Sync Laptop with Smart Previews (LR Classic CC)

[skewcrap]

Hi

Currently I am working on 12'000 RAW images (=400GB). I use Lightroom classic on my desktop computer. Files are stored on a blistering fast Samsung 970 EVO at the moment. When the main work is done, i will put them on my 8TB internal HDD.

Since I go to work by train, I would like to use that spare time to work on my images, but on my laptop. Im looking for a conveniant way to do so, which means, I don't want to mess around with external HDDs as this is very error prone and time consuming. Further, processing 24 MP RAW Files on my laptop (its a samsung ultrabook) is far too slow.

So, I read about the smart previews and thought I should by able to sync certain collections to the cloud and to my laptop. I tried that, and first it seemed to work, but then there were either synched duplicate images or synching did not work at all. Somwhere I read that you can't synch between two Lightroom Classic CC systems. Is this true?

Anyway. Since what I'm trying to do seems quite obvious (thats basically the benefit of having a cloud, right?), Adobe must offer an option to do so?

Maybe someone can explain the options I have?

Thanks a lot.

Regards

[Rob_Cullen]

If I can summarize your alternatives as I believe them to be-

1. Desktop Classic > Laptop Classic  (Web access not needed.)

Export as a Catalog  with Smart Previews. (selected images. It need not be your entire library!)

Edit this catalog on the Laptop

Import this catalog back to the Desktop to 'update' the desktop catalog edits.

(Use USB sticks or portable drives to transfer the temporary catalog.)

2.  Desktop Classic > Laptop Lightroom-CC (Web access needed)

In the Desktop Catalog Create Collections of images to Sync to the Cloud. (12,000 will take a LONG time!!!)

Set Laptop Lightroom-CC preferences to "Store Smart Previews Locally" (useful if no web access while traveling)

Store album locally, save your photos to a hard drive, or share as web gallery

Edit these images on the Laptop using Lightroom-CC

(All edits done on the Laptop will sync back to the Desktop Classic)

[skewcrap]

Thanks for your reply. I will try first using option 2 Lightroom CC on my laptop. Option 1 will be rather a workaround for me. I have a few more questions though (I‘m new to Lightroom and it‘s quite a mess with all the different versions and features):

If I set up Lightroom CC for the first time on my laptop; how do I do that to avoid synching trouble (duplicate images)? Do I need to export a catalag from my desktop and import that catalog into Lightroom CC on my laptop, or do I have to copy the catalog manually (without using export/import)?

How can I use the best of both worlds? I read about an automatic way to do keywording in Lightroom CC. Does it actually work? I would appreciate to use that. Question is, will automatic keywords be synched back to my desktop with classic CC?

[john beardsworth]

The key is not to try to be too clever if you use "Lightroom CC" for when you are away from Lightroom Classic. Treat it just like Lightroom iOS or Android, as merely a convenient way to access your Lightroom Classic catalogue when you're on the move. It doesn't really offer much more than LR iOS/Android anyway. If you don't import anything into "Lightroom CC", you won't get any duplicates.

Simply install "Lightroom CC" and it will read anything that you synced from your Lightroom catalogue. Note WobertC's point about "Store Smart Previews Locally" - so open LRCC while connected to the internet - eg before you leave for your train.You don't need to worry about export/import or copying catalogues - you just treat "Lightroom CC" as if it's running on a phone or tablet.

I am not sure Adobe offer the best of all worlds. The keywording in "Lightroom CC" is certainly not automatic and Adobe decided that it wouldn't sync with Lightroom. There is some AI stuff, which includes a hidden recognition and tagging system, but that only works when you are connected to the internet. So if you are using LRCC on your laptop, forget about its keywording features - I don't waste my own time on it.

[skewcrap]

Ok, that helps a lot.

Regarding the missing feature to synchronize keywords (quite crazy as keywording would be one of the tasks, which are most suitable to do on mobile devices), could you do the following:

Open Lightroom CC, search for example for „animal“ and see what Adobe Sensei finds. Make a new collection with the images found called animals, mark them to being synchronized to the cloud. Open Lightroom Classic CC, load the synchronized collection and add the keyword „animal“ to all the pictures in the collection. Afterwards delete the collection.

If that works, you could somehow take advantage of the „new world“.

If you have large amounts of pictures, every help is appreciated...

[john beardsworth]

fabians82850722  wrote

Open Lightroom CC, search for example for „animal“ and see what Adobe Sensei finds. Make a new collection with the images found called animals, mark them to being synchronized to the cloud. Open Lightroom Classic CC, load the synchronized collection and add the keyword „animal“ to all the pictures in the collection. Afterwards delete the collection.

If that works, you could somehow take advantage of the „new world“.

