Classic CC and old LR CC on same computer

[MPDAEF]

  (Running Win 10 on a Surface Book--PC laptop.)

When I installed Classic CC, I didn't want to uninstall the old program until the new one was working properly, so I have both programs on this computer.. 

I haven't actually used the old CC for eons, but photo and other graphic downloads are still set to open with it. Windows 10 will not allow me to change the download default to Classic, so everything downloaded opens in the old CC. There is no option to select anything except "Lightroom" in the computer's defaults options. 

The two versions do not presently use an identical catalog, so downloaded items remain in old CC and do not transfer to Classic..  One option, I think, is to uninstall the old CC, though I'm not sure how downloads would work if I do that.  Alternatively, I can upgrade the old CC catalog to the version used by Classic, but I don't know whether the two versions would then interfere with each other.

This is not really a LR problem; it's a so-far-unsolvable Windows 10 problem, but I'd appreciate anyone's best thoughts on how I might deal with it.  TIA.

Gail--

[JP Hess]

If you allow Lightroom Classic CC to upgrade your previous catalog, it will actually create a new copy of the previous catalog. It will have the same name as the old catalog, except that it will have a -2 appended to its name. The original catalog will be left intact and usable by the old version. The two versions are not compatible. The catalog is a database, and whenever they catalog is upgraded it is because the database engine has been upgraded and improved. So if you allow Lightroom Classic CC to go ahead and upgrade the previous catalog you will actually be using a separate catalog. But it will contain all of your previous work, just in a new and upgraded container.

[MPDAEF]

It says it wants to upgrade to the SAME catalog as Classic--at least the

name and number 2 are the same.

Do you think, then, I'd be ok to uninstall it? It seems to have almost

nothing in the un-upgraded catalog, although it once had many, many files.

I could go check old backups, but Classic got all those files when I

downloaded it.

[JP Hess]

I'm afraid I'm not understanding your question. When I initially explained the upgrading of your old Lightroom CC catalog, I was referring to the one created by the old program. I was assuming that you had been working in the old Lightroom CC, and had processed images using the old program. Usually, after installing Lightroom Classic CC, when starting the new program, it finds the catalog you have been using and upgrades that catalog and appends the -2 to its name. Then when the upgrade has completed, work simply continues using the same images, the same work you have been doing in the past, but in the new program. If I understand you correctly, you have created your own new catalog in Lightroom Classic CC. And I'm unsure of the naming convention that has been used on the catalog you have been using in the new program.

[MPDAEF]

You are entirely right about the original Classic download and catalog

update. The old LR CC has nothing in it, really, because all its old files

are in Classic CC, which is what I use exclusively. EXCEPT blankety-blank

Win 10 insists on using old LR CC as default for picture downloads. I

tried to change that default, but there appears to be no way to do that in

Win 10.

So . . .my problem, which began all this, is how to get downloads to open

with Classic instead of the old program. (I don't know why, if I go into

old CC, it says it has to update the catalog to ***-2, which you and I know

it did long ago. It also opens in the Import dialogue because it is trying

to open a file I just downloaded. That's really no the issue, of course.)

I suppose my question now is: If I uninstall old LR CC, will I be causing

myself any problems--for instance, will it impact Classic in any way?

Then, assuming I can safely uninstall it, I'll just have to hope that

downloads will now default to Classic as being the only LR that exists on

the computer.

Does that sound reasonable to you?

Gail

[JP Hess]

You must have Lightroom configured differently than I do. I DON'T have Lightroom configured to start the import dialog when I insert a SD card. I prefer to control that myself. I initiate the Import process from within Lightroom, so there isn't any issue with an "old" version starting. I simply start the program and import as I want. I see no reason for Windows 10 insisting on using the older version to import. All you need to do is start Lightroom Classic CC and activate the import dialog and import your images. You don't need the older version of Lightroom installed unless you want it for some reason. Lightroom Classic CC is not dependent upon it for anything.

I think you must be confused about something else, too. You say you're going into the old Lightroom and it indicates that you need to update the catalog. That doesn't sound right. That sounds like you're in the new Lightroom. Seems to me that you've got some confusion going on between versions.

[MPDAEF]

Sorry, but I fear it is you who are confused--probably my fault.

LR Classic CC is fine, has worked entirely normally since it first became

available, and is the program I always use. I did not reconfigure it in

any way. It imports in the "usual way," when I initiate an import and not

when it starts. My photos are all on an external drive (Surface Book has

only 250 gigs of storage). The catalog points to the external drive.

Everything really does work normally, except downloads from the internet.

.

I set this computer to open picture DOWNLOADS with Lightroom. When I did

that, there was no Classic--only old CC. That system (download, open to

view in LR, import if desired or delete) worked fine until Classic came

along. When I installed Classic, the catalog was updated as you described,

and I began using Classic in the normal way, discontinuing using Old CC.

