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Show Parent Folder Error

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Dungeness

FrankC
Premium Classic Member
Premium Cloud Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2019
Messages
7
Location
Sequim, WA
Lightroom Experience
Intermediate
Lightroom Version
Lightroom Version Number
LR Classic 8.3.1
Operating System
  1. Windows 10
When I click on Show Parent Folder on any of my folders, I get the dialog box shown in the attached screen shot. When I click on Show in Explorer it shows the correct hierarchy. Also, if I hover over a folder with the cursor it shows the same correct hierarchy. I have researched the book and online forums but haven’t found a similar situation. All the LR modules are working. Appreciate any suggestions.
LR Classic Screen Shot (002).PNG
 
Which of the folders shown did you click on to get the error? The top portion of the folder panel is missing from the screen shot. I need to see the top portion of the folder panel. It includes the dark bar with the down pointing triangle the word "Folders" and the "+"
 
Here is a better screen shot The dialog box occurs with every subject folder listed under D drive when I click on Show Parent Folder. The hierarchy when I hover over the subject folder or click Show In Explorer is D:\Users\Frank\Pictures\MY LIGHTROOM PHOTOS\(the selected subject folder). Thanks for looking into this.
LR Classic 2 snip.PNG
 
Hi Frank, I think something's got a bit mangled in the database. If you want to zip up just the lrcat bit and use www.wetransfer.com to send it to me, I'll take a quick look and see if we can untangle it easily for you.
 
Here is a better screen shot The dialog box occurs with every subject folder listed under D drive when I click on Show Parent Folder. The hierarchy when I hover over the subject folder or click Show In Explorer is D:\Users\Frank\Pictures\MY LIGHTROOM PHOTOS\(the selected subject folder).
Check the capitalisation of 'MY LIGHTROOM PHOTOS' on your drive. Is it also written in ALL CAPS there?
 
It is All CAPS on the drive. However, when I hover over 5 of the subject folders it is My Lightroom Photos yet when I click Show In Explorer on those folders it takes me to the proper drive and MY LIGHTROOM PHOTOS.
Excuse my minimal computer knowledge but you say zip up just the lrcat bit. Do you mean Lightroom Catalog File?
 
It is All CAPS on the drive. However, when I hover over 5 of the subject folders it is My Lightroom Photos yet when I click Show In Explorer on those folders it takes me to the proper drive and MY LIGHTROOM PHOTOS.
So if I understand you correctly, then the name is in all caps on your drive, but if you hover over the folders in Lightroom you see the name with only the first letters in caps? If the answer is yes, then you do not have a problem with the catalog, but a problem known as the ‘capitalisation problem’. If so, we should be able to help you solve it.
 
Only 5 of the 18 subject folders have the name with the first letter in caps. all others are all caps. However when I click Show Parent
 
OOPS, hit send too soon. when I click Show Parent Folder every subject folder shows the dialog box. shown above
 
OK, that means that you do have the capitalisation problem. Basically, what happens is that you have two different folders, one called ‘MY LIGHTROOM PHOTOS’ and the other one called ‘My Lightroom Photos’. In other words, the names are the same, except for the capitalisation. Because MacOS and Windows are case-insensitive, your OS sees those two folders as one and the same folder and so it deals with this without you even being aware of it. You will only see one version. But Lightroom is case-sensitive, so Lightroom does see two different folders.

Here's how to fix the problem. Because you do not see the ‘My Lightroom Photos’ folder in Lightroom, you will have to solve this at the subfolder level. Follow these steps carefully. Try it with one subfolder. If it works, repeat steps 3 - 5 with the other subfolders.
1. Backup your catalog.
2. Create a folder directly on the root of your internal hard drive, call it whatever you want, say "Capitals Fix". Note: do this in Windows Explorer/Macintosh Finder, not in Lightroom.
3. Right-click on the one of the problem subfolders in the Lightroom Folders Panel and select "Update Folder Location". In the file browser that then opens, browse to and select the "Capitals Fix" folder.
4. Don't be alarmed as the subfolder will disappear from the Folders Panel, "Capitals Fix" will appear but all the sub-sub-folders that were listed under the original subfolder will now have "?" marks.
5. Now right-click on "Capitals Fix" in the Folders Panel, and again choose “Update Folder Location". This time browse to and select the original subfolder inside MY LIGHTROOM PHOTOS. You may get a "Merge" dialog box, select "Merge" and everything should resolve itself.
 
It worked. I changed location for all folders not in caps per your instructions. All subject folders now respond to Show Parent Folder. Backed up after the fix.
Thank you so much for your expertise and time.
Now on to transferring to a new computer. (using Victoria's instructions)
 
Oh great job, well done. Excellent instructions as always @Johan Elzenga
 
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