How to open right catalog

[alistairw72100433]

Last year I upgraded to LR6 and transferred all my files and catalogs onto an external hard drive. All went well.

I have just opened up LR and it does not open with the correct catalog.

On the left hand side when I opened LR the external hard drive was shown but the were question marks against all the folders.

I went to open catalog to select the catalog I had last used. When selected it asked me

The catalog I last used in 2017 was the first one the "old" one. The "new" catalog was from an earlier attempt today to try to open it. 

When I tried again I got this message and when I upgraded it only shows the iMac Hard drive on the left hand side in Library and the folders where photos were cataloged previously in iMac.

I thought when I open LR I simply have to select open catalog and select the one I last used and it would open with all folders available. Dont understand why its trying to upgrade catalogs that have already been upgraded in LR?

I am totally confused as to how I can locate the right catalog, can anyone help please?

[Bill Sprague]

Your screen shots are not displaying.  

Can you use your operating system (Finder or Explorer) to locate the catalog file with the appropriate date of last use?  Double click on it and LR will open it.

[dj_paige]

You can use File->Open Recent in Lightroom to select recently opened catalogs; or File->Open Catalog to open a file anywhere on any local hard disk.

The problem with ? on your folders is a different problem, it does not indicate you have opened the wrong catalog; and can be fixed by following these directions:

Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders

[alistairw72100433]

Thanks for your reply. When I select the last used catalog it asks to upgrade it see below.

The one I last used is the old one why should it need upgrading?

When I select to find missing folders it says the folders are already in LR and do I want to merge. Tried that and still get ? In frames.

Please can you suggest a fix.

Many thanks

[dj_paige]

alistairw72100433  wrote

When I select to find missing folders it says the folders are already in LR and do I want to merge. Tried that and still get ? In frames.

Please can you suggest a fix.

This happens because you have either imported photos twice (accidentally), or you have imported some photos from a folder into LR and then imported other photos from that folder using the COPY option into another folder.

Can you search Lightroom using ALL 4 (not one or two, but ALL 4) of these steps, in order shown (not in the order you choose)

1. In the Lightroom Library Module, click on All Photographs on the left hand side (under Catalog)
2. Expand all stacks (Photo->Stacking->Expand All Stacks)
3. Turn off filters (Ctrl-L once or twice)
4. In the Filter bar, search for one of these photos from a folder with a ? icon. Search by file name.

Report the results.

[alistairw72100433]

Thanks will try this but LR won’t load at moment so having to restart Mac

Sent from my iPhone

[alistairw72100433]

Just had to reboot as LR had hung.

Now I have this look to LR not showing any photos, can’t do any of the actions you suggest and when I click on recent catalog nothing happens?

[dj_paige]

File->Open Catalog and select one of your catalog files (hopefully the proper one)

[alistairw72100433]

I have opened catalog and now being asked if I want to open old file and upgrade or use the newer upgraded catalog

Which option do I choose?

Thanks

[dj_paige]

Tell me the exact word-for-word message, or better yet show me a screen capture

[alistairw72100433]

I have now sorted the issue, not sure what the problem was but having rebooted correct catalog is now showing and photo folders are all linked.

Thanks for your help

Alistair

[JP Hess]

You have opened the right catalog, but the catalog is linked to images located in the old location before they were moved to the external hard drive. So you need to follow the instructions in the link that DJ has posted. The images are not in the catalog. The images are only referenced in the catalog, and if they get moved then you have to reestablish the link so that Lightroom knows where the images are now located.