Upgrade Lightroom 1 Catalog v.s. Create a new Lightroom 2 catalog

[Miriam Doan]

I recently created a parent folder system in my lightroom 1.4.1 as instructed by a LR guru and moved all my folders within lightroom from my desktop to an External drive. Now that I've done that, I'm ready to upgrade to Lightroom 2. When opening LR 2, I'm given the choice to Upgrade the LR 1 catalog or create a new LR 2 catalog. I would like to upgrade the LR 1 but change the path to my external drive where I've moved the lrcat to. Thoughts?
:roll:

 

[Denis Pagé]

Welcome back Miriam!

From your screenshot, it looks like you are working with a backup version of your catalog!!! -> B... ...2-29 '921

First check if it is really the one you want to use. If so, create a copy of it at a dedicated place you will use in the future ( users/doanm/Pictures/Lightroom can do). Rename that copy Lightroom Catalog.lrcat and double click on it.

Then, just upgrade that one and all should be fine.

 

[Miriam Doan]

1. So even if my library is stored on an external drive, i should have my catalog on my desktop in pictures?
2. Should I just replace?
2. Does this mean that LR will back up to my desktop users/doanm/pictures......automatically?

 

[Denis Pagé]

Miriam, you can place your daily working acatalog nywhere you want except on a network share/ressource.

The very first thing I want you to make sure of is to identify the Lightroom version 1 catalog which you previously prepared with the top level structure and note its name and where it is. Then come back.

You can see that in Catalog Preferences, General Tab.

At first, it looked to me that you were working on a backup version...

 

[Miriam Doan]

ok

Yes sir!
My LR 1.4.1 is now running from my external drive here: (picture 4)

 

[Denis Pagé]

OK. You have a backup of that catalog? So, open it and Lightroom 2 will ask you to upgrade it. Do so, it won't destroy this version catalog.

Now have to go out...

 

[Miriam Doan]

ok. thanks for your time. i really appreciate it.

one more question for whenever you get a chance:

i have about 7 temporary folders now resting within my lightroom library stuff....wen i look at the contents there is only one image each. i'm assuming that when i created the dummy folders necessary to build my top level folder heriarchy it created these. is that correct and can i delete them? they're ugly.

 

[Kiwigeoff]

You can either just remove them from Lr and keep them on the HD or delete them from you system completely. If you want to keep those dummy files, move them first otherwise you can delete them too!!

 

[Miriam Doan]

Updating 1.4.1 to LR 2 didn't work with top folders ?

It didn't work. I backed up my 1.4.1 catalog with top folder system on a dedicated 1.5TB secondary external and replaced the catalog within users/doanm/pictures. Both of these are "backups" My working catalog is on a primary 1.5TB external. It gave me the following screen shot when I updated. Then I tried to create a new catalog in the same place but within pictures made a Lightroom folder and Lightroom-2 folder. THinking I would just fresh start. Same thing. Please advise if you have the time.

Miriam

 

[Miriam Doan]

Let me clarify

The catalog I updated (see this attachment) was a copy of the catalog pictured in the above attachment that shows my top folder structure. Did I miss something? Was I suppose to rename something?

 

[Denis Pagé]

You can double check that the Lightroom 1 Catalog named "Lightroom Catalog" is the one you want to upgrade and work with in the future by clicking "> Catalog info" in tiny letters just under the "Upgrade the Lightroom 1 Catalog..." sentence. If that is the one, then go to the next section of the dialog box titled "New Catalog Destination" and click the "Choose..." button at right of the path. From there, navigate to where you want your Lightroom 2 catalog. This can be anywhere and even your external drive as long that it is not on a remote networked place.

Lets do your upgrade first and then we will look at renaming if you wish to do so.