worldcycle Loc: Stateline, Nevada

Something I have been experienceing with Lightroom's now many Catalog "upgrades" is that many of my old edits are not migrated or included with the new upgrade. When I go to an older photo I have edited in the past and want to do a reprint or such I discover that my edits are gone. I then have to search back through my older Catalog versions (thankfully I have never deleted one) to find the photo with corresponding edit. Then many times to open that Catalog or use the edit I must convert the old catalog to a newer version. No tutorials I have found address this problem. Total hassle. Is there anyway I can sync or migrate my edits from older Catalog Versions into what has now become "Lightroom Catalog-3-2-v10-v11"

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

You know I am pretty sure the Adobe Support Techs know how to do that. I once had one of them stay on the phone for 1.5 hours and took remote control of my computer to solve a problem with LR for me. And when he got it done he apologized he didn't think of trying the solution that worked sooner because once he got to the solution on his list of possible solutions it took about 2 minutes.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Are you maintaining or have you ever used separate catalogs for various projects?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The ongoing subscription updates should automatically import all your existing images from the old and current LRCAT file into the newly created LRCAT file. Either something is wrong, or the edits you're 'missing' were not in the current LRCAT file at the time of the software update such that they were not automatically migrated into the new LRCAT file.

You probably should do some LRCAT maintenance, getting all your images consolidated so this issue is either resolved or positioned for detailed investigation at your next software update. Therefore, consider the following steps:

1. Generate a list of the names and modification dates of all LRCAT files you now have in your \Lightroom folder.

2. Determine your current and active LRCAT file.

3. Consider exiting from the LR software and renaming that current LRCAT file to a clear identification name as an 'identifier' of which file is the 'master' as of March-2022, example" Lightroom Catalog-v11-Mar-2022.LRCAT".

4. Then, merge the contents from your 'work list' created in step one into this master / current LRCAT. You can simply double-click the 'master' LRCAT file to have the LR software open with that file as the current catalog. Then, use: File / Import from another Catalog. Navigate to the first and oldest-mod-date LRCAT from your list and select that LRCAT as the import "source". The LR software will analyze the source catalog and give you an option to import just the missing images or to stack (virtual copy) existing images over the same images in your current LRCAT. Assuming all your images are in their 'proper' position on disk, just import the Develop settings and metadata without moving any image files. When processed, check-off that file from your work-list and continue with the next candidate LRCAT.

5. When all the LRCAT files are processed / merged, move those older LRCAT files to your back-up storage, in case you ever need to revisit. But technically, all those files are now merged into your single master / current LRCAT, and the old LRCAT files are now redundant. You'll have them on your recovery media, but never should need them again.

6. When the next major LR update occurs, Adobe will likely add a new version number into the new LRCAT file. It should be easy to recognize that software update from how it adds maybe a v12 to your Mar-2022 name at some future date, maybe 2023. But, all the merge data should automatically move into that new LRCAT file. If not, you have an opportunity to discuss with Adobe technical support that obvious issue, at that future date, based on two easy to identify and analyze LRCAT files.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Another reason I use File Explorer instead of a cataloger.
I make changes, save as a new file, (print again whenever), still have the original to treat differently.

worldcycle Loc: Stateline, Nevada

Thanks, something I am going to try. Currently before going anywhere in this, I am in the midst of an 11 hour (!) backup of all my files.

worldcycle Loc: Stateline, Nevada

No. Have always used one catalog from the beginning. Started using LR probably 15 years ago. Now for whatever reason it has morphed into 9 Catalogs

Ron 717 Loc: Pennsylvania

I agree with you about the excellent support from Adobe. I have used them twice over the last two years and they were great.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Yes they are. The problem they solved for me was I had two versions of LR on two different computers. The then new subscription on my desktop and LR6 on an older laptop that didn't have enough room for the full PS/LR+ goodies from the subscription. After a few months the update service started changing the laptop to the subscription which bogged it down almost to a stop. The guy finally figured out that their new update server software could not tell the two machines apart and the solution was to put the Laptop on it's own account with a different e-mail for ID.

worldcycle Loc: Stateline, Nevada

This might be a factor. I travel extensively and keep all my files and catalog on an SSD that I work off of where ever I am. Switching between computers that don't always have the same updated version might be an issue.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I couldn't figure out anything that would cause image adjustments to disappear. Switching between versions WILL cause issues.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Failing to migrate all historical images from an old LRCAT to a new LRCAT could give the mistaken appearance of having those edits disappear. I sense our OP has identified potential issues in their management of external drives as the root cause of their observations. Adobe doesn't install like a virus. That is: it doesn't search all your available LRCAT files and upgrade them all. Nor does the software lie in wait for a new external drive to be attached to then update the enclosed LRCAT files.

don26812 Loc: South Bay of Los Angeles, CA

Referring to Step 3 above I have a desire to move and rename my LR Classic Catalog. Do I have to rename all of the folders within the top level folders (Helper, Previews, etc), and the LRCAT file itself, or can I just move and rename the folder that has the same name of the Catalog that contains the others mentioned?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Just the single LRCAT file that is your current 'master / consolidated' catalog is the file to be renamed. Lightroom 'knows' the names of all the relevant files associated with your catalog. On a Windows machine in the File Explorer, you can select the file and use <F2> to rename the file. Once you save that name and double-click and launch a LR session, LR dynamically creates the 'lock' and 'journal' files associated with that new LRCAT name. Once all the image files locations are verified within the LR session, you're good-to-go on that new file name.

When you say you want to 'move and rename' why? and where? Again speaking in Windows, say you wanted to 'move' from the default C: drive install to a external HD maybe assigned to K:, then yes, you can just copy (move) the entire \Pictures\Lightroom folder from the C: drive to someplace on your K: drive, in this example. When you double-click the LRCAT at the new 'moved' location, that LRCAT becomes the active-master inside LR. You should at least rename the old copy to assure there's no confusion, like \Pictures\XXX-Lightroom. Once everything about the 'move' is confirmed, then remove that old and out-of-date folder. You just need to move the entire \Lightroom folder to 'lift and move' everything related to the LR catalog.

don26812 Loc: South Bay of Los Angeles, CA

Thank you, CHG_CANON.