I use Lightroom and have all the images from the last four years in one library, though the actual files are located on a couple of external hard drives. This winter I will be traveling overseas for six weeks and want to work on a several hundred of my older image files while we are gone. What would be a good approach to take these with me without taking all of my external drives? I want to be able to fully edit these files and then put the updated files back in their original locations when I return. Any thoughts?
Posted by Scott Bacon on January 7, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Great question! I'll be interested in hearing replies, cuz I don't know the answer.
Seems like you want home and travel catalogs and a means to sync them.
Posted by Mel Ladewig on January 7, 2008 at 2:59 PM
I'm not sure Erik. I think syncing them when you return might be a big problem.
Mel-
Posted by Paul Beiser on January 7, 2008 at 3:07 PM
I'd suggest that you post this on the User-User Forums at Adobe under Photoshop Lightroom. Lots of heavy hitters over there who can help. Unless Nat jumps in here real quick.
I've use Export and Import Catalog to success but typically going from a laptop in the field (new images) to my desktop at home. I would think you would use the exact same approach (ie Export Catalog for the images you want to work on) and then Import, but I can see some areas of conflict. But I'm not smart enough to know how to answer them :-).
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on January 7, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Erik,
Exporting the subset of selected images to a catalog & new LR database is fast and efficient.
However, when it comes putting them back into their original locations, I can't think of a fast and easy method, if they were originally scattered through a whole bunch of folders. Certainly using brute force and manually copying the edited files back to their original locations would get the job done, but I'm certain you don't want to do that for several hundred images.
How about creating a separate export catalog/LR database for selected images in each physical folder?
Then you should be able to import/copy these back to their original location.
Should work, if you don't have too many folders?
Excuses, excuses! We have this amazingly gifted guy in our group and he chooses to flee to Florida in our time of need. What type of a friend is that?
Posted by Nat Coalson on January 7, 2008 at 9:53 PM
CAZ, thanks for covering for me and Erik thanks for the compliment... I'm having a great time in Tampa and really enjoying the weather here!! I've been doing a lot of shooting, including a lot of abstract work in Centro Ybor.
To do any edits in Develop you need to have access to the actual files, so you will either need to take the files with you or put them on an internet-enabled file server.
If you work on a second set of files, when you get back home you will need to save out the metadata from Lightroom, replace the older versions of the files with the updated ones (ideally using a sync/backup utility), and then use Synchronize Folder to update the settings within your main Lightroom catalog.
If you are using DNG, TIF, JPG you can sync the actual image files. If you are working with native camera raw files you can just replace the XMP sidecar files, then do the sync and Lightroom will update the settings.
Posted by Arthur Lund on January 7, 2008 at 11:06 PM
You are very wise to raise the question. I had a very negative experience.
I had version 1.1 on my computer. I went to Nats class on Lightroom. I took my laptop.
I have my laptop connected to several drives at home. The program is on drive C.
I disconnected the laptop from the external drives that had indexed photos on them. I tested the laptop and program out. It ran fine.
When I got to class, Adobe had just produced version 1.2. Nat had us download
the update. From that point on, I could not open the Lightroom program. I left the
class and went home. Only when I connected the external drives, did the new
version 1.2 run. It can be tricky when a drive that has an indexed photo is missing.
Posted by Nat Coalson on January 8, 2008 at 12:45 AM
Art, sorry to hear things went badly for you. I wish you would have asked for help because the solution to the problem is very simple.
Adobe made some changes to the database engine between releases of early versions of the program. This required Lightroom to update its catalog file after installing the update. If the files are offline, the database can't be updated. I have no idea if this situation will ever arise again but since it had to do with the format of the data it's extremely unlikely.
And it's unrelated to the situation Erik is describing. That said, Lightroom is still a new program and as such, maintaining redundancy and flexibility in your photo processing workflow is wise. As is always having the most recent version of the software you use.
Keep in mind that this all has to do with maintaining Lightroom's database. If you're careful and diligent there's no reason that any specific processing software will negatively impact your digital photo library.
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on January 8, 2008 at 12:59 AM
Nat,
I'm really confused how a backup/sync utility will properly find/sync files between two different folder/file structures? As I understand it, Erik wants to take a subset of files with him that now exist on separate hard drives. These images would be copied to a single folder/single LR database for work on the road. When returning home, the sync process would then need to distribute these changed files back to the two or more original drives. How does this happen? Sorry, I'm totally unfamiliar with sync/backup software.
Posted by Nat Coalson on January 8, 2008 at 9:53 AM
Bill - when using a sync utility you select the source and destination folders and the program scans the files in both locations. Then - assuming the file names weren't changed - the newer versions of the files will overwrite the older versions. Files that identical in both locations are ignored.
It's not critical that the names of the folders or that the exact number of files is the same, but keeping the original directory and file structures does make it easier to quickly compare them and confirm the selections before syncing.
On OS X, the sync software I use is ChronoSync. I'm sure there are lots of similar programs for Windows.
