LrC 11 additional file in the Lightroom folder next to Catalog file and also in the folder created on a Backup of the Catalog.

[Denis de Gannes]

Lightroom Version

LrC 11.1

Operating System

1. macOS 11 Big Sur

I believe this file has something to do with the new masking feature introduced in LrC version 11.
If "automatically write to xmp" is selected " is the info also written to xmp sidecars and to DNG files?
See the relative screen captures.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Yes, if you write to XMP, then the mask is written to XMP as well.

 

[Philippe Coudé du Foresto]

And yes, this .lrcat-data file contains the masks created with the IA (select subject and select sky).

 

[Denis de Gannes]

Yes, if you write to XMP, then the mask is written to XMP as well.

So that specific file is a “supplement“ to the Catalog file, and any Backup procedure adopted by a user for the Catalog should include that file?

 

[Philippe Coudé du Foresto]

So that specific file is a “supplement“ to the Catalog file, and any Backup procedure adopted by a user for the Catalog should include that file?

Yes.
Note the the LR backup at exit (when invoked) already does that. The backup zip file contains both, the .lrcat and the .lrcat-data.

 

[Denis de Gannes]

Yes.
Note the the LR backup at exit (when invoked) already does that. The backup zip file contains both, the .lrcta and the .lrcat-data.

Thanks Philippe, I am aware of that as indicated in my original post.
So making backups of the Backup created when exiting LrC is the best way to ensure you have a full and optimized copy of the Catalog Data needed to restore a corrupt Catalog.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

So making backups of the Backup created when exiting LrC is the best way to ensure you have a full and optimized copy of the Catalog Data needed to restore a corrupt Catalog.

I'm not sure why you should make backups of that backup in order to do that. If you mean that Lightroom creates the backup inside its own catalog folder, which could mean you lose your backups too if your disk crashes, then be aware that you can change the location of the catalog backups in the dialog that asks you if you want to make a backup.

 

[Denis de Gannes]

I'm not sure why you should make backups of that backup in order to do that. If you mean that Lightroom creates the backup inside its own catalog folder, which could mean you lose your backups too if your disk crashes, then be aware that you can change the location of the catalog backups in the dialog that asks you if you want to make a backup.
View attachment 18008

Yes, I understand that and my backup already sent to a alternate location than the Catalog. That folder is regularly copied to an external disk.

 

[Denis de Gannes]

Thanks to all the responses, just wish to confIrm that I have received all the info needed to satisfy my original post.