Problem with VC

[mikecox]

Lightroom Version Number

Classic

Operating System

1. Android

I have 8x10 images containing 4 small images. I coped each image and created a VC and gave it a filename. I then moved to the next image and did the same, until all four images were VC's with their own filename. But when I open the copies the original image displayed in Explorer.

Clearing I am misunderstanding something about VC's

Click Here to see what is happening.

 

[Califdan]

I'm having trouble understanding what you are doing. I suspect you are using terminology that incorrectly. A file name belongs to a physical image stored on your hard drive. A VC shares the file name with the master images and cannot have its own file name. It can have a unique "copy name". So, when you say you "created a VC and gave it a filename" that is confusing me. Did you give it a copy name or did you change the file name of the master image?

I'm also confused by the "click here to see what's happening". When I click there, I get a single Jpg image and I'm not clear on what it is supposed to show me.

Can you also elaborate on what my mean by "containing 4 small images"? Is this a composite where one jpg has 4 different images in it, say on in each quadrant or is that the desired end result?

In the mean time a VC is a "Virtual" copy. It looks and behaves as if it were an actual image but in fact it is just another entry in the catalog that refers to a master image that already has an entry in the catalog. In other words, 2 or more instances in LR (read that as 2 or more thumbnails) point to the same physical image file on disk - the Jpg. But, as LR is a nondestructive editor, that is fine since no changes get made to the actual image file when you edit in LR. Rather LR keeps a list of changes for that image. And, if there is a VC for that image, it keeps two such lists - one for the imported image and one for the VC - and each refer back to the original, unedited jpg image on disk.

 

[Dan Marchant]

I have 8x10 images containing 4 small images. I coped each image and created a VC and gave it a filename. I then moved to the next image and did the same, until all four images were VC's with their own filename. But when I open the copies the original image displayed in Explorer.

Clearing I am misunderstanding something about VC's

Virtual copies are virtual... they don't exist. The whole point of them is to allow you to have many different versions of an image without actually filling your hard drive with duplicate files. A VC only exists as an entry in the LR catalog. All VCs of an image use the same source image file on the hard drive so any time you select to show file in finder/explorer it will show the same original file for each of its VCs.

 

[mikecox]

Virtual copies are virtual... they don't exist. The whole point of them is to allow you to have many different versions of an image without actually filling your hard drive with duplicate files. A VC only exists as an entry in the LR catalog. All VCs of an image use the same source image file on the hard drive so any time you select to show file in finder/explorer it will show the same original file for each of its VCs.

Ok, makes sense. So is there any way to create and edit a VC that can be exported as a jpg, without including the original image?

 

[mikecox]

I'm having trouble understanding what you are doing. I suspect you are using terminology that incorrectly. A file name belongs to a physical image stored on your hard drive. A VC shares the file name with the master images and cannot have its own file name. It can have a unique "copy name". So, when you say you "created a VC and gave it a filename" that is confusing me. Did you give it a copy name or did you change the file name of the master image?

I created VC of each image on the page. I sorted arranged them all, then I renamed them all in sequence.

I'm also confused by the "click here to see what's happening". When I click there, I get a single Jpg image and I'm not clear on what it is supposed to show me.

I meant for you to click on the word "here", it's a link, click it to see the image in my "box".

Can you also elaborate on what my mean by "containing 4 small images"? Is this a composite where one jpg has 4 different images in it, say on in each quadrant or is that the desired end result?

The original, 8x10, image had for photos on it; I scanned 4 photos at a time onto an 8x10 page.

In the mean time a VC is a "Virtual" copy. It looks and behaves as if it were an actual image but in fact it is just another entry in the catalog that refers to a master image that already has an entry in the catalog. In other words, 2 or more instances in LR (read that as 2 or more thumbnails) point to the same physical image file on disk - the Jpg. But, as LR is a nondestructive editor, that is fine since no changes get made to the actual image file when you edit in LR. Rather LR keeps a list of changes for that image. And, if there is a VC for that image, it keeps two such lists - one for the imported image and one for the VC - and each refer back to the original, unedited jpg image on disk.

Ok, I'm beginning to understand now. What I was hoping to do was to crop each image on the page, edit it, then export it with its own filename.
I did notice a lot of files labeled "copy". I will go back to look at them again

Sorry about the confusion.

 

[Rob_Cullen]

"What I was hoping to do was to crop each image on the page, edit it, then export it with its own filename."

Mike, That is exactly what you do, but-
The one thing you need NOT do is to name the Virtual Copies in the Library. As stated above they do not exist as physical files on the disk ( although they are shown as: Filename-Copy1, Filename-Copy2, etc, in the Library)

It is the Exported versions that you will name in any way you wish. Set 'Rename' [on] in the Export dialog.

 

[mikecox]

I'm having trouble understanding what you are doing. I suspect you are using terminology that incorrectly. A file name belongs to a physical image stored on your hard drive. A VC shares the file name with the master images and cannot have its own file name. It can have a unique "copy name". So, when you say you "created a VC and gave it a filename" that is confusing me. Did you give it a copy name or did you change the file name of the master image?

I'm also confused by the "click here to see what's happening". When I click there, I get a single Jpg image and I'm not clear on what it is supposed to show me.

Can you also elaborate on what my mean by "containing 4 small images"? Is this a composite where one jpg has 4 different images in it, say on in each quadrant or is that the desired end result?

In the mean time a VC is a "Virtual" copy. It looks and behaves as if it were an actual image but in fact it is just another entry in the catalog that refers to a master image that already has an entry in the catalog. In other words, 2 or more instances in LR (read that as 2 or more thumbnails) point to the same physical image file on disk - the Jpg. But, as LR is a nondestructive editor, that is fine since no changes get made to the actual image file when you edit in LR. Rather LR keeps a list of changes for that image. And, if there is a VC for that image, it keeps two such lists - one for the imported image and one for the VC - and each refer back to the original, unedited jpg image on disk.

I just noticed that I put the wrong image in my Box. HERE is the image that was supposed to be there.

Actually I forgot that this forum, unlike some I visit, allows attachments!

 

[mikecox]

"What I was hoping to do was to crop each image on the page, edit it, then export it with its own filename."

Mike, That is exactly what you do, but-
The one thing you need NOT do is to name the Virtual Copies in the Library. As stated above they do not exist as physical files on the disk ( although they are shown as: Filename-Copy1, Filename-Copy2, etc, in the Library)

It is the Exported versions that you will name in any way you wish. Set 'Rename' [on] in the Export dialog.

View attachment 13738

Yes! Those are what I was seeing! I've renamed them and exported them successfully. Thanks again.