DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

If there are no images that you have edited in your catalog, the easiest thing to do would be to just start a new catalog. File > New Catalog. Plug in your external drive and import your images from there. Problem solved.

No need to cancel your subscription. Stick with it for the moment. Try to understand how the catalog works.
If you fail to understand how the catalog works after trying for a while, then you can consider cancelling.
In my opinion, it's worth trying to get LR to work for you. At the very least you will gain a skill that will serve you for many years.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

[quote=Girl with A Canon]Thanks all I am not sure I am grasping what you are telling me. So let me explain how and what I do. I came home with my camera and I plug in my card reader and download my photos to my Windows 10 Photos. There I have created a new folder for that day and subject. Then what I did was import that folder into LR.
In the future import photos to your computer using the import mode of LR, it will put them in Win 10 Photos or where ever you tell it to. It will date the folder and you can add a title/subject through LR. Just put the memory card into the reader and in LR Library mode click "import" on the lower left. It will search for the memory card-it may ask where it is. A preview of thumbnails will appear in the LR work space-this may take a while-by default all images will be checked, you can leave it that way or uncheck them then check only the ones you want to import. Then click "Import" over on the lower right. LR will then import them to the default location you have selected. When done it will tell you it has ejected the memory card-just means it set the computer for safe removal and you can now take the card out of the reader. Any further items you have told LR to do (convert to DNG or TIFF etc, create higher def previews) will not start, you may have to click a box to acknowledge each step is done before it moves to the next step.

Well my computer C drive was getting full so I plug in my WD external hard drive and transferred many of those folders on to that.
This was were things went wrong. LR lost track of where the photos were. Its "map" was no longer any good. Either use the find feature as I stated or transfer the photo folders back to the C drive using File Explorer and then move them back to the external using LR's Library mode (in the manual or online tutorials will tell you how) so LR will know where they are.

So if I am grasping what you are telling me to do I need to plug in that WD again and then open LR and the photos will all reappear. Is this right or am I way off.
No they won't appear until you get them and LR in touch with each other again.

Or should I because they are all on my external HD just delete all those others and start over again.
Do not delete anything. There are no "others" to delete(unless you copied them to the external instead of "moving" them) - only the LR catalog "map" to the photos and record of any edits or other changes made. When you move them back to C (using File Explorer) and then back to the external using LR or the LR find function finds them LR will update the catalog on its own and after that will know where to find them. If you delete then you will lose anything and everything done to them in LR at any time in the past, not just the last year. So older photos will no longer have their edits.

And that external drive needs to be plugged in at all times for any program to find and use those photos. They are no longer on your C drive. I have a full size tower case Ibuypower gamer I bought for photo/video editing and have three internal drives and multiple externals for back ups-one named the 'G' drive is plugged in all the time and Acronis does daily backups automatically-I save 1 weeks worth of them and when the next full backup+6 days of incremental backups is done I delete the previous weeks worth). I have an SSD 'C' drive with only my OS and apps on it. A 'D' drive with documents, data etc on it. A 'P' Drive with photos, videos etc. on it.
You seem to be getting overwhelmed with the info and instructions plus the fact you need to "unlearn" your old way and misinformation before you can learn the new way. I suggest you find someone through UHH, local photo clubs, camera shop, computer shop or a teacher/professor at a local institution that teaches photography and photo editing to tutor/teach you or do this for you.
I have not done any editing in LR in over a year or more so I would not be loosing anything. This time out I will make sure I understand just how LR works 100% before I download and use it.[/quote

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Says the man who was "owned" by a technology beyond his reach.

Seriously - Lightroom has one of the slickest, fastest UI in the industry. No clutter, straight forward does not get in the way. BUT you do have to invest a little time to learn it in order to have it work for you. Before you bash something at least try to understand how it works.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

For starters put the files back EXACTLY where they were. Lightroom can be made to find them. In the future any movement or deletion of imported images must be done within Lightroom. Lightroom does not store images within itself. Its stores pointers to the location of your images in its database. If you move the images outside of Lightroom those pointers no longer work. Once you've got them back you can move them somewhere else from within Lightroom using the Lightroom file manager.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Before you delete the files on your internal disk, be sure to back them up. That means you need to have at least 2 copies: one on your external hard drive and another set somewhere else (maybe a second external hard drive). With 2 copies, you have a spare of everything in case one or more of your files gets corrupted or lost. You might take a search for backup in UHH. The subject has been discussed extensively and different strategies are presented in different threads. Some people keep 2 copies. Some keep 3, 4, or more.

Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC

Thank you DirtFarmer I will do that. The ones on the external HD I will more that likely not have to use again. I think they can stay there and like you said start with a clean slate.

Girl with A Canon Loc: Myrtle Beach,SC

[quote=robertjerl][quote=Girl with A Canon]Thanks all I am not sure I am grasping what you are telling me. So let me explain how and what I do. I came home with my camera and I plug in my card reader and download my photos to my Windows 10 Photos. There I have created a new folder for that day and subject. Then what I did was import that folder into LR.
In the future import photos to your computer using the import mode of LR, it will put them in Win 10 Photos or where ever you tell it to. It will date the folder and you can add a title/subject through LR. Just put the memory card into the reader and in LR Library mode click "import" on the lower left. It will search for the memory card-it may ask where it is. A preview of thumbnails will appear in the LR work space-this may take a while-by default all images will be checked, you can leave it that way or uncheck them then check only the ones you want to import. Then click "Import" over on the lower right. LR will then import them to the default location you have selected. When done it will tell you it has ejected the memory card-just means it set the computer for safe removal and you can now take the card out of the reader. Any further items you have told LR to do (convert to DNG or TIFF etc, create higher def previews) will not start, you may have to click a box to acknowledge each step is done before it moves to the next step.


Thank you for taking the time to type this to me it is very much appreciate. I will do as you have said to do. I think before I go at it again I will take the time to listen to YouTube and watch the videos on how to import into LR “THE RIGHT WAY”.

Well my computer C drive was getting full so I plug in my WD external hard drive and transferred many of those folders on to that.
This was were things went wrong. LR lost track of where the photos were. Its "map" was no longer any good. Either use the find feature as I stated or transfer the photo folders back to the C drive using File Explorer and then move them back to the external using LR's Library mode (in the manual or online tutorials will tell you how) so LR will know where they are.

So if I am grasping what you are telling me to do I need to plug in that WD again and then open LR and the photos will all reappear. Is this right or am I way off.
No they won't appear until you get them and LR in touch with each other again.

Or should I because they are all on my external HD just delete all those others and start over again.
Do not delete anything. There are no "others" to delete(unless you copied them to the external instead of "moving" them) - only the LR catalog "map" to the photos and record of any edits or other changes made. When you move them back to C (using File Explorer) and then back to the external using LR or the LR find function finds them LR will update the catalog on its own and after that will know where to find them. If you delete then you will lose anything and everything done to them in LR at any time in the past, not just the last year. So older photos will no longer have their edits.

And that external drive needs to be plugged in at all times for any program to find and use those photos. They are no longer on your C drive. I have a full size tower case Ibuypower gamer I bought for photo/video editing and have three internal drives and multiple externals for back ups-one named the 'G' drive is plugged in all the time and Acronis does daily backups automatically-I save 1 weeks worth of them and when the next full backup+6 days of incremental backups is done I delete the previous weeks worth). I have an SSD 'C' drive with only my OS and apps on it. A 'D' drive with documents, data etc on it. A 'P' Drive with photos, videos etc. on it.
You seem to be getting overwhelmed with the info and instructions plus the fact you need to "unlearn" your old way and misinformation before you can learn the new way. I suggest you find someone through UHH, local photo clubs, camera shop, computer shop or a teacher/professor at a local institution that teaches photography and photo editing to tutor/teach you or do this for you.
I have not done any editing in LR in over a year or more so I would not be loosing anything. This time out I will make sure I understand just how LR works 100% before I download and use it.[/quote[/quote]

suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

I guess you need to decide how much time you want to put in to learning LR. If it takes watching several videos, reading a manual, following complex instructions from the helpful folks here at UHH, are you up for that?