Yes, you can do that, providing you are connected to the internet. And it's a new world with village idiot-level intelligence. Ask it to recognise car models, text in a picture, or very well-known people or landmarks. Or try telling it a donkey is not a cat. I just don't think one can construct a serious or particularly-useful workflow around this.

[skewcrap]

Well, I have to see how accurate it works. Certainly I don‘t want to do a detailed keywording, for example identifying bird species. But for example, to identify all pictures containing water could already be helpful.

[john beardsworth]

As you're using Classic, you'll probably make better use of your time editing titles and captions in LRCC, or adjusting photos. But it's your time.

[skewcrap]

I tried it, and well, it depends. Sometimes it did show complete nonsense, but the word "bird" was quite a success.

I mean, if I can identiy 2000 bird pictures out of 12'000 within 5 minutes using that method, I'm very glad. For smaller amounts of pictures it might be completely useless, for large amounts, it could help.

Regarding birds: I have the app "Merlin" from Cornell Lab on my iphone. You can identify birds based on a picture automatically. I tried approximately 15 species, and every time I had a match. So, thechnology basically works.

[skewcrap]

I tried Option 2) working with Lightroom CC, and there is another feature which i miss beside the lack for proper keywording: The Auto Tone Button in the quick develop module.

Therefore, I have a further question regarding option 1 (Desktop Classic / Laptop Classic). Would it be possible, to copy the entire catalog including smart previews from the desktop pc to the laptop, and then sync only the catalog file with the help of Dropbox or OneDrive?

I certainly would prefer to use Lightroom Classic CC on my laptop, but as mentioned earlier without syncing manually with HDDs.

[Rob_Cullen]

Would it be possible, to copy the entire catalog including smart previews from the desktop pc to the laptop, and then sync only the catalog file with the help of Dropbox or OneDrive?

I believe it is possible, BUT every time you change from Desktop to Laptop you have to copy the current catalog to Dropbox, download the current catalog to the Laptop from Dropbox, before using. AND you will have to do in reverse (Laptop to Desktop), AND be sure to do it every time you swap computers. AND be sure you wait for the upload/downloads to complete.

AND be aware that this makes the Catalog extremely prone to corruption.

You would need to 'Start' the process by first [Export as a Catalog] the whole Catalog with Smart Previews and copy&paste to the Laptop. Big problems will arise as you add new photos to either computer.

I do not recommend you sync with on-line methods!

I prefer to use my laptop only as a "Travel" catalog- Lightroom 5: How to Use Lightroom 5 On Location - YouTube

[skewcrap]

I have been using Dropbox for years and I never had issues with corrupted files. Why would you have to start Dropbox manually? You should be able to just place the catalog file inside the Dropbox synching folder? Off course you have to be careful not to run Lightroom on Laptop and Desktop simultaneously as this might cause conflicted copies.

Anyway; I have watched the video you posted. Not exactley what I want to do, but I think I know how it works.

I will try just exporting part of my full desktop catalog with smart previews enabled and then load that catalog on my laptop. What I really  want to avoid is to move around the original files. But if I understood correctly it should not be necessary to do so.

btw: is it correct that stacked images are not synched from classic to CC?

[skewcrap]

Ok, today I tested exporting part of the main catalog as a temp catalog and to work on it on the laptop. I think, I found a bug. Since I have no clue how to contact Adobe (chat not available, no mail address found, no forms..., thanks, Adobe), i post it here as it might help others.

If you right click on a collection, you can select "export this collection as a catalog". If you do so, you have 3 checkboxes available:

1) Export negative files

2) Build / Include smart previews

3) Include available previews.

Because I just want to work with smart previews I had only 2) selected. 3) I had disabled, because I assumed this would include the 1:1 previews.

I exported the catalog on my desktop computer, started Lightroom classic CC on my laptop with "Alt" key pressed to select the temporary catalog. Lightroom opened the catalog, but the keywords of all photographs were missing. In the keyword box it only says "working..:"

After some try and error I exported the temporary catalog with 3) checked (include available previews). Now, the keywords show up as intended. I'm glad I found out. I call it a bug, as the user has absolutely no chance to understand that behaviour.

Anyway, I'm happy it seems that I can finally start editing my pictures...

[john beardsworth]

I frequently export as catalogue and have never seen that bug. Can you repeat it?

[skewcrap]

Ok, you were right. It's not that simple.

What I can tell so far:

-If I export a collection with 17 containing images as a new catalog, all keywords are shown (tested on laptop and desktop computer).

-If I export a collection with 64 containing images as a new catalog, keywords are not shown (tested on laptop and desktop computer), in the keyword box it only says "working"...

-If I export a collection with even more images it seems to depend on the images. Most images will have "working..." in the keyword box, but some images show the correct keywords (tested on laptop and desktop computer).

The desktop computer is much stronger and the cache sizes are bigger, but it's the same problem. Actually, these kind of questions should be answered by Adobe coders .

How old is lightroom? still buggy after years....