Lightroom 2.2 Question

[Terry]

When I import new photos into Lightroom I have it set to recognize when it gets and SD card and the import dialogue pops up. I use the copy to new location and import.

Each time I import I will choose where to put the files by making a new folder in my pictures directory for them with a name (e.g. Bay Bridge Full Moon).

In the past week or two I noticed that when the files are importing they are being placed in two subfolders Bay Bridge Full Moon/2009/1-10-09

In the Lightroom Library, it was just showing me multiple 2009 folders with subfolders and not the named folder.

I really don't want these nested folders. I moved all of the photos up two levels so they are now sitting directly into the named folders. However, now I am just getting the folder symbol with a question mark

View attachment 10769

I thought Lightroom was supposed to be able to deal with file movements.

Any suggestions on how to repair my library?

 

[glenerrolrd]

You are getting the ? because LR2 doesn t know where the files are. You can fix this fast by using the a pull down action . Highlight the highest level folder that is missing. Then do a ctrl click to get the pull down...you should see an action ....."find files" . Click on this and locate the folder on your HD . Click choose and LR2 will update the file location.

Sorry for the crude description ...but the ? means LR2 has lost the location...you can save a ton of time by using the highest level folder.

you might also think about your folder structure. My structure is a variation of what s recommended by the DAM(Digital Asset Management) Book. Top folder is year (2008).....next level is Location (because of the way I shoot) Paris,NYC...sometimes its month (12 for december) or an event name (US Open) ..but then its every card .....2008-12-31.1 NewYork.

When a I do a major shoot..like a trip ...say christmas in NYC .....I can work the originals on my MacBook Pro and back up with a simple portable drive. Then when I return I can move the entire trip folder in this case 2008-12 NewYork to an external drive under 2008/2008NewYork.

There is a way to make the moves directly thru LR2 but I have found that I like managing my folder structure ...independently from the LR2 software.

 

[Robert Campbell]

Rather than import directly into LR, what I do --FWIW

1. Rename with Faststone as 2009-01-11_XX_original file name [XX= camera name, such as GR2 for Ricoh GRDII]

2. Put these files into the appropriate folder for each month on HDD

3. Synchronise this using LR.

4. Backup using Syncback --windoze, only I think.

I use the keywords to find things -- but then I don't do commercial shoots, only for fun.

Incidently, I found keeping the pix and their files synchronised on 2 computers in 2 countries difficult; so I keep the program on the main HDD, with the files and the catalog on a small external drive; as long as the drive names are the same on both machines there isn't a problem. I back-up to the internal HDD [and an external one] -- I'm doing the reverse of what is usual -- and much easier to carry around.

 

[Ranger 9]

TEB, I think your answer is pretty simple. First, let's make sure I understand how you prefer to manage your files:

• You've got a 'Pictures' folder in which you store all your takes.
• Within the 'Pictures' folder, you want to organize each shoot in a separate sub-folder.

Right? If so, you can manage all that in one step in Lightroom's Import dialog box.

First, when you've got a new batch of pictures to import, don't create the sub-folder beforehand in the Mac Finder or Windows Explorer. Let Lightroom create it. To do that, you want to set up your Import dialog like this:

Note that you want the "File Handling" popup set to copy your photos to a new location. (If you want them converted to DNG at the same time, there's an option for that, too.)

Use the "Choose..." button to select your Pictures folder, the one that holds all your sub-folders. You should only have to do this the first time; Lightroom will remember it after that.

In the "Organize" pop-up, make sure it's set to 'into one folder,' click the 'Put in subfolder:' checkbox, and then type in the name you want for your new sub-folder.

Lightroom now will create the new sub-folder within your Pictures folder, copy your files into it, add them to the catalog, and display the new sub-folder in the left pane. Is that basically what you want?

Note: Using options farther down the Import dialog (but not shown in the screenshot) you also can rename the photos as they're imported, to match your preferred cataloging scheme, and you can add Lightroom keywords to them at the same time. Pretty slick.

Now, about your other problem with moving the files: Yes, Lightroom can handle moved files/folders, but it does so automatically only if you move them by dragging them in Lightroom's left pane. If you move them in the Finder/Explorer, Lightroom forgets where they are, and you have to go through the manual locating process described in an earlier post.

