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S.Nadeau
Known Participant
November 9, 2017
Answered

Blurb book in progress is missing

  • November 9, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 769 views

I was editing a Book I was creating on LR5, I wanted to change the format on one page and I think I clicked on Clear Layout under Auto Layout. My previous work is now missing and only the newly imported photo is showing. I exited LR without saving changes but I still can't find my previous work. It was almost complete. I would appreciate your feedback! Thanks

      Correct answer Rob_Cullen

      I sympathize.

      The "Clear Layout" button should have a dialog that asks "Are you sure?". It certainly clears ALL your design work of the whole book. It has happened to me, so I avoid this button like the plague.

      Your only option depends on when you last made a Catalog backup. If it was very recently, then a catalog restore from the backup might bring back some (or all) of your book design, but even better would be-

      Selectively restore the Book Collection from the backup catalog by-

      1. selecting the Book Collection in the Collections panel with all the photos selected (Ctrl+A)-

      (call it "Transfer")

      3. then back in your current working catalog- Menu > "Import from another catalog"

      4. selecting the Temporary created catalog "Transfer".

      This process is similarly described by Victoria Bampton in this link-

      https://www.lightroomqueen.com/partial-restore-backup-catalog/

      A hint for future work might be to make a "Duplicate" copy of the saved book collection on a regular basis.  (Right-click > Duplicate) The "duplicate" will be insurance against major catastrophes like yours. Unwanted Book Collections are easily deleted from the Collections panel.

      2 replies

      S
      S.NadeauAuthor
      Known Participant
      November 10, 2017

      I went back to the LR backup from yesterday, lost my editing from today but otherwise reinstated my book. Yikes! That button should definitely have a prompt asking if you are sure. Thanks for the help.

      Rob_Cullen
      Community Expert
      Rob_CullenCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      November 9, 2017

      I sympathize.

      The "Clear Layout" button should have a dialog that asks "Are you sure?". It certainly clears ALL your design work of the whole book. It has happened to me, so I avoid this button like the plague.

      Your only option depends on when you last made a Catalog backup. If it was very recently, then a catalog restore from the backup might bring back some (or all) of your book design, but even better would be-

      Selectively restore the Book Collection from the backup catalog by-

      1. selecting the Book Collection in the Collections panel with all the photos selected (Ctrl+A)-

      (call it "Transfer")

      3. then back in your current working catalog- Menu > "Import from another catalog"

      4. selecting the Temporary created catalog "Transfer".

      This process is similarly described by Victoria Bampton in this link-

      https://www.lightroomqueen.com/partial-restore-backup-catalog/

      A hint for future work might be to make a "Duplicate" copy of the saved book collection on a regular basis.  (Right-click > Duplicate) The "duplicate" will be insurance against major catastrophes like yours. Unwanted Book Collections are easily deleted from the Collections panel.

      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 .
      S
      S.NadeauAuthor
      Known Participant
      November 10, 2017

      Thanks very much for your reply. I actually did save LR yesterday, so I went back to that version and just lost my edits from today. It is truly surprising that there isn’t a pop up asking “are you sure”! I easily thought I was only altering the page I was working on.

      Thank you for the suggestion to make a duplicate copy, I definitely will. I’m so relieved to get my work back and I will also avoid that button in the future.

      Thanks again, Suzanne

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