4 Replies Latest reply: Aug 29, 2010 2:52 AM by Jasonized RSS

    How to change from LR2 cat to LR3 cat

    rlafoto1 Community Member

      Hi all,

       

      I have been using LR3 since it came out.  However, my catalog that I use "Lightroom 2 Catalog" was never updated to a "Lightroom 3 Catalog".  Does it matter, if so, how do I manually upgrade?

       

      When I backup my catalog, it backs up the catalog and previews to a variable filename such as "2010-08-28 0923" that contains the LRCAT file and Irdata file.  This Irdata file contains very few previews...

       

      It also updates a file "Lightroom 2 Catalog (2)-2 Previews.Irdata" that is located in a different location which contains all of the previews.  This same location contains the LRCAT file, Ircat.lock file, and Ircat-journal file that appear to update at the same time.

       

      What are the Ircat.lock and Ircat-journal files for?

       

      If I want to set up a catalog on an external site it seems that I would copy and past all of the files I just mentioned (not the backup)?

       

      Thanks,

       

      Randy

        • 1. Re: How to change from LR2 cat to LR3 cat
          Lee Jay-ZyZk56 Community Member

          If it bothers you, go into the catalog folder (you can get there from the prefs, if you'd like) and rename the .lrcat file and the previews folder.


          • 2. Re: How to change from LR2 cat to LR3 cat
            Pete Marshall Community Member

            When you first used LR 3, it should have asked if you wanted to upgrade your existing catalog or create a new one. If you didn't upgrade your existing catalog and wish to do so now, just locate the catalog and open it, LR 3 will then upgrade it.

            After it has been upgraded the LR 2 catalog sits alongside the LR 3 catalog so you can revert to the older catalog as well. They will both be in the same folder unless you have chosen to locate them elsewhere.

            As far as back ups go, each time you back up LR it creates a back up with the date it was created on in whatever location you have chosen in catalog settings. I back up every day and once a week delete all the backups except the last 2, which means I have up to nine, but no fewer than 2 backups....these should always be located on a separate drive to where your catalog is located, not just a separate partition of the same drive.

            The lock file is created when you have LR opened and deleted when you close LR, this locks LR and prevents you having two versions open at the same time (or at least it should be deleted when you close LR, sometimes if you have shut down your computer without closing LR or have experienced a crash it won't be deleted in which case LR will not open until you manually delete it)

            • 3. Re: How to change from LR2 cat to LR3 cat
              rlafoto1 Community Member

              I have learned alot over the last hr or 2.  However, I cannot make LR3 recognize my LR2 Cat and prompt for an upgrade to LR3 Cat.  Does it matter that I appear to be using a LR2 cat and not a LR3 cat?

               

              Randy

              • 4. Re: How to change from LR2 cat to LR3 cat
                Jasonized Community Member

                Randy,

                   I think you are confusing the name of the catalog for the format of the catalog.  If you see lr_2.lrcat, that doesn't mean that it's a catalog for version 2 of LR.  It's just that it's the second catalog of the same name.

                 

                A previous poster said to just rename it if it bothers you; if you go into that directory where you have your catalog, you will probably see your original catalog still there.  That one is most likely a version 2 catalog.  move it asside (rename it to something else) and rename your current one to the original name.  Then you are working on the same catalog name, but new version.

                 

                It's mostly a cosmetic problem.  If you installed LR3 on a system that didn't have a LR on it at all, it would not have created a catalog3.lrcat!


                Anyway, don't worry about it, or rename it to keep it straight in your mind and backups (which is what I did).


                Cheers!