The drawback to moving the files via Lightroom is that it's s-l-o-o-o-w and you can only move one folder at a time. For me, if I just need to relocate one folder (from my "current" volume to my "archive" volume, for example) I'll use Lightroom; if I need to move a whole bunch of folders, it's quicker to do it with the Finder and then relink them in Lightroom later.

Does that answer both your questions? If not, post again!

 

[Terry]

You are getting the ? because LR2 doesn t know where the files are. You can fix this fast by using the a pull down action . Highlight the highest level folder that is missing. Then do a ctrl click to get the pull down...you should see an action ....."find files" . Click on this and locate the folder on your HD . Click choose and LR2 will update the file location.

Sorry for the crude description ...but the ? means LR2 has lost the location...you can save a ton of time by using the highest level folder.

you might also think about your folder structure. My structure is a variation of what s recommended by the DAM(Digital Asset Management) Book. Top folder is year (2008).....next level is Location (because of the way I shoot) Paris,NYC...sometimes its month (12 for december) or an event name (US Open) ..but then its every card .....2008-12-31.1 NewYork.

When a I do a major shoot..like a trip ...say christmas in NYC .....I can work the originals on my MacBook Pro and back up with a simple portable drive. Then when I return I can move the entire trip folder in this case 2008-12 NewYork to an external drive under 2008/2008NewYork.

There is a way to make the moves directly thru LR2 but I have found that I like managing my folder structure ...independently from the LR2 software.

I was doing the whole year thing and renaming my files but I found that I could easily sort that way anyway in lightroom and all the date information was already stored in Lightroom so I stopped. I like how I am now naming shoots and I can generally find them. It was the subfolders that I didn't set up that are causing the problem and I think it just started with the move from 2.1 to 2.2

 

[Terry]

TEB, I think your answer is pretty simple. First, let's make sure I understand how you prefer to manage your files:

• You've got a 'Pictures' folder in which you store all your takes.
• Within the 'Pictures' folder, you want to organize each shoot in a separate sub-folder.

Right? If so, you can manage all that in one step in Lightroom's Import dialog box.

First, when you've got a new batch of pictures to import, don't create the sub-folder beforehand in the Mac Finder or Windows Explorer. Let Lightroom create it. To do that, you want to set up your Import dialog like this:

Note that you want the "File Handling" popup set to copy your photos to a new location. (If you want them converted to DNG at the same time, there's an option for that, too.)

Use the "Choose..." button to select your Pictures folder, the one that holds all your sub-folders. You should only have to do this the first time; Lightroom will remember it after that.

In the "Organize" pop-up, make sure it's set to 'into one folder,' click the 'Put in subfolder:' checkbox, and then type in the name you want for your new sub-folder.

Lightroom now will create the new sub-folder within your Pictures folder, copy your files into it, add them to the catalog, and display the new sub-folder in the left pane. Is that basically what you want?

Note: Using options farther down the Import dialog (but not shown in the screenshot) you also can rename the photos as they're imported, to match your preferred cataloging scheme, and you can add Lightroom keywords to them at the same time. Pretty slick.

Now, about your other problem with moving the files: Yes, Lightroom can handle moved files/folders, but it does so automatically only if you move them by dragging them in Lightroom's left pane. If you move them in the Finder/Explorer, Lightroom forgets where they are, and you have to go through the manual locating process described in an earlier post.

The drawback to moving the files via Lightroom is that it's s-l-o-o-o-w and you can only move one folder at a time. For me, if I just need to relocate one folder (from my "current" volume to my "archive" volume, for example) I'll use Lightroom; if I need to move a whole bunch of folders, it's quicker to do it with the Finder and then relink them in Lightroom later.

Does that answer both your questions? If not, post again!

This is EXACTLY what I do. The problem is all the sudden two subfolders have just started to be created 2009 and then subfolder below it with the date. Then Lightroom isn't showing my top folder just multiple folders called 2009 which really is not helpful! I haven't changed anything in Lightroom but upgraded to 2.2 and started to use the G1 more. I've now gone into Lightroom preferences and changed this dialogue to ignore camera generated subfolders to see if that in combination with the G1 was causing the problem:

View attachment 10774

 

[Terry]

Rather than import directly into LR, what I do --FWIW

1. Rename with Faststone as 2009-01-11_XX_original file name [XX= camera name, such as GR2 for Ricoh GRDII]

2. Put these files into the appropriate folder for each month on HDD

3. Synchronise this using LR.

4. Backup using Syncback --windoze, only I think.

I use the keywords to find things -- but then I don't do commercial shoots, only for fun.

