drdale

I have an external hard drive storage/backup (QNAP). If I try to use Lightroom CC I get an error message "Lightroom catalog cannot be opened on network volumes, removable storage, or read only volumes." This is pretty crazy. Cannot pull photos from a thumb drive or other removable storage? Must be a way around this.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Not too familiar with Lightroom CC, but it is the "cloud storage" version. Lightroom Classic CC is the local storage version. Both systems are included in the monthly Photography plan.

You should have no issues importing from any connected drives regardless of the version you are using, but CC will want cloud storage for imported images where Classic CC can store locally.

DGStinner Loc: New Jersey

Assuming you mean Classic CC, the catalog file must be on local attached storage. The images can be on network attached storage.

drdale

Yes, that is what I thought, and the QNAP drive is attached to my computer on my home network. But the above message says I cannot do it.

DGStinner Loc: New Jersey

Is the QNAP directly attached to your computer or is it attached to a router/switch that your computer is also attached to?
If it's the latter, then the catalog must be on your local hard drive or a directly attached (i.e. USB/Firewire/Thunderbolt) external hard drive.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

Just as an aside, the need to ask this question is further evidence of the abject stupidity of Adobe's Marketing department, Don.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

EXACTLY!!!!

drdale

I tried to use the LR CC that I used in the past but it is now labelled "not compatible".
So I updated to LR Classic CC, and that is what I am trying to use.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Lightroom Classic CC can store images on any drive connected to your computer. Best practice would be to create a catalog on a local drive and use it to import photos.

I do not know for sure where Lightroom CC keeps its catalog, or if it is even compatible with Lightroom Classic CC.

My system with Lightroom Classic CC keeps a catalog on my internal drive and my images located on a large external drive.

Might be best to start out like its a brand new system, create an empty catalog and make sure it does what you expect when you import images.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

For those who came in late, Adobe has brilliant engineers, but its product naming process has had everybody scratching their heads. Here's their litany of confusing changes:

1. For a number of years, Adobe had (and still has) a great product called Lightroom. Because of changing names, whenever I refer to that product or its succeeding names, I'll bold it: Lightroom.

2. Then, a few years ago, the same product was renamed Lightroom Creative Cloud, or Lightroom CC. This caused many people to think that the software ran in the cloud. It didn't. The only significant thing in the cloud was the licensing system, and a change from perpetual licensing to month-to-month licensing.

3. Then, they really got their creative juices going in Marketing. They brought out a new photo cataloging/editing program that was really cloud-based, alongside their original Lightroom product. They named the new product Lightroom CC, and renamed the old product Lightroom CC Classic. Or maybe it's Lightroom Classic CC. Or maybe it's Lightroom Classic. I've seen all 3 on Adobe's site. So, to recap, what formerly was called Lightroom CC is now called Lightroom CC Classic, and the new product is now Lightroom CC. Got that?

Accordingly, whenever someone refers to Lightroom, or to Lightroom CC, no one knows which product they're talking about. Hence Don's question.

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

You can keep your images on an external, but the catalog itself has to reside on an internal drive.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Internal or directly connected external... just not a networked connected drive...

TBerwick Loc: Houston, Texas

The more I hear about everyone's problems with Lightroom the more determined I am to avoid it at all costs. It's just ridiculous for a program these days to be network unaware. I have a full blown Windows Server running in my house to which our multiple computers, laptops & pads connect to use the storage & printers. Couldn't function without it.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Most of the “problems” are simply user problems.

Not being able to share the catalog on a network is not a problem, two people cannot edit the same image at once right? So, instead of open up that can of worms, just don’t allow the catalog to reside on a network drive - simple solution.

You can surely store all your images on your network drives and access them from any network computer, but you can only access the Lightroom catalog from a locally attached drive.