- Joined
- Jan 14, 2021
- Messages
- 252
- Location
- Indianapolis, IN
- Lightroom Experience
- Advanced
- Lightroom Version
- Classic
- Lightroom Version Number
- 10
- Operating System
- Windows 10
I use Lightroom Classic v10. I keep my catalog, along with presets and images on an external drive along with my image files. I do this because I use a laptop (most of the time) and a desktop computer (sometimes). I don't want to have to keep catalogs synchronized between the two computers and find it easier to keep everything, except backups of course, on an external drive so I can easily move between the two computers.
Recently there have been times I want to be able to view and use my images without having to connect the external hard drive. Of course, since my catalog and image files reside on the external hard drive that's impossible. I thought about creating smart previews but unless I'm wrong the smart previews will be saved in the location of the catalog. So therefore, I would still have to connect the external drive, right?
Does anyone know of any way I can continue to keep my catalog and image files on an external drive yet be able to use smart previews to access my images when I don't want to connect the hard drive? Is there a way to tell Lightroom Classic to keep my smart previews on a cloud location? But then I'd also have to access to the catalog as well wouldn't I because the catalog is what tells Lightroom where to find the files and what if anything has been done to the files?
I am open to any suggestions. Oh, I almost forgot, there was a time long ago before the subscription model that I kept my catalog on a cloud drive (OneDrive). But when the subscription model came into being, I was advised not keep my catalog (and presets) on a cloud drive. Is that still good advice?
Recently there have been times I want to be able to view and use my images without having to connect the external hard drive. Of course, since my catalog and image files reside on the external hard drive that's impossible. I thought about creating smart previews but unless I'm wrong the smart previews will be saved in the location of the catalog. So therefore, I would still have to connect the external drive, right?
Does anyone know of any way I can continue to keep my catalog and image files on an external drive yet be able to use smart previews to access my images when I don't want to connect the hard drive? Is there a way to tell Lightroom Classic to keep my smart previews on a cloud location? But then I'd also have to access to the catalog as well wouldn't I because the catalog is what tells Lightroom where to find the files and what if anything has been done to the files?
I am open to any suggestions. Oh, I almost forgot, there was a time long ago before the subscription model that I kept my catalog on a cloud drive (OneDrive). But when the subscription model came into being, I was advised not keep my catalog (and presets) on a cloud drive. Is that still good advice?