Participant

Question

Accidently created new catalog, reopened old catalog but not all folders are appearing

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
September 27, 2019
7 replies
624 views

Help! I bought a new camera and thought it would be good to start a new folder. I had a brainfart and created a new catalog instead. When I realized what I had done, I erased the new catalog and tried to open reopen the original but I am missing several folders (about 18,000 pictures). I can see the original folder in my pictures folder, they are there but I can't seem to get lightroom to see them. As I said I have the first 4 of probably 9 folders (I create a folder for each year and then subfolders for each shoot).

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GoldingD

Legend

And final inquiry. In the current catalog, when you look at total photos, Are you in the All Photos collection?

GoldingD

Legend

When you went looking for the previous catalog, did you search the entire computer for files ending in .lrcat?

GoldingD

Legend

1. When you state backup catalog. Is this a actual backup created by Lightroom when you close?

2. Or a backup made by TimeMachine (MAC) or another backup utility?

3. Or a direct copy that you created?

Just Shoot Me

Legend

Possibly you opened the wrong, not your original, catalog.

In the LR File menu item how many catalogs are listed?

In your File manager for the OS you are using, Finder for Mac and File Explorer for Windows, do a search for .lrcat to see just how many you have.

B

BrentwglobalAuthor

Participant

That helped! When I was choosing "Open Catalog" it was only giving me two choices. When I searched, as you suggested, I was able to load my latest backup. It seems I am still missing some but I think I can clean it up from here. Thank you!

Rob_Cullen

Community Expert

I could have a guess and say- the 'new' Catalog you created possibly 'moved' all those folders of photos in the Import process. So now the 'old' Catalog does not know where they are stored after the move.

You still need to locate the folders of photos using the OS File Finder, and then re-link the folders in Lightroom as suggested in the web-link given by davidg3166309.

Regards. My System: Windows-11, Lightroom-Classic 15.3, Photoshop 27.5, ACR 18.3, Lightroom 9.3, Lr-iOS 10.4.0, Bridge 16.0.3 .

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

Can you explain a bit more? What do you mean when you say that Lightroom "does not see" them? Aren't the pictures in Lightroom at all? Are they in Lightroom but you can't seem to find their folder in the folder panel? Does the folder panel show the names of the folders but in italics because they are 'missing'?

-- Johan W. Elzenga

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BrentwglobalAuthor

Participant

My folders aren't greyed out or showing an "!", they just arent there at all. The folder I use used to show just over 20,000 photos, now it lists just 2,000. I've gone into the computer and confirmed the pictures are all there but Lightroom is only showing 4 of the 9 folders.

GoldingD

Legend

see

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/lr2_find_folder/find-folder.htm

B

BrentwglobalAuthor

Participant

Thank you but this does not seem to be my problem. My folders aren't greyed out or showing an "!", they just arent there at all. The folder I use used to show just over 20,000 photos, now it lists just 2,000.

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