LR2; How to move more than one folder at a time?

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mxs

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Hi folks,

my master images are located outside of LR2 database. I have a firm folder structure in place.

Anyone knows, how to move more then 1 folder at a time. For example, I have five folders highlighted in my folder panel and I am trying to move them to their new place. It always moves only one folder at a time, depending which folder were you on at a time of mouse drag ....
I could do it one by one, but with hundred folders to be moved, I am thinking there must be a better way.


In case you are wondering why I am doing this. Well I have a need for a new parent folder, so that's why they need to be moved to their new place. Unfortunately LR2 doesn't detect when you move your system folders, so the only way to do it is to initiate the change from LR2, so system updates automatically.
Or another option would be to move them in Finder, after that you get "Missing link ?" sign on your folder, but the problem here's that I cannot fix, again, more than one folder at a time ......


Current structure


Master images
2''7-'4-25
2''8-'5-3'
2''8-'8-'1
2''8-'8-2'




New structure


Master images
2''7
2''7-'4-25
2''8
2''8-'5-3'
2''8-'8-'1
2''8-'8-2'


Thanks
 
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Welcome to the forums mxs!

We can already guess that you are with Mac. But, as the procedure is different, what version of Lightroom?

Please fill in your signature by going to "CP Panel" left of blue line above the forums. Use example from others users. That way, we will not have to ask for those details in the future...
 
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Denis Pagé;253'' said:
Welcome to the forums mxs!

We can already guess that you are with Mac. But, as the procedure is different, what version of Lightroom?

Please fill in your signature by going to "CP Panel" left of blue line above the forums. Use example from others users. That way, we will not have to ask for those details in the future...
Click to expand...

Sorry, will update it right away.
 
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So you are on LR2.1. This is good news as you just have to right click on a folder and choose the "Add parent folder" option then. :D
 
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I wish it was that easy. Maybe I have to explain a bit more.

The parent folder "Master pictures" (I used to list only the date folders) is there and fine. The problem is that I decided to insert year folders (to simplify and be able to collapse years I don't work with) like 2''7, 2''8. Thus they become subfolders of Master pictures folder. I can drag date folders one by one, but I cannot do it in bulk (even though you can highlight more than folder at once).

That is the problem I am trying to solve, avoid doing 1'' times drag and drop ....
 
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What I would do then is remove the "Master pictures" level from lightroom and close Lightroom. Restructure in finder for the ability to select many folders. Reopen Lightroom and relink "missing photos".

As I am not certain that it will relink all folders at once when one is done. I would just create a temporary similar file structure as actual with just a couple folders and a couple photos per folder and import this into a new temporary test catalog in Lightroom. Then test the above procedure.
 
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The test is probably a good idea, but I have a feeling that the relinking will have to be done one by one, which essentially will put me in the same shoe I am in right now.
 
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I've been testing last 2' mins and whatever I try, it always comes down to the fact that I cannot make the parent folder to update all the subfolders. LR2 will detect that the folder doesn't have any image files and will not offer the option.

Adobe must have taken it away from LR2, because I found an article (http://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr_tracking_files/locate-lost-files.htm, under figure 6) which basically explains how to do it, but in ver. 1. What a shame. Something that easy shouldn't be that difficult.
 
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I was just about to say I got it now what he meant.

I think I tried that already yesterday, but I am not 1''% sure so I will give it another shot.

Thanks for the replies.
 
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No, no luck. LR will just not update new folder in a folder.

The only way to make LR aware of a new subfolder like 2''7 or 2''8 in my structure above is to drag one by one all date folders into respective year folder (to re-import the new structure is out of question). I cannot understand why would anyone implement it this way. It's good for one folder, but completely useless to move let say 5' folders ....
 
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Mark Sirota said:
So put an image in there temporarily, then delete it when you're done!
Click to expand...

To expand a bit: Reorganize everything with finder so that everything is set up the way you want. Put a throwaway jpg in the master folder (that otherwise has nothing in except other folders, right?).

Do an import and import that one image in place.

Once you now show the master folder in LR, context click and select "synchronize" -- and go get a cup of coffee or tea, maybe a snack, too.

When you come back it should say how many photos it found.

Then click on synchronize and note the metatdata LR is proposing to add to every photo to be brought in during the synchronize. Most likely you will want to edit or even delete that. It will also list all the subfolders that will be brough in. Existing metadata will come in as is. Click on synchronize and go out for dinner and dancing...
 
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Thanks for the suggestion, but .....

Because I have quite a few edits done and versions for certain images, I think I would lose all of that, or perhaps should I say that the future of such files should be in question.

Since I already spent enough time on this seemingly simple thing, I opened up a bottle of wine on Friday and moved all the folders manually. I hated the 2'mins of dragging and dropping, but 2''7 is done. I will do 2''8 when I re-stock my wine ... :-)

Thanks for your reply.
 
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mxs;257'2 said:
Thanks for the suggestion, but .....

Because I have quite a few edits done and versions for certain images, I think I would lose all of that, or perhaps should I say that the future of such files should be in question.
Click to expand...

You would lose the edits if your catalog preferences had "Automatically write changes into XMP" unchecked so that the only place the edits exist is in the catalog database. I believe the same thing applies to the check box above that "Include Develop settings...." for jpg, tiff and psd.

I keep them both checked as a kind of insurance even though it clutters up my folders with xmp files and bloats my jpg, tiff and psd with extra metadata unreadable by anything other than lightroom.

Since I already spent enough time on this seemingly simple thing, I opened up a bottle of wine on Friday and moved all the folders manually. I hated the 2'mins of dragging and dropping, but 2''7 is done. I will do 2''8 when I re-stock my wine ... :-)

Thanks for your reply.
Click to expand...

Only 2' minutes of drag and drop doesn't sound all that bad, though. I hope you backed up the database when you were done.
 
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