Incidently, I found keeping the pix and their files synchronised on 2 computers in 2 countries difficult; so I keep the program on the main HDD, with the files and the catalog on a small external drive; as long as the drive names are the same on both machines there isn't a problem. I back-up to the internal HDD [and an external one] -- I'm doing the reverse of what is usual -- and much easier to carry around.

Hi Bertie....I feel your pain....I have files in NY and SF and it is hard to keep it all synchronized. I copied all my photo files over to a hard drive to load into and update SF but haven't done it yet. There are a lot of files.

 

[Terry]

You are getting the ? because LR2 doesn t know where the files are. You can fix this fast by using the a pull down action . Highlight the highest level folder that is missing. Then do a ctrl click to get the pull down...you should see an action ....."find files" . Click on this and locate the folder on your HD . Click choose and LR2 will update the file location.

Sorry for the crude description ...but the ? means LR2 has lost the location...you can save a ton of time by using the highest level folder.

you might also think about your folder structure. My structure is a variation of what s recommended by the DAM(Digital Asset Management) Book. Top folder is year (2008).....next level is Location (because of the way I shoot) Paris,NYC...sometimes its month (12 for december) or an event name (US Open) ..but then its every card .....2008-12-31.1 NewYork.

When a I do a major shoot..like a trip ...say christmas in NYC .....I can work the originals on my MacBook Pro and back up with a simple portable drive. Then when I return I can move the entire trip folder in this case 2008-12 NewYork to an external drive under 2008/2008NewYork.

There is a way to make the moves directly thru LR2 but I have found that I like managing my folder structure ...independently from the LR2 software.

I am going to work on this step now. What is interesting though when you click on the 2009 that has a question mark it goes right to the correct files and knows exactly where they are on the hard drive.

 

[Robert Campbell]

There is a mildly annoying feature/bug in LR 2.2, which may be related to your problem.

If you export a raw file from a collection to edit in CS3 as a TIFF, when you finish and close the pic in CS3, and click save in the nag screen, the TIFF opens in LR as usual.

If the file is in a sub-folder - all mine are - you will see a new [higher level] folder name at the bottom of the list of folders in LR -- containing only the edited TIFF. If you then try to move the file to its proper sub folder from within LR, you can't because 'it already exists'. So you have to synchronise the sub-folder where the original pic is stored to get the edited file. [And then simply delete this LR produced new folder.]

Moral: from a collection go to it's sub-folder, edit from there.

 

[glenerrolrd]

I was doing the whole year thing and renaming my files but I found that I could easily sort that way anyway in lightroom and all the date information was already stored in Lightroom so I stopped. I like how I am now naming shoots and I can generally find them. It was the subfolders that I didn't set up that are causing the problem and I think it just started with the move from 2.1 to 2.2

Ok naming conventions are "in the eye of the beholder" ....keep in mind that I go 2008 really only at the top folder . So after that its juts a repeat 2008 JunoBeachPier .

I make extensive us of the flags and ratings ..which can be applied at any level folder. I am pretty strict in that for say 2000 images from Paris last year ...I will have maybe 5 ......5stars(it doesn t get a 5th star unless I print it),25 4stars part of my collection for my website and then maybe 150-300 selects (3 stars) images I may go back to. Then 500 2 stars ..image I worked on a little to see what I could get out of it. By setting the attributes on the top folder high (4stars) .......I can scan all of 2008 in a few minutes.

Again though ...when you added subfolders to your original folders .....you changed the location key ...from say travel to travel/sf,travel/nyc. You have two choices ..either take all of travel off line ..then sync to a backup location...then take the backup off line and sync to the original drive with the new subfolders . Thats the only way I found to do a large volume in two quick steps. Other wise you have to create the new subfolder travel/sf with a single image first . Then find each individual folder at the next level down. Sounds pretty lame ..but thats how I added subfolders.


I understand the multi year problem you are addressing. My LR.CAT manages close to 40K images and my rate is 17K per year....so in 3 years I might have 100K . Fortunately the storage is keeping up as long as I don t go MF in 2009.

Roger