And after all that and you do something to screw it up again (I did) are you willing then to take the time to undo it again?

LR is a powerful program but it has its quirks. If you can live with that then maybe it's worth it. On the other hand there are plenty of software editing programs out there that work pretty well without the quirks.

xamier Loc: Citronelle, Alabama

Hi, you could start a new catalog. Go to file,new catalog and it will open a box where you can designate where to put the new catalog and what to name it. Once you have the new catalog import all of your images from the new location into the library module. When you are done go back and delete the old catalog.
Betty

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I have not put my 200,000 images on an external drive other than for backup, not active use.

I have never experienced Folder could not be found" nor "file could not be found".

Lightroom is not "broken" - you just worked very hard to confuse it.

LR uses a database to manage it's images. When you import using LR, the images are automatically added to the catalog (database). When you move things around - something I do a lot - at your level of understanding and expertise, it is best to do it from within LR. Doing it this way lets LR keep track of the file locations that have been imported.

When you move files outside of LR, you are essentially hiding them from LR. It has no clue as to what you have done, or where they are.

When you move the files and folders using Windows Explorer/Mac Finder, you must immediately sync the new location(s) by right clicking on the folder name that is showing as not found and using the option to find the folder.

Put the time into learning it. You'll be better for it.

Papa j Loc: Cary NC

Many utube videos to learn LR call Adobe help they can easily help fix your ess

J

Bogin Bob Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

Robertjerl, to piggyback on your recommendation with a little background and my question.

Background:
I backup my Mac and external drive to an Apple Time Capsule daily, I use Backblaze for offsite backup and monthly manually backup all photos to a 2nd external drive. My catalog is backed up in Dropbox (and in the Time Capsule and Backblaze). I manage post-processing and sharing initially on the Mac and then schedule monthly the moving those 'current' shoots via Lightroom to the external drive.

Question: How to restart in Lightroom (when my Mac and external drive are destroyed), ensuring the catalog is merged with the photos correctly. (I am confused as to how I reconnect the backed up catalog to the restored photos) ... hope that is clear.

Is it as simple as ... 1) restore any an all photos to an external drive and 2) copy the backed up catalog on the hard drive on the new computer 3) connect the new hard drive to the computer and 4) ??? now I am lost ... how do I tell the photos where their edits/recipes are since drive letters different, different computer hardware, etc.?

Thank you, Bob

Dale Evans - Amaetur Loc: Baton Rouge, La

FIVE WAYS TO STAY OUT OF LIGHTROOM TROUBLE

1: Understand that LR does not store images, only the location of the image, a thumbnail (not the complete photo) of the image, and a record of the work you have done on
that image.

2: Always download your images to a known location outside of LR. eg. The drive where you want the images stored be it internal or external.

3: After your download is complete open LR and then YOU tell it where the images are stored. It will then create the thumbnails, etc., and link them to LR.
Once you have completed making the link, LR will work, and your images will open up as if they were actually stored in LR even though they are not, they are still where
you originally downloaded them.

4: Computer rules to live by:
First: Never work on your Original Photos!
Second: When transferring files to a new location to make room: Always first Copy to the new location and Then, after checking that the files have copied, go ahead and
delete the old location.

5: By following these 2 simple rules you can always go back and correct that stupid @#@$% mistake you just discovered you have made.

whitehall Loc: Canada

For what it is worth, ( having srcrewed up myself) this is what I would do: If your images are on your your WD HD, simply reimport them. As you say, you have not edited them so you will lose nothing.

My advice is that in the future import your images from your camera or the camera’s card directly into LR and save a copy to the WD ( and a second copy onanother WD as a back up. Do all this in Lightroom. I aso recommend Victoria Brampton the Lightroom Queen, great book and a very helpful help line if you get stuck.

Sorry, I did not see page 2 before writing this. You were already given all this by people much more knowledgeable than I am. Good luck.

lesdmd Loc: Middleton Wi via N.Y.C. & Cleveland

The explanations of how Light Room works have been good. Your understanding, not so much. I fear you will have the same problems with any verbal or written instructions. Do you have a friend who can sit down at the computer with you and show you exactly what you need to do? Some people are visual learners.