Why does LR make second copy (xxx-2) plus zip copy of dng files and can I stop that?

[MPDAEF]

Haven't found any setting to disable that behavior, which does take up hard drive space.  LR makes a copy (.-2) of file and then uses that copy instead of the original file, which is in addition to the .zip file and so makes three.  It also insists on using the -2 files as the current catalog files.  If I delete those, it can't, of course, find the photos.  And if I keep the -2 copy and delete the original, it will, I believe, make a xxx-3 version.

I assume there's a reason for this (and maybe it's always been this way), but I haven't found any info.   If there's just a setting I've missed, I'd love to be able to change this behavior and save the space.  This doesn't happen with .jpegs, so maybe it happens during the "convert to .dng on import" setting?

I use LR CC, and it is up to date.  Also, Windows 10, 64-bit. I use a Surface Book, which has limited hard drive space, so I now have all my photos on an external drive.  It's a bit slower than the old way, but it seems otherwise to work well.  (I'm not sure that "delete from disk" always does so, but that's a conversation for another day.)

Thanks.

Gail

[ManiacJoe]

What you are describing is very odd behavior. Can you attach some screen shots of what Lightroom is showing and what Windows File Explorer is showing?

What are the settings you use in the Import dialog?

[MPDAEF]

I'm attaching a screen shot from File Explorer. (The photos are all in a

folder I call "Photos," but it's effectively "My Pictures" with a slightly

different name.

I can't do a screen shot of what LR is showing--it won't capture what you

need. When I hover cursor over a photo, what comes up in the little box

identify the photo and its location is the file name or number (e.g.,

_1040286-2.dng), just as you see it in the File Explorer, plus the capture

date and time and photo size.

I've set very few import instructions: don't import duplicates; minimal

previews; Copy as DNG. I attach camera via USB, choose it as the source,

and choose the relevant folder in destination in the Photos folder in the

external drive where they are stored. I shoot mostly in raw, so most filed

get converted upon import. I've set no instructions about renaming or

making smart previews or second copies and nothing to do with collections.

I hope that's useful. If you need any further info, please let me know.

I've sent only the one screen shot, since it shows the issue pretty well.

If you need more, of course I can provide.

Thanks for helping.

Gail

[Just Shoot Me]

You have to actually log in to the forum site and attach the screen shot here. You can't reply by email with an attachment and have that show up.

[MPDAEF]

Sorry. Forgot about that. Will post screen shot when back at computer.

[MPDAEF]

Here's the screen shot.  All of my Photo folders do not look like this, so I have to assume it has something to do with the Import--though I've always done it the same way, so I can't figure it out.  If I could delete all the -2 entries and do a "find missing photo" on all the photos, I could probably solve this problem, but it would take the rest of this lifetime, I'm afraid.

Appreciate any ideas you might have.  Thanks.

[Just Shoot Me]

First thing you need to do is go into the Folder options, Control Panel>Folder Options View Tab, and turn off the option to "Hide extensions for known file types". So you can see exactly what the extension is for all your files.

I have no idea what is creating the DNG.ZIP files as that is not an option in LR.

The reason you are seeing the .dng.zip extension is because Windows treats zip files as folders and is showing you the full file name.

[MPDAEF]

I can see what the extensions are (and have deleted any old raw ones--nef,

for instance--left from pre-dng downloads). What I would like to know is

why the zips and why the second (-2) versions are being created so I can

stop that.