Splitting my file locations...is this possible?

[MMarz]

Or better stated...Am I thinking this through correctly??

I have two internal HD's (C & M drives), and two external HD's (H & I drives).

LR, the catalog file and previews reside on C which is the OS and app drive. Images are on M, which is a data only drive, and images are organized in sub-folders starting by year, 2''3 thru 2''8. All images and the catalog file get backed up to the external, H (out of the equation for this discussion).

I have imported all the images from all years. I want to copy all of them to the other external drive I, and keep it as a working data drive with all images, and keep only 2''6, 2''7 and 2''8 on the internal HD, since I don't access the older images often. But I want to keep them in the LR catalog. So I will have all the images, M will have recent images and will be the working drive. I will be the secondary drive sync'd with M, but only accessed on a need to basis.

If I move the 2''3 - 2''5 images to the external data drive, and delete them from the internal data drive, I expect they will all show up as red folders in LR, since LR won't be able to locate them. If I need/want to work with an image whose folder has been moved, using other than the preview, I can point LR to that folder. Or, once I move them I can point LR folder by folder but I don't see this as time efficient if I am not using the images regularly.

This sounds pretty straight forward, though that is usually where I get in trouble..

Where am I vulnerable? What pitfalls might I run into? And what am I missing?

 

[Sean McCormack]

Make sure you do any moving within Lightroom.

 

[Braders]

I would love to understand this better myself.

From all i have read, to do what you want, you must export your 2''3-'5 folder as a separate catalogue. If you need to access any of these images in the future, you point LR to this catalogue and work from the drive they are on.

But, i may be soooo wrong!!!

 

[Victoria Bampton]

2 options...

1. Put an image on drive I and import it into LR so that LR can see drive I. Pick up all of the images within LR and drag to drive I. LR will automatically know where they are, because it moved them. You may have to go back and tidy up the folders.

2. Make sure that LR is seeing the folder hierarchy (http://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/showthread.php?t=1'52) so that when the folders go red, you only have 1 folder to relocate. Close LR. Use Explorer to move the files and then delete off the original drive. Open LR and the folders will turn red - right click and relocate the missing top level folder and the rest should find themselves.

 

[MMarz]

Option 2 sounds like a winner...Thanks!!

2 options...

1. Put an image on drive I and import it into LR so that LR can see drive I. Pick up all of the images within LR and drag to drive I. LR will automatically know where they are, because it moved them. You may have to go back and tidy up the folders.

2. Make sure that LR is seeing the folder hierarchy (http://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/showthread.php?t=1'52) so that when the folders go red, you only have 1 folder to relocate. Close LR. Use Explorer to move the files and then delete off the original drive. Open LR and the folders will turn red - right click and relocate the missing top level folder and the rest should find themselves.

 

[MMarz]

2 options...
2. Make sure that LR is seeing the folder hierarchy (http://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/showthread.php?t=1'52) so that when the folders go red, you only have 1 folder to relocate. Close LR. Use Explorer to move the files and then delete off the original drive. Open LR and the folders will turn red - right click and relocate the missing top level folder and the rest should find themselves.

Victoria, I followed the instructions in the link...Showing the Folder Hierarchy...Step by step.. And, Nothing.

Currently my Folder Pane is like this... but with folders by date.. 2''7-'1-'1, 2''7-'2-'1 and so on...

​

I want it to be the same folder hierarchy as Win Explorer, 2''7/2''7-'1'1, look like this...

​

...but with the Year, and the date folders under it...

Year
|_ Year-Month-Day-Key Word
|_ Year-Month-Day-Key Word
|_ etc
Year
|_ Year-Month-Day-Key Word
|_ Year-Month-Day-Key Word
|_ etc

I highlighted the 2''7 folder as one of the top level folders, clicked Choose, then unchecked all the images so as not to re-import them... But after a few seconds of churning, I got nothing. Nothing is changed, and the 2''7 & 2''8 folders are not in my folders list...

What might I have done wrong?

 

[Victoria Bampton]

I need to update that blog post - I reviewed the instructions in that thread I think.

Let's try this again then - it's useful to know you're on windows, because the routine changed very slightly on the windows version with a recent release and I haven't updated the instructions, I've just realised!

In your case, place an image in 2''8 folder. Then follow your instructions.

1. file
2. import photos from disk
3. choose selected (different from the mac version)
4. this took me to the import photos screen
5. I clicked on "uncheck all"
5a. BUT THEN CHECK JUST THAT DUMMY IMAGE so that it imports it.
6. then clicked on import
7. That image imports, and LR will now show the 2''8 folder.
8. Delete that dummy image
9. LR should now show your 2''8 folder and it's subfolders in their correct hierarchy.

