.
Click to expand...
Neil - still unsure of whether you're accessing the other computer through a network or directly. The above works for me [connected via ethernet cable], and I can edit images on/from both the laptop and workstation and sync both catalogs.

I don't have LR in front of me so don't know the exact wording/commands but I think you can choose, I suspect like with a normal import, to leave the images where they are or copy them to a new location. You can do it similarly when exporting as a catalog, and include or not include the images & folders as part of it.

I'll be away from this afternoon for a week so won't be able to get back to you on this one unfortunately (until I'm back!), I hope someone else can chime in on your quest. It is definitely possible to work on 'multiple machines' though sharing the same set of images. True networking, however, is still beyond LR.

Anyway, all the best.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Stas,

Thanks for the response, the answer is over a regular network. All peer-to-peer, that is, no central server. And as stated in my last post, the "copy to folder" command doesn't copy the image files, just the previews.

I followed the complete "import from catalog" dialog ... it just doesn't copy the blame images from one computer to another.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
When you did the Export Catalog did you check 'Include Negatives'? This would have copies of the originals made, along with the Catalog and Previews.


Don
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It think that's the step that Neil's trying to skip Don. Export then Import does as planned, but he'd like to skip the Export and just Import from Catalog, as per the other thread.

Works great if you don't need to transfer files, but transferring the files will always make it a 2 step process, whether you use Export As Catalog to copy the files or you do it manually using Explorer/Finder.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Victoria Bampton;2'8'2 said:
It think that's the step that Neil's trying to skip Don. Export then Import does as planned, but he'd like to skip the Export and just Import from Catalog, as per the other thread."

Exactly ... I just want a clean, easy, automated, and quick way to work ... that's supposed to be what computers are for, right?

"Works great if you don't need to transfer files, but transferring the files will always make it a 2 step process, whether you use Export As Catalog to copy the files or you do it manually using Explorer/Finder.
Click to expand...

Ah ... so though it allows you to choose the option, it won't actually follow through and DO what it allows you to choose? Delightful behavior!

So, it does require work at both computers to accomplish ... export from one to the other as a new catalog, then import into a current catalog ... then file-manager work to delete the now-extra catalog.

How ... well, "inelegant" doesn't even seem near strong enough, but at least, it's polite enough in public. The whole idea behind computers is to automate steps and processes. This is ... not.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It is fairly elegant in the case where the original files are visible to both machines, which is often true in a studio environment where the originals are stored on a fileserver accessible to both workstations.

It's not realistic to expect it to cover all possible situations...

That said, having Import from Catalog able to slurp the originals sounds like a very reasonable feature request to me.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
So ...

Peer-to-peer, it won't copy the ''negatives" but central server, it will? Huh.

From what I've heard and experienced before Lr doesn't like files on a non-attached drive of any kind, now it makes a difference.

Stranger and stranger ... as you still can't use the network server as your catalog location. So, you can now have your image files on a server, rather than a local or attached drive?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
rNeil;2'845 said:
Peer-to-peer, it won't copy the ''negatives" but central server, it will? Huh.
Click to expand...

No, it won't then either, but then it doesn't need to -- if the server is always accessible, the files can just live there.

rNeil;2'845 said:
From what I've heard and experienced before Lr doesn't like files on a non-attached drive of any kind, now it makes a difference.
Click to expand...

It doesn't like catalogs on a networked drive. The image files can be on a networked drive.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Ah ... thank you, Mark.

I'm thinking that might slow down creation of previews etc, though? And perhaps standard export, too?

Hmmmm.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top