How to add empty folder structure to the folder list?

[BrisbaneMango]

Hello,

I'm using Lightroom 2.2 on a Windows Vista PC. I've decided to overhaul the folder structure I use to store my photos so I've created a top level 'Photos' folder, with several folders below 'Photos' for the year (e.g., Photos\2''8). Below each of these year folders I have 12 sub-folders for the month (e.g., Photos\2''8\12 December). All the folders and sub-folders are empty (i.e., have no files present) and I plan on using Lightroom's 'Find' facility to find photos filtered by month and then use Lightroom's move facility to move each photo to the new folder structure.

However, I'm trying to get the new folder structure to appear in Lightroom's folder list but I can't seem to do it! I can add each individual year folder (e.g., Photos\2''8) but the month sub-folders do not get added. Ultimately I want the folder list to display just the year (e.g., 2''1, 2''2, etc), and expanding each year to show the months.

Can anyone tell me how I can add my newly-created (but empty) folder structure to the folder list?

Many thanks,

Neil

 

[johnbeardy]

On the header of the Folders panel, click Add Folder.

 

[BrisbaneMango]

On the header of the Folders panel, click Add Folder.

For me, that just adds the top level folder. The (empty) monthly folders below are not added, i.e., if I add the Photos\2''7 folder, I cannot expand the '2''7' folder that appears in the folder list.

Regards,

Neil

 

[Scott O]

I personally find Lightroom cumbersome for doing such tasks...others may not! What I would do is create my new folder structure on the desktop (I keep these folders on the desktop so I can easily access them). Then simply move the images to the appropriate folders. After you have everything arranged as you want, you can delete the folders you currently have in Lightroom and import the new ones. Clean and easy. I use a structure much like you do for jpg files (jpg_photos/year/month) and for RAW I use RAW_photos/year/location. Once you get it set up it is easy to add new folders/image files.

I suspect that this doesn't work too well if your files have been edited already, as you might lose your edit data. I don't really know for sure...

 

[pknoot]

Neil, when you click on the "+" sign to add folders, the dropdown menu allows you to choose either "Add Subfolder" or "Add Folder". Just pick the appropriate one and you're done!

 

[BrisbaneMango]

Just pick the appropriate one and you're done!

I tried this! Selecting 'Add sub-folder...' allows you to create a new folder below the selected folder (but not add an existing sub-folder, which is what I would like to do).

I can use the 'Add folder...' facility to add the individual month sub-folders, but that's cumbersome (I'd have to add over 1'' individual folders!)

I was hoping there's a way to add the entire folder structure in one fell swoop!

Regards,

Neil

 

[pknoot]

Neil,

You're correct in stating that LR won't create a new folder if it already exists on the drive. For future reference, it is far easier to set this up initially from within LR. One option is to delete the empty folders and recreate them in LR. Another would be to add just one image to each folder and import them.

 

[Brad Snyder]

Neil, just emphasizng the last sentence in Peter's post, because it's important and easy to miss.

Since you've created a folder tree already with the OS explorer/finder tools, just stick a dummy image in the folders that Lr is ignoring (it's ignoring them, because they have no images) and then import them. Keep or delete the dummy images as required.