Figuring out importation issues overview

[silsurf@me.com]

I have importation issues with Lightroom that go back many versions and many Mac OS's. It seems it has a lot to do with setting correct permissions and LR being able to access the ext hdd where my images are kept in a way the is "smooth" (in the words of an Abode tech support specialist.)

Here is what I know, or think I know and would love to hear about other people knowledge on the topic.

Every once in awhile LR hangs when I try to import. Forcing me to force quit as "application in not responding".

This happened a few weeks ago and it had to do with incomplete permissions on the ext hdd. so for starts it seems to be a very good idea to make sure your ext hdd (if that is where you keep you photos) has "read & write" permission set for "admin" and to "apply to enclosed folders" as well before locking the permissions.

But after I did not a few weeks ago and everything running smoothly again, I was unable to import after this morning update to version 7.2.

A new customer service remote call showed me that when selecting the ext hdd in the destination, if you do not "select" a folder, LR can gets very confused and stall, but if you select a folder (directory) on the destination, the importation will go through just fine. Now according to the customer service person, it does not matter what folder/ directory you chose, LR will not build your import into that folder/directory, but just "understands" more "smoothly" where your ext is located and allows for easier importation.

that other thing I found on a thread here was that when you crash on import, you leave behind these "temporary import data" files in your catalog folder, I found about a dozen of them in mine after all the import issues I was having and I removed all of them, which may or may not have helped.

So, that is what I know at the moment, but would ove any other thoughts, experience and or guidance on how to keep this behavior at bay.

Thanks,

henry

[Rob_Cullen]

it does not matter what folder/ directory you chose,

Not true!

It does matter. And you do need to select a folder on the External drive carefully. Because the import process will copy the camera files into a Sub-folder in accord with the instructions you give in the [Destination] Panel

[silsurf@me.com]

Thanks,

I was curious about that

"it does not matter what folder/ directory you chose,"

My image directories are loose inside my ext hdd. When the Abode support tech said I need to choose a folder in order for LR ti import "smoothly" I was confused, because there is no top parent directory? He said it did not matter as long as I chose something?

I clarified by asking if I should change anything in my ext hdd/ He said no, I dont need to in order for LR to import properly.

So, again, I am a bit confused by this and would like to clarify it before I have this issue again.

[Rob_Cullen]

My image directories are loose inside my ext hdd.

That is OK, as long as YOU know where all your directories and images are stored on the drive.

there is no top parent directory

It is advisable to have a "top parent" directory, for one reason that it makes it much easier to backup all the photos on that drive if they all are stored under the 'parent'.

But- do NOT re-arrange folders and files by using Finder. There are correct ways to do this using Lightroom.

should change anything in my ext hdd/ He said no, I dont need to in order for LR to import properly.

Well- technically correct, but YOU MUST KNOW where your files are being stored, and the only way to know that is to observe the Destination Panel in detail, every time you do an import of new files (using the 'Copy' from camera card method).

The Destination directory must have full Read/Write permissions.

The speed of Importing will depend on many things, file-size, number of files, usb connection, drive speed, size of Previews chosen, etc. If you interrupt an import you may be creating the {Temporary.....} directories, which I believe can be deleted with Finder. When importing files, watch the progress bars top-left of screen

I note in your screen-clip: There is a {LR Backups} directory. You must let LR save catalog backups to a drive different to the Catalog.

Also you have a Smart Previews directory: If your original camera files are always available to LR you do not need Smart Previews. (there are exceptions).

The "Application- Not Responding" message is something I see occasionally, but with a short wait it always clears and LR gets on with the job.

Watch a video tutorial by Julianne Kost at- Lightroom CC - Importing Images From a Camera - YouTube

It is titled Lr-CC but is still applicable to LR-Classic. The topic of Destination begins about 2.20 in the video.

[silsurf@me.com]

Thanks very much.

So, all the directories in the ext hdd are organized by LR by date. So, everything is in its place and easily located, the question is whether to create a new top level directory such as "entire catalog" (as an example) and move all the directories into it (using the LR folders panel to do all of this!)

If I do this, I know my cloning software will want to start over with creating a new clone, which takes awhile, but if it seems to be a good idea I will do it.

This is what I was trying to ask the Adobe csr, but perhaps the language became a barrier. I think I am reading that you would feel it is a good idea?

Read/write permissions are all good on ext hdd

As far as: "You must let LR save catalog backups to a drive different to the Catalog" are you stating this becasue it is a safety thing? To keep your backups on a different drive than the originals or is there an "under the hood" reason? I have had my catalog and backups set up this way for a few years? They are both in my dropbox.

Thanks so much for your guidance and thoughts and experience on these issues

Henry

[dj_paige]

Is this a good idea???

Lightroom simply doesn't care. If you do nothing, LR will be fine.

