Light folder sync issues

[JIM BLACK]

Hello

I have caused a big problem. I was looking at my photo file on my mac and some how some files. When I went into light and noticed that some file were not being found. I went to sync the photos, but I ended up syncing and down loading the whole file back onto lightroom. This ended up removing picture that I had in folders in light room. Pictures that I have already done all my meta data (key words) edits that were done and final and duplicates. It re loaded them from my hard drive with out any of the work that I had done. as if it were down loading them for the first time. It included all of the images that I have edited out/rejected from light room, and were only saved on the hard drive. Some images are still not synced. Not sure if this is fixable?

Stressed

Jim Black

[dj_paige]

It re loaded them from my hard drive with out any of the work that I had done. as if it were down loading them for the first time.

Yes, that is what importing and synchronizing folders will do, it thinks these are totally new files that Lightroom has never seen before.

But it does not remove files from your Lightroom. The files you are interested in should still be in Lightroom. YOu have to search for them by file name.

[Rob_Cullen]

One caution with Synchronize folders- If you check one option, then Sync-folder  will indeed remove the 'missing' photos from the catalog.

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/synchronize-folder/?utm_source=The+Lightroom+Queen&utm_campaign=66f3d...

Not sure if this is fixable?

Maybe your best option is to restore from a recent Backup Catalog.  You do a Catalog Backup frequently?

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/partial-restore-backup-catalog/

[JIM BLACK]

I do a back up once a week. How do I restore from my last back up and will it restore my files and my edits up to that last back up?

Thanks

[Rob_Cullen]

Yep I think I gave you a link not quite appropriate. Try this one- it has the procedure more suited to a 'Full Restore'.

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/disaster-strikes-corrupted-catalog/

"will it restore my files and my edits up to that last back up?"

Yes it will show the photos and edits exactly as they were when you did the backup.

Be aware though, if you have changed folders or photos referenced in that catalog (the backup)  using the operating system since that date, then the Backup catalog will not reflect those changes when restored.

Read the link- I think Victoria Bampton can explain better than I.

[JIM BLACK]

thanks, This may be a dumb question but since most of my files are so messed up now and are missing edits and meta data. If I were to remove all the photos from the folders in lightroom, basically starting from scratch with an empty light room.. Could I then do a full restore and have it put things back to where it was. Photos in the right folders and edits and meta data such the way it was?

[Rob_Cullen]

starting from scratch with an empty light room..do a full restore and have it put things back to where it was.

That is two different procedures, "an empty Lightroom"- No.  A "restore" from backup- Partially possible.

You can simply create a new 'empty' catalog and import (using 'Add') all your photos, but you get nothing- no edits, no keywords, etc, only the previews in the library.

Doing a restore from a Backup catalog would still preserve much of your work but you will have to work at fixing the 'mess'. With a large catalog of photos, I know I would rather 'fix' a few folders, than lose all my years of work on the photos that are not marked as 'missing'.

Can you give us some screen-clips that might illustrate the folder/sub-folder structure in the Lr Folder panel,and the problems you have?

[dj_paige]

Doing a restore of the catalog backup file from one week ago provides you with all photos, edits, metadata as they existed one week ago. There is no need to delete anything first, just restore the catalog file.