Locating a Photo in Lightroom
Jun 16, 2019 11:51:11 #
I need help!
A few days ago, I imported some photos into LR and edited them. Today, I went to a photo to export it and got the following message: “Source files(s) are offline or missing.” I cannot find them anywhere. Giving up, I went back to the SD card to import again, but the photos are not on the card, either. I am certain of the card and the camera (exif data shows), and the card has not been reformatted--previous photos are still on the card.
Does anyone have any idea what happened? Lightroom put the photos in a folder named 2019 under a Desktop heading.
I am, needless to say, at a loss.
A few days ago, I imported some photos into LR and edited them. Today, I went to a photo to export it and got the following message: “Source files(s) are offline or missing.” I cannot find them anywhere. Giving up, I went back to the SD card to import again, but the photos are not on the card, either. I am certain of the card and the camera (exif data shows), and the card has not been reformatted--previous photos are still on the card.
Does anyone have any idea what happened? Lightroom put the photos in a folder named 2019 under a Desktop heading.
I am, needless to say, at a loss.
Jun 16, 2019 12:43:57 #
Don't panic. They won't show up if you try to re-import them into lightroom because they have already been imported. I think there is a check box, "Don't show previously imported images" you can disable if you want to see them. If you are certain they are still on the card, (you can see them using the camera view function) and want to re-import them you need to delete the existing "lost" files from the LR catalog.
But before you do that you want to make sure they are not on the computer somewhere.
You said "lightroom put the files in a file ..." Did you look there using your Computer file manager? If they are not there, another option is to search using you computer Operating System. Type one of the file names into the search window. It should find the file if it is on the computer. It is likely the others will all be in the same place.
If you can't locate them on the computer then go ahead and delete the "lost files" from the lightroom catalog and then re-import.
But before you do that you want to make sure they are not on the computer somewhere.
You said "lightroom put the files in a file ..." Did you look there using your Computer file manager? If they are not there, another option is to search using you computer Operating System. Type one of the file names into the search window. It should find the file if it is on the computer. It is likely the others will all be in the same place.
If you can't locate them on the computer then go ahead and delete the "lost files" from the lightroom catalog and then re-import.
Jun 16, 2019 13:10:30 #
Could be you clicked something by accident on import. The top middle buttons allows you to use the file without moving it from the original location, one possibility. Another choice middle right puts it in a subfolder by today's date, another possibility. Beyond that if it is for sure not on the camera and you for sure didn't format or erase the file, and you unchecked 'dont import duplicates' some corruption of unknown origin I presume. Could see it it appears on camera using software that came with the camera or other software.
Jun 16, 2019 13:23:03 #
When I view the photos in the camera, they still show up. However, when I insert the card into the camera to re-import them, they are missing.
Jun 16, 2019 14:01:28 #
Jun 16, 2019 14:12:18 #
"when I insert the card into the camera to re-import them, they are missing."
Something does not seem right! As I'm sure you know, photos are not "IN" Lightroom. They are only registered to Lightroom from where their location is.
When you imported them the first time did you have Lightroom copy them to your computer? Perhaps Lightroom "sees" the catalog connection is to photos still on your camera. Do you "import" from camera with cord or from the SD card plugged into your computer?
If Lightroom "sees" the images in your camera, don't import them a second time. Try the tools to move the files.
Something does not seem right! As I'm sure you know, photos are not "IN" Lightroom. They are only registered to Lightroom from where their location is.
When you imported them the first time did you have Lightroom copy them to your computer? Perhaps Lightroom "sees" the catalog connection is to photos still on your camera. Do you "import" from camera with cord or from the SD card plugged into your computer?
If Lightroom "sees" the images in your camera, don't import them a second time. Try the tools to move the files.
Jun 16, 2019 14:52:48 #
bsprague wrote:
Have you tried the Windows Explorer search option for recent files?
I have a Mac.
Jun 16, 2019 14:53:47 #
I recently "lost" several days of photos that LR still had listed in my catalogs but it couldn't find the files in Develop mode. At least it had the file names, so I had to use file manager to do a search of a few likely places on my computer and backup drive. They were all in one directory that I had used to upload some phone images into. Both the cr2 and dng versions were there. I have no idea how they got there, but I transferred the dng files back into the directories where LR was looking for them.
Never had this problem before, so I have no idea if LR caused this or (more likely) something I did. Either way, unless a drive or backup crashes, I am assured that once a file is uploaded it does not magically disappear into the ether just because LR can't find it.
As far as files in a card, once LR imports and converts the files, I format my card in camera. Before I format, if I wanted to I could use file manager to read the card, and would assume the card is bad if I couldn't.
Never had this problem before, so I have no idea if LR caused this or (more likely) something I did. Either way, unless a drive or backup crashes, I am assured that once a file is uploaded it does not magically disappear into the ether just because LR can't find it.
As far as files in a card, once LR imports and converts the files, I format my card in camera. Before I format, if I wanted to I could use file manager to read the card, and would assume the card is bad if I couldn't.
Jun 16, 2019 14:53:48 #
Jun 16, 2019 15:10:13 #
Check the trash bin to see if they got sent there by mistake
Jun 16, 2019 15:47:59 #
If they were the last photos you imported, go to the library module, on the top left of the screen the first item is called catalogue, under that heading is a folder called "previous import." Check the previous import folder.
That may or may not help.
OR using the finder under FILE select Find (or press command-F) enter on of the photo's name, and it will search you computer for that file.
That may or may not help.
OR using the finder under FILE select Find (or press command-F) enter on of the photo's name, and it will search you computer for that file.
Jun 16, 2019 15:57:54 #
And if they were deleted from the card, it's still possible to recover them if you haven't written to the card in the meantime.
Jun 16, 2019 17:22:43 #
Ok--my son-in-law is an IT person, and he has found the photos on the computer. They loaded into my ON program, but refuse to go into LR. He can put them anywhere but in LR. He has determined that it’s a glitch in my LR 5.7 program. Next question: If I re-install my LR 5.7, will my old catalog automatically transfer into the re-install?
Jun 17, 2019 04:06:55 #
Linary
Loc: UK
jaymatt wrote:
Ok--my son-in-law is an IT person, and he has found the photos on the computer. They loaded into my ON program, but refuse to go into LR. He can put them anywhere but in LR. He has determined that it’s a glitch in my LR 5.7 program. Next question: If I re-install my LR 5.7, will my old catalog automatically transfer into the re-install?
Rename one of the files then import it into LR. I that works, then do the same for all the other (missing - now found) files.
Jun 17, 2019 06:30:57 #
I can sympathize. Finding images in LR can be frustrating. It seems to have a sense of humor and likes to make us feel stupid. You got some good advice above, though.
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