Sync Two Computers: Home and Away: 3 Drives

[gwwinaz]

Lightroom Version Number

Lightroom Classic version: 9.3

Operating System

1. Windows 10

I’ve read several descriptions about using Lightroom Classic 9.3 on two Windows 10 computers and its messy to say the least. Here is my configurations and what I plan to try. Please let me know if I’ve missed something or there is a better way within my desired constraints.

I have a Windows 10 desktop and laptop. I would like to use Lightroom Classic on either computer when at home (but not at the same time) and I would like to take my laptop when I travel mostly to work on photos taken while traveling but maybe to view older pictures. I do not want to use Dropbox or require Internet access. I use Syncback SE for synchronization.

To date I’ve only used Lightroom Classic on my Desktop:
C: (SSD) Has several Lightroom files, like presets. They are in C:\Users\myname\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\ and folders named Lightroom and Camera Raw.
G: (Internal Drive) Has my plugins and my catalog and previews.
Z: (NAS) Has my image files.

My laptop can have this configuration:
C: SSD; G: Memory Card; Z: NAS when at home or Portable hard drive assigned to Z: when traveling.

My files are backed up nightly and some files are synced between the desktop and laptop. A sync of specific folders for Lightroom can be run at any time.

Here is my plan when at home to move from one computer to the other. Sync the C: folders Camera Raw/[Defaults, Lens Profiles, and Settings] and Lightroom/[all folders except 9.3] between computers (newer overwrites older). Sync the G: folders. Work directly on images on the NAS drive.

Here is my plan when traveling with my Laptop. Do the C: and G: sync if needed. Mount my portable hard drive with all my image folders and files as a Z: drive (should look like the NAS to lightroom). Import and work on new photos while I travel. When I return home, sync the C: and G: folders to my desktop and sync the portable hard drive photos with my NAS.

Are there folders/files I’ve missed? Am I syncing folders/files I shouldn’t?

If this will work then maybe it can work for you also.

 

[Roelof Moorlag]

I think this topic covering all: How do I use my Lightroom catalog on multiple computers? | The Lightroom Queen
I'm using LRc on two systems also:

1. Maincomputer (windows) at home with my master catalog (everything in it)
2. Macbook Pro laptop with a travel catalog. Initialy empty and filling while traveling. At home i import this catalog (and photo's) back into the master catalog.

 

[gwwinaz]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I've read that but my plan doesn't fit any of those scenarios. My items on the G: drive (catalog, previews, and plugins) are easy to sync between computers. The NAS Z: drive (the actual photo files) do not need to be synced. The difficult part is knowing what data needs to be synced from the C: drive and will that work at all. All of the folders in C :\Users\myname\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom appear they can be synced except the 9.3 folder. However, the CameraRaw folder is more of a mystery. Most of the folders can probably be synced except probably GPU, LocalCorrections, Logs, SaveOptions, Tables, and Workflows. In the Settings folder, User Presets could be synced but I don't know if the index files should. Or maybe everything except GPU can be synced.

If the proper folders and files can be identified to be synced, then the moving between computers becomes pretty simple. Just exit Lightroom, run the sync, open Lightroom on the other computer.

Maybe if one builds their presets and templates and installs their plugins on both computers, the catalog and previews are all that needs to be synced. The pictures too if not on a network drive.

For a safety net, a backup, before the sync of all of C :\Users\myname\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\ could be saved.

 

[dhlewis]

I would seriously consider the percentage of time you will be using your laptop on the road. It is much easier to use Adobe Cloud to bring down and send back up using Lightroom web version only on the laptop. Messing with drives is just a big pain, but maybe your needs dictate it. I found it was not worth the effort.