Image File Sync and the Catalog

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mitch1200

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I've looked through the various threads on this topic and have tried to understand Lr's capabilities in the context of my own workflow; but I'm still a bit stymied. I'm working under the following assumptions:

1) I can't store all of my images on my internal HD (Mac Book Pro) because there isn't enough room, so I store them on an external 1 TB drive.
2) I do store my lrcat file on the internal HD because Lr runs faster that way.
3) Lr automatically backs up the lrcat file to a network share periodically.
4) Lr is set to automatically save develop settings, etc. to sidecars.
5) I'm often on the road and want my external HD at home to be different than the external drive I take with me (weight, durability, redundancy and functionality are the reasons), but I want them both to have the same images. To do that and have the single lrcat refer to both, the drive names and file structures need to be identical.

On the road I'll often do some editing of new images and sometimes old images. Because I'm using the same machine home and away, the catalog reflects all changes that I make. However the image files on the away external HD are now different than the external drive at home (or the opposite if I'm working at home).

Should I simply sync the drives using canned software? Or are there other solutions?

I've thought about having the lrcat's reside on the external drives and export and import catalogs as appropriate. But then I have to remember what folders I've edited so I know what images/folders to export as catalogs for integration into the other.

Your suggestions would be genuinely appreciated.


Thanks, Mitch
 
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All your assumptions are on the mark. You needn't sync though.
When you plug in the drive that isn't up to date you can just select all in library/grid and cmd-s to write the changes to the sidecars.
 
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Thanks Geoff. Sounds like that will work.

However, what happens if I edit an image in Ps and save back into Lr while on the road? The psd image is referenced in the catalog, but not in the external drive sitting at home. Cmd-S won't take care of that, will it? I think I'll need to sync the external drives....but I'm definitely open to alternatives.

Mitch

PS. I've noticed that when the two external drives are mounted at the same time, Leopard appends a "-1" to the name of the last to be mounted. Thus there's no collisions with the Lr catalog since it doesn't recognize the second HD, but I'm wondering if the sync software will be okay--probably no problem, eh?
 
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If you create PSD's in either catalog, you can just synchronise the folders the other catalog to bring them in.
 
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Geoff,

Woops, I lost you. I'm working with a single catalog, and two different, but identical external drives. I don't understand what you mean by "synchronise the folders the other catalog...." The catalog already has the new PSDs, but one of the two external drives doesn't have the actual image files. Sorry about how dense I am this morning. Your help is appreciated. Mitch
 
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The drives have different names don't they? If not just name them in finder with different names.
So then you can sift the image files from one drive to another inside LR. Do this inside LR and no links will be broken.
Don't worry I get lost frequently as well answering lots of queries!!:lol::lol:
 
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Hi Geoff,

Again I'm being dense. Sorry.

I need to physically move image files from one drive to another to be sure that both drives are up-to-date with the same images. The catalog obviously shows broken links when using the non-up-to-date external drive. I'm not sure what "sift the image files" means unless you meant "shift the image files;" but then how does one do that within Lr? And yes, the drives have the same names (and file structure) so that they both can be referenced by my single Lr catalog. And yes, I can temporarily change the name of the new (or old) one, but I'm still lost as to how to synchronize them. Thanks again.

Mitch
 
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mitch12'' said:
Hi Geoff,

Again I'm being dense. Sorry.

I need to physically move image files from one drive to another to be sure that both drives are up-to-date with the same images. The catalog obviously shows broken links when using the non-up-to-date external drive. I'm not sure what "sift the image files" means unless you meant "shift the image files;" but then how does one do that within Lr? And yes, the drives have the same names (and file structure) so that they both can be referenced by my single Lr catalog. And yes, I can temporarily change the name of the new (or old) one, but I'm still lost as to how to synchronize them. Thanks again.

Mitch
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Hi Mitch, yes I did mean shift -sorry!!
To shift images or folders in LR just grab them in library/grid and drag them to the location you want in the folders panel.I can't see the logic in drives having the same name, I would use names like Master and Copy or Drive 1 and Drive 2.
For syncing it may indeed be easier to use some syncing software.
 
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Aha, now I got it. Thanks.

The logic of two identically named drives (one for the road and one at home)? So that I need only one catalog, resident on the single Mac Book Pro. I couldn't think of another way in which the same catalog can reference two different drives with identical images (assuming proper syncing)? [I'm storing the catalog on the Mac Book rather than a copy on each of the external drives so that Lr will run faster!]

Thanks. Mitch
 
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"Lights On" mode is now in operation...!!:cheesy::cheesy:
 
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