Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

Excellant

I would like to expand a little on what CHG_CANON said.

I'll assume you save your images in the RAW format in your camera. When you import that file into LR it's added to the LR database along with all the EXIF information. The RAW image file can NOT be changed. When you make a change to the file in LR your actually changing the Database file associated with that image. For example, If you add contact information, Keywords, or priority information it changes the database. Go to the develop module and make changes as for as color, white balance, size, all this info is saved to the database. So, if you delete the catalog file you have erased the database and all changes to that image and your right back with the unedited RAW file.

If you use other applications to view the image, say Adobe Bridge. Bridge will open the image without any of the saved information from the database. Remember, this is a LR database. This is where the sidecar file or .XMP file comes into play. If you select a RAW image file, then Select Metadata/Save Metadata File.. or Ctrl+S a side car file will be created or .XMP file next to the original image. All other files supported by LR (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, PSD AND DNG) the xmp info will be written into the original file.
Now, when you open the file in bridge, all the changes that was applied in LR will be applied because of the information saved to the sidecar file.

If you want to automate this process, goto Edit/Catalog settings. In the catalog settings window select the Metadata tab and select Automatically write changes into XMP. Click OK. This will automatically create a XMP file for each image you change/add info to.

Word of caution about the RAW file and sidecar. If you image is called photo1.NEF, your sidecar file will be called photo1.XMP. These two files must have the same name and remain in the same folder. If the name changes or the files get separated your back to the unedited RAW file.

Note: .NEF is a Nikon Raw file and .CR2 is a Canon Raw file. If you have a Canon substitute CR2 for NEF. (sorry if I offended other brands)

Hope this helps
Steve

Nikon1201

Cannot ad a thing. All the posts are correct. Good luck

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Yup! If you want to move folders and files freely (like a normal Windows user), you should use Photoshop instead of Lightroom. The Lr catalog or library is a database.

lsimpkins Loc: SE Pennsylvania

If both the source and destination folders are in the Catalog, moving files or folders via drag and drop is just as easy in LR as it is in the OS, as Steve DeMott has elaborated. I create my file structure for my photos in LR and never experience the "dreaded question mark" in the Catalog.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I use PS Elements but it's Organizer is similar to LR. You can delete a folder in Elements if you have first deleted its files and sub-folders within Elements.

Linary Loc: UK

Is the folder actually removed from the hard drive?

jcboy3

You can modify your folder structure, and then fix that within lightroom, without recreating the catalog (which loses a lot, like history and picks).

If you have moved a folder, you can option-click on the folder name in the folder panel, and tell LR where the folder is. Even if you renamed the folder. If it is a high level folder, then LR will correct all the sub-folders as well. To ensure you have everything straight in LR, do a check for missing photos (in the Library menu). LR will display all missing photos, and you can fix the folder structure or just tell LR where the missing photo is (and LR will update all the photos in the folder as well).

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Yes, but it has to be empty first.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

In Library module and grid view, use the folder structure in the left hand panel to drag and drop files or folders. You can create a new folder, then drag and drop others into it.

barryb Loc: Kansas

Sorry, to try and move pictures outside of LR is silly, because of having to jump through so many steps to correct the problem you made. It is very easy to lose files that way( I learned the hard way!)

PhotosBySteve

First of all, I would suggest, NEVER move photos or folders outside of Lightroom. If you do, there is no need to recreate the catalog. Instead, just goto the root folder in LR, right click and synchronize folders. This will clean up the mess created by not utilizing LR.
To move photos or folders in LR, merely click and drag. Easy Peasy.

Paul Buckhiester Loc: Columbus, GA USA

As you have discovered, LR is not intuitive. It requires a minimum of a few hours training before using. Poking around in it can result in significant grief. Adobe provide all the free video training you will need to get started. After that I recommend Lynda.com and CreativeLive.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

The first paragraph, spot on.

I'm confused by the second paragraph. Moving files and folders within LR is almost trivial(library module and move then with your mouse) and guarantees that the catalog stays accurate. Moving files/folders outside of LR is dangerous as LR knows nothing about the move. Sure you can move it outside LR and then go through hoops the catalog to re-find, but that is extra and dangerous. Did I miss something? Did you really mean to say in the first sentence of second paragraph outside and not inside?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I wasn't familiar with the movement of folders inside LR, see later comment one or two below this one in the discussion sequence. There's not a menu command which is what I had expected. But, "grabbing" a folder and dragging is someplace else generates a confirmation prompt, and if accepted, the process is effective and efficient. I learned something new from this discussion.

Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)

You 99% correct. Moving files and folders inside LR is the preferred method. But, moving or adding files and folders outside LR is not as dangerous as it sounds. You won't loss files worst case you'll have to re-import them and maybe loss some edits. Here's a quote from Julieanne Kost,

"I often download files into a folder, import them into Lightroom and then find that I have additional files to add to that folder. When this happens, I simply copy the additional files into that folder using the operating system. Then, in Lightroom, I Control -click (Mac) | Right Mouse -click (Win) on the folder in the Folder panel and choose Synchronize Folder (or choose Library > Synchronize Folder). In the Synchronize folder dialog, you can choose to display the import dialog to add additional metadata or toggle it off and add any necessary metadata in the Library module."

I have found that IF the image was cataloged then moved outside of LR then using the synchronize method, LR will find the image and keep all the edits.

NOTE: I use windows 10 and LR/PS CC 2018. I'm not familiar with a MAC or earlier versions of LR.