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Missing photo when Smart Preview Exists

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ColMac9090

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Jan 25, 2011
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Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
Lightroom Experience
Intermediate
Lightroom Version
Classic
Lightroom Version Number
8.3.1
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  1. Windows 10
I'm planning on moving all my images to an external disk. In preparation for this I've gradually been creating Smart Previews for all my images. Currently 100% of my photos are stored locally.

There is an issue with this however, as a photo which is genuinely missing (remember all images local) has its "Exclamation Mark" icon replaced by the Smart Preview Icon. The attached image shows the issue. I did a "Find all Missing photos", and got three hits. Two were videos so the "Exclamation Mark" is visible, the other however simply shows a "Smart Preview" icon. As all files are local, in this case, the image genuinely was missing, and not simply on a disconnected external drive.

LR Miss.jpg


The problem now is how to identify files that are actually missing from those that may be disconnected.

In this case it was obvious, in others where there may be a mix of each type of missing image, it may not be possible (for multiple reasons) to connect the external drive at that time.

Is there any other way to identify?

Colin
 
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If you want to find missing images from one particular disk, then do the following. Right-click the top folder of that disk in the folder panel and choose ‘Synchronize Folder’. Don’t synchronize, but at the bottom of the dialog click the ‘Show Missing Photos’ button.
 
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ColMac9090 said:
In preparation for this I've gradually been creating Smart Previews for all my images.
Click to expand...

Colin,
Please explain purpose of creating Smart Previews in relation to you're wanting to move the images from your internal HD to an External HD? Moving images from one drive to another has nothing to do with Smart Previews. Just drag the folders you want to move, in the LR Folders panel (not in Finder) to the desired location on the external drive. Smart Previews stay in a folder where ever the catalog is so really aren't involved in this.
 
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