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How do I view previously created Catalogs and, in particular, collections in Lightroom. All that is displayed is the current Catalog. So, for example, if I wanted to add pictures to a previously created collection I have no way of viewing it. (posted this question a couple of hours ago and accidentally closed it as "answered)
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Simple fact is you should only have One Catalog not multiple catalogs.
Collections are stored with, in actually, the catalog file. So if you keep creating new catalogs you have to recreate any collections and also re-import the other images that were in the other catalogs you created. Doing that will wipe out any edits as LR is set by default to only store edits in the catalog file.
Please look here for tutorials on how to use LR properly.
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Multiple catalogs destroys the ability to see all of your organization (in this case, Collections). You want to combine all the catalogs into a single one. In one catalog, select File->Import from Another Catalog, and then select one of your other catalogs. Repeat as necessary until all photos are in a single catalog.
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So is the bottom line that I should be importing new folders from my hard drive into Folders not Catalogs using "import videos and pictures?
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Correct. Use the "import videos and pictures" menu option or the "import" button on the bottom left of the screen.
The catalog (database) knows about folders, images in folders, and images referenced by collections.
Unless you have a good reason for multiple catalogs -- and most people don't have a good reason -- you should be using only one catalog.
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sandman123 wrote:
So is the bottom line that I should be importing new folders from my hard drive into Folders not Catalogs using "import videos and pictures?
You have to import photos into folders, that's a requirement, you must specify a folder when you import into Lightroom, but they also go into a single catalog, not catalogs plural.
As stated above, you really need to view some introductory material about Lightroom, and not try to figure this out yourself.
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Thank you for your helpful responses. I've used Elements for years. This is one time, (probably one of many) I should have read instructions before I leaped!