-
1. Re: Moving Photographs
dj_paige Nov 29, 2010 11:36 AM (in response to ericgraig)I am getting a new PC (in the hopes of speeding up LR's lethargic performance) and want to move my files, first to an external drive, then back on to the very fast drive on the new machine. I think I understand how to move the photographs in LR. I created a new folder on the external drive and dragged the folders I want to copy to the new folder. My question is:
Actually, moving the photos in LR probably isn't the way to go when moving to a new computer. You need to move the photo using your operating system to the new computer. If you put the images in the exact same directories on the new computer that they were in on the old computer, that's half the battle. (But if you already did the move in LR, then you would need different directions at this point...)
The other thing you would need to do is transfer the Lightroom catalog (and optionally the previews). If you move the catalog file to the new computer and double-click on it, you should be all set.
As I understand it, LR never actually changes an image but rather saves a record of fixes that it then applies when the photograph is viewed. Does the information in this database move along with the photo when the photo is moved? Can one revert to an earlier version of the image after a move?
By default, your edits and metadata are NOT stored with the photo files, so moving the photo files does not move the edits or metadata. While you can change this default, some information can then be moved with the photo files, but there are still some types of information that are NEVER stored with the photo files, and of course, this information doesn't move with the photo files.
All of your edits and other actions are stored in the Lightroom catalog file, which is why it must be moved to the new computer as well.
-
2. Re: Moving Photographs
ericgraig Nov 29, 2010 11:45 AM (in response to dj_paige)It was my understanding that I could copy my files to an external drive from within Lightroom and then simply reverse the process when the new computer arrives. I just tried it in fact (I moved the files from the old PC, to an external drive and then opened them from that drive though I still have the old PC) and the process worked fine. I was able to see and revert my edits as well.
Eric
-
3. Re: Moving Photographs
web-weaver Nov 29, 2010 11:46 AM (in response to ericgraig)You have to back up the catalog to your external harddrive.
Go to > Edit > Catalog Settings. In the Genral-Tab under Backup choose "Every time LR exits". Then exit LR. A dialog will come up that lets you choose the backup-location. Choose your external harddrive.
Then when you have LR installed on your new machine and LR is open go to >File > Open Catalog and navigate to the back-up catalog on your external harddrive.
When everything is as you want it you can then make a back-up to your internal harddrive. Then go to > Edit > Preferences and in the General tab under Default Catalog chose the location on your internal harddrive.
WW
-
4. Re: Moving Photographs
ericgraig Nov 29, 2010 11:51 AM (in response to web-weaver)That seems to address the catalog issue. What about the photos themselves? They need to be 'reattached' to the catalog right? If I copy them to the external drive (either from within LR or from within the OS) how does that happen?
Eric
-
5. Re: Moving Photographs
dj_paige Nov 29, 2010 12:12 PM (in response to ericgraig)It was my understanding that I could copy my files to an external drive from within Lightroom and then simply reverse the process when the new computer arrives. I just tried it in fact (I moved the files from the old PC, to an external drive and then opened them from that drive though I still have the old PC) and the process worked fine. I was able to see and revert my edits as well.
This ought to work if the drive letter of the external HD is exactly the same on the new computer as on the old computer. If not, there is an additional step. And you still need to move the catalog file in any case.
-
6. Re: Moving Photographs
web-weaver Nov 29, 2010 1:48 PM (in response to ericgraig)It was my understanding that you move or copy the photos to your external hard drive.
If you do this from within LR, then LR will store the new location of the photos in the catalog (wherever the catalog is).
When you then make a backup of your catalog to the external hard drive, you have the photos and the catalog on this drive.
On the new computer, when you open this catalog in LR it will also recognize where the photos are, PROVIDED that you have made no changes whatsoever since you made the backup.
So basically you backup (copy or move) your photos to the external hard drive (and do it in LR) AND you have you catalog also on this drive.
If you move the photos in WIN Explorer or whatever your OS is, LR will have lost contact to the photos and shows you all these lovely question marks
WW
-
7. Re: Moving Photographs
dj_paige Nov 29, 2010 2:33 PM (in response to web-weaver)web-weaver wrote:
It was my understanding that you move or copy the photos to your external hard drive.
