Sidecar images displaying in the filmstrip

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gonzalito

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HI ... I was hoping someone would help with this annoying thing ... (at least for me)
Is there anyway I could disable the sidecar (previews, as I understand) to be displayed in the filmstrip as separate pictures? I understand Lightroom needs those files but ideally, if the those image could be transparent to the user, it would be better...

It is just annoying that when for 1 physical image, I do get 3x displayed in the filmstrip ... Do you know what I mean? Anywhere I could disable this, please?

thanks
 
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Welcome to Lightroom Forums gonzalito!

Not sure of what you call "sidecar" images here... First, to help clarify, do you shoot raw+JPEG and do you have "Treat JPEG files next to raw files as separate photos" ticked in your Import tab of Preferences?
 
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thanks for getting back to me. I have attached two screenshots; please view them in order.

In the first one, the image is a single file. The two additional files are generated by LR. I have noghting against LR using additional files for previewing or for whatever otehr reason. However, it is confusing that they get displayed in the filmstrip! It's like those additional pictures are physically there, but they are not! Do you see what I mean?

In the 2nd screenshot, I get each picture in a spearate folder whereas on the disk, all pictures are in one single folder. Then when I click on folder, I get displayed two pictures - those are the small versions not the main image!

so that's another annoying thing: why in the filmstrip there are 3x pictures (inlcuding the previews), wehreas in the Navigator I only get two? And why the folders for each picture?

I am really giving up LR... so annyoing.

And to answer your questions: At the moment I only shoot RAW and the option is not checked.
Also this issue happens with both jpg and raw files - as far as I could tell.


Thanks
 
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What version of Windows do you use Rafael? It is not Lightroom doing that all by itself. Also, beside Lightroom, what do you use to view your files?

Just a guess... I do not know Windows7 but I think there is an option to keep small previews for when you browse with Windows Explorer. May it be that after browsing you folders with Windows Explorer you then imported the images not taking care of selecting only the main images and not also the cached thumbnails created by Windows?

For now, I am sure you can just delete anyone named IMG_nnn.JPG.files with no harm to your database.
 
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wow ... you right mate! I was not aware Windows is the one to blaim here; i double checked and windows does create some additional files and folders with funky names ... I can delete those but this only means that i'd get rid of them 'till next time I do a thumbnails preview...

Is there anyway I can disable this functionality in windows ... I mean, not the prview itself, rather this automatic file generation...
 
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I think there is a way to disable this behavior but I ask someone knowing Windows7 to chime in...

As for the next time, you just have to avoid choosing them at Import time.
 
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Well,yes....Windows (XP/Vista/7) can generate thumbnails of jpeg images (but not RAW files)....however I do not believe these thumbnails are discretely viewable/importable. In XP, Windows generates a file called Thumbs.db for each folder for which the thumbnails option is turned on. This is a database file which cannot generally be opened by the user. In Vista/7 Windows maintains a thumbnail cache which again cannot generally be seen by the user. I know of no standard Windows 'feature' that would create multiple smaller jpegs of a Raw file.

I would guess that the 'culprit' here is either a specific 'thumbnail creator' piece of software - plenty of freeware utilities available to do this - or perhaps the OP is using an 'import utility' provided by the camera manufacturer and bundled with the camera. Question for gonzalito - before using Lightroom, how do you transfer your pictures from Camera to computer hard drive? Direct camera attachment or memory card transfer. If the latter, how? Using Windows Explorer or specific utility?
 
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I still have some doubts here and I think you touched some good points (last post). There are defenitely additional files and folders, in the same subfolder where my pictures are; these are however hidden. I'm still not convinced that windows is in fact genereating these files. Here are the possible scenarios, as I see them:

1. Lightroom generates these files - I am lead to believe this is not the case as other users in forums do not complain about this issue. I have already checked all possible options in preferences and everything is set as it should.

2. Windows generates the files - I wouldn't be surprised for M$ to introduce such a feature ... however, when they do so, it should also be possible to turn it off - either via a registry setting, or via a GUI option. I've checked few forums and did find a comment from a M$ MVP stating MS did not implement such feature. Although sometimes even MVPs are wrong, I tend to believe this is the case.

3. Another applications creates these folders - I've got installed Picassa but I dont think it would do such thing. All generated files start with the following naming pattern: "vcm_s_kf_m<resolution>" - id a google search and found that Sony Vaio computers have these "nice" utility installed called "Sony Content Analysis" or something like that which monitors files and folders ... that kind of rang a bell to me! I ran the application and noticed that all "My pictures" is being monitored. My picture folder is a subfolder to "My Pictures" - I've disabled this for my own "Work" subfolder. I'll then remove the generated "funky" files from LR and will resync and see what happens.

I'll keep post updated as I think this case could be a good knowledge base one :)

Also, for the record, I'm currently reading this, which shows exactly the same problem:
http://www.elementsvillage.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-38979.html

Thanks
 
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1. No. Lightroom generate his own under YourCatalogName_Previews.lrdata and nowhere else!

2. Bof!

3. THIS IS IT! After disabling the autoindexing, just delete all those "vcm_s_kf_m<resolution>" and they won't reappear when importing in Lightroom.

Glad you found it. Nicely done! 8)
 
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I think it fixed the problem and I'm getting back to loving LR; Sweeet!
I will only update this again if the problem persists. Otherwise, assume problem has been resolved.

And just before I forget, I need to make a note here:
I think that Lightroom should catalog non-hidden files. I think it's complete non-sense to catalog files that have the hidden attr set.


Thanks very much indeed for the pointers given !!!
EXCELENT FORUM!
 
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Well done....glad it got sorted and you can get back to enjoying Lightroom!

Excellent Forum indeed!! :)
 
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In defence of Windows7, I do not think this is the culprit. Windows Thumbnails are contained in the file called thumbs.db in each folder containing images. How do you import these image files? If you shoot all RAW (CR2) how come the Images shown in the examples are (for #1) B&W Jpeg?

FWIW, I import from the camera card directly into LR. I think if you did this, there would be no auxillary images or hidden folders. Even if you use the Windows Import Applet, there are no extra image files generated. What other image "Helper" applications do you have installed? Most computers like my HP come with some sort of Image processing application that usually is resident and just looking for you to attach a camera or image card. How about the Canon software that came with the camera? Is it installed? Have you disabled all the useless 'Run at StartUp" applications and services that might be interceding and junking up your image folders?
 
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[quote author=clee'1l link=topic=9145.msg61574#msg61574 date=1265664766]
In defence of Windows7, I do not think this is the culprit. Windows Thumbnails are contained in the file called thumbs.db in each folder containing images.[/quote]

Glad to see there is no change there from previous versions. As I said, I wasn't sure but I just remembered seeing something around those lines. When the OP Rafael pointed out the Sony Vaio, then I remembered this is where I got aware of this possible behavior...

Something to remember for other Vaio users ::)
 
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