rename LR Catalog

[azpix]

Hello,

I want to rename my LR catalog. (see two photos below)

Can I just right click on file LR3 CATALOG-2-2 and change the name to XYZ catalog? Do i need to change anything else?

If I then want to move the newly named catalog, do I just move the xyz file to the new location then open that file in light room via File> Open Catalog.

Just want to make sure I do this right. Any input is appreciated.

 

[Roelof Moorlag]

You can rename the catalog (the LRCAT file) when Lightroom is closed.
Be sure to rename de previews folder also and when you have smart previews (i don't see the folder in your screenshot), you have to rename that folder too.
I would rename the LRCAT first, then copy it to paste it in the folder name to be sure they are identical.

You can move the whole folder (with all mentioned files and folders) to another location. Afterwards you can let lightroom know where they are to double click the lrcat file. Lightrooms opens the catalog then and knows from now on where to find it.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

While you're in that folder, you can also trash all those 'Temporary Import Data' files. These are leftovers from the past and are not used anymore.

 

[Rob_Cullen]

Just adding comments to this thread-
A link to help with the catalog rename- How do I find and move or rename my catalog? | The Lightroom Queen
Looking at the folder screen-clip, I see there are only three items you need shown in the clip-

LR3 CATALOG-2-2.LRCAT (File)
LR3 CATALOG-2-2 PREVIEWS.LRDATA (Folder)
Backups (Folder)

As stated in the posts above, the rest can be trashed.
But note- you must have your catalog backups folders on another drive and NOT in the same location as the catalog. So when you next do a Catalog backup choose another location for the backup.

 

[SteveBracken]

When I first Googled "rename Lightroom Catalog" I found an answer on the Adobe Lightroom Blog by one of their best known LR experts. However she misled me by referring to the Preview and Smart Preview .lrdata files. I wasted ages wondering why my Preview and Smart Preview folders didn't contain these files and searching my hard drives for them. Then I found this page and realised that the folders of that name were in fact what I was looking for. Using the correct words really helps when you're explaining something.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

When I first Googled "rename Lightroom Catalog" I found an answer on the Adobe Lightroom Blog by one of their best known LR experts. However she misled me by referring to the Preview and Smart Preview .lrdata files. I wasted ages wondering why my Preview and Smart Preview folders didn't contain these files and searching my hard drives for them. Then I found this page and realised that the folders of that name were in fact what I was looking for. Using the correct words really helps when you're explaining something.

This may be because on a Macintosh, the 'lrdata' folders are so-called 'packages'. A package is really a folder, but it looks like a file and behaves like a file. You can double-click on it to launch the application it belongs to.

 

[SteveBracken]

Thanks for the clarification, Johan. I should have specified that I was using Windows but you obviously realised that.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Thanks for the clarification, Johan. I should have specified that I was using Windows but you obviously realised that.

Yeah, that was not so hard, because it's underneath your name on the left of the message...