Strategies for moving and restructuring files to a new HD

[metroeloise]

This is my first post. Situation is a new 1.5 T HD and I had made a mash of my file system while learning how I want it to be... Spread over 3 3''G drives. Oddly, accidentally, nested. a mess. I want to consolidate the photos all onto the 1.5T drive and clear up the file structure. Trouble is that when I select more than one file to move Lr only moves the first one! File by file? There has to be a better way! Thanks.

 

[dj_paige]

Select the files in the Grid, not in the Filmstrip.

I recommend you put all folders containing photos under one master folder (or one for each of your 3 HDs), and then move the entire tree of folders to your new 1.5TB HD. This all should be done in LR (it can also be done in Windows, but then you have to reconnect in LR)

Also, if I may, I'd like to recommend that — other than what I described above — you will be better served by using keywords and collections and metadata to organize your photos, rather than by moving this file to that folder and so on. Why? Because keywords, metadata and collections are a more powerful way to organize your photos than folders are. Use the most powerful tools you have (and that you paid a lot of money for) in Lightroom, rather than use weaker tools.

 

[metroeloise]

Thank You.

At this moment what I have is a distribution of files through out the 3 HDs. As space filled up I moved to another. Also I misunderstood the conventions and accidentally set up nested directories... A mess. all this is built around having Lr set up files organized by date. What I was thinking was to collect all the files into the 1.5 T by date within years. It is in the moving of more than one days worth at a time the trouble starts! In one drive, an external one that became the main drive, where I had Lr import files, I even had a directory named 2''9 nested within another one named 2''9... (I didn't notice that the hd was off line once and Lr placed those files on another drive... Took me awhile to figure it out and then I misnamed the new one). My intention with the new drive was to have directories by year. When I tried to copy more than one days worth Lr would copy the first one then stopped. When I tried to copy the next days worth it wouldn't let me. "File already exists" and when I erased it in Explorer ~it was empty (they don't show up in Lr) It then gives an "unknown error" when I tired. One at a time while doing chores... I got the nested 2''9 directory done. Then I tried to copy the whole of the next 2''9 over and it began to. then stop for another "unknown error: and it still refuses to copy a few days worth over. (It had copied a few days worth before it stopped) So I went along and copied day by day. I think I understand what you mean by choosing the upper level and then select all photos and move... I will try that. I just want to keep the by date structure. As for the use of tags... Oh yeah. Started to and noticed that I had to think them out better. What I want to do is have a catalog in my laptop and work on the tagging while at work. Then sync that back to the desktop. Well off back to copying a day at a time... Thanks. Will make myself a good member and fill out the info and all too... Ciao.

 

[dj_paige]

While it would be nice to keep your "date structure" in your folder names, this simply isn't necessary. Once you are in Lightroom, you can find all 2''9 photos, regardless of what folder they are in, with very simple mouse clicks.

So, just to be 1''% clear, don't bother renaming your files/folders, or moving files/folders from folder to folder. Leave your folder structure exactly as it is now (except for ease of movement to another HD and ease of backup, you could consolidate all of your folders containing photos under a single parent directory on each drive).

Lightroom works best when you abandon all of your folder-based thoughts. Commit yourself to never again finding files in folders. Instead, find files in Lightroom using keywords, captions and other metadata, and collections. I know, its a radical thought, but that's one of the benefits LR brings to you.

 

[metroeloise]

I hear the Word!

OKay you are talking to a convert here... Just pack'em in there and let tagging and sorting pull them out. (wish my closet worked like that) Breathe... Makes sense just thought to be tidy on the way into rebuilding the HD and that would make it all be continuous... Since new stuff would be coped into the directories in dated files.... So get the move done and then sync/export the catalog with my laptop and do the tagging on it while on the move or at work. sync back with the desktop... that is the path to Lr nirvana?

 

[dj_paige]

Well, synching between the laptop and desktop has its own issues. You should search for threads here on how to successfully pull this off. Better would be to put the LR catalog an EHD (which also contains your photos), and move that between computers. Again, there are threads here on how to successfully accomplish this.

 

[metroeloise]

When I try to move big directories, ones with subfolders, it borks... Cannot move... unknown error.

And there are those that it just won't move. Same errors.

 

[Brad Snyder]

eloise, what version of Lr, what OS? BTW, welcome to the forums.

 

[metroeloise]

Thanks... I will put that all in the sig soon... Lr 2.4 on Vista32 on a gateway w core2quad and 4 gb.

Still have some file that just won't move over... "Unknown error." can make it happen every time.

I understand the need for me to rely on the tag system... One of the main points of Lr. Still I like to be neat in the set up so I can figure out what is where when I need to move it... Say Lr borks and I have to get at a file... And there is this matter of it refusing to move files. Not just from the EHD.

Thanks for the read and question.

 

[Kiwigeoff]

Keep at it metro !!
Welcome , now I suggest that your year folder structure with year/month/day folders inside is great. I disagree with what Paige says on this and see the value of LR allowing this to be done with ease. I maintain a structure like this:
Drive A
Image Files
2''9
2''9-'6
2''9-'6-27 Ballooning

Now you can click the + symbol next to Folder in the Library panel and it will give you the option of creating a new folder on any connected drive.
If you haven't gone too far already you would be able to set up a structure on your new drive similar. Then move all your date folders over.

Any way can you post a screen shot of your library folder set up as there may be some more shortcuts!!
I am aiming to have your structure look like this........

 

[metroeloise]

Thanks for the welcome. I really like Lr. And will participate in the forum... Got some ideas for features... Haven't look in that forum yet so don't know if they are old ideas around here... Soon

TO this move:

Yeah... Be neat on the way in! Keeps everything tidy and then the system will be understandable no matter what... Metadata and tagging is the way to go too...

I moved most of the EHD files by hand... Still working on the other HDs. One has to be emptied to make room for the new Phat Boy...

Now what about the fact that if I select more than on days worth of files now... Lr only moves 1! It seems like it is going to move them all it just stops after the first one and says something about "files exists at location already..." and then when I try those that were in the bunch (the first few) it says it can't... already exits... no listing of it in Lr... go to Explorer and there is the file, empty... delete it, try the move again and the get the unknown error. The upshot is that there are a few files on the external hard drive it will not move. Not good since some of those are current ones I am actively working on.

Beautiful morning here in the NW... of for some snapping as there looks to be a storm brewing...

Thanks for the help.
Ciao

 

[Brad Snyder]

Metro, it's worth noting (as Geoff alludes to), that there's a fairly wide spectrum of opinion on how much organization to both within and external to Lightroom. Paige's opinion as you've gathered, is pretty much at the 'Let Lr do everything' end of the range. This is a quite valid opinion, but other folks find themselves more comfortable with some external organization as well. Your mileage may vary......

I'm not sure what's going on with the intermittent move problems.

 

[metroeloise]

Thanks for the inputs...

There is a subtle charm to the differences in approaches... In the end YMMV and each one brings back some new lesson, discovery.... Ah...

What concerns me right now is getting those files off my drive... I need them and need the drive too...
that does seem like a buggy thing...
that and the intermittent resetting of my sorting options to flagged rather than by date... annoying when it happens when I am tired... feels trippy...