LR deleting photos from catalog but remain on drive

[JDworek]

Lately, I've had client images gone from LR CC and when I look on the drive they are still there. I re-import them but the xmp files don't sync up so I lose all my culling work. What is causing this and how can I get LR to see the xmp's again? They are stored with the photos automatically on import and are still there but LR doesn't see them. I tried to synchronize the metadata but nothing I try works.

[Just Shoot Me]

What exact version of LR are you using?

Go to the LR Help menu and select System Info then copy and paste the first 5 lines from the dialog window that comes up into a reply to this discussion.

[JDworek]

I store my catalog on Dropbox. Always have. Been doing it for 5 years without an issues. Do you think there's an issue with that? Here's my catalog file. Does this look right?

Im not sure why I have 3 catalogs in here. I didnt make new ones. Why would this happen?

[JDworek]

Ok. So I think the problem is all these duplicates. How do I merge them so I dont lose any of my work?

[Just Shoot Me]

Also the only time LR creates a Previews folder, and especially a Smart Previews folder, is when a catalog is opened and with the Smart Previews folder that is only created when Smart Preview are created. So at some point you used both the -2 and -3 catalog file.

Those 2 catalogs, -2 & -3, where more than likely created by opening the older LR CC 2015 catalog, jdp clients 2016.lrcat.

[JDworek]

yes! You're absolutely right. So I went into JDP-2 and found the images I need and exported them as a new catalog and re-imported them into JDP-3 because that is the current catalog I am using.

Not sure if I should just delete the old catalogs now. I dont know why they are causing this issue.

[Just Shoot Me · Accepted solution]

Well your screen shot shows 3 different copies of your catalog. 1 with capital JDP Clients 2016-3 and 2 with lower case jdp with following names of Clients 2016 and 2016-2. Along with both Previews and Smart Previews folders for both the 2016-2 and 2016-3 catalogs.

The only time a catalog file get a number character added to the end of is when you open an older LR catalog in a newer LR version.

When I upgrade my catalog from LR CC 2015 to LR Classic CC V7 my LR 2015 catalog got a -2 added to the name after LR Classic copied it and then upgrade that copy. If I had tried to open that original LR 2015 catalog a second time it would of been copied again and since there was already a catalog with a -2 at the end LR would of added -3 to the end.

Right now it looks like you have the JDP Clients 2016-3 catalog open in LR because there is both a .LOCK file and what looks like a -wal file (whatever that is. I've never seen that type of file before).

I have no comment on storing a LR catalog file on/in a DropBox folder. I have no idea whether that is ok or not. I wouldn't do it but hey that's me.

It's the multiple catalogs that leads me to think you are opening a wrong catalog.

[JDworek]

Well should I get rid of the duplicate catalogs and what's the best way to do that?

[Just Shoot Me]

jdworek@roadrunner.com  wrote

Well should I get rid of the duplicate catalogs and what's the best way to do that?

First you need to figure out which exact catalog you are currently using or want to use. Once you do that then you can simply Delete the others.

Open LR and go to the Preferences. On the General tab in the "Default Catalog" section what does it say to the right of "When starting up use this catalog:"?

[JDworek]

It was set to most recent catalog. So I changed it to the JDP-3 which is the one I am currently using. Is that right?

[Just Shoot Me]

jdworek@roadrunner.com  wrote

It was set to most recent catalog. So I changed it to the JDP-3 which is the one I am currently using. Is that right?

Yes that's fine. I change it to the path of the catalog I use using the Other option then browsing to the current catalog file.

That way every time LR opens it go to that exact catalog. Even if you opened or created a new catalog the next time you open LR it will go back to your Default catalog.

[JohanElzenga]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Just+Shoot+Me  wrote

Right now it looks like you have the JDP Clients 2016-3 catalog open in LR because there is both a .LOCK file and what looks like a -wal file (whatever that is. I've never seen that type of file before).

The .wal file is a new type of temporary file, created by Lightroom Classic. It's present when Lightroom Classic is running, and should automatically be deleted when you quit Lightroom.

[Just Shoot Me]

More than likely you are opening the wrong catalog, IE an Older catalog that doesn't have those images imported into it.