My daft question of the day - are they in the desired hierarchy on disc, but LR's just not showing the higher levels?

 

[MMarz]

I failed to mention...I tried this before trying the other technique and still, I don't get the net higher folder.. I still have just individual folders at the next level down.

And, yes...the hierarchy I am hoping to display in LR is exactly what I have in WinExplorer.

BTW, I suppose I should have asked this first...if I have fifty or so folders, one level under the 2''7 folder already displayed in the Folders Pane, then I successfully to as you describe above, what happens to the old folder reference? Are there now two reference for each sub-folder? One where they are now, and one in the 2''7 folder?

 

[Kiwigeoff]

I failed to mention...I tried this before trying the other technique and still, I don't get the net higher folder.. I still have just individual folders at the next level down.

And, yes...the hierarchy I am hoping to display in LR is exactly what I have in WinExplorer.

BTW, I suppose I should have asked this first...if I have fifty or so folders, one level under the 2''7 folder already displayed in the Folders Pane, then I successfully to as you describe above, what happens to the old folder reference? Are there now two reference for each sub-folder? One where they are now, and one in the 2''7 folder?

Without reading the whole thread.
What you need to do is place an image file in the 2''7 folder, along side but not in the other folders.
Import the 2''7 folder while deselecting the other (sub) folders from the import menu. You would also be best to check the "don't import duplicates".

 

[MMarz]

Import the 2''7 folder while deselecting the other (sub) folders from the import menu. You would also be best to check the "don't import duplicates".

Thank you sir! This I didn't do...

 

[Kiwigeoff]

Thank you sir! This I didn't do...

Thanks - you've made my day, useful at last!!:cheesy::cheesy::shock::shock:

 

[MMarz]

Without reading the whole thread.
What you need to do is place an image file in the 2''7 folder, along side but not in the other folders.
Import the 2''7 folder while deselecting the other (sub) folders from the import menu. You would also be best to check the "don't import duplicates".

OK...I give up. This isn't working for me.

I have a data folder with subfolders for each year, 2''3 - 2''8. The folder for 2''8 has:
- five sub folders each with images all shot in 2''8
- one image shot 12/31/2''' beside the five 2''8 folders.

I open the import dialog and select the 2''8 folder for import (keep in mind all these folders and their images were already imported previously, but are not in the desired hierarchy).

I click Choose Selected and a dialog window comes up stating that the listed files will not be imported because they are already present in the catalog. I click Import and the Import Photo dialog opens with a status box that states Calculating Dates...here's where things get messy...

All five folders are of 2''8 photos. Four match correctly with the date displayed in the folder list in the Import dialog. The fifth folder is of images I shot early Jan 5, 2''8 (confirmed in the Metadata) but under the folder list it shows as 12/31/2'''. In the preview window I see all the Jan '5, 2''8 images and the one 12/31/2''' image I deposited along side the folders (in 2''8, along side the five 2''8 folders.

At this point if I deselect the five folders there are no images in the preview window so import is grayed out. Now, no matter what I do, whether I check all the 12/31/2''' images or check one, the import proceeds and nothing in the folder structure changes.

Nothing I do results in 2''8 folder showing up in the Folder list. I still have each of the individual 2''3 thru 2''8 sub-folders.

So, what happens if I remove all the folders from LR, and then import again? Will I be able to link the folder to the changes in LR? This is really frustrating...

 

[Kiwigeoff]

OK...I give up. This isn't working for me.

I have a data folder with subfolders for each year, 2''3 - 2''8. The folder for 2''8 has:
- five sub folders each with images all shot in 2''8
- one image shot 12/31/2''' beside the five 2''8 folders.

I open the import dialog and select the 2''8 folder for import (keep in mind all these folders and their images were already imported previously, but are not in the desired hierarchy).

I click Choose Selected and a dialog window comes up stating that the listed files will not be imported because they are already present in the catalog. I click Import and the Import Photo dialog opens with a status box that states Calculating Dates...here's where things get messy...

All five folders are of 2''8 photos. Four match correctly with the date displayed in the folder list in the Import dialog. The fifth folder is of images I shot early Jan 5, 2''8 (confirmed in the Metadata) but under the folder list it shows as 12/31/2'''. In the preview window I see all the Jan '5, 2''8 images and the one 12/31/2''' image I deposited along side the folders (in 2''8, along side the five 2''8 folders.

At this point if I deselect the five folders there are no images in the preview window so import is grayed out. Now, no matter what I do, whether I check all the 12/31/2''' images or check one, the import proceeds and nothing in the folder structure changes.

Nothing I do results in 2''8 folder showing up in the Folder list. I still have each of the individual 2''3 thru 2''8 sub-folders.

