Moving images without loosing LR settings

[wblink]

Hi,

Just starting with LR. I thought it might be a good idea to import my new pictures to a standard folder, adding the metadata and later move theme to my year/month/day foldersystem, keeping the former info in LR.
I did so with the picts from last travel (Israël) (imported them in 1 folder), now I want to move them to the date structure AND keep the info in LR.

Stupid, I know, but how do I do this?

 

[RipIt]

So, if I understand correctly:

On your hard drive you have a folder structure like:
Pictures/2''7/December/24

In Lightroom you have a folder structure like:
1 Folder (named whatever)

First you need to have Lightroom recognize your existing dated folder structure system. Import at least one image from the lowest level folder in that structure.

Now that LR is aware of the folder structure on your hard drive, select the images in the 1 Folder by clicking on the name 1 Folder in the Folder pane of the Library module.

Now in the Metadata pane select the date that corresponds with the dated folders. I am assuming all the images were not shot on the same day
Once you have selected a date in the Metadata pane, select all the images in the grid and drag them to the relevant folder in the Folder pane.

this will move the files on the hard drive from the single folder you imported them into to the dated folder structure you want them in.

Next time you import images from a memory card it would be a lot easier to put them in the dated folders at that time.

 

[wblink]

So, if I understand correctly:

On your hard drive you have a folder structure like:
Pictures/2''7/December/24

In Lightroom you have a folder structure like:
1 Folder (named whatever)

Next time you import images from a memory card it would be a lot easier to put them in the dated folders at that time.

Hi,

No that is not the situation.
I have imported the pictures in the israel-folder in LR, giving some global metadata. Now I want to refine the metadata and at the same time move the pictures to the date-structured folders.

Hmm I am beginnig to understand, I think what I really want is COLLECTION Israël 2''7 and the files in the date structured folders.

Will search again, if you HAVE any tips I'll be obliged.

 

[wblink]

So, if I understand correctly:

Next time you import images from a memory card it would be a lot easier to put them in the dated folders at that time.

Hi again,

I think I have found what I want to do.
Indeed import direct, but I did not know that there is a n import-template in LR to do just what I want: import pictures in year/mont/day folderstructure. Thebn afterwards I can all join them to collection "Israël Trip".

You pointed me in the right direction, thanks!

And LR is opening it's possibilities.

 

[Kiwigeoff]

Hi again,

I think I have found what I want to do.
Indeed import direct, but I did not know that there is a n import-template in LR to do just what I want: import pictures in year/mont/day folderstructure. Thebn afterwards I can all join them to collection "Israël Trip".

You pointed me in the right direction, thanks!

And LR is opening it's possibilities.

I would keep the image files in the year/month/day folders and create an "Israel Trip" collection. Less messy and image files are then always located in the same order. Collections can be across folders and images can be in several collections.

 

[wblink]

I would keep the image files in the year/month/day folders and create an "Israel Trip" collection. Less messy and image files are then always located in the same order. Collections can be across folders and images can be in several collections.

Yes, you are right and that is just the way I found out and am using right now.

 

[Matt]

Re:Swopping images between HDs using 1 main catalog

Hi

I know this topic has been brought up many times but the replies have confused more than inform me. I have a laptop with my main catalog. I have two sets of identical images on two separate HDs in two different countries. I move between the two with my laptop and a portable HD which transports the new sets of images which I transfer to the HD of the place I am going to and visa versa.

How can I transport the LR changes etc from one HD to the other and add them to the main catalog? I have been pointed towards other posts with the same problem but the replies, as I said, have been confusing.

Can anyone give me a really simple explanation.

Many thanks


Matt


Mac 1'.5.6 MacBook Pro. LR 2.4. Canon 5D2 Hasselblad etc.

 

[clee01l]

Lightroom keeps all its changes in the catalog. Unless "Automatically write changes to XMP" is checked, no files are modified.
If your two separate identical harddrives are truly identical, they will be seen by your laptop as the same drive and it will remain transparent to the OS that these physical devices are in different countries.
I would keep all my current images on the Local HD and the portable HD and use the remote site HD as backup for the files on the local HD and the portable HD Any files on the Local HD that are no longer current could be moved to the remote site HD as an archive. You do not need LR to manage the image backups.
[quote author=Matt link=topic=833.msg51115#msg51115 date=1249576657]
Hi

I know this topic has been brought up many times but the replies have confused more than inform me. I have a laptop with my main catalog. I have two sets of identical images on two separate HDs in two different countries. I move between the two with my laptop and a portable HD which transports the new sets of images which I transfer to the HD of the place I am going to and visa versa.

How can I transport the LR changes etc from one HD to the other and add them to the main catalog? I have been pointed towards other posts with the same problem but the replies, as I said, have been confusing.

Can anyone give me a really simple explanation.

Many thanks


Matt


Mac 1'.5.6 MacBook Pro. LR 2.4. Canon 5D2 Hasselblad etc.
[/quote]

 

[Denis Pagé]

Welcome to Lightroom Forums Matt!

As you are on Mac, are you two drives similarly named?
Are they both connected when Lightroom is in use?
Do you write XMP data to files?

With answers to those 3, we can give you the exact workflow.

 

[Matt]

Hi Denis

My HD in Mexico is called MyBook5'' and the HD in London is called MyBook1T. The portable HD I use to transport the images is called LaCie5''.

Generally the portable LaCie5'' HD is connected as well as the main HD whenever I am in either country.

"Automatically write changes to XMP" is checked all the time.

Many thanks


Matt

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Automatically write changes to XMP could be complicating things slightly, as it'll only update whichever drive is connected immediately after the change that prompts the update, so you'll never know which drive has the correct XMP's for each image.

I'd put the catalog on the internal drive, or on the LaCie drive. Then I'd make sure the Lightroom Folders panel is showing a nice tidy hierarchy so you only need to relink the top level folder when you switch from one country's drive to the other.

When it comes to moving images from MyBook5'' to MyBook1T, I'd probably close LR, copy those images onto LaCie using the OS, and then when you get to the other end, put them into the same place on the other drive. When you open LR, you'd only need to update the links to the right drive (switching from MyBook5'' to MyBook1T) and everything should fall into place. If you want to make it even easier, rename both of the MyBook drives to the same name and LR won't even realise they're different drives.

 

[Matt]

Hi Victoria

Your precise, simple explanation has elegantly cut through the months of confusion.

Very many thanks

Matt

If you have a book/blog about Lightroom that uses such simple explanations, I'll have it!

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Matt, that's great to hear. And funnily enough, I do have both a blog and a book! You'll find the details for both on my website at www.lightroomqueen.com