"Target Collection"?

[Schim]

Lightroom Version Number

6.14

Operating System

1. Windows 10

What and where is "Target Collection"
When I place my pointer over the small circle in the upper right corner of an image it now says, "Add Photo to Target Collection" If I grey the circle, it does nothing. The images does not go to the "Quick Collection" or the "Target Collection" which I have no idea of the locaiton - never heard of it. Andy ideas here? Most importantly, how do I change the designation from "Target Collection" back to "Quick Collection"?

 

[Conrad Chavez]

The “target collection” is the collection where you want a photo to go when you choose Photo > Add to Target Collection/Quick Collection, or press its keyboard shortcut (B). It defaults to the Quick Collection, but you can set any collection to be the Target Collection by right-clicking it and choosing Set as Target Collection. So, the Target Collection is not a specific location, it is whatever collection you want to quickly add photos to at the moment.

The target collection concept is useful for fast organizing. For example, if I create a collection called Airplanes want to add images to it, I can set the Airplanes collection to be the target collection. Then, as I press the arrow keys to view each image in a folder with 245 photos of various subjects, every time I select a photo of an airplane I can press the B key shortcut, and that photo is added to the Airplanes collection. Later, if I want to add photos from the same folder to a collection called Trees, I can set that collection to now be the Target Collection, make a second pass through the same folder, and press the B key every time I select a photo of a tree, and it is added to the Trees collection.

Most importantly, how do I change the designation from "Target Collection" back to "Quick Collection"?

Choose File > Set Quick Collection as Target. Or right-click the Quick Collection and choose Set as Target Collection.

Victoria covers Target Collection on page 113 of the Lightroom Classic Missing FAQ.

 

[Gnits]

Can anyone explain what is the difference between the Quick Collection and the Target Collection.

I fully understand the details and mechanics of the Target Collection toolkit, but have been confused since Lr beta regarding the Quick Collection.

 

[David_W]

IIRC "Quick Collection" is the default name for the target collection.

 

[Gnits]

Thanks.... but at my wits end why Adobe confuse their customers by calling the same object 2 different names.

 

[Hal P Anderson]

IIRC "Quick Collection" is the default name for the target collection.

Yes. When you first run LRC, you have no collections of your own to be a target collection, so the Quick Collection is provided for that purpose. This way, adding a photo to a target collection will always work.

 

[Gnits]

Thanks Hal, that makes sense....

 

[Gnits]

Just a few comments re Quick / Target collection.

Paragraphs 1 and 2 are extracts from Adobe documentation.

Items 3 is a screen grab of the summary section of my catalog.

Note.... the Quick Collection exists as a distinct entity (containing 7 images, see item 4).
The Target Collection (in this case) exists at the same time (see item 5, with 5 different images).

I am open to correction .... but it seems to me that the following are the main rules ...

• If No target collection exists the Quick Collection acts as the target collection.
• The Quick Collection can be be set as the target collection.
• By setting the Quick Collection as the target collection ... you can save yourself the hassle of creating a temporary collection without the need to clutter up your existing collections with a collection needed only for the short term.

Apologies if the screen grab might appear to be too large.

This has confused me for a long time...

 

[Johan Elzenga]

IIRC "Quick Collection" is the default name for the target collection.

No, the Quick Collection is the default target collection, but you can change this to any other collection.

 

[clee01l]

The "Quick Collection" is a special collection found in the Catalog Panel along with the "All Photographs", "All Synced Photographs", "Previous Imports" special collections. Initially, the "Quick Collection" is defaulted to be the Target Collection. As noted by others, the Target Collection (Quick key B), can be reassigned to any named collection.

 

[Hal P Anderson]

I played around a little bit:
The current Target Collection name has a '+' next to it.
If you delete the current (non-Quick) Target Collection or remove its Target Collection checkmark, the Quick Collection regains Target Collection status, thus insuring that you always have a target collection.

 

[Gnits]

I think the various clips of documentation and descriptions are indicative of functionality but, in my opinion, do not fully describe the feature set.

What I did not realise before, and now can value, is that the Quick Collection is a unique and valid collection in its own right (not just a target). It does not have a home in the normal collections group area, but has a special place at the catalog summary level, beside all photographs, etc.

What is super is that the items added to the Quick collection remain their (unless removed by the user), irrespective of what happens to any activity on any other collections or groups of collections or what collection is deemed to be the target collection.
In my example, there were 7 images in the Quick collection, while at the same time there were 5 completely different images in the collection which was set as the target collection. I can see scenarios where this can be useful.

So this is a very convenient temporary location to collect images without effecting any other collection. While my use of collections has declined massively in recent times, I can see how I can now take better advantage of the Quick collection from time to time.

Like all collections , the Quick Collection can be set as the target.

Yes, if the target is removed from a collection (Ie using one of the right click features) then the Quick collection becomes the new target collection. This is a useful system level strategy to cater for a new catalog where no collections might exist, or providing a fallback target if the actual target collection is removed (or I assume deleted).

I always felt it would have been useful if the Quick collection had a unique short cut key to add selected images to the Quick Collection, irrespective of the current target collection setting.

 

[Rob_Cullen]

Another comment- The Quick Collection differs from Standard (ordinary) Collections in that it has some keyboard shortcuts that affect only the Quick Collection. When set as the Target Collection

 

[Hal P Anderson]

When the QC isn't set to the TC, you see the following behaviour. The first three shortcuts operate against the Target Collection. The last three operate against the Quick Collection, no matter what Target Collection is set to.

 

[Gnits]

That’s for the effort… but this, in my view is confusing….

The shortcut list above gives the impression that B will add to the Quick collection. But…some where else it will say B adds to the Target collection. . It will only add to the Quick collection if the Quick Collection is set as the Target collection.

The Target collection and the Quick collection can sometimes be the same and sometimes different collections.

I would like to have a shortcut (different from B) which will add the selected picture to the Quick collection…. irrespective of what the Target collection might be.

 

[Gnits]

Our messages crossed… apologies…. I am doing a bad job of explaining my desire to be able to address the Quick collection independently of the Target collection.

 

[clee01l]

Our messages crossed… apologies…. I am doing a bad job of explaining my desire to be able to address the Quick collection independently of the Target collection.

I don’t think you can with a short cut. There must always be a target collection. If a regular collection is not so defined, then the Quick Collections defaults to the Target collection. And the short cut (B) always applies to the collection designated as the target.

I’m not at a computer atm, but I think you could can use ‘drag and drop’ to add photos to the Quick Collection.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Gnits]

Drag and Drop is a good idea.

The important thing for me is that, I have cleared in my own mind, confusion re overlap of Quick and Target collections. I know especially that the Quick colection is a really useful corner of Lr to store temporary collections, which remain in the Quick collection until required again.

An important point is that if the Quick Collection is not the target collection, it is still readily available via a single mouse click and probably via some shortcuts.

I am glad that this discussion has clarified these points for me.

Schim, has your query been answered at this stage or is there any other clarification required.

 

[David_W]

No, the Quick Collection is the default target collection, but you can change this to any other collection.

Indeed - thank you for the clarification. I was writing on a phone and didn't read back carefully enough.

I hope we are all clear now. Lightroom Classic creates a "Quick Collection" to act as the default target collection. It is entirely up to the user whether they use it. You can make any collection the target collection.