Where do changes to RAW files go in the case of drive failure?

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Alfisti

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As I understand it, LR stores the edits to an image as a sidecar file that can be stored in the same folder as the RAW image or elsewhere in your directory tree.

If my hard drive was to die and I loaded my images from my back up drive, would the changes still be there?

I notice I have a folder called 'LR Cat Previews.lrdata' , are these my changes to the RAW files? I ask as I cannot seem to locate my edits.

Any help is appreciated.
 
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Alfisti, Two things:

1) The edits are always stored in the Lr catalog database file. It should be named some_catalog.lrcat. It will be located right beside the some_catalog Previews.lrdata folder/package.
2) As you said, the edits can also be stored in XMP sidecar files in the same folder with the raw originals. Note that this is an *option*. By default, Lr does *not* do this. You can do this manually for a selection of files, by pressing Ctrl/Cmd-S or by selecting Save Metada to File from the menu. You can also set this to automatically save XMP, via a setting in the Edit > Catalog Settings > Metadata tab.

That Previews folder you mentioned, is just that. It's a folder full of previews, which are used to accelerate various facets of Lr's displays.
 
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Many thanks Brad, I also found a helpful blog here http://www.oreillynet.com/digitalmedia/blog/2''7/'4/xmp_sidecar_files_and_lightroo.html that goes some way to explainign this.

I ask these questions because my video card had an issue and my username was re-set.

Now I lost no files at all or any programs but all programs went back to their defaults and LR is not displaying the edits even though I can clearly see the XMP files in the same folder as the RAW images. I remember selcting to save the XMP in the same folder as it seams well with my workflow an dmy back up policies but Ijust cannot quite get LR to display the changes. I am sure I just need to tweak a setting or two and it will show as the XMP files are right there.
 
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Try this, select just one file as an experiment, and then Library menu > Metadata > Read Metadata from file. See if that brings back that one file.

But something seems funny as well. Is your original Lr catalog intact? Can you describe what happened in more detail? Because, if the photos are still in the catalog, it really shouldn't matter whether the XMP files are there are not.

Bedtime in my time zone.....
 
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It sounds like you may have created a new catalog.
Try searching your computer for any ".lrcat" files and double click the latest dated one and see if your edits appear.
 
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I will try that for sure as soona s i am at home, thanks again.

As for more details, basically my home account (I use a laptop with one work and one home user) was experiencing some problems so my IT guys sort of re-set the user. I lost no data at all or any software but all my software behaved as if it was just installed. So I re-imported everything back into Lightroom and the changes I made to RAW files are not showing despite the presence of the xmp file when i look in the folder on explorer.

Brad Snyder said:
Try this, select just one file as an experiment, and then Library menu > Metadata > Read Metadata from file. See if that brings back that one file.

But something seems funny as well. Is your original Lr catalog intact? Can you describe what happened in more detail? Because, if the photos are still in the catalog, it really shouldn't matter whether the XMP files are there are not.

Bedtime in my time zone.....
Click to expand...
 
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Kiwigeoff said:
It sounds like you may have created a new catalog.
Try searching your computer for any ".lrcat" files and double click the latest dated one and see if your edits appear.
Click to expand...


You sir, are a genius. It worked a charm, my only question is why did LR not refer to the catalogue I already had in place? When i started it up there was noting there in my folder tree so I re-imported.

The whole catalogue thing is what i struggle to get my head around frankly, I just want it to act like bridge or other viewers in that it just refers to the folder tree automatically rather than this import business.

ANyway, many thanks again.
 
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Alfisti;3871' said:
You sir, are a genius. It worked a charm, my only question is why did LR not refer to the catalogue I already had in place?
Click to expand...

Your usual catalog location would have been stored in the Preferences file, which probably went walkabout when the tech guys sorted out your user account.
 
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I'll take my bow now!!;);)
Most of us have been down that road before so it's nice to share the experience!!

