John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

So I've go my backup system working and everything storing where I want it. Now I can update to CC. I've been working my way thru all the online info on how to best do this but I've not found an answer to one thing.

When I download and install CC/PS/LR, I think I'll be asked where to put my LR catalog file. I know where I want to store it. What I do not know is if I can, or how to, merge the catalog files from different versions of LR. I have a LR3 Catalog as well as my LR5 Catalog. They have both outgrown their current storage locations.

What I would like to do is to move these old catalog files to the same external drive as the new CC catalog file, then when I want to reference them from within LR, I can simply change catalogs. I do not really need to merge them all together (if that can be done).

Do I move the catalog files from within LR, or do I move them using my Finder, and then research for them and connect them to LR?

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Move them with finder, then OPEN them with Lightroom and Lightroom will remember where they are and continue to use them. Lightroom - File - OPEN.

You can also merge old catalogs into a new catalog using Lightroom to do all the work.

In Lightroom - under FILE, select import from another catalog to merge one catalog into another.

John Howard Loc: SW Florida and Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.

Thanks Dngallagher.

tsilva Loc: Arizona

Merge your catalogs first, then update the new single catalog to cc

OldNotMold Loc: Just North of

So if one merges catalogues within LR, duplicates will be detected and NOT added to the now-merged catalogue?

If this is true, does it also apply if you have renamed pictures, that is, to give your pictures unique file names (but possibly included in two catalogues that you now want to merge)?

I presume that if you renamed a picture in only one of the catalogues (yeah, I know, might be unlikely) that both pictures would be included in the merge even though they would technically be the same picture but with different names. I'm just looking for clarification.

Thanks very much. I appreciate the info, always useful.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

I am honestly not sure about the dupes when merging, I would think that a renamed image could cause an issue since only the catalog pointers come thru in a merge, the image on disk is still the image on disk.

OldNotMold Loc: Just North of

The renaming of the file was done on first import into catalogue 1. Then a new catalogue was created for whatever reason, and the file name was changed within LR catalogue 2. The pictures are themselves still the same, no PP of any kind done on either image. Chalk up the doubling to just plain brain f***.

So now when combining catalogues, I presume both would be included in the merged catalogue since they have unique names. Again all naming done within LR, so there are no pointer issues. Is my supposition true? Or does an image have some kind of unseen file name or number so that as long as the file has not been PP'ed or otherwise altered, it is the same as far as LR is concerned even if you give one of them a different name? Sorry, my last statement must have come from a recent discussion about conspiracies. That last one seems to be far fetched, I admit.

Don, sorry I wasn't clear previously. Searcher might have an input here, but he seems to be absent from this forum lately. I sincerely hope that it is not another serious health issue. He is such a wealth of expertise and a true gentleman.

Thanks again, Don, for your thoughtful consideration.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Renaming can be either a file name rename, or a title in metadata, which does not affect the file name at all.

As an example, I rename all my images on import to a specific naming convention that includes my initials and data and time taken. This changes the file name on disk. If I publish a photo I will give it a title in Lightroom, which is included in the metadata for the image, but does not change the file name on disk - is that helpful in your case?

I think it will come down to what was done to rename the image - even if renamed in Lightroom, if the name of the file changed on disk, then you may have an issue to deal with in Lightroom, basically, one catalog may end up not finding the image, and you will need to relocate it - really easy to do in Lightroom regardless of it being a file name or a whole folder.

OldNotMold Loc: Just North of

Thanks, Don. I wish you and your family a good holiday.