HOWEVER, for reasons that no one seems to understand, Windows 10 insists on

opening picture DOWNLOADS (from email or web) in Old CC, which was the

original download default. There appears to be no way to reset the default

so downloads open with Classic. This is a problem created by Windows, not

by any version of LR.

This is not an instance of my choosing to import a file "in the usual

way." This is a download that should open with LR Classic but opens

instead with Old CC. Old CC opens with Import because it has just gotten

a download; it will open the downloaded photo but NOT import it into LR

without being told by me to do so. That makes sense and is the way it is

supposed to work. What doesn't make sense is why all downloads open with

Old CC instead of Classic, which is now the main LR version.

Although it shouldn't be necessary, I will be happy to uninstall Old CC, AS

LONG AS that will not create any problems I am unaware of.

G

[JP Hess · Accepted solution]

I use Windows 10. I don't have any kind of configuration that has downloaded images configured to open with any version of Lightroom. That does make sense to me because the images need to be imported. But you'll have to make your decision whether or not to remove the old Lightroom CC. If you're not using it there really isn't any to keep it installed. Lightroom Classic CC doesn't rely on it for anything. The two programs are completely independent.

[MPDAEF]

Thanks much. I use LR as my picture viewer. Since I don't save pictures

outside of LR, it saves me a step or two to use LR to open photos.

I will go ahead and remove LR CC, and I'll also mark your answer as

correct. Appreciate your input.

Gail

[MPDAEF]

Just FYI: I've uninstalled LR 6 and, as I suspected, there's no way to

associate LR Classic as a way to open downloaded photos. Alas. I think

this must be because Classic is web-based and LR6 was an installed

program??? Anyway, when I have time I'll call Microsoft and see if I can

get any joy. If it's at all interesting, I'll let you know.

Gail

[JP Hess]

Somewhere you have picked up some real misunderstandings. Lightroom Classic CC is NOT web-based at all. Are you really using Lightroom Classic CC or are you using Lightroom CC (the NEW cloud-based Lightroom CC)? Lightroom Classic CC has the capability of sharing collections on the Web, but the images are imported and stored on your local hard drive and all file management is handled locally. I don't know where you have gotten the concept that Classic is a web-based Lightroom, because it isn't.

[MPDAEF]

Of course, you're right. I am using Classic. Just packing for a trip and

having a (wrong) brainstorm. Win 10 list of apps to use for opening

downloaded photos just does not include Classic or new CC either. I will

have to call Microsoft to see if there's any fix for this.

[JP Hess]

I'm not going to bore you or bother you with any more of my feelings other than to say that I have never used Lightroom as a default program for any files. If I have images to look at than I used Lightroom to import them using the import dialog. Then I can look at them and do whatever I wish to do to them. And I think that is the way the program is intended to be used. If you want to try to do things otherwise go ahead. But I don't think it's a very good idea. Just my personal opinion, you can do what ever you will. I just don't think you're using a very good practice. Good luck, my friend.

[Todd Shaner]

MPDAEF  wrote

  (Running Win 10 on a Surface Book--PC laptop.)

I haven't actually used the old CC for eons, but photo and other graphic downloads are still set to open with it.

You've created a dilemma by working in two different LR versions. The old version catalog has none of the new images and edits contained in the new version catalog and the new version catalog has none of the "downloaded" images. There's no "easy" way to merge the two catalogs, but you can import the "downloaded" files into the new version catalog.

To what folder(s) did you download these image files, how many are we talking about, and did you apply any edits to them? Depending on your answers the solution may be simple or require more steps.

MPDAEF  wrote

Windows 10 will not allow me to change the download default to Classic, so everything downloaded opens in the old CC. There is no option to select anything except "Lightroom" in the computer's defaults options. 

It appears when LR Classic is installed file associations can become broken when the older LR version is removed. I'm on Windows 7 and have LR Classic 7.3.1 installed. I just tried setting JPG file type to associate with LR 7.3.1, but with no success using File> Open With or 'Choose Default'> 'Browse' and setting Lightroom.exe in C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Lightroom Classic CC. It appears a Windows Registry Edit is required, which you should only try if experienced with REGEDIT.

File associations broken | Windows

IMHO it's not a good idea to use file associations to import files into LR. My suggestion is the same as JimHess which is to first download image files to a folder location and then use the Import module or 'Synchronize Folder' to get them into LR. Following this recommendation you can forget about LR file associations.

[MPDAEF]

Thanks, but I don't work in both versions.  It's Windows 10 that insists on using the old CC.  That's a hangover from before there was Classic, and Windows doesn't have a default option for anything but a sort of generic Lightroom--one can't specify a version, much less change it.  I didn't uninstall old CC when Classic first appeared, just in case there were real issues that suggested reverting to the old version, but I don't use it and will now be happy to be rid of it.. 

Otherwise, using LR as the default photo viewer is just fine.  It saves steps.  It opens the downloaded photo, allows one to either import or view and delete, and it saves the photo in my Photos folder just where it should.  I don't need to have photos saved to use somehow outside of LR.

G