For Erik's situation there are two issues to deal with - keeping the Lightroom catalogs current and automating the file updates upon returning. Provided the metadata changes made on the road are preserved when the files are updated at their original locations, it's easy to synchronize that back into the original Lightroom catalog.
Nat, as always you are proving to be a resource second to none on these issues. I'm racing out the door right now, but hopefully later this afternoon or evening I can think this through and see if I have any other questions. Thanks man!
P.S. I just want to say that this past summer I hired Nat to come to Estes and hold my hand in regards to digital workflow and image processing. It was amazingly beneficial. If anyone is looking for help in this area, Nat is your guy!
Posted by Bill Pelzmann on January 8, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Dang, Nat, you keep costing me money!
Now I have to go out and research that snyc software.
Posted by Nat Coalson on January 8, 2008 at 6:04 PM
Bill, I've found sync software to be one of the real lynchpins of a complete DAM solution. Well worth the 20 or 30 dollars IMHO. There might even be some good ones that are free.
But in any case it really pays to stay on top of the current crop of software; there is always something new coming around and that may save you countless hours and headaches....
Discussion
14 repliesSeems like you want home and travel catalogs and a means to sync them.
Mel-
I've use Export and Import Catalog to success but typically going from a laptop in the field (new images) to my desktop at home. I would think you would use the exact same approach (ie Export Catalog for the images you want to work on) and then Import, but I can see some areas of conflict. But I'm not smart enough to know how to answer them :-).
Exporting the subset of selected images to a catalog & new LR database is fast and efficient.
However, when it comes putting them back into their original locations, I can't think of a fast and easy method, if they were originally scattered through a whole bunch of folders. Certainly using brute force and manually copying the edited files back to their original locations would get the job done, but I'm certain you don't want to do that for several hundred images.
How about creating a separate export catalog/LR database for selected images in each physical folder?
Then you should be able to import/copy these back to their original location.
Should work, if you don't have too many folders?
I'm looking forward to seeing what Nat suggests.
Hopefully he'll have the time to log on tonight...
To do any edits in Develop you need to have access to the actual files, so you will either need to take the files with you or put them on an internet-enabled file server.
If you work on a second set of files, when you get back home you will need to save out the metadata from Lightroom, replace the older versions of the files with the updated ones (ideally using a sync/backup utility), and then use Synchronize Folder to update the settings within your main Lightroom catalog.
If you are using DNG, TIF, JPG you can sync the actual image files. If you are working with native camera raw files you can just replace the XMP sidecar files, then do the sync and Lightroom will update the settings.
I had version 1.1 on my computer. I went to Nats class on Lightroom. I took my laptop.
I have my laptop connected to several drives at home. The program is on drive C.
I disconnected the laptop from the external drives that had indexed photos on them. I tested the laptop and program out. It ran fine.
When I got to class, Adobe had just produced version 1.2. Nat had us download
the update. From that point on, I could not open the Lightroom program. I left the
class and went home. Only when I connected the external drives, did the new
version 1.2 run. It can be tricky when a drive that has an indexed photo is missing.
Adobe made some changes to the database engine between releases of early versions of the program. This required Lightroom to update its catalog file after installing the update. If the files are offline, the database can't be updated. I have no idea if this situation will ever arise again but since it had to do with the format of the data it's extremely unlikely.
And it's unrelated to the situation Erik is describing. That said, Lightroom is still a new program and as such, maintaining redundancy and flexibility in your photo processing workflow is wise. As is always having the most recent version of the software you use.
Keep in mind that this all has to do with maintaining Lightroom's database. If you're careful and diligent there's no reason that any specific processing software will negatively impact your digital photo library.
I'm really confused how a backup/sync utility will properly find/sync files between two different folder/file structures? As I understand it, Erik wants to take a subset of files with him that now exist on separate hard drives. These images would be copied to a single folder/single LR database for work on the road. When returning home, the sync process would then need to distribute these changed files back to the two or more original drives. How does this happen? Sorry, I'm totally unfamiliar with sync/backup software.
It's not critical that the names of the folders or that the exact number of files is the same, but keeping the original directory and file structures does make it easier to quickly compare them and confirm the selections before syncing.
On OS X, the sync software I use is ChronoSync. I'm sure there are lots of similar programs for Windows.
For Erik's situation there are two issues to deal with - keeping the Lightroom catalogs current and automating the file updates upon returning. Provided the metadata changes made on the road are preserved when the files are updated at their original locations, it's easy to synchronize that back into the original Lightroom catalog.
P.S. I just want to say that this past summer I hired Nat to come to Estes and hold my hand in regards to digital workflow and image processing. It was amazingly beneficial. If anyone is looking for help in this area, Nat is your guy!
Now I have to go out and research that snyc software.
But in any case it really pays to stay on top of the current crop of software; there is always something new coming around and that may save you countless hours and headaches....
My motto is: let the computer do the work ;-)