Lightroom import problem

[Paul T]

Hi All,
I'm a new member having import problems. I'm running Lightroom 5.7 on a macbook pro, OS sierra 10.12.

Import has suddenly stopped seeing files. I shoot raw CR2 files on my Canons and have an import preset which converts to DNG. LR doesn't see the raw files on the card. I've imported via Photomechanic, and converted the files to DNG with the adobe converter, LR doesn't see the converted files.

I've tried to import folders containing jpgs, or tiffs, LR isn't seeing anything.

I've tried copy, move, add options, and unticked the don't import suspected duplicates box. No luck.

Any suggestions gratefully received.


Regards,



Paul Thompson.

 

[clee01l]

Welcome to the forum. The problem might be compatibilities between Sierra and LR 5.7. Just before Sierra was released, Adobe released an update to the current version of LR (now LR6.7) with the caveat that the LR update needed to be installed before upgrading to Sierra as LR6.6.1 was incompatible. The last release of the LR5 version is LR5.7.1. There will be no further updates to the LR5 version or any other legacy version. Your best option (other than downgrading to El Capitan) would be to purchase the LR6.7 upgrade.

 

[Paul T]

Thank you, that's really helpful. I'll get the upgrade.

 

[Paul T]

Hi,
I've upgraded to LR 6.7. As I already had Sierra, I did a reboot in safe mode and re installed it. The problem is still there. Is this the next step?
Regret installing the macOS Sierra? Here's how to revert back to OS X El Capitan

 

[clee01l]

I have both the latest version of LR and MacOS. I don't have problems with imports. No one else on Sierra and LR6.7 has reported issues. Your issue must be something else. Have you updated Sierra to 10.12.1?
The fact that you converted the CR2s to DNG and the DNG can't be seen by LR suggests the CR2 file itself is flawed
How are you looking at the images on the card? Are you using a card reader?
Which Canon model? Which RAW canon format? RAW, S-RAW or M-RAW?
Can you insert the card in a card reader and view the thumbnails using the Preview App?
Possibilities include:

Bad Camera card
Defective Cable
Defective Card reader​

Replace each of these components one by one and see if you can find the bad component.

Backing up to your original post, what do you mean by "LR doesn't see the raw files on the card. I've imported via Photomechanic, and converted the files to DNG with the adobe converter, LR doesn't see the converted files." Can you explain in detail exactly what steps you take to get to the LR Import dialog window and then can you post a screen shot of that dialog window demonstrating what LR is NOT seeing?

 

[Paul T]

I've upgraded to Sierra 10.12.1, and LR 6.7. I used Canons, 7d mkii, & 1d mkiv, shooting in RAW and jpeg. I've tried a Nikon D800 shooting NEFs TIFFs and jpegs. I've tried different cards, and 2 different card readers. None show up in the LR import window.

A screenshot of the import window is attached. It's pointed at a folder of jpgs, it looks the same when I try a folder of dngs. When a card reader is connected it shows up as normal, in the left hand panel next the hd, but no files are detected.

I haven't tried the Preview app yet.

I shot the RAW files as normal. After the first import attempt failed, I imported the files via Photomechanic. LR failed to import the RAW files from the folder I put them in. I then converted them to DNGs. LR still failed to see them. I then tested other cameras/cards/file formats and card readers, all with the same results. The import dialogue always looks the same.

Regards,



Paul.

 

[clee01l]

I'm running out of ideas. Let's revert to some of the standard options
Remove or rename the LR preferences file "com.adobe.Lightroom6.plist". It is found here: "/Users/[userID]/Library/Preferences Reboot and restart LR. This will cause LR to build a new Preferences file.

The fact the the Lightroom Import dialog shows no thumbnails in the folder is disturbing. Compare your Import dialog with this screen shot:

From your center panel, there is a whole menu bar that is missing.

One thing that I am convinced is that it has nothing to do with the camera card or the file type on it. Remove or replace your preferences file, reboot and restart LR and See if that makes a difference. I would suggest that you reinstall. But since this Problem started with LR5.7 and you now have LR6.7 installed. I don't see how there could be a problem with this fresh install.

If after creating a new preferences file you still have this problem, Would you include the contents of the "System Info..." dialog in your reply. "System Info..." is a menu item found on the LR Help menu.

 

[Gnits]

Can you do a matching screen shot of the folder in Finder where the images are located.

 

[Paul T]

Hi, there was no com.adobe.Lightroom6.plist file in the library preferences folder. I rebooted and checked, it hadn't created one. A screenshot of the com.adobe files in the preferences folder is attached.
I've also attached a shot of the system info dialog, and the folder where the images are kept.

Thanks for your time.


Regards,



Paul.

 

[Gnits]

I was hoping for the following view.