Enjoy !!:lol::lol:
 
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Hi
This is my first time asking a question, but have very much enjoyed reading all the discussion topics.
Living in New Zealand my plan is to go to Holland for a few months.
The questions I have are:
- Will I be able to install LR in Holland, so having a copy here in NZ and in Holland?
- Related to the above my plan is to take along a backup copy of the LR catalogue which I can use in Holland, but how can I use my backed up raw picture directory as it will have a different tree structure in Holland and the catalogue will therefore not be connecting to the pictures in the new Raw directory?
Thanks
Robert
 
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Robert,
Yes you can have two copies of LR installed as long as they are not in use at the same time.
What I think may be a good option would be to start a fresh catalog for your trip and then merge the two catalogs later by importing as a catalog from one to the other.
You could take a copy of the original catalog along with you on the external though and use that if you wished, it may depend on whether you want to work on or show the original files.
Catalogs can be run from an external drive with some performance loss but you could also transfer your catalogs form machine to machine, however you will need to start new preferences unless you want to move them all as well.
 
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Thanks Geoff,
Yes I could start a new cataloque, however I do want to bring the existing one as well.
My question is that I will also take a copy of the folder with the actual raw pictures on my hard drive; will that not decouple the catalogue entries against the raw file folder, which are now both based on the hard drive; i.e. when I start the new catalogue in LR on a different PC in Holland how does it know what Raw folder directory to use and how will each catalogue entry still relate to the original raw file with all the relevant keywords.
I appreciate your help.
Regards
Robert
 
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Robert here is my solution:
Check your catalog settings/metadata to make sure you have what you want written to files (I have all the boxes checked). Check also preferences/presets so the check box for storing the presets with catalog is checked, this will keep the presets with you.
Copy your original catalog and move the copy to external HD where your raw files are.
This you will take. Is that correct?
If yes to the above, when you get to the Netherlands, install LR on the PC, plugin the drive, double click on the catalog on the external drive and away you go.
You will need to check the preferences as they will not have been transferred, you can take them but it then is a lot more complicated especially if different systems.
When you get back you just copy the Catalog back to your home computer, double click it to open and bingo all should be working...

Hope that makes sense.
 
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Thanks again Geoff, in general this does make sense.
However I would like some clarification, if you don’t mind:

With the catalogue/metadata checks this would also mean turning on the XMP switch to write changes to a separate XMP file, which if I understand it right would provide the connection between the catalog and the Raw folder, so when I open the catalogue in Holland LR would find the relevant Raw file and it’s related XMP data in my new folder copied from the hard drive onto the local PC, is that correct? and if all is ok it should indeed be working&#823';

However I am also hearing a lot that using XMP files can slow things down badly.
If that’s how it needs to be done how do I create an XMP file for each of my existing raw files (over 5''' in this catalogue)? Should I really do this?
Regards
Robert
 
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Robert said:
Thanks again Geoff, in general this does make sense.
However I would like some clarification, if you don’t mind:

With the catalogue/metadata checks this would also mean turning on the XMP switch to write changes to a separate XMP file, which if I understand it right would provide the connection between the catalog and the Raw folder, so when I open the catalogue in Holland LR would find the relevant Raw file and it’s related XMP data in my new folder copied from the hard drive onto the local PC, is that correct? and if all is ok it should indeed be working…

However I am also hearing a lot that using XMP files can slow things down badly.
If that’s how it needs to be done how do I create an XMP file for each of my existing raw files (over 5''' in this catalogue)? Should I really do this?
Regards
Robert
Click to expand...

You won't need to save out the data to xmp as all the corrections are stored in the database.
What you will want to do is make sure that all you folders on the external are in one top level folder - create this INSIDE LR.
Why do you want the files shot in Holland on the PC there instead of keeping them all on your external? I keep all my image files on external drives, much easier for travel.
I use DNGs also and have auto-write to file on and I don't think there is much of a speed loss, there was in LR1 though.
 
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Ok thanks,
Although I don't fully understand how LR can link up to the Raw folder after the catalogue and Raw folder have been moved to the external drive, I appreciate that this will be the case.
Yes I could just leave the files on my external drive.
I wasn't referring just to my new files shot in Holland, more the ones I have got now and want to take along, but yes I will do that anyway for all my pictures.
Thank you very much I really appreciate your help.
Regards
Robert
 
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