Import Watch Folder Lightroom 6

[russellsnr]

Lightroom Version Number

6

Operating System

1. Windows 11

Hi, I am trying to setup a watch folder in L/R 6 perpetual after I purchased a new camera and L/R 6 is an older version so does not have the ability to read the Sony A7R IV files.
I had a watch folder before for a previous camera and images went straight into L/R when I opened it.
For some reason I cannot get the images to automatically import after putting them through the Adobe DNG converter and select the processed files to go to the watch folder.
Before when I opened L/R the images imported without me doing anything into the watch folder now I have to sync the watch folder.
Hope someone understands the question.
What am I missing?
Thankyou, Russ.

 

[Jim Wilde]

I just tested Auto Import on my Windows system using LR6 and it worked fine. Are you sure you've got it setup correctly? Don't forget that the designated "watched folder" has to start off empty, the idea being that Lightroom. will watch that folder and if anything gets added in it will be automatically moved from there to the designated "Auto Import" folder. When that's done, the watched folder is empty again ready for new files to be added. Perhaps post a screenshot of your Auto Import settings?

One other possibility is an issue with Windows 11....I tested on Win10 (my system is so old that it can't be upgraded to Win11....fortunately).

 

[russellsnr]

Ok Jim, I have got it working to import when I open Lightroom however (there is always an HOWEVER)
When I imported images before without having to use the dng converter I could make up a folder for the day and date and import from my card direct to that folder, can I still or is there a way of getting the images into another folder from the watched folder please? Thankyou.
Oh as a side note depending on your system you can run Windows 11, it.s just Microsoft who put in a small file to the app they ask you to check your system with, I did it and it works fine under Win 11. Russ.

 

[Jim Wilde]

When I imported images before without having to use the dng converter I could make up a folder for the day and date and import from my card direct to that folder, can I still or is there a way of getting the images into another folder from the watched folder please?

I'm not fully understanding what you are asking here. You can "import" as normal, copying the imported files to whatever folder you wish as per the settings in the Destination panel of the Import dialog. But if you want to use the "Auto Import" feature, this is a completely separate feature to "Import" and in no way would it interfere with or prevent "normal" imports. When you try to enable "Auto Import" you first have to set it up by specifying both the "Watched Folder" AND the "Auto Import" folder. The "Watched Folder" must initially be empty, and it will remain empty when you use Auto Import as Lightroom will MOVE any images added to the watched folder outside Lightroom, and they are moved to the specified "Auto Import" folder. So "getting the images into another folder from the watched folder" isn't possible, as Lightroom takes care of that automatically.

However, that "Auto Import" folder can be named and located whatever and wherever you prefer, but there is no option to automatically change the name of that folder, e.g. by changing the name based on date. So, if you want to use a specific date-based name for the Auto Import folder you would have to manually create that folder each time you want to use it, and you'd have to change the Auto Import settings each time to reflect the new folder. Alternatively, leave the Auto Import folder as set, then within Lightroom you can drag the cataloged images out of it and drop them in to a different folder using the Folders Panel.

 

[russellsnr]

Drag the catalogued images out of it and drop them in to a different folder using the Folders Panel.
Thankyou that is what I needed to no.
Russ.