 

[Paul T]

Apologies,

 

[Gnits]

I understand now the structure and have an example of the images you are trying to import from a Finder perspective..... but ...

I was hoping you would also show a screen dump of the Import Dialogue where/when you select the same folder. (ie Finder and Lightroom Import are looking at the same folder.)

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Hi, there was no com.adobe.Lightroom6.plist file in the library preferences folder. I rebooted and checked, it hadn't created one.

Did you look in the correct folder? Don't look in Macintosh HD/Library/Preferences, but in Macintosh HD/Users/YourName/Library/Preferences.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

From your center panel, there is a whole menu bar that is missing.

I thought that too for a moment, but this is normal. The menu bar on top of the center panel only appears if the center grid contains images. If not, the menu bar is hidden.

 

[clee01l]

Hi, there was no com.adobe.Lightroom6.plist file in the library preferences folder. I rebooted and checked, it hadn't created one. A screenshot of the com.adobe files in the preferences folder is attached.

LR will create one the first time the app is opened. There should have been a plist "com.adobe.Lightroom5.plist" in that folder too. The fact that there was no Lightroom6.plist until you rebooted suggests that you had not opened LR6 yet. Now that you have a Plist file, how does the import dialog look?

I also join Johan in questioning whether you opened the correct library folder.

 

[clee01l]

I thought that too for a moment, but this is normal. The menu bar on top of the center panel only appears if the center grid contains images. If not, the menu bar is hidden.

Thanks for pointing that out. When there are no images in the selected Source folder or sub folders, you also get a message "No Photos Found". This is also not present in the first screen shot. I'm wondering if a bad screen profile could be at work here? I know that LR really objects to a corrupt monitor profile.

 

[clee01l]

What is with the computer generated volume name in the most recent screen shot of the import dialog?

It was not present in the first screen shot and the volume that was present "MobileBackups" is no longer mounted.

 

[Paul T]

I understand now the structure and have an example of the images you are trying to import from a Finder perspective..... but ...

I was hoping you would also show a screen dump of the Import Dialogue where/when you select the same folder. (ie Finder and Lightroom Import are looking at the same folder.)

 

[Paul T]

What is with the computer generated volume name in the most recent screen shot of the import dialog?

It was not present in the first screen shot and the volume that was present "MobileBackups" is no longer mounted.

It seems to be my time machine backup. I don't know why it has these random numbers, maybe because the actual TM disc isn't attached? A screenshot of the expanded

folder structure is attached

 

[Paul T]

LR will create one the first time the app is opened. There should have been a plist "com.adobe.Lightroom5.plist" in that folder too. The fact that there was no Lightroom6.plist until you rebooted suggests that you had not opened LR6 yet. Now that you have a Plist file, how does the import dialog look?

I also join Johan in questioning whether you opened the correct library folder.

I've rebooted and searched for the Lightroom 6plist file, still no luck.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

The sort of that folder is set to Modification Date. Can you set it to Name and then do a search? If Lightroom has not been able to write to its preferences file, this may be the problem. And if so, that preferences file could be all the way down somewhere if you sort by modification date.

By the way, your folder windows look quite messy with all these question marks and an unknown zip file in the folder bar. Why don't you drag these off?

 

[Paul T]

I've set it to Name, the Lightroom file doesn't seem to be there. I've searched, and done a finder search just in case. Is there a way to get LR to write a preference file?

 

[Jim Wilde]

I still think that's the wrong Preferences folder.....on my system, the "System Configuration" sub-folder appears in the Macintosh HD>Library>Preferences folder (as do many of the other files in your list). The Lightroom plist files should be in the location specified by Johan in his post #13 above. Please confirm that you have looked there.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Agreed. Many of those files are system preferences, not user preferences. This is the wrong folder. If you can't find the user/library folder, then you should have said so. In that case read this: Enable Hidden Library Folder On Mac In macOS Sierra, Here's How | Redmond Pie

 

[clee01l]

How many Apple UserIDs are on this computer? If (for instance) you are running LR signed in as user "PaulK" and look at folders for user "Paul"m you won't have read access to any files in this folders because they belong to "Paul" and not the user that is logged on.



Actually It is clear the the path to this preference folder is "/Library/Preferences/" since the Folder named "SystemConfiguration" only exists in the System Library.

Also, can you post a screen shot of the following Finder result

1. Open Finder
2. On the menu click {Go}{Go to folder...}
3. In the dialog that is open enter this string "/Users/Paul/Library/Preferences"
4. When the results display, change the sort order to "name"
5. From the folder result get a screen shot of all of the files that begin with "com.adobe.Lightroom...plist"

Remember the goal here after you find the correct plist file is to remove or rename it and reboot so that LR will create a new one.