So, what happens if I remove all the folders from LR, and then import again? Will I be able to link the folder to the changes in LR? This is really frustrating...

Post a screen shot of the import dialog boxes please Michael - I'll send forum mother around when she gets home to wipe away those tears!!:lol::lol:

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Aaaaw, sorry to hear you're having trouble Michael!

Have you got the import dialog set to 'import photos at their current location'? It shouldn't be having to work out date folders.

The main point of this is you're trying to import that single image at the top level (data) and referencing it at its existing location. The rest should sort itself out. So try going to import and going directly to import that single image, ignoring the rest.

 

[MMarz]

Post a screen shot of the import dialog boxes please Michael - I'll send forum mother around when she gets home to wipe away those tears!!:lol::lol:

thank you..See my response to Victoria..

 

[MMarz]

Aaaaw, sorry to hear you're having trouble Michael!

Have you got the import dialog set to 'import photos at their current location'? It shouldn't be having to work out date folders.

The main point of this is you're trying to import that single image at the top level (data) and referencing it at its existing location. The rest should sort itself out. So try going to import and going directly to import that single image, ignoring the rest.

That worked, thanks...I didn't have "import at their current location" checked...

So, now that I understand, Let's change the equation just a bit. I want to move all the images prior 2''7 to an external drive and still have them be seen in LR. In some cases they will be available, if the drive is attached..other times not. Many of them don't exist in LR at this time. If I use the same technique with the one image beside the folders, can I import all of the images at once if I have "import at their current location" checked... ? And further, if I then disconnect the drive, I should be able to still see the previews but not access the file to make changes without reconnecting the drive correct? All the folders on the disconnected drive will show in the folders panel in red?

 

[Victoria Bampton]

To import all of the images in their subfolders, you don't have to drill down through the folders and select images, just select the top level folder and choose 'Choose Selected' and that same import dialog appears with all of the subfolders and their images. And yes, import at their current location.

You're right, when you disconnect the drive, they will show up in red.

If some of the images are ALREADY in your LR catalog, run the import I just mentioned, and then just drag and drop the remaining images to the external drive within LR's own interface. That way you'll take all of your history and other settings along too.

 

[Mark Sirota]

Yes, this is how I normally work. The majority of my originals are on external drives, only the most recent shoots are on the internal drive. When I'm done working on them, I move the originals to the external drive.

 

[MMarz]

Yes, this is how I normally work. The majority of my originals are on external drives, only the most recent shoots are on the internal drive. When I'm done working on them, I move the originals to the external drive.

Mark, if you move them to the external, do you do this in LR or manually outside LR.

As I ponder it more... does your Folder list reflect a separate entry for the external drive? Or are all the images listed as though they are on one drive?

 

[Mark Sirota]

I actually don't move anything -- at this point I already have copies on the external drives (that happens before I reformat the card; I never reformat until I have at least two copies elsewhere).

So all I do is delete the folders from the internal drive (outside of Lightroom) and re-point Lightroom to the location on the external drive. The drives are listed separately the way I have it set up, though I don't think it would have to be this way on MacOS X.

 

[MMarz]

Ahh, that makes sense. I too leave the images on the card until I have two copies. Although I don't sync them to the external drive until I have culled the initial rejects out so I am not backing up copies I don't intend to keep.

So...

If I ingest to the main drive. Do the initial cull. Rename if appropriate and then sync with the external. I should be fine once/if I decide to delete from the working HD. I use a sync software that will keep track of any changes..like exports I want to keep, and allow them to be added to the external. Plus I have a third copy off site...so ultimately, I'll end up with two copies either way.

Sounds like a plan, Thanks!!

 

[MMarz]

HELP!! again...

So since the 2''7 & 2''8 ultimately worked fine, I decided to work on the previous years.. and got stumped at 2''6...

There was one folder from 2''6 already in the catalog...there are another 5' or so folders in the 2''6 folder. I followed your "collective" instructions, placing one image along side the 5' folders, imported from their current location will the proper check boxes, importing only the one image..

I got the one image and one additional folder of the 5' and the one folder that was already in the catalog was placed in the proper hierarchy... Now how do I figure out what is preventing me from importing the remaining 49 folders?

 

[Victoria Bampton]

Go to File > Import

Select the 2''6 folder and hit Choose Selected.

Set it to Import at Current Location and leave all of the images and folders checked.

Hit Import

Report back!

 

[MMarz]

oh...Duh.

I was supposed to uncheck the folders with 2''7 & 2''8 because the folders were already in LR...

 

[Victoria Bampton]

LOL Michael! So does that mean you've fixed it now?