Please help me choose catalog merge strategy

[SenecaLakebum]

I have a stand-alone catalog made using Lr import from iphoto. The era I used I photo was about 2 years (2015-2016) and of course it contains some older images that filtered in along the way.

I brought all my pre mac images (from old pc) into a new catalog and have merged that into my main Lr Catalog.

As such I have a gap left in the structure from the iphoto era.

My goal is to now merge the Lr catalog from iphoto import into main catalog but I’m not positive what approach to take:

• First move those images (inside Lr iphoto catalog) to the same root directory as main catalog but have uniquely named base year folders. (i.e. 2015_iph) of the years that have overlap. Then do the import catalog without moving files (would already be there). Afterward in main catalog I would probably move files around so I only have one year and set of associated months.
• I could instead copy the files during import and let it rebuild the folder structure but I don’t quite have the room on that drive to have the content duplicated. I could migrate to larger storage or move source to different drive 1st I suppose.

From a catalog efficiency and file movement standpoint what approach makes more sense?

I did one other catalog merge but still have doubts about doing this cleanly.

I’m not too concerned with the clean-up effort post merge I just want to avoid issues and have sound complete catalog.

FWIW I was very puzzled as to how to move files to a different folder on an external drive that had no other Catalog aware content. I found I had to create a dummy folder (from within Lr) in the folder I wanted to use in order to access it in Lr.

Also FWIW I used apple photos for a while but those don’t import to Lr so I just brought in the masters in main Lr catalog and gave up several months of tagging. Not a huge deal to me.

I understand the Cloud Lr might now play with apple photos but pretty sure I don’t want to go down that road.

Thanks, Ted

[dj_paige]

From a catalog efficiency and file movement standpoint what approach makes more sense?

I did one other catalog merge but still have doubts about doing this cleanly.

Simply doesn't matter. The catalog will be just as efficient either way.

I’m not too concerned with the clean-up effort post merge I just want to avoid issues and have sound complete catalog.

If you do things correctly, you won't have any issues.

All this stress over some folders on one disk and other folders on another disk ... to me this is making a mountain out of a molehill. Lightroom doesn't care if the photos are on 20 different disks. You will be able to find your photos either way. And the photos will remain in your Lightroom catalog.

Afterward in main catalog I would probably move files around so I only have one year and set of associated months.

This doesn't make much sense to me. Just put all the photos on a disk with enough space and be done with it. Don't use a workflow where the photos are on one disk for a period of time and then you have to move them ... put the all of the photos on one disk; put new photos from your camera on that disk too, import them onto that disk rather than importing them to one disk and planning to move them in a year.