LightRoom Question: I am trying to merge two existing Catalogues into a single New Master Catalogue. When I merge, it moves all of the photos into the New Master Catalogue but loses...

AHK Loc: Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

I am trying to merge two existing Catalogues into a single New Master Catalogue.

When I merge, it moves all of the photos into the New Master Catalogue but loses all of my Folder designation from the old Catalogue. During the merge process I checked the All Folders Dialogue box.

Is the only way to merge each folder separately from a given Old Catalogue? Or what am I missing?

Thanks for any suggestions

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

"Move"?
"Folders"?

Are you mixing terms? If you want a new master Lightroom Classic catalog, first assure you've created a new and distinctly named LRCAT file. Then, with this new 'master' open and active as the current LR catalog, simply use command "File / Import from another catalog" and point to each of your older catalogs as the source file, pointing to the LRCAT files. This process merges the data and does nothing to the image file locations nor the folder structure. If you have multiple LRCAT files to process, use a checklist to assure you process all the older files.

If you're doing something else or want to accomplish something else, please clarify.

AHK Loc: Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

Is it possible to change the name of an existing Catalogue?

Second question, My existing Catalogue is on my "slow" C hard drive. Can I move it to my much faster D (ssd) drive without screwing up my current LR paths?

Thanks

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

AHK wrote:

Is it possible to change the name of an existing Catalogue?

Second question, My existing Catalogue is on my "slow" C hard drive. Can I move it to my much faster D (ssd) drive without screwing up my current LR paths?

Thanks

Your LR Classic catalog can have any valid file name for your operating system, with the file extension = lrcat. If you exit / close the LR classic software, you can use the OS rename command to rename existing files. A name like 20210518-master-catalog.lrcat would be a valid name for the LR catalog. Or 2021_May_catalog.LRCAT is also valid.

If you move the LRCAT file, you should move the entire \Lightroom folder that includes all of LR's internal files that support the catalog, mostly the image previews that you see at the thumbnail view of your images in the Library module. Moving the "\Lightroom" folder to another drive picks up the enclosed *.lrcat catalog file(s) and does nothing to links to your image files / folders. After moving the folder, just double-click the LRCAT file and LR should launch automatically and establish / alert the LR software to the new location and path of the LRCAT file.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

AHK wrote:

Is it possible to change the name of an existing Catalogue?

Second question, My existing Catalogue is on my "slow" C hard drive. Can I move it to my much faster D (ssd) drive without screwing up my current LR paths?

Thanks

You should be able to move the catalog outside of Lightroom. But you should only move your image files using Lightroom.

I found that installing an ssd greatly sped up my Lightroom and Photoshop even though my image files and catalog are on slow external drives.

AHK Loc: Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

Thanks:

That is what I have done within LR...."if you want a new master Lightroom Classic catalog, first assure you've created a new and distinctly named LRCAT file (YEP DONE THAT). Then, with this new 'master' open and active as the current catalog, simply use command "File / Import from another catalog" and point to each of your older catalogs as the sort file, the LRCAT files."...unfortunately all of the photos are imported but with no original folder designation. For example one of the old Catalogues has 5600 photos that are spread throughout 8 folders and 16 sub folders...the photos are dumped into New Master Catalogue but not in the original folders.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

AHK wrote:

Thanks: br br That is what I have done within LR.... (show quote)

That doesn't make any sense. The folders are where the images reside on disk. Importing the image data from one LRCAT file to another doesn't change where the image files reside on disk. If this import from another catalog did change the folder location, please clarify.

Example: old location - C:\someplace\image01.JPG

New Location c:\new-catalog-folder\image01.JPG

Since you don't provide 'folder' information when running the import from another catalog, how could LR possibly move IMAGE01.JPG to a new location on your computer disk, such as the example shown above?

jimvanells Loc: Augusta, GA

I agree with IDguy. Keep your program files on an SSD but get a 1TB one so you don't run out of space. If you get an SSD more than 75% full, it will slow down considerably. Then, put your catalogs and pictures and LR catalog on a standard HD.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Lightroom only does what you tell it to do. Check your setting for the catalog import option highlighted below.

AHK Loc: Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

Sorry with poor explanation and thank you for your patience.

My "folder and sub Folders" designations are solely how I arrange photos within my old Catalogue within LR. The photos come over to the new Catalogue just fine...unfortunately as all 5000+ (each one nicely tying into the file for that original photo on my Hard Drive)..but I have lost the "folder and sub Folders" organization that was set up for those 5000+ in my original Catalogue (the one that was merged into the New Master Catalogue.)

AHK Loc: Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

OK...I'll try the screen shot.

Thanks

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

AHK wrote:

Sorry with poor explanation and thank you for your... (show quote)

You have to use accurate and precise terms. Folders and subfolders are physical locations on your computer disk. They are known to LR because LR stores this information to know where each image file is located on disk. Nothing about the import process from another catalog will modify these disk locations, unless you specify a parameter that causes such as change.

If you mean something else, bear in mind we're not there to see your computer to understand what you are actually meaning to say. Please look at the examples and screen capture above and clarify your meaning.

AHK Loc: Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

Thank you

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

AHK wrote:

I am trying to merge two existing Catalogues into a single New Master Catalogue.

When I merge, it moves all of the photos into the New Master Catalogue but loses all of my Folder designation from the old Catalogue. During the merge process I checked the All Folders Dialogue box.

Is the only way to merge each folder separately from a given Old Catalogue? Or what am I missing?

Thanks for any suggestions

Use "add" and not copy or move when you merge the catalogs.

AHK Loc: Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

Many thanks