Limitations when moving folders inside LR?

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stasber

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Can anyone verify if there are limitations when moving folders from one location to another within LR? Specifically folders with less than/more than 1'' images? Or maybe this is a known issue (did a search, not seen it mentioned).

I'm guessing at the 1'' number, but here's what I did today, each time after a restart of LR, so that I'd have a fresh starting point for each operation.

I wanted to move a folder from one volume (internal hd) to another (external hd). Both are set up in my library/the same catalog. So it's a simple drag & drop (in theory).

The first folder had 157 images. Upon drag & drop, new folder was created in the new location and the progress bar showed me the 'Moving Folder' with all the images going off. Except that the new folder wasn't filling up with images and remained at ', and the original folder remained at 157. On the physical disc, the actual folder and images had all moved from the old location to the new one, intact (i.e. there was one folder with 157 images - now residing in the new location).

In LR the old folder was red, with 157 images displaying ? icons, and the new folder wasn't red and with ' images. Had to re-import them at their current location and generate new standard previews, despite perfectly usable ones in the old folder (yes I know I can turn this off - the point stands), and remove the old folder from LR.

Restart - and import another folder - this time with 39 images. Not a problem.

Restart and import another folder with 28' images - same as the first scenario.

Just tried another - no restart, just whilst the rendering of standard previews is still going on for the previous move; a folder of 4' images moved without a bother.

It's happened before but maybe I've nailed it this time. What a p.i.t.a.
 
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Ok..., the images in your folder are physically associated with the LR catalogue, Ircat.

The moment you take images away from the physical location of the Ircat, LR will display these as red (as you say), whereby the preview is still avaialble only.

The place where you moved your files must have an Ircat assocated with them.

Options
1. Decide which HD you want your images and keep them all together in one Catalogue
2. Export those images/folders you want on a different drive --> as an export catalogue and LR will create a 2nd Ircat on the 2nd drive.

there are issues though with having more than one catalogue.

Here is a tip
http://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/showthread.php?t=1917
 
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Thanks Brad but it doesn't really address the issue - why should I have no issues with small folders then go through the rigmarole for larger folders?

It seems to work fine for folders with less than 1'' images but not for larger folders. Which also makes pants of being able to manage folders within LR. 1'' is a tiny number and the vast majority of my folders have over 1'' images. Assuming that this '1''' image' threshold is the core of the issue hence wondering if anyone else has come across this.

I use one catalog spread over 2 drives at the moment - Working folders on the internal drive and Archive on the external. Folder structure is identical and both appear side by side in my catalog's folders section.
 
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Brad(ers) - that's what I'm thinking, seems to be 1'', which is pants if it is.

Brad(s) - folders and images physically moved all intact and the catalog didn't reflect the change, besides the above descriptions.

Mark - 1.4.1
 
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I agree that if the software allows moving a folder with <1'' images, then a folder with >1'' images should react the same.

Given that it doesn't appear to, isn't there two options:

1) create some sub directories in the >1'' image dir and move those in small groups first??
2) store directories with <1'' images - either by dates, topics, etc.

I use b&w film and slides, so my directories naturally have <4' images. It seems like storing less images in a directory gives more flexibility with movement of the images, which is almost inevitable knowing that the library will grow and that hard drives need to be replaced every so often so they don't wear out.

Just my thoughts.
 
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Sounds really odd to me - I regularly move folders of thousands of images.

Is there anything else that could be tripping it up mid-move?
 
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David - thanks for the suggestions - unless LR will automate for me the import of files into folders of 1'' then either way it's a bit of a pain.. I'll shoot a concert/show of maybe 1''-5'' images. Seems more a likely candidate for a bug report as people's suggestions (helpful as they are) seem mostly to be workarounds, i.e. having to do something else [usually involving more time/effort] in order to achieve something I should be able to do anyway.

Victoria - in my scenario I'm moving folders from an internal hd to an external device (i.e. external hd via usb). Is this the same as yours? Or do you move them between, say, just external devices or internal hds? I've not moved folders purely internally or externally, just between the two. Everything is in the same catalog with top level folders and the folder structure on both int & ext hds is the same.

I'm not aware of anything else that might be tripping it up mid-move. Was even able to move another sub-1'' image folder without a problem whilst LR was rendering previews for the last folder I (tried to) move(d) which was 1''+ images.

*scratches head*

No time right now but will try to test some more tonight (or on Sun when I'm back from a trip) and if it's still the same I'll put in a bug report. Seems kinda bizarre.
 
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I've been testing a whole round of scenarios with no problem, so goodness knows what's going on. Definitely put in a bug report if you can continue to replicate - just try trashing the prefs (or moving them temporarily) before you do, as it fixes weird problems!
 
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