If you do this from within LR, then LR will store the new location of the photos in the catalog (wherever the catalog is).
When you then make a backup of your catalog to the external hard drive, you have the photos and the catalog on this drive.
There is no copy from within Lightroom, except on import.
Moving photos to an external HD is NOT a backup. It is a move. You had one copy of your photos before, you still have one copy of your photos.
For the new computer to recognize where the photos are, the catalog file does NOT have to be on the same drive as the photos.
Using catalog backup is unnecessary if you can use the operating system to make a copy of the catalog file and then move the copy to the new computer.
-
8. Re: Moving Photographs
web-weaver Nov 29, 2010 3:03 PM (in response to dj_paige)dj_paige, you are absolutely correct.
But what is the advantage of making a copy of the catalog by the OS?
I'd rather let LR do it since it also checks the integrity.
WW
-
9. Re: Moving Photographs
dj_paige Nov 29, 2010 4:01 PM (in response to web-weaver)Yes, catalog integrity is important. I assume this is done regularly, like either daily or weekly, so moving the catalog to another computer is simply done in the Operating System; but if the original poster isn't doing that integrity check/backup, then making a catalog backup is definitely the way to go. Of course, if the original poster isn't making regular backups of his catalog file (and photos), I think he should begin doing so immediately.
-
10. Re: Moving Photographs
ericgraig Nov 29, 2010 8:11 PM (in response to dj_paige)Thanks for this input. Here's my take away:
- Move the photos to the external drive from within LR.
- After moving them, backup the catalog to the external drive.
- Install LR on the new computer.
- Point LR to the catalog on the external drive.
- Move the photos from the external drive to the drive on the new computer from within LR.
- Backup the catalog on the new computer.
Maybe there is another way to do this but this seems to cover all the bases.
Eric
-
11. Re: Moving Photographs
dj_paige Nov 30, 2010 4:07 AM (in response to ericgraig)By using LR to do these moves, your process takes extra time for LR to update its database (twice). If you move or copy in the operating system, your process doesn't include this extra time. The end result is the same ... photos in the exact same location on the new computer as on the old computer, and Lightroom catalog functioning properly.
-
12. Re: Moving Photographs
Jasonized Nov 30, 2010 5:07 AM (in response to ericgraig)You are making this WAY harder than it actually is. Seriously.
Plug in your external drive.
take your top level directory of images, and drag it over to your new drive and let it COPY them across.
Drag your catalog file onto it to copy it as well.
When it's done, take your external drive, and plug it into your new computer and reverse the above process.
IF and ONLY IF the drive letter of your final destination does not match the drive letter of the original, you will have one more (quick) step to perform. When you start LR, it will have your image directory grayed out. Right click on it, and tell it where it now is instead of where it was. Done.
Oh, and make sure you backup not just your catalog routinely, but images as well. You won't believe the number of people who ask the question: I've lost all my images, but I still have my previews! How can I get my previews out as images?" because they didn't backup the image drive as well as the catalog drive. ;}
This copies images, .xmp files, catalog, edits, etc. I don't bother copying the previews because it'll probably be faster to regen them on the new machine.
And don't worry! There is nothing magic about moving the images/etc from within LR. It's making calls to the OS to move them anyway, all you're doing is forcing LR to update the catalog for each image moved, which is a waste of time.
Cheers! -
13. Re: Moving Photographs
ericgraig Nov 30, 2010 9:43 AM (in response to Jasonized)That was really helpful. I was making it so complicated because I didn't (and don't) understand how the data in the catalog, including the history of changes made to the image, gets matched to the actual images. The source of my concern was the possibility of breaking this relationship by doing anything outside of LR.
Eric
-
14. Re: Moving Photographs
ericgraig Nov 30, 2010 9:54 AM (in response to Jasonized)That was really helpful. I was making it so complicated because I didn't (and don't) understand how the data in the catalog, including the history of changes made to the image, gets matched to the actual images. The source of my concern was the possibility of breaking this relationship by doing anything outside of LR.
Eric



