Cannot import lightroom catalog to computer

[joshm3883890]

Hello, I'm having trouble importing a catalog and photos onto a new computer.  I'm getting the following message after I click File:Import from another catalog: and find the lightroom catalog.lrcat file.

"Can not import from this catalog at this time. The catalog is either in use by another copy of Lightroom or was closed improperly. If it was closed improperly, please consider doing an integrity check when opening."

I copied the photos and .lrcat file onto an flash drive from another computer I was using on a recent trip and then copied them onto the HD of my own computer.

What I've tried:

Deleting the .lock file

Logging out of Creative cloud on the computer which created the original .lrcat file.

Any other suggestions of what to do?  I did quite a bit of photo editing and sorting on the other computer and would like to be able to import this catalog onto my own computer.

[dj_paige · Accepted solution]

If you're just moving the catalog file to another computer, there's no importing needed. Just double-click on the catalog file after you copy it to the hard disk.

[joshm3883890]

wow.  That solved it.  Feeling stupid ha! 

[fmooneeram1]

I dont want to just open the catalog on a new computer, I want to import it into my master catalog. Im moving it from my MBP onto my iMac.

I get the same error message "

"Can not import from this catalog at this time. The catalog is either in use by another copy of Lightroom or was closed improperly. If it was closed improperly, please consider doing an integrity check when opening."  ?

I can open the catalog fine, but I dont want to just open it - i want to import it to my master catalog... Any ideas why it wont work?

Thanks in advance for any help

[dj_paige]

Could you describe the steps you are following in detail, from the beginning, and explain exactly what happens?

[fmooneeram1]

I have 2 computers: my MBP and my iMac.
Sometimes when on a job, I will upload and edit shots on my MBP in the field.
I want to be able to import this catalog to my master catalog that lives on my iMac when I get home.

I found the Catalog on my MBP that I wanted to move.

Put it on an external HD inc all of the other folders in there like previews, journal etc.

I put all the original RAW files that are being referenced in that catalog on the HD too.

I move all the image files and catalog files to the iMac desktop.

In LR on my iMac I try to "File>Import from another catalog:

And thats when I get the error message
"Can not import from this catalog at this time. The catalog is either in use by another copy of Lightroom or was closed improperly. If it was closed improperly, please consider doing an integrity check when opening."

[dj_paige]

So, with regards to this catalog that you are trying to import on your iMac ... check the folder it is in for a file whose name ends with .LOCK (might be lower case). If such a file is present, delete this file only. Do not delete anything else.

[fmooneeram1]

Hey - I had already tried this after reading it on another post.

Still no joy. The catalog works and operates fine when opened on its own. I was doing some editing in it yesterday.

But I can't import it to my master catalog still.

[VtBobF]

I am currently dealing with the same issue (may also make a separate post)

My workflow has been in the past:

1. export a catalog with say about 1000 photos from my macbook pro to my surface book, with files

2. edit photos on the surface book, importing other photos etc... used as a road catalog

3. at a later date import the surface book catalog into the macbook pro's and destroy the surface book's catalog.

Rinse and repeat.

However after updating to "Lightroom Classic CC" on both computers I am unable to import the catalog, i get the error:

"Lightroom cannot import from this catalog."

"The catalog does not appear to be a valid Lightroom catalog."

Any thoughts on what might be a solution would be appreciated!

[Kaiser101]

I am having the same problem.  Both my MacBookPro (travel laptop) and my iMac (home) computer are running Lightroom 7.3.1.  Each catalog opens on its respective computer fine but I get the following messages:

"Lightroom cannot import from this catalog."

"The catalog does not appear to be a valid Lightroom catalog."

Can anyone help with this issue?