Perhaps other software benefits from having all folders under a parent folder (such as backup software; you may find it easier to say make a backup of the Parent folder, which should select all subfolders as well, but I think you can also tell the backup software to make a backup of the entire hard disk).

So the answer depends on what else you want to do with your photos outside of LR.

If you do choose to re-arrange the folders so that they are all under a single parent folder, you will most likely have to do this one folder at a time, by dragging and dropping in LR; or by dragging and dropping in your operating system and then re-connecting in Lightroom (right-click on a folder and select Find Missing Folder). But as this seems like a lot of tedious work, folder-by-folder (and I can't think of a way to do this for all folders in a single action), I probably wouldn't do it, I'd leave it as it is.

[Rob_Cullen]

Is this a good idea???

Well, it can be!  but not necessary. My thoughts-

All my images are on one (internal) hard-drive dedicated to images only. I do not have a 'parent' directory! only "Year" folders (and the Catalog), So for image backups I simply clone the entire hard-drive. You can do the same.

OTOH if you use a Hard-drive for 'everything' (documents, etc), then placing the Image directories in a 'parent' folder can help the backup of image files.

And as Paige says- Lightroom can handle your images and directories however they are arranged.

backups to a drive different to the Catalog.... because it is a safety thing?

Yes. If a physical drive fails then you would lose both the working catalog and the catalog backups.

Dropbox is ok if you trust 'cloud' backups and the local dropbox folder is on a different drive to the catalog. I like to have my catalog backups go to a local drive.

Again, my working catalog is on the dedicated E:\ image drive with my images, so my 'clone' of the image E:\drive does a backup of  images and the catalog. The 'daily' catalog backups go to my C:\drive (almost) every time LR exits.

Really, it sounds like you are doing everything right and have full understanding. It is just the "application in not responding" in your first post that is still a concern.

[silsurf@me.com]

thanks very much to all. It is clear now finally.

Henry

Just when I thought everything was fine, it just starts again? As soon as I select the ext hdd, the beach ball starts spinning and the application stops responding? I have six images I am trying to import. I have tried directly from the camera and from a folder on the main hdd, both access fine, I see the images in the import preview fine, but the selection of the destination makes the program hang. To be clear, I am not even selecting the destination, it is already selected from my last successful import. Workflow is fine, all modules, no issues, only when I go to import.

So...if one you you kind helpful community members could suggest a way to specifically diagnose what the heck is going on I would appreciate it.

The ext hdd has proper permissions locked in.

If I change the destination to the Desktop it imports

If I select a folder within the ext hdd it imports

If I select the drive from the list it imports

if I rely on the previous settings, it hangs stalls.

I think it has something to do with "something" that happens to the ext hdd after I clone, I will try to test my theory, but if I am not mistaken, this issue only happens after I have done a clone using either SuperDuper or CCC?

Frustrating!

[Rob_Cullen]

Another suggestion-

Are you expanding the existing sub-folders that exist on the Drive {Henry Photo Libraries} by clicking on the black triangle?

If you are just selecting the Drive header only, Lightroom has to search the whole drive (540GB) for each and every image on that drive to determine if there are 'Duplicates' it has to avoid- this will take much time if many files.

Try expanding the sub-folders and select a sub-folder as the Destination. With less files it may get there quicker.

[silsurf@me.com]

I was not selecting a sub folder only because of the initial question of whether I had to? The importation process has worked flawlessly hundreds of times without selecting anything, just relying on the previous setting to be default. But something is being buggy now.

If I select a folder on the desktop, importation goes through just fine.

If I select the desktop, then go back to my EXT HDD and try selecting a sub folder, it just starts a spinning beach ball. I opening Activity Monitor prior to the last attempt as as soon as I select the EXT HDD CPU usages goes to 100% and then it stalls and then "application not responding".

As far as waiting, I let it run all night last night and it never seems to find an end, contrary, the computer went into a deep sleep and was very difficult to wake, then operating was clunky and jumpy until I restarted.

[silsurf@me.com]

I created a new user account and started a new LR Catalog on it and the same thing happens.

It only happens with that EXT HDD. I can import to other drives. But if I select my Henry Photo Library, it just starts the beach ball every time. I am going to rebuild that volume and hope for the best. If anyone has another suggestion please let me know.

Henry

[silsurf@me.com]

Rebuilt the volume on the EXT HDD and it works fine as a destination. What I wish I knew is why this happens once in awhile? Dont think it has anything to do with LR, so this is probably not the community to discuss.

It seems as I stated earlier that I have this issue after cloning, though I also think it is only after cloning using Carbon Copy Cloner to my NAS and not using SuperDuper to a different local EXT HDD.

I guess the only other thing to ask is how people handle there clones?

Boy, what a run around!