Move picture folders plus reinstall Lr

[hallrar]

For different reasons I need to:

1. Move the folders with pictures I have been working on in Lr to another hard drive.
2. Do a new install of Windows and Lr.

How do I keep all my editing I have done in Lr? Are they all saved in the XMP file that accompanies the RAW files in my picture folders?

Hal

 

[Brad Snyder]

Victoria has done a very nice blog post, here: on moving the whole works to a new computer. What you're proposing is awfully close to that, so have a read there, and if you still have questions, ask away.....

 

[hallrar]

Thanks, Brad.

About the picture info. Is there also a place on the net that easily explains what info is saved where?
I am think metadata, previews, the Lr edits and so.

Hal

 

[Brad Snyder]

The Lr edits and metdata are saved in the *.lrcat catalog database file. There is an option to write the metadata and parametric adjustments (edits) either to a sidecar file alongside the image file, (samename.XMP) or directly in the image file, depending on whether the file is raw or RGB (JPG, PSD, TIF)

On windows, the Library module previews are stored in the preview cache, which is a folder named your_catalog_name.lrdata. There's a complex storage algorithm, and the directory arrangement is not intended for human readability. There is also a cache for Develop module 'previews', which is configurable in the Preferences dialog.

If you have a look in our tips and tricks section, there are links to numerous references. I'd add that Victoria has also written a book (print or electronic), which is an amazing reference to all sorts of questions like this. It's not so much 'how to use it', as a 'how it works' kind of thing. Numerous authors have written excellent how-to's as well, they're listed